Today, Oklahoma voters will decide their party’s nominee for the corporation commissioner seat up for election in 2018. The winner of each party’s respective primary will join independent Jackie Short on the general election ballot in November.
There are three corporation commissioners in Oklahoma, each serving six-year terms staggered, so one is up for re-election every two years. Incumbent Corporation Commissioner Bob Anthony is seeking his sixth six-year term, having already served 30 years in the position.
The Oklahoma Corporation Commission is responsible for regulating industries deemed essential to the public welfare. Their website’s list of regulated industries includes electric and gas utilities, oil and gas, household goods carriers, petroleum storage tanks and railroads.
For additional comprehensive election resources, check out NonDoc’s election 2018 page.
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Bob Anthony (R)
Profession:Â Oklahoma corporation commissioner
Experience: In 2012, voters elected Anthony to his fifth term as corporation commissioner, and he has now spent 30 years in the position.
Platform: Anthony’s website lists some of his priorities as promoting natural gas usage, strengthening consumer protections, “embedding” performance, financial and operational agency audits, protecting the environment, attracting wind power to the state, increased high-speed internet access and faster 911 services.Â
Links: Website | Facebook
Brian Bingman (R)
Profession:Â Vice president of land and operations for Uplands Resources
Experience:Â Bingman was a state senator for Senate District 12 from 2006 to 2016, ending his tenure as president pro tempore of the body. He served two years in the House of Representatives before that.
Platform:Â Bingman’s website states, “unnecessary regulations should be removed at the state level in the same way Donald Trump has removed them at the national level.” His priorities also include providing low-cost energy to Oklahomans and bringing more energy companies to Oklahoma.
Links:Â Website |Â Facebook
Harold D. Spradling (R)
Profession:Â Unclear
Experience:Â Unclear
Platform:Â Unclear
Links:Â Spradling appears to have no readily accessible online presence.
Blake Cummings (D)
Profession:Â 30-year professional in the oil and gas field
Experience:Â Worked in government relations
Platform:Â Cummings promises he is free from the influence of oil and gas companies. He states he would fight to reduce the burden of earthquake insurance on Oklahomans and protect Oklahoma’s natural resources.
Links: Website |Â Facebook
Ashley Nicole McCray (D)
Profession:Â Activist
Experience:Â McCray has spent years advocating for Oklahomans affected by eminent domain and has held numerous high-profile environmental protection speaking and leadership positions.
Platform:Â McCray states she would bring “accountability, communication and transparency” to the corporation commission, saying those qualities are lacking. Online she says she would work toward a statewide moratorium on hydraulic fracturing, advocate for renewable energy sources and would foster relationships with tribal governments.
Links:Â Website |Â Facebook
Ken Reich (D)
Profession:Â Unclear
Experience:Â Unclear
Platform:Â Unclear
Links:Â Reich does not appear to have not readily accessible online presence.
Beau Williams (D)
Profession:Â Attorney
Experience:Â Recipient of the “Barry Albert Award for Trial Advocacy”
Platform:Â In a pledge on her website, Williams promises to lower utility rates for Oklahomans by exploring new energy sources, stating, “cheaper sources of energy are being ignored and thwarted by the Oklahoma Corporation Commission.” Her website states, “Stop the quakes, lower the rates.”
Links: Facebook | Website
Jackie Short (I)
Profession:Â Unclear
Experience: From Ballotpedia, “Short previously ran unsuccessfully for the Office 7 seat of the Oklahoma District 7 court in 2010.”
Platform:Â Unclear
Links:Â Short appears to have no readily accessible online presence.
