Who is running for Oklahoma Senate, District 17 (Unexpired Term) in 2026?
Here are the candidates for Oklahoma Senate, District 17 (Unexpired Term) on the November 3, 2026 ballot. This race is on the ballot for voters in Oklahoma Senate District 17.
Positions come only from each candidate's own votes, official actions, statements and questionnaire answers, never from party labels. Every item links to its source.
Side by side
Each candidate's position on the issues this office handles, from their own record. Details and sources are in each profile below.
| Issue | Ed BoltDemocrat | Justin Freeland WoodRepublican |
|---|---|---|
| Guns | No public position | Keep current laws and enforce what is already on the booksSaid · medium |
| School choice | No, keep public money in traditional public schoolsSaid · medium | No public position |
| Curriculum and books | No public position | Locally elected school boardsSaid · medium |
Ed Bolt
DemocratSmall business owner; former mayor of Shawnee
Ed Bolt, 69, is a former Shawnee city commissioner and mayor who spent decades in the private sector, including as a regional sales manager for AT&T, before retiring and running a small business12. His campaign lists public education, affordable housing, childcare and rural economic development as priorities1. He is the Democratic nominee for the unexpired Senate District 17 term3.
Where they stand 1 issues · tap any issue for the evidence
School choiceNo, keep public money in traditional public schoolsmedium
Said · medium confidence- His campaign site says the state should end the practice of sending public school funds to private schools. (2026) source
No public position found on: Safety net programs, Minimum wage, Business regulation, Healthcare, Abortion, Guns, Immigration, Energy and climate, Curriculum and books, Housing and growth, Policing and crime, Election rules, Judges, Politicians trading stocks, Marijuana, Gender care for minors, Redistricting, Term limits, Campaign finance, Electoral College, Ranked-choice voting, Death penalty, Qualified immunity, Mandatory minimums, Drug prices, Childcare and pre-K, Paid leave, Student loans, AI regulation, Kids online, School vaccines, Nuclear power, E-Verify mandate, Transgender athletes, DEI programs, Religion in schools, China policy.
Justin Freeland Wood
RepublicanCommunications director, Tecumseh Public Schools; former state representative
Justin Freeland Wood, 36, served two terms in the Oklahoma House for District 26 from 2012 to 2016 and was principal chief of the Sac and Fox Nation from 2019 until he resigned in 202212. He is a University of Central Oklahoma graduate, an ordained pastor and the communications director for Tecumseh Public Schools; his father is the Pottawatomie County sheriff23. He led the four-way June 16 Republican primary with 45.3 percent and is the Republican nominee for the unexpired Senate District 17 term14.
Where they stand 2 issues · tap any issue for the evidence
GunsKeep current laws and enforce what is already on the booksmedium
Said · medium confidence- His campaign site says the Second Amendment is not up for negotiation and that he will stand against any attempt to restrict the rights of law-abiding gun owners. (2026) source
Curriculum and booksLocally elected school boardsmedium
Said · medium confidence- His campaign site says he is committed to ensuring local control in education. (2026) source
No public position found on: Safety net programs, Minimum wage, Business regulation, Healthcare, Abortion, Immigration, Energy and climate, School choice, Housing and growth, Policing and crime, Election rules, Judges, Politicians trading stocks, Marijuana, Gender care for minors, Redistricting, Term limits, Campaign finance, Electoral College, Ranked-choice voting, Death penalty, Qualified immunity, Mandatory minimums, Drug prices, Childcare and pre-K, Paid leave, Student loans, AI regulation, Kids online, School vaccines, Nuclear power, E-Verify mandate, Transgender athletes, DEI programs, Religion in schools, China policy.
Last reviewed 2026-10-06. Spotted something wrong? Every claim links to its source so you can check it yourself.