Last Updated on February 14, 2023, 8:14 AM | Published: December 9, 2022
OKLAHOMA CITY (Free Press) — UPDATED — OKC voters will head to the polls again in February to decide who will fill four Oklahoma City Council seats in the upcoming regular general election.
Half of the eight-member City of Oklahoma City Council seats will appear on the ballots of residents in wards 2, 5, 6, and 8 on February 14.
For parts of the summer and into the fall, nine candidates officially announced their candidacy and have been campaigning in some sort of way. Official filing for candidacy ended Wednesday, Dec. 7 with four others filing for a seat on the horseshoe apparently just now starting their race.
All 13 who have filed are now listed below in this update. As we learn more about the four newly-arrived candidates we will update this guide.
Ward maps are at the end.
Ward 2
James Cooper – incumbent
Incumbent James Cooper, the first teacher and openly LGBTQ council member, announced his plans to run for a second term in the north-central Ward 2 in February 2021. Ward 2 encompasses the Paseo Arts District, Uptown 23rd, and Windsor District, and stretches near the northwest part of the city south of Lake Hefner.
With a second term, Cooper said he would continue to prioritize issues such as:
- Addressing homelessness and affordable housing, with more funding for initiatives like ‘A Better Way.’
- Implementing more mental health initiatives for the housed and unhoused.
- Access to a reliable public transit system.
- Neighborhood infrastructure, street maintenance, and traffic-calming improvements.
In an interview with the Free Press, Cooper said the ideas he advocates for and works to set in motion are a result of listening to the needs of thousands of residents in his ward through door-knocking over the years.
“It doesn’t matter whether they’re Democrat, Independent, or Republican, I meet with them and I hear their needs and I do everything I can to address them,” Cooper said “And that’s the policies that I’ve advocated for.”
(Chris Cowden, disqualified)
UPDATE (Jan. 31, 2023) — The Oklahoma County Election Board voted to strike Cowden’s name from the election due to not meeting the requirements to be a voter within the ward for which you are running for a full year.
Cowden asked the Oklahoma Supreme Court to intervene, but the court refused, allowing the original decision of the Election Board to stand.
Chris Cowden, founder of Cowden Homes, filed to run against Cooper for the Ward 2 seat.
Cowden is a member of the OKC Metropolitan Association of Realtors. He previously served on the board of directors for OKC Repertory Theater and Lyric Theatre.
According to his campaign website, Cowden plans to focus on issues including:
- Prioritizing law enforcement and first responder protection.
- Oversight of MAPS Projects and infrastructure allocations, including water infrastructure.
- Improving the quality of life initiatives.
Cowden did not agree to an interview in time for publication.
Alexander DeShazo
Alexander Deshazo, a Harding Charter graduate and the youngest candidate filing to run for OKC City Council, entered the race during the filing period.
In an interview with the Free Press, Deshazo said he’s just an ordinary hard-working Oklahoman with ideas on how to improve the city. The 22-year old said he would bring a fresh perspective to the seat, if elected, as he’s able to better understand the needs of the youth. He’s in the process of setting up a campaign website and social media presence.
Some of his priorities include:
- Mental health initiatives.
- Youth services, specifically after-school programs.
- Improve walkability and pedestrian infrastructure.
“When it comes down to it, I have set ideas of what needs to be fixed, but everybody’s going to have a different idea,” Deshazo said. “And being able to be open in that manner and being able to represent the ideas that people give straight to me is really important.”
Weston Storey
Weston Storey, business owner of Pristine Pest Control, also filed to run during the filing period for the Ward 2 seat. Storey does not appear to have a campaign website at this time and he did not respond to interview requests in time for publication.
Ward 5
Matthew Hinkle
Matthew Hinkle, a businessman, and longtime South OKC resident, seeks to represent Ward 5 currently held by David Greenwell since 2011.
Greenwell has not filed or announced his intentions to run for another term. Ward 5 covers the south-central part of OKC limits extending to where OKC meets Moore City limits.
Hinkle, who secured endorsements from several state officials such as, Sen. Michael-Brooks Jimenez and Sen. Paul Rosino, said if elected he would prioritize:
- Ensuring equal investment opportunities for Ward 5.
- Addressing homelessness.
- Strengthening the economy.
- Public safety initiatives.
In an interview with the Free Press, Hinkle said when he first moved to the city he was practically homeless and was fortunate enough to make it out of his situation with community support.
“I’ve come a long way in the last 40-some-odd years and I owe a lot of that to the relationships I’ve made in South Oklahoma City and as well as Oklahoma City,” Hinkle said.
Thuan Nguyen
Thuan Nguyen, local businessman and community leader, is also running for the Ward 5 seat. If elected, Nguyen would be the first Asian American city councilmember in OKC’s history.
Nguyen said he was encouraged to run by many people in the ward. He said if elected, he would prioritize:
- Improving citywide and neighborhood infrastructure.
- Developing homelessness and affordable housing solutions.
- Ensuring equal opportunities investments for all wards.
- Beautification efforts.
Although he’s supportive of the MAPS 4 project, Nguyen said he believes there’s still more to be done when it comes to certain areas specific to Ward 5, such as street infrastructure and public transportation.
Audra Beasely
Audra Beasley is an advocate for disability rights, a corporate and estate planning paralegal, and mom who also is seeking to represent Ward 5 on the City Council. Beasley held an appointed position, by former Gov. Mary Fallen, on the Interagency Coordinating Council, which manages SoonerStart.
Her son, Max was born with spina bifida. She became an advocate largely because of the lack of accessibility for Max in public parks, restrooms, and other areas that the city invests in.
If elected, she said she would prioritize:
- Accessibility and equality.
- Implementing mental health initiatives like trauma-informed care.
- Collaborating with non-profits to find solutions for homelessness.
“I’m a community collaborator,” Beasley told us. “I’ve learned that if you can just pull in a couple of people and just talk for a minute, we can all learn so much about each other.”
Jeff Owen
Jeff Owen, a nurse practitioner and military veteran, entered the race during the filing period to represent Ward 5. Owen is a longtime Oklahoman and has worked in the healthcare industry for over 25 years, which he said will give him a unique perspective as a coucilmember.
“Being in healthcare, I help people and I think that I can bring a fresh set of eyes to the council to look at the issues that we have as a city,” Owen said in an interview with the Free Press. “I do that everyday with my clients and so I’m going to bring that same mindset to the city council.”
His priorities include:
- Public and neighborhood safety, specifically more support for law enforcement.
- Strengthening the economy.
- Addressing homeslessness and mental health.
- Beautification efforts.
Owen currently in the process of setting up a campaign website and social media platform.
Ward 6
Incumbent JoBeth Hamon
Incumbent JoBeth Hamon, is running for a second term to serve central OKC Ward 6. In her time on the council, Hamon has worked on shifting the conversation about public safety, specifically on improving responses to the current mental health crisis.
With a second term, Hamon said she’d continue to focus on:
- Expanding investments in homelessness and lack of affordable housing.
- Re-imaging public safety.
- Community-based mental health initiatives.
“It’s a big shift to turn, and obviously a lot of these things take time,” Hamon said in an interview with the Free Press. “I’m hopeful that if I’m reelected that we can just kind of keep those efforts … so that we can hopefully receive more results in the next couple of years.”
Marek Cornett
Marek Cornett, daughter-in-law of former Mayor Mick Cornett, will also appear on the ballot for Ward 6. Cornett currently serves on the OKC traffic and transportation commission.
Her priorities include:
- Improvement in infrastructure, traffic and transportation efforts.
- Zoning reform efforts
- Addressing homelessness with short-term solutions, while working on affordable housing options.
“This is just a very, very diverse ward and I recognize that,” Cornett told us in a phone call. “And I’m really trying my hardest to reach out to all of those communities and learn more about what their individual needs are.”
Ward 8
Incumbent Mark Stonecipher
In Ward 8, incumbent Mark Stonecipher announced last month that he will be seeking a third term. The announcement came days before the hours-long City Council meeting addressing the controversial set of proposals that seek to criminalize homelessness.
According to Stonecipher’s campaign website, his priorities include
- Strengthening the economy and support for small businesses
- Promoting neighborhood and public safety
- Citywide and water infrastructure
Stonecipher did not agree to a phone interview, or respond to emailed questions that he requested, in time for publication.
Amy Warne
Amy Warne is a lifelong Oklahoma and Muscogee/Seminole enrolled. She is an advocate and community organizer.
Warne has served in healthcare since 2007 as a registered nurse and dietitian.
In an interview with the Free Press, Warne said she would provide a different and necessary perspective on many local issues as an indigenous woman
If elected, she would be the first Native American to serve on the council. Her priorities would be:
- Improving connectivity with investments in public transportation.
- Modernize infrastructure for accessibility.
- Enhance beautification initiatives.
- Investments in youth and community centers.
“I believe our city will be better positioned to make effective change when all voices are represented,” Warne told us in a phone call. “I believe all cultures, all walks of life deserve a seat at the table.”
Frank Urbanic
Frank Urbanic, a criminal defense attorney, filed to run for the Ward 8 seat during the filing period.
- Urbanic ran and lost his bid for Mayor of OKC with 20% of the vote in Feb.
- 22 year Air Force veteran.
- He gained public recognition after filing a lawsuit against Mayor David Holt in late 2020, which he later dropped, over a temporary order to prohibit indoor restaurants and bars from staying open past 11pm in an effort to slow the spread of the COVID-19.
- In the mayor’s race, Urbanic ran with the premise of supporting local businesses, protecting law enforcement, and criminal justice reform.
- Urbanic does not appear to have an active campaign website. He did not respond to interview request in time for publication.
Voting info
The petition filing period is held for three days on Monday through Wednesday, Dec. 5, 6, and 7. If no candidate receives more than 50 percent of the votes, a runoff election will take place April 4, 2023. The last day to register to vote for these elections is Jan. 20, 2023.
Ward map
This PDF is expandable, but you can access this interactive ward map on the City of Oklahoma City site.
okc_ward_map_2022The first edition of this article was published December 3, 2022.
Brianna Garcia is a freelance journalist covering local politics and culture for Free Press. She has a degree in Journalism from the University of Central Oklahoma.
