Tuesday, March 28, 2023

Oklahoma Elections

Local elections matter. Even though we are all fatigued from Oklahoma’s 2022 election cycle, the state’s 2023 election calendar is under way and bears watching.

Remember these important Oklahoma State Election Board links to:

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2023 Election Coverage

EPS forum

EPS forum: Jamie Underwood, Jerry Childs talk teacher retention, district culture

Both candidates for the Edmond Public Schools District 3 seat took the Sequoyah Middle School stage to participate in an EPS forum Tuesday night,...
Ward 1 Edmond City Council debate

Downtown Showdown: Ashley Bradley, Tom Robins agree to Edmond City Council debate

Both candidates seeking the open Ward 1 seat on the Edmond City Council have agreed to participate in a debate hosted by NonDoc. The Downtown...
EPS District 3 forum

EPS District 3 forum: Jamie Underwood vs. Jerry Childs

(Update: Watch the March 21 EPS forum here, and view a full video of the discussion here.) With the culmination of Edmond's 2023 local elections...
SQ 820, Oklahoma recreational marijuana

Already medicated: Oklahomans pass on SQ 820’s recreational marijuana

Oklahoma won't be joining the ranks of states permitting the recreational use of marijuana for adults after voters in rural counties soundly rejected State...
Brian Shellem debate

Challenger Brian Shellem declines invitation to Edmond mayoral debate

Edmond mayoral candidate Brian Shellem has declined to participate in a proposed debate against incumbent Mayor Darrell Davis ahead of the April 4 election,...
SQ 820 election

SQ 820: We’ve got another election on our hands

March is upon us, and things are looking a bit green for the state of Oklahoma this month. It's the time of year when...
Edmond mayoral and city council

Edmond mayoral and city council candidates discuss development, transportation, nonprofits

Mayoral and City Council candidates participated in an Edmond electoral forum today, discussing the direction of development in Edmond, methods to garner funds for...
Will SQ 820 pass or fail?

The final countdown: Will SQ 820 pass or fail?

State Question 820’s day of judgment is coming Tuesday, March 7, as voters across the state head to the polls to decide if Oklahoma...
child exposure to marijuana

Ahead of SQ 820 election, child exposure to marijuana becomes a battle line

With Oklahoma's March 7 election closing fast, battle lines are being drawn in the State Question 820 fight to legalize cannabis for recreational use,...
2023 marijuana measures

Potency caps, seed-to-sale vendor reboot among Legislature’s 2023 marijuana measures

Sen. Jessica Garvin (R-Duncan) says she is not trying to be a buzzkill with legislation like SB 440, would cap the potency of medical...
school bond elections

Roundup: 46 school bond elections have passed this year, 7 have failed

Out of 53 Oklahoma public school district bond proposals that appeared on Jan. 10 and Feb. 14 ballots this year, just seven have failed...
JoBeth Hamon

OKC Ward 6: JoBeth Hamon holds off Marek Cornett for reelection

Ward 6 incumbent Councilwoman JoBeth Hamon managed to weather a wave of campaign cash from challenger Marek Cornett along with dark money group spending...
Derrick Scobey, Maressa Treat

Derrick Scobey, Maressa Treat head to Oklahoma County clerk general election

Democrat Derrick Scobey and Republican Maressa Treat have won their respective parties' nominations in the open race for Oklahoma County clerk and will face...
Matt Hinkle, Thuan Nguyen, OKC Ward 5 runoff

Matt Hinkle, Thuan Nguyen head to OKC Ward 5 runoff

Voters in Oklahoma City's Ward 5 will decide their next City Council representative in an April 4 runoff after Matt Hinkle and Thuan Nguyen...
Bree Montoya

Norman elections: Bree Montoya ousts Kelly Lynn, school bond proposals pass

Challenger Bree Montoya defeated controversial incumbent Councilman Kelly Lynn on Tuesday to represent Ward 3 on the Norman City Council. Meanwhile, Ward 5 Councilman...
OKC Ward 6

OKC Ward 6: Hamon, Cornett differ in ideology, approach

OKC City Council Ward 6 incumbent JoBeth Hamon and challenger Marek Cornett would prioritize addressing homelessness and reducing crime in the central-OKC ward and...

2022 Election Coverage

voter fatigue

With more elections around the corner, voter fatigue complicates 2023

On Nov. 15, exactly one week after the 2022 midterm elections, Oklahoma City Ward 2 Councilman James Cooper kicked off his 2023 reelection bid...
straight party voting

Straight party voting throws quite a rager in Oklahoma

Straight party voting is a feature of Oklahoma's electoral process that many people would like to see eliminated — many people who are not...
$1 billion bond package

Nearly $1 billion: OKCPS passes largest bond package in district history

On Tuesday, Oklahoma City Public Schools voters approved a nearly $1 billion bond package, a victory that district Superintendent Sean McDaniel said will be...
Ryan Walters

‘Won’t go woke’: Ryan Walters elected state superintendent in win for Stitt

After an unusually dramatic election cycle for a typically-down-ballot race, Republican candidate and Secretary of Education Ryan Walters will be Oklahoma's next State Superintendent...
Vicki Behenna elected

Vicki Behenna beats Kevin Calvey in hotly contested Oklahoma County DA race

Democrat Vicki Behenna defeated Republican Kevin Calvey in a hotly contested race for Oklahoma County district attorney Tuesday. Throughout her campaign, Behenna touted her credentials...
Kevin Stitt reelected

Encore: Kevin Stitt reelected governor of Oklahoma

Despite facing an opponent supported by tens of millions of dollars in dark-money political advertisements, Oklahoma Gov. Kevin Stitt decisively won a second term...
OK County

Myles Davidson wins OK County District 3, Carrie Blumert reelected in District 1

Republican Myles Davidson defeated Democrat Cathy Cummings in Tuesday's general election for the open Oklahoma County Commission District 3 seat. With about 93 percent of...
Republicans sweep Oklahoma

Republicans sweep Oklahoma’s federal races

Republicans will hold onto both of Oklahoma's U.S. Senate seats and all five congressional districts after an election in which all seven offices were...
Edmond ballot question

Understanding the convoluted Edmond ballot question

(Update: On Tuesday, Nov. 8, Edmond voters disapproved the ballot question, with 25,987 casting "No" and 11,458 casting "Yes" votes. The property in question...
I voted stickers

An ‘I voted’ sticker is the prize for enduring all these ads

So the big day — Election Day — is almost here. The suffering caused by the slog of constant political attack ads while trying to...
Markwayne Mullin and Kendra Horn

Markwayne Mullin and Kendra Horn compete to replace Inhofe in U.S. Senate race

Oklahomans are in the unusual position of deciding two U.S. Senate races this year owing to Sen. Jim Inhofe’s resignation after almost three decades...
Joy Hofmeister

Joy Hofmeister hammers voucher threat in rural Oklahoma

(Editor's note: This article chronicles recent campaign stops by Joy Hofmeister. A separate article from the same author chronicles recent campaign stops by Kevin...
Kevin Stitt

In rural Oklahoma, Kevin Stitt calls dark money attacks ‘unbelievable’

(Editor's note: This article chronicles recent campaign stops by Kevin Stitt. A separate article from the same author chronicles recent campaign stops by Joy...
Corporation Commission seat

Corporation Commission candidates disagree on utility securitization

University of Tulsa law professor and water and energy resources expert Warigia Bowman, Sen. Kim David (R-Porter) and independent Don Underwood are on the...
Oklahoma judicial races

Cheat sheet: Overviews of key Oklahoma judicial races

Voters will decide several key Oklahoma judicial races on Nov. 8, including whether to retain four of nine justices on the Oklahoma Supreme Court...
OKCPS bond

Pitched as ‘transformational,’ a $955 million OKCPS bond proposal faces opposition

On Nov. 8, voters within Oklahoma City Public Schools boundaries will determine the fate of a nearly $1 billion bond proposal, which would be...

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