Oklahomans in 22 counties can cast their ballots in upcoming August elections.
School districts are proposing bonds, and cities are considering updates to their operations. Election day is Aug. 12.
To see a sample ballot and find your polling location, visit the Oklahoma voter portal.
Mid-America Technology Center seeks bond to expand enrollment
Voters in the Mid-America Technology Center district in south-central Oklahoma will consider increasing the property tax rate from one-thousandth to four-thousandths of a dollar for building funds.
Those funds would be used for repairing and remodeling existing facilities. The center's website says the increase would also go towards building a new campus in the northern area of the district around Blanchard. That campus would add 700 seats.
MATC Superintendent Mike Eubank wrote on Facebook the tax rate has sat at one-thousandth of a dollar since 1997 and that the proposed increase would amount to $60 per year for the average taxpayer.
Voters registered in the center's 18 sending school districts can consider the proposal. Those districts include McClain and Garvin counties, along with parts of Cleveland, Grady, Murray, Pontotoc, Pottawatomie and Stephens counties.
Voters in Moore to decide on city charter amendments
Moore voters will consider a series of seven different propositions on two separate ballots.
On the first ballot are amendments to the city's charter. Mark Hamm, the mayor of Moore, said that revising the city charter has been a goal of his tenure. It hasn't been updated in decades, leading to some portions that are no longer in line with how the city operates.
The first proposition would increase the mayor's monthly stipend from $300 to $500, while council members would see their payment double from $100 to $200.
The second would remove the city clerk from duties as head of finance, transferring those responsibilities to the city treasurer. The city clerk would have to oversee all records from city council meetings.
The third proposition asks voters to approve increasing the value a property must reach before city council approval is required for the city manager to sell it. The value currently sits at $25,000; if passed, the amendment would increase it to $75,000.
A fourth amendment seeks to eliminate the personnel board, which was established to handle disputes regarding termination, demotion or other changes in status for city employees. In his over 11 years on city council, Hamm said the personnel board has never been active. City employees have other avenues to address their concerns, he said, like the city's human resources department.
The fifth proposal eliminates the requirement that the city must have a population of 30,000 before hiring unclassified, or temporary, employees. The city's population is now over 60,000.
The final city charter amendment updates the qualifications for candidates filing for office. It establishes residency requirements in the United States, the state of Oklahoma and the city of Moore for those seeking office. It also sets the age required for office at 25 years and eliminates the provision that candidates must be property owners.
On the second ballot, there is just one proposition, which would increase the city's room tax rate from 5% to 8%. That would include motel and hotel rooms.
Assistant City Manager Deidre Ebrey said the propositions were separated onto two ballots because the city charter amendments are unrelated to the hotel tax question.
Minco considering street commissioner appointment
Voters in the city of Minco, with a population of about 1,500, will decide whether to change the position of Street Commissioner from an elected one to one appointed by the mayor.
On Facebook, officials at City Hall explained their stance that the change is necessary to ensure the most qualified person gets the job, rather than someone who runs unopposed. However, some commenters expressed worry that the job would be given to a candidate based on their connections to City Hall.
Coleman Public Schools proposes bond to keep up with growth
Coleman Public Schools in southern Oklahoma is requesting a $1.4 million bond to renovate its cafeteria and construct an addition with a media center and safe room. The bond valuation is the maximum allowed for the district, but it estimates the project will cost more.
If approved, the bond would increase property taxes by around $130 annually for every $1000 paid. School bonds need approval from 60% of voters to pass.
This report was produced by the Oklahoma Public Media Exchange, a collaboration of public media organizations. Help support collaborative journalism by donating at the link at the top of this webpage.
