Vote In Oklahoma City Council Election For Wards 1, 3 And 4

Oklahoma City OK

10 February, 2021

2:58 AM

Description

Press release from the City of Oklahoma City: February 8, 2021 Polls are open 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. Tuesday in the primary election for the Oklahoma City Council seats in Wards 1, 3 and 4. The nonpartisan election will decide who represents those Wards on the Council for the next four-year term, which begins in April. See a Ward map at okc.gov/WardMap. All Oklahoma City voters in those Wards registered to vote at their current address by the Jan. 15 deadline are eligible to vote. Find your polling location on your voter ID card, or using the Oklahoma State Election Board's OK Voter Portal at oklahoma.gov/elections/ovp. Voters who have disabilities can find more information about voter assistance in Oklahoma at oklahoma.gov/elections. State law requires proof of identity to vote. Acceptable forms of ID are a voter ID card, driver's license or another form of ID issued by the federal government, state government or federally recognized tribal government. Voters may also cast a provisional ballot by proving their identity with a signed, sworn affidavit, which is available at the polling station. EMBARK bus and OKC Streetcar service will be free on Election Day to help get voters to the polls. Visit embarkok.com or okcstreetcar.com to plan your trip. The City Council has nine members: the Mayor, who is elected citywide, and one member from each of Oklahoma City's eight Wards. They serve part-time at the head of the City's Council-Manager form of government. The Mayor's annual salary is $24,000, and each Council member's annual salary is $12,000. About the election Candidates, listed in the order in which they appear on the ballot, are: Ward 1 Jay Sherrill Susan Kay Parisi Shay Varnell Bradley Carter Megan Scott Joshua W. Debolt Richard Thomas Buchanan Nana Abram Dankwa Bill Fleming Ward 3 Kelli Payne Barbara Young Tim Long Trey Bishop Jessica Martinez-Brooks Allen Swanda Ward 4 Sam Wargin Grimaldo Todd Stone (incumbent) Larry Hopper The Feb. 9 primary election determines whether a runoff is necessary. If a candidate earns more than half the votes in their Ward on Feb. 9, they are elected to office. If no candidate earns more than half the votes, the two candidates with the most votes in that Ward advance to a decisive runoff on April 6. Winners take office April 13. Incumbent Councilwoman Nikki Nice was the only candidate who filed to run in Ward 7, and she will also begin a new term April 13. Recent voter-approved amendments to the Oklahoma City Charter do not apply to the 2021 City Council election. The state Election Board's certification of election results, and the Governor of Oklahoma's formal acceptance of the City Charter amendments, had yet to occur before the Council called the election. The 2021 election takes place under existing City ordinances, and federal and state law, like all recent City Council elections. This press release was produced by the City of Oklahoma City. The views expressed here are the author's own.