Voters in 16 Oklahoma counties will head to the polls Tuesday to cast their ballots in elections for legislative seats, county propositions and sales taxes.
To view a sample ballot and find your polling location, visit the OK Voter Portal.
Runoff winners battle it out for House District 71
After a series of primary elections, voters in Tulsa's House District 71 will finally decide who will fill the vacant seat.
On the Republican side, Beverly Atteberry was the top candidate. She has a law firm specializing in will, probate and criminal law. She told Oklahoma Voice that her priorities include improving roads and public education to draw more businesses to the state.
In the Democratic race, Amanda Clinton came up as the clear frontrunner, beating out three opponents without the need for a runoff race. Clinton owns a consulting firm and worked as the communications director for Tulsa Mayor Monroe Nichols' campaign last year. Nichols endorsed Clinton in the race.
On her website, Clinton touts her involvement with Planned Parenthood, running as a pro-choice candidate in a state where abortion is largely illegal. Clinton was previously an Emmy Award-winning creator and producer on the show Osiyo, Voices of the Cherokee People.
The winner will replace former Rep. Amanda Swope, D-Tulsa, who vacated the seat to serve as the director of tribal policy and partnerships for the city of Tulsa.
House District 74 voters choose between political newcomers
Another vacant seat in the statehouse representing the greater Tulsa area will be filled this month.
Republican Kevin Norwood eked out a victory in the primary for House District 74 after a runoff, sending him to the general election. He earned slightly more than 51% of the vote, resulting in an advantage of 43 ballots over his opponent, Sheila Vancuren.
Norwood, who is from Owasso, is a youth minister. He is an active community volunteer who earned the Keep Oklahoma Beautiful Environmental Excellence Affiliate Champion designation for his work with Keep Owasso Beautiful. Norwood is endorsed by the state's 2nd Amendment Association and Oklahoma Faith Leaders. He wants to reduce what he calls wasteful spending in the government, a popular Republican platform at the national and state levels.
He will face Democrat Amy Hossain in the primary. Hossain is the Chief Human Resources Officer at Domestic Violence Intervention Services. She boasts endorsements from former Tulsa Police Chief Drew Diamond and Mental Health Now. Her campaign priorities include raising the minimum wage and funding public schools.
Hossain did not face any primary opponents.
The seat in House District 74 was left vacant after former Rep. Mark Vancuren, R-Owasso, exited the position to serve as deputy county commissioner to Lonnie Sims in Tulsa.
House District 97 poses a race between Democrats with differing thoughts on the plagued Oklahoma County Jail
The election of former Rep. Jason Lowe, D-OKC, to the Oklahoma County Commission has triggered a special election to fill his seat. Two Democratic candidates filed to run.
JeKia Harrison works as a legislative assistant in the statehouse and also owns a political consulting firm. Her campaign platforms include supporting public schools and addressing the housing crisis through keeping prices affordable and meeting the housing needs of older Oklahomans.
Aletia Timmons previously served as a district judge before stepping down to run for the legislature. On her website, she highlights criminal justice reform and government transparency as key platforms.
Both Timmons and Harrison participated in a debate hosted by news outlets NonDoc and News 9. They were asked about the pending construction of the new Oklahoma County Jail, which has faced delays and is now $400 million short of the funding needed to complete it. Timmons advocated for legislative action to solve some of the problems, expressing her view that the County Commission is unable to resolve the situation on its own. Harrison, on the other hand, didn't specify what action she would take regarding the jail, but voiced concerns about its location in a low-income area near an elementary school.
Seminole County sees four propositions
Voters in Seminole County will have four questions to decide on. Three of those measures center around the extension of a sales tax through 2030, which would be used for roads and infrastructure, the sheriff's office and the county's general fund.
The fourth measure would allow for the sale of alcohol at bars and restaurants every day. Currently, the county bans alcohol sales on Sundays.
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.
