Byrd cruises to early victory for second term

OKLAHOMA CITY — With a little over two-thirds of all precincts reporting, State Auditor and Inspector Cindy Byrd easily cruised to victory Tuesday night to win her second four-year term.

Of 219,396 votes tabulated in 138 of the state’s 1,984 precincts, Byrd, of Coalgate, had garnered 69% of the vote, with 31% for challenger Steven W. McQuillen, of Tulsa.

Byrd led from the outset, receiving almost 71% of the 30,910 votes that were cast absentee and in early voting.

The race is winner-take-all since no Democrat filed for the post.