Special Poteau election today to decide future means of selecting P.D. Chiefs, Street Commissioners

There will be a special election today in Poteau for Poteauians to decide how their police chiefs and street commissioners are elected.

The two propositions on the ballot are to approve the Poteau City Council to appoint for both positions. If the measure(s) fail, it will stay as it is currently — the citizens of Poteau will continue to elect these officials.

These proposals were approved, but not unanimously at the October City Council meeting, in which Council members B.J. Johnson, Wimp Webb, Jim Holstead, Connie Shockley and Jim Sommers approved the propositions, while councilmen Monte Shockley II, Tommy Robertson and Phillip Zearley opposed the measures.

LeFlore County Election Board Secretary Sharon Steele wanted to remind voters to bring a current federal of Oklahoma state-issued photograph identification, or a federally-recognized Tribal ID to their polling places. An official Voter Identification Card also can be used as proof of identity.

Steele said that any voters who forget IDs can still cast a provisional ballot by signing an affidavit, and all provisional ballots will be verified and counted after Election Day and before the election is certified.

For additional questions, call the LeFlore County Election Board at (918) 647-3701 or e-mail inquiries to leflorecounty@elections.ok.gov., or come by the Election Board office, located in the LeFlore County Court House Annex at 103 North Church Street, from 8 a.m. until 4:30 p.m. today.

Editor’s Note: Check out The Coffee Cup owner Tammie Johnson’s weekly column on Page 2 with more thoughts about today’s election.