This year’s slate of Oklahoma County elections will be limited to a rematch of the 2020 race for sheriff, as incumbent Republican Tommie Johnson was the only county office holder up for reelection to draw an opponent — Democrat Wayland Cubit — when filing concluded today.
District 2 County Commissioner Brian Maughan, County Court Clerk Rick Warren, and County Clerk Marissa Treat did not draw opponents and have been reelected.
The deadline for candidates to contest the qualifications of an opponent is 5 p.m. Tuesday, April 9. Hearings for contestations of candidacies will be scheduled Thursday, April 18, and — if needed — Friday, April 19, before the Oklahoma State Election Board.
Here’s a look at Oklahoma County filings after the end of the filing period on Friday.
Oklahoma County sheriff race to be 2020 redux
Republican Sheriff Tommie Johnson III, 35, has filed for reelection and will face Democratic challenger Wayland Cubit, 54. Their competition will mark a rematch of the 2020 election between Johnson and Cubit. In that race, Johnson won 52 percent of the vote to 47 for Cubit.
In their 2020 race, the pair clashed over immigration who had the most experience in law enforcement, and the presence of ICE agents inside the Oklahoma County Jail. At that point, the day-to-day operations of the county jail had recently been transferred to Oklahoma County Criminal Justice Authority from the sheriff’s office.
Maughan unopposed for Board of Commissioners District 2
Republican Brian Maughan, 47, did not draw an opponent and will be reelected to District 2. Maughan easily defeated Democrat Spencer Hicks during his last reelection effort in 2020.
Maughan, 43, was first elected to serve Oklahoma County’s District 2 in 2008. In 2012, he faced only a Republican challenger — Gordon Jeney — whom he defeated handily. In 2016, Maughan was automatically re-elected when nobody filed to run against him.
Oklahoma County Court Clerk Rick Warren reelected
Republican Rick Warren, 72, will serve another term as Oklahoma County Court Clerk after he did not draw an opponent by the conclusion of the filing period. Warren was first elected to his post in 2016.
Oklahoma County Clerk Maressa Treat reelected
Republican Maressa Treat, 42, was first elected in a special election to fill the term of “Rootin’ Tootin'” David Hooten in April 2023.
Hooten resigned from that post in June 2022 amid allegations of sexual harassment that came to light after a recording of Hooten talking to two female employees was made public. Treat narrowly defeated Paston Derrick Scobey in a special election to fill the remainder of Hooten’s term.
Hooten, meanwhile, is seeking a return to public office after he filed Thursday to challenge House Minority Leader Cyndi Munson (D-OKC) in House District 85 of the Oklahoma Legislature.
