NEWKIRK — Candidate filing for municipal offices and board of education seats across Kay County begins at 8 a.m. on Dec. 5.
Candidates for board of education seats are being sought in Blackwell, Kildare, Newkirk, Peckham, Ponca City, Tonkawa, and Pioneer Technology Center.
Carol Leaming, Kay County Election Board secretary, said declaration of candidacy forms must be completed and submitted to the Election Board not later than 5 p.m. Wednesday, Dec. 7 when the filing period ends. Leaming reminds voters that Contest of Candidacy must be filed no later than Friday, Dec. 9 and may only be filed by another candidate for that office.
If more than two candidates file for the same vacant Board of Education position, a Primary Election will be held Tuesday, Feb. 14. If one candidate receives more than 50 percent of the votes, the two candidates receiving the highest number of votes will vie for the vacant position during the Board of Education General Election, April 14, 2023. If only two candidates file for the same vacant Board of Education position, those two candidates’ names will appear on the General Election Ballot in April.
Declarations of Candidacy will be accepted for the following school board seats:
Blackwell School District Office No. 3 for a 5 year term
Kildare School District Office No. 2 for a 3 year term
Newkirk School District Office No. 3 for a 5 year term
Peckham School District Office No. 3 for a 3 year term
Ponca City School District Office No. 3 for a 5 year term
Tonkawa School District Office No. 3 for a 5 year term
Pioneer Technology Center Office No. 1 for a 5 year term
The Ponca City Board of Education seat is being vacated by Judy Throop.
Qualifications of Candidates for Office: To be eligible to be a candidate for member of the board of education of a school district, a person must have resided in the district for at least six months preceding the first day of the filing period, and have been a registered voter registered with the county election board at an address located within the geographical boundaries of the district for six months preceding the first day of the filing period. In school districts that have been divided into election districts, a candidate must have resided in the district for six months preceding the first day of the filing period and have been a registered voter registered within the county election board at an address located within the geographical boundaries of the election district for six months preceding the first day of the filing period.
No person shall be eligible to be a candidate for or elected to be a member of the board of education of a school district unless the person has been awarded a high school diploma or certificate of high school equivalency.
A person who has been convicted of a misdemeanor involving embezzlement or a felony under the laws of this state or of the United States or who has entered a plea of guilty or nolo contendere to such misdemeanor involving embezzlement or felony or who has been convicted of a crime in another state which would have been a misdemeanor involving embezzlement or a felony under the laws of this state or has entered a plea of guilty or nolo contendere to such crime shall not be eligible to be a candidate for or be elected to any school board office for a period of fifteen years following completion of his sentence or during the pendency of an appeal of such conviction or plea. No person shall be eligible to be a candidate for or serve on a board of education if he or she is currently employed by the school district governed by the board of education or is related within the second degree by affinity or consanguinity to any other member of the board of education or to any employee of the school district. The following are relatives within the second degree: A candidate’s spouse, child, parent, grandchild, grandparent, brother, sister, spouse’s child, spouse’s grandchild, spouse’s brother, spouse’s sister, spouse’s grandparent, grandchild’s spouse, parent’s spouse, and child’s spouse. The prohibitions in this paragraph shall not apply if the board member candidate is related within the second degree of affinity or consanguinity to an individual employed as a substitute teacher by the school district or as a temporary substitute support employee if the school district has an Average Daily Membership of less than five thousand (5,000).
Candidates must affirm that upon being elected as a new member of the Board of Education, within 15 months of election, they will complete at least 12 hours of instruction on education issues, including school finance,
Oklahoma education laws, and ethics, duties and responsibilities of district board of education members. Three of these 12 credits must be earned as follows: One credit in ethics, one credit in open meeting act and open records act, and one credit in school finance. Incumbents must affirm that they will complete six hours of instruction within 15 months of election emphasizing changes in school law. Three of these six credits must be earned as follows: one credit in ethics, one credit in open meeting act and open records act, and one credit in school finance.
Those interested in filing for in Kay County municipalities will file Declarations of Candidacy at the same time with the same deadlines.
Declaration of Candidacy will be accepted for the following offices:
Blackwell Municipality: Mayor 3 year term; Ward #2 Councilor 2 year term, and Ward #3 Councilor 1 year term
Ponca City Municipality: Commissioner #1 3 year term and Commissioner #3 3 year term.
Declaration of Candidacy forms can be downloaded from the State Election Board website at oklahoma.gov/elecitons or by contacting your County Election Board office at 580 362 2130 or kaycounty@elections.ok.gov .
