Area Residents to Head to Polls on Tuesday

Residents in four local municipalities will head to their polling places Tuesday to elect candidates to local offices or decide the fates of school bond issues. Local election ballots will include a run-off city council election in Lawton, school bond issues in Cache and Carnegie, and a school board run-off in Cement.

In Lawton, a run-off election for the Ward 7 seat will take place to determine representation on the City Council; residents will decide between candidates V. Gay McGahee and Jesse Cross. McGahee has been a resident of Ward 7 for over thirty years, and has been filling the seat on the City Council since last summer. Her opponent Cross is a native Lawtonian who returned to his home town after serving in the military for 32 years. The seat became available last summer following the death of longtime councilman Stanley Haywood.

Another run-off election will occur Tuesday night in the town of Cement, where residents will chose between candidates Shelly Mink and Belinda Chandler for the vacant School Board Office #1 spot on the school board.

In Carnegie, voters go to the polls to decide on a $4.175 million bond issue for Carnegie Public Schools. The bond issue includes fund for new technology and textbooks, improvements including roofs for the gymnasium, entrance and school as well as heating and air work at the high school and improvements at the middle schools which also include HVAC work and roofing repairs.

And in Cache, residents will decide the fate of a $22.735 million bond issue for Cache School District, which will be used to fund expansion of the high school, including STEM labs, a distance learning lab, a new wrestling building and an addition to the district's fine arts building. All three of these proposed expansions will include safe rooms for use during storm season. Also included in the bond will be the purchase of new textbooks and technology, playground equipment and vocational agriculture equipment.

[UPDATE]

In other localities, a runoff race between candidates Clyde Shaw and Patty Winniger is scheduled for Tuesday for the Ward 3 city council seat in Duncan. The seat was vacated by incumbent Tommy Edwards, who chose not to run for another term.

Bond issues are also on the ballot in Fletcher, Randlett and Sterling. Fletcher voters are being asked to approve a $220,000 transportation bond to purchase 2 full-size route buses and a full-size sports utility vehicle, while in Randlett, a $440,00 bond issue is on the ballot for Big Pasture Schools to include the purchase three route buses, roofing, computer system and air conditioning upgrades.

In Sterling a $2.045 million dollar bond issue will be decided. The bond will benefit the Public School District, with projects proposed to include adding two early childhood classrooms, maintenance upgrades, the building of a commercial kitchen and additions to the gym, community center and auditoriums.

Don't forget to get out and vote, Election Day is Tuesday, April 5th, with the polls open from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m.

Area Resident to Head to Polls on Tuesday [UPDATED]