NEWS

13 file for Oklahoma City Council seats

William Crum
Voters line up to cast their ballots during early voting period at the Oklahoma County Election Board in Oklahoma City, Okla. on Thursday, Nov. 1, 2018. [Photo by Chris Landsberger, The Oklahoman archives]

Thirteen candidates filed this week for Oklahoma City Council seats in the Feb. 12 primary election.

Ward 2 in inner-northwest Oklahoma City and the central city's Ward 6 are open seats, while the councilmen in Wards 5 and 8 filed for re-election.

In Ward 2, there will be a five-way race for the seat being relinquished by Councilman Ed Shadid, who is retiring after two terms.

Filing were Suzanne Broadbent, 68, a member of the Historic Preservation Commission; James Cooper, 36, a teacher who is a trustee of the Central Oklahoma Transportation and Parking Authority, and Mike Dover, 70, who is a member of the MAPS 3 Citizens Advisory Board.

Also running in Ward 2 are Marilyn Davidson, 38, and Tracey Halley-Terrell, 47.

In Ward 5 in southwest Oklahoma City, Councilman David Greenwell, 64, is seeking a third term. Greenwell is an accounting executive and member of the council's audit committee. Challenging him are Steve Hunt, 48, a MAPS 3 critic who lost a race for mayor in 2010, and Kristina Hull, 38.

JoBeth Hamon, 28, an education coordinator at the Mental Health Association of Oklahoma, and Nathaniel Harding, 37, an oil and gas company president and member of the MAPS 3 Citizens Advisory Board, filed for the Ward 6 seat on Monday.

Jim Holman, 68, retired from a career in the automotive business, filed Wednesday. The three are seeking to succeed Ward 6 Councilwoman Meg Salyer, who is retiring.

In Ward 8, Mark Stonecipher, 61, an oil and gas attorney and former neighborhood association president, is seeking his second term representing northwest Oklahoma City. He is being challenged by Lauren Durmus, 35.

In races with three or more candidates, the top two finishers will advance to an April 2 runoff, unless one candidate wins at least 50 percent plus one in the primary.

City council seats are nonpartisan; terms are for four years. Council members earn $12,000 annually.