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May 11 election results
Six of seven school districts voting on bond issues passed their proposals Tuesday, May 11, 2021. (NonDoc)

Of the 20 municipal and school district jurisdictions that held elections Tuesday in Oklahoma, 11 had fewer than 100 citizens vote. At the county level, Kingfisher County and Murray County passed sales taxes, and Muskogee County voters overwhelmingly supported a $20 million bond issuance for economic development.

While official May 11 election results will be certified by the Oklahoma State Election Board this week, unofficial results also show that six of seven school districts seeking bond issuances passed their proposals.

County election results

Kingfisher County passed a 10-year, half-cent sales tax to fund a new fire station and street, park and recreation improvements. More than 70 percent of Jackson County voters approved a half-cent sales tax. Proceeds will be used to renovate the Jackson County Courthouse in Altus. The building, built in the early 20th century, was added to the national list of historic places in 1984.

In Mayes County, 63.8 percent of voters rejected a 5 percent lodge tax on campsite rentals, AirBnB properties, hotels and motels. (The tax would not have applied to cities and towns within the county that have previously enacted a lodging tax.)

Minor municipal elections

Meanwhile, 13 of 15 city charter proposals in Midwest City passed, with the repeal of a city employee residency requirement and the repeal of an ordinance requiring park land to be included in residential subdivision developments both failing.

The night’s tightest vote was in Fairland, a 1,000-person town in Ottawa County, where residents voted 11-10 to have the Board of Trustees appoint the town clerk. In Ravia, a 500-person town in Johnston County, voters passed the same proposal 25-23.

In Rush Springs, seven people voted in favor of renewing an electric utility agreement and zero people voted against it. The story was similar in Cromwell (11-0) and Valliant (43-0).

Six of seven school bond proposals approved

Election
Seven school districts across the state of Oklahoma had school bond propositions on the Tuesday, May 11, 2021, special election ballot. (Megan Prather)

Six out of seven school districts with bond issues on Tuesday’s special election ballot had propositions passed by voters.

According to state law, school bond measures must receive a supermajority of at least 60 percent of the vote in order to be approved.

Bishop Public School, a pre-K through sixth-grade school in south Lawton, was the only district to have its bond proposition narrowly fail Tuesday night. The $7.9 million bond issue only received 56 percent of the vote, with 42 ballots cast in favor and 33 cast against.

The measure was estimated to increase property taxes to about 29.9 percent, with funding dedicated for the construction of a middle school to enable the district to expand to include that grade band as well.

According to the State Department of Education website, Bishop Public School has a student enrollment of 492. The district is located in Comanche County, off of southwest Sheridan in Lawton.

Two bond propositions benefitting Moore Public Schools, which Superintendent of Moore Schools Robert Romines previously told NonDoc totaled the largest bond question ever placed in front of the Moore community, were approved by voters.

Proposition 1, for a $338.7 million bond issue that will be used for construction, renovation, replacement and repair projects was approved with about 75.2 percent of votes. Proposition 2 was approved with about 75.7 percent of the vote and will provide an $8 million bond to purchase transportation equipment.

Edmond Public Schools also had two bond propositions approved by voters Tuesday night.

Proposition 1, approved with 76.6 percent of votes, will provide a $63.7 million bond issue that will go towards projects such as school upgrades and additions, security, curriculum, technology and purchasing land for future schools.

Proposition 2 received received about 76.5 percent of votes and will provide 1.3 million for transportation, including the purchase of buses and high-capacity sports utility vehicles.

Covington-Douglas Public Schools also had two bond propositions approved. Proposition 1 received about 85.3 percent of votes and will provide a bond issue for about $9.4 million with funds going toward additions and facility upgrades.

Proposition 2 will provide the district with $375,000 to purchase three new route buses and one new activity bus and received about 83.2 percent of votes.

Plainview Public Schools voters overwhelmingly approved two bond propositions totaling about $15.9 million for transportation needs and other projects, such installing safe rooms at the middle and elementary schools. Proposition 1 received about 87.9 percent of votes with Proposition 2 receiving about 87.8 percent of votes.

South Coffeyville Schools approved their $400,000 bond proposal to replace the roof of the elementary school and install playground equipment with 67.9 percent of votes.

A $390,000 bond proposal to purchase vehicles for student transportation at South Rock Creek Schools was approved by voters with about 77.4 percent of votes.

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Megan Prather serves as NonDoc's distribution and development specialist, helping with fundraising and leading efforts to connect readers with content. Megan worked as NonDoc's education reporter from September 2020 to August 2022. After a 16-month hiatus, she returned to the organization in January 2024 in her new role. You can reach her at megan@nondoc.com.
Matt Patterson has spent 20 years in Oklahoma journalism covering a variety of topics for The Oklahoman, The Edmond Sun and Lawton Constitution. He joined NonDoc in 2019. Email story tips and ideas to matt@nondoc.com.
William W. Savage III (Tres) has served as the editor in chief of NonDoc since the publication launched in September 2015. He holds a journalism degree from the University of Oklahoma and covered two sessions of the Oklahoma Legislature for eCapitol.net before working in health care for six years. He is a nationally certified Mental Health First Aid instructor.