By Conrad Dudderar
Senior Staff Writer
Candidates seeking several state legislative offices that cover the Yukon area will officially declare their intentions during this week’s three-day filing period.
Because COVID-19 has restricted access to the Oklahoma State Capitol, candidates for state office are encouraged to file their paperwork by overnight mail delivery service, according to State Election Board public information officer Misha Mohr.
“The packages do have to arrive by 5 p.m. on April 10,” Moore said. “As with every filing period, if candidates choose to mail their declarations of candidacy and filing fees, we are more than happy to review their filing packets to make sure all of the information is in order before they send it in.”
Oklahoma’s candidate filing period will be 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Wednesday through Friday, April 8-10.
There will be an in-person filing option at the State Capitol building for state candidates who cannot file by delivery service.
The in-person candidate filing will be consistent with health and safety guidelines from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to avoid gatherings of 10 or more people, Mohr said.
Oklahoma State Election Board personnel are “tele-working” from home since their office at the State Capitol is temporarily closed to the public due to coronavirus concerns.
“We will be there for the filing period and, at some point, prior to that,” Mohr said. “By law, we don’t have the authority to change that filing period. We will offer an in-person filing period, so we’re working with health and safety officials in the State Capitol to make arrangements to do that. Our staff will be there at that time.”
Oklahoma State Election Board Secretary Paul Ziriax also will be in the office during next week’s filing period because he must sign off on all candidate filings.
YUKON-AREA SEATS TO FILL
State House of Representatives’ offices covering parts of the Yukon area that will be filled are: District 41 (incumbent Rep. Denise Crosswhite-Hader, R-Yukon), District 43 (incumbent Rep. Jay Steagall, R-Yukon), District 47 (incumbent Rep. Brian Hill, R-Mustang), and District 60 (incumbent Rhonda Baker, R-Yukon).
Oklahoma House members are elected to serve two-year terms. All 101 state House seats are up for election in 2020.
Rep. Crosswhite-Hader, Rep. Steagall, and Rep. Hill are all in their first terms; Rep. Baker is in her second term.
State Senate offices covering parts of the Yukon area that will be filled are: District 23 (incumbent Lonnie Paxton, R-Tuttle) and District 45 (incumbent Paul Rosino, R-Oklahoma City).
Oklahoma Senate members are elected to serve four-year terms. All odd-numbered state Senate seats are up for election this year.
Sen. Paxton and Sen. Rosino are both in their first terms.
Candidate filing fees are $750 for state senator and $500 for state representative.
Federal candidates for Congressional seats also will file April 8-10 with the Oklahoma State Election Board. This includes one U.S. senator (six-year term) and five U.S. representatives (two-year terms). Filing fees are $2,000 for U.S. senator and $1,000 for U.S. representative.
The primary election in Oklahoma will be Tuesday, June 30; with a runoff (if necessary) on Tuesday, Aug. 25. The general election will be Tuesday, Nov. 3.
Candidates for four Canadian County offices – Sheriff, District 2 Commissioner, District Court Clerk, and County Clerk – will file April 8-10 at the Canadian County Election Board in El Reno.
A detailed candidate filing packet and election information for both county and state offices is available at www.ok.gov/elections.
