(Update: Seating for this Norman mayoral debate requires an RSVP to this Google form. About 150 reserved seats are available.)
Norman’s three mayoral candidates have agreed to a public debate scheduled for 5:45 p.m. Thursday, Jan. 30, in the first-floor auditorium of Gaylord Hall at the University of Oklahoma.
Titled Norman’s Next Step, the event is part of NonDoc’s political debate series. It is being hosted in partnership among NonDoc, News 9, The Norman Transcript, the OU Daily and the Gaylord College of Journalism and Mass Communication. About 150 reserved seats are available to the public for free. Seats must be reserved by filling out this form.
Gaylord Hall is located at 395 W. Lindsey St., and parking will be open to the public in the Asp Avenue parking garage next to the football stadium starting at 5 p.m.
Norman voters will cast ballots Tuesday, Feb. 11, to choose between incumbent Mayor Larry Heikkila, Ward 7 Councilman Stephen Tyler Holman and attorney Riley Mulinix. If no candidate receives a majority of the vote Feb. 11, the top two candidates will advance to an April 1 runoff.
All questions during the debate will be written and asked by journalists, including NonDoc editor in chief Tres Savage and News 9 State Capitol reporter Haley Wager. The event will be streamed online through channels of the media partners, such as News9.com and the Facebook pages of NonDoc and News 9. The OU Daily is leading post-debate fact-checking efforts.
Sponsors of NonDoc’s 2025 debate series include AARP Oklahoma, the Scholars Strategy Network and the Oklahoma district council of the Urban Land Institute.
Those wishing to be reminded of the debate’s livestream can join the Facebook event page.
Incumbent faces two challengers
Heikkila defeated former Norman Mayor Breea Clark in 2021, and in the press release announcing his reelection campaign, emphasized his intent to increase compensation for the city’s first responders and funding for their departments.
Holman, currently the longest-tenured councilmember in Norman, has represented Ward 7 since 2013. In a press release announcing his campaign, Holman said he wants to build on Norman’s strengths and address the city’s challenges.
Mulinix, the race’s only local government newcomer, is a criminal defense attorney with Mulinix Ewert PLLC. Mulinix previously ran the Norman-based firm Redbud Law.
