Local News
Tuesday ballots to decide local seats
McALESTER —
Pittsburg County is off to the races as voters prepare to go to the polls for the upcoming primary elections slated for Tuesday to cast their votes for the following offices:
• District 18 district attorney’s office.
• District 17 and District 18 state representatives’ posts.
• Pittsburg County clerk.
• District 3 Pittsburg County commissioner.
The District 18 district attorney’s office, which covers Pittsburg and Haskell counties, will be decided during the upcoming primary election, since all three candidates are Democrats, including Terry Harrison, the current District 18 state representative; Russell Tacheira, a current assistant district attorney for District 18; and Farley Ward, currently an assistant district attorney for the Muskogee County district attorney’s office.
The most contested race is for the District 18 state representative’s post to find a successor for Harrison.
Democratic candidates running for the District 18 state representative’s post are Roger Shirley, Carolyn McNatt Hill, Donnie Condit and John Freeman. Some of these candidates could appear on the Aug. 24 runoff ballot.
Kyle Burmeier has filed as a Republican candidate for the District 18 state representative’s post.
The winner of the Democratic nomination for the state representative’s post will go on to face Burmeier in the Nov. 2 General Election.
In another race, District 17 state Rep. Dr. Brian Renegar, D-Blanco, is facing a challenge from Republican candidate Micah Thompson. Since they are the only candidates from their respective parties, they will face each other during the Nov. 2 General Election.
Pat Cunningham and Janice Barker will vie for the office of Pittsburg County clerk, the position currently held by Debbie Burch, who is retiring.
Since both Barker and Cunningham are Democrats, the winner of the clerk’s post will be decided during Tuesday’s primary.
The other Pittsburg County race will be for the District 3 county commissioner’s seat, where incumbent Donald Mathis faces a challenge by fellow Democrat Ronnie Young.
Three Democratic candidates for Pittsburg County offices have automatically won four-year terms in office, since they didn’t draw an opponent.
Gene Rogers went unopposed in his bid for re-election as the District 1 Pittsburg County commissioner.
Cathy Haynes won the Pittsburg County assessor’s post currently held by Jim Kelley, who didn’t file for re-election.
Donna Scrivner won the Pittsburg County treasurer’s post currently held by Cerita Morley, who didn’t file for re-election.
Congressional races on the primary election ballot include Democrats Jim Rogers and Mark Myles vying for a seat in the U.S. Senate, while Republicans Evelyn L. Rogers and Lewis Kelly Spring go up against Tom Coburn.
The Democratic ballot for the office of District 2 Representative currently held by Dan Boren includes Boren and Jim Wilson.
The Republican ticket holds a long list that includes Daniel Edmonds, Charles Thompson, Raymond Wickson, Chester Clem Falling, Howard Houchen and Daniel Arnett.
In the state race for Superintendent of Public Instruction, Susan Paddock and Jerry Combrink are on the Democratic ballot, while Janet Barresi and Brian S. Kelly round out the Republican candidates.
Several state offices are seeing only Republican candidates, as Democratic incumbents run unopposed. These include:
• Corporation Commissioner — Tod Yeagar is going up against incumbent Dana Murphy.
• Insurance Commissioner — John P. Crawford, John Doak and Mark Croucher run on the Republican ticket.
• Commissioner of Labor — Mark Costello and Jason Reese round out the Republican ballot.
• State Treasurer — While current State Treasurer Scott Meacham has declined to run for re-election, Republicans Ken Miller and Owen Laughlin vie for the post.
• State Auditor and Inspector — Two Republican opposers, Gary Jones and David Hanagar, have filed in hopes of facing Democratic incumbent Steve Barrage in November.
• Attoney General — Ryan Leonard and Scott Pruitt will battle on the Republican ticket.
• Lieutenant Governor — Also an all-Republican field, this race features Bernie Adler, John A. Wright, Todd Lamb, Paul F. Nosak and Bill Crozier battling to replace Jari Askins.
A full field of candidates for Governor of Oklahoma includes Democrats Askins going up against current Attorney General Drew Edmondson, while Randy Brogdon, Roger L. Jackson, Robert Hubbard, and former Lt. Governor and current District 5 Congresswoman Mary Fallin are listed on the Republican ballot.
The Pittsburg County Election Board offers some advice to voters headed to their respective polling places. (For a list of Pittsbug County polling precincts, see Page 4A of Sunday’s paper.)
Some Oklahoma voters will be required to show identification when they vote this year in a federal election, Pittsburg County Election Board Secretary Cathy Thornton said.
Voters who registered by mail will be asked for identification when they vote in a federal election for the first time, she said.
Thornton said several forms of identification are acceptable, including:
• Current photo identification
• Voter identification card issued by the Pittsburg County Election Board when voter registration was approved
• Government document showing voter’s name and address
• Copy of a utility bill, bank statement, or paycheck that shows voter’s name and address
“Election officials across Oklahoma encourage all voters to take identification with them when they go to vote this year,” Thornton said.
A voter who does not have any form of identification at the polls will still be able to vote, but the ballot will not be put in the voting device. Instead, it will be sealed in a special envelope and kept separate until information provided by the voter can be verified. Once verified at the County Election Board office, the ballot will be counted and included in the final election results, Thornton explained.
Sample ballots will be posted outside every precinct polling place on election day, Thornton said, so that voters can review them before casting their votes. (See copies of absentee sample ballots in Sunday’s paper on Page 9A.)
The official primary election ballot includes all state, county, legislative and congressional offices.
Voters wishing to cast an in-person absentee ballot have one last chance to do so Monday. These voters may go to the Pittsburg County Election Board office, where a two-member bi-partisan absentee voting board will be on duty from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday.
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