Four dark money groups — two focused on defeating the judges and two working to defend them — spent more than $3.5 million on the competition. Gov. Kevin Stitt joined the effort to oust the judges and potentially reestablish the state's highest civil court. Justices cannot actively work to retain votes, but each of them told The Oklahoman in the weeks leading up to the race that they were concerned about politics entering the election.

Supreme Court Justice Noma Gurich, who served on the court for 11 years, said voters should decide whether or not to retain judges based on judges' qualifications, not politics. “The fact is that a nonpartisan election has become a partisan election, and that is in no one’s best interest,” she said.