Tuesday was Election Day across Oklahoma, and voters in 53 counties across the state went to the polls to cast ballots in a special election.
A few key issues on the ballot included a hotel tax increase in Oklahoma City, a Guthrie school bond proposition, and another school bond proposition in Blanchard.
Three incumbent lawmakers also lost their seats in hotly contested races across Oklahoma, marking a significant shift in the State House and Senate.
House Appropriations and Budget Chairman Kevin Wallace was defeated by challenger Jim Shaw in a high-stakes race that saw over a million dollars spent on advertising. The seat, representing Lincoln, Logan, and Payne counties, was one of the most closely watched contests of the evening. Wallace, who has held the position since 2014, lost by approximately 1,500 votes.
In Senate District 3, which includes Tahlequah, incumbent Senator Blake “Cowboy” Stephens was unseated by newcomer Julie McIntosh. The district had the highest voter turnout of the night, with more than 9,000 ballots cast. McIntosh’s victory was fueled by a strong grassroots campaign and widespread dissatisfaction with Stephens’ legislative record.
In Broken Arrow, incumbent State Representative Dean Davis lost his seat by a narrow margin of 28 votes to challenger Gabe Wooley. Davis, like the other incumbents, faced criticism for not engaging in enough door-to-door campaigning during the legislative session.
The wave of defeats began with absentee and early voting, which set the pace for the night’s results. Many of the incumbents found themselves trailing before the polls even opened on Election Day.
In Moore, the district with the lowest voter turnout, only 1,600 ballots were cast, with about 300 of those coming from absentee or early voting.
The losses reflect broader frustrations among voters, who criticized the incumbents for not being visible enough in their districts during the campaign season. Observers noted that the incumbents’ lack of door-knocking and direct voter engagement may have contributed to their defeats.
As Oklahoma’s political landscape shifts, the newly elected lawmakers will face the challenge of addressing the concerns that led to this election night shakeup.
Here are a few of those results:
For the full list of results click here.
Oklahoma City Hotel Tax Increase
Yes- 21472 Total Votes, 66.4%✅
No- 10851 Total Votes, 33.6%
State House District 32 Republican
House Appropriations and Budget Chairman Kevin Wallace- 2764 Total Votes, 45.6%
Jim Shaw- 23291 Total Votes, 54.4% ✅
State Senate District 47 Republican
Kelley Hines- 3336 Total Votes, 60.3% ✅
Jenny Schmitt- 2195 Total Votes, 39.7%
McCurtain County Sheriff Republican
Bruce W Shirey- 1498 Total Votes, 80.4% ✅
Jason Ricketts- 366 Total Votes, 19.6%
Blanchard Public Schools $66 Million Construction Bond
Yes- 1137 Total Votes, 48.1%
No-1227 Total Votes, 51.9%✅
According to Blanchard Public Schools, the $66 million school safety proposition on the ballot will, if passed, add additional classrooms and new resources for technological and extracurricular needs, as well as a new security system at Blanchard High School.
Guthrie Schools $45M Construction Bond
Yes- 2734 Total Votes, 72.2%✅
No- 1051 Total Votes, 27.8%
In Guthrie, residents are voting on a $45 million school bond proposition meant to address overcrowding at Guthrie Public Schools.
Several other school districts across the state also have bond proposals on the ballot, including in Purcell and Lindsay.
RELATED: Districts Across Oklahoma Ask Voters To Approve Multi-Million Dollar School Bond Elections