# Ajay Pittman

Ayshia K. M. Pittman (born September 10, 1993) is a Seminole-American politician who currently serves as a member of the Oklahoma House of Representatives from the 99th district as a member of the Democratic Party. She is the third Seminole to serve in the Oklahoma Legislature.

## Early life

Ayshia K. M. Pittman was born on September 10, 1993, to Anastasia Pittman, who served in the Oklahoma House of Representatives from the 99th district and in the Oklahoma Senate. Pittman is a member of the Seminole Nation of Oklahoma, and is the great-great-granddaughter of Abner Burnett, who survived the Tulsa race massacre. Pittman attended the University of Oklahoma and graduated from the Oklahoma Policy Institute.

## Oklahoma House of Representatives

Pittman won the initial Democratic primary in 2018, against Nkem House, Crentha Sequoya Turner, and Steve Davis for a seat in the Oklahoma House of Representatives from the 99th district and defeated House in the runoff primary. She succeeded Representative George E. Young, who had run for a seat in the Oklahoma Senate. She was the third Seminole to serve in the Oklahoma Legislature. She is a member of the Oklahoma Legislature Black Caucus.

### 2020 campaign and second term

In 2020, Pittman ran for reelection and in the Democratic primary she was challenged by Susan Porter, the daughter of E. Melvin Porter who was the first black member of the Oklahoma Senate. Pittman defeated Porter in the Democratic primary.
In 2020, Pittman was appointed to the Joint Legislative Committee on State and Tribal Relations by Speaker of the House Charles McCall.
During the 2020 presidential election Pittman endorsed Joe Biden for the Democratic presidential nomination. In 2020, Pittman was endorsed by EMILY's List.
In 2021, legislation which would prohibit governmental entities from mandating vaccination and from inflicting penalties against any person who refuses to vaccinate, including children, was passed through the public health committee by a vote of seven to one, with Pittman being the only vote against. The legislation later passed in the state house by a vote of seventy-one to twenty-five.

### 2024 campaign

In 2024, Pittman ran for reelection and faced a primary challenge from Brittane Grant. In late May the Oklahoma Ethics Commission released a settlement agreement between Pittman and the commission that fined her $17,141 and ordered her to repay $17,858.22 to her campaign for improperly drawing funds from her campaign and inaccurate reporting of contributions. Pittman said the agreement was "regarding a clerical error." In June, she filed a lawsuit seeking to remove Grant from the ballot for a 2016 guilty plea for a deferred sentence. Pittman won the primary election.

## Electoral history

2018 Oklahoma House of Representatives 99th district 2018 Democratic primary :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Democratic | Ajay Pittman | 2,194 | 38.13% |
| | Democratic | Nkem House | 1,848 | 32.12% |
| | Democratic | Steve Davis | 1,005 | 17.47% |
| | Democratic | Crentha Sequoya Turner | 707 | 12.29% |
| Total votes | Total votes | Total votes | 5,754 | 100.00% |
2018 Oklahoma House of Representatives 99th district 2018 Democratic runoff primary :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Democratic | Ajay Pittman | 1,481 | 51.91% |
| | Democratic | Nkem House | 1,372 | 48.09% |
| Total votes | Total votes | Total votes | 2,853 | 100.00% |
2020 Oklahoma House of Representatives 99th district 2018 Democratic primary :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Democratic | Ajay Pittman (incumbent) | 2,837 | 51.95% |
| | Democratic | Susan Porter | 2,624 | 48.05% |
| Total votes | Total votes | Total votes | 5,461 | 100.00% |