When longtime Oklahoma City Ward 2 City Councilman Ed Shadid announced last year he would not seek a third term, it set off a scramble for his seat.
Ward 2 stretches from N.W. 23rd Street on its southern border to Britton Road. It includes Penn Square Mall and the Paseo Arts District. The culturally and economically diverse ward covers some of the city’s trendiest areas.
This Feb. 12 election, which could result in an April 2 runoff, features candidates from varied backgrounds, including a bail bondsman and a historian. Here’s a snapshot look at the five candidates vying for Shadid’s seat.
Suzanne Broadbent, 68
Profession: Community leader and activist
Experience: A life-long Oklahoman, Broadbent grew up on a ranch near Leedey. She served as the president of the American Association of University Women Oklahoma and five years as president of the Putnam Heights Preservation Area, where she has lived for more than 25 years. Former Oklahoma City Mayor Mick Cornett appointed her to the Oklahoma City Historic Preservation Commission.
Platform: Broadbent has expressed concern over Oklahoma City Public Schools closings. She has also been an advocate for economic development in the ward and throughout the rest of the city along with preservation of the city’s history.
“Some of our history isn’t very pretty, but we can learn from past mistakes,” Broadbent states on her campaign website, “and we have had some outstanding leaders who guided us through difficult times to progress — Clara Luper and Patience Latting, the first woman mayor of a major city — come to mind.”
Links: Website | Facebook
James Cooper, 36
(Editor’s note: James Cooper has contributed to NonDoc as a commentator in the past.)
Profession: Oklahoma City Public Schools teacher, adjunct college professor and writer
Experience: A resident of the Paseo Arts District, Cooper is a teacher and serves as a trustee on the Central Oklahoma Transportation and Parking Authority.
Platform: Improvements to city streets and sidewalks feature among the issues for which Cooper advocates. He also wants a better city bus system, expansion of the downtown streetcar to other areas of the city and adequate funding for the city’s animal welfare department.
“As a teacher in Oklahoma City Public Schools and a trustee on OKC’s transportation board, I’m committed to public service,” Cooper states on his campaign website. “I’ll fight for better schools, safer and stronger neighborhoods, reliable public transit, and to preserve and revitalize our diverse historic districts. I’ll be a voice for all who call our city home.”
Links: Website | Facebook
Marilyn Davidson, 38
Profession: President and founder of Davidson Consulting, an Oklahoma City communications and lobbying firm
Experience: Davidson served as legislative liaison for the Oklahoma Department of Corrections and on the young professionals board at the Oklahoma City Zoo. She has also served in leadership roles with the Oklahoma Alliance on Health or Tobacco and the Oklahoma Fit Kids Coalition.
Platform: Davidson advocates for proper police staffing and improving relations between the community and its police department. She also wants more oversight of Oklahoma City Public Schools by the city and improvement of her ward’s infrastructure.
Links: Website | Facebook
Mike Dover, 70
Profession: Retired nonprofit director
Experience: Dover spent 27 years as executive director of Variety Health Center, a nonprofit community health center serving low-income families. He has also served on the MAPS 3 Citizen Advisory Board.
Platform: Dover is an advocate for promoting small business in Oklahoma City. He has also called for expanding the number of city council wards, continued investment in public transit and expanding community policing. He has also advocated for the city to take a more active role in managing its public school system.
“I will always be an advocate to improve the quality of life for all families,” Dover states on his website. “I have a particular concern for the most vulnerable among us including children and senior citizens, the disabled the disenfranchised and the homeless. I will be a proponent for the well-being and quality of life concerning animal welfare.”
Links: Website | Facebook | Twitter
Tracey Halley-Terrell, 47
Profession: Bail bondsman
Experience: Halley-Terrell is new to politics.
Platform: There is little information on Halley-Terrell’s platform on her social media or campaign website. She has said she intends to advocate for a wide range of people, and has a clear understanding of her ward’s biggest issues.
“New to politics but not new to the needs of Oklahoma City and the good people who live here,” Halley-Terrell wrote in a Facebook post announcing her candidacy last month.
Links: Website | Facebook
