Briefly: Sex shops, union contracts #OKCCIVICLIFE
A lesson in voter engagement
Last Tuesday's special election in Ward 7 shows why scheduling regular municipal elections at the same time as general elections could increase engagement in city government.
Regular council and mayoral elections are held in late winter and early spring, when none of the highestprofile offices — president, governor, senator — are on the ballot. Weather often is miserable and turnout invariably is low.
As a result, few voters cast ballots on races involving issues closest to their homes and neighborhoods.
That changed Tuesday, when 23,545 votes were cast in the runoff between Kirk Pankratz and Nikki Nice for the Ward 7 seat on the Oklahoma City Council.
Nice won with 16,907 votes, or 71.8 percent of the total. Longtime observers say it is a virtual certainty no council member has ever drawn so many votes.
In fact, the loser tripled the vote totals of several recent city council winners. Turnout was 54.3 percent. Contrast that with last February's mayoral primary, when David Holt won office in an election that drew 8.4 percent of registered voters citywide.
The September 2017 bond and sales tax election, when 14.3 percent of eligible voters cast ballots, looked like a standard-setter for citizen engagement by comparison.
Last Tuesday's election was scheduled after former Ward 7 Councilman John A. Pettis Jr. resigned.
Municipal elections return to their usual schedule and predictably low turnout this winter. Filing for council seats in Wards 2, 5, 6 and 8 is Dec. 3-5. The primary is Feb. 12.
Streetcar construction: Will it never end?
A new wrinkle is keeping traffic on Broadway from turning east onto NW 7. Stamped concrete installed in the intersection on a hot, windy day failed to cure properly. Tearing it out and redoing the work is expected to take at least another week. Contractors are covering the cost.
The week in quotes
"As you know I'm a minister, so how much time do I have?"
— Ward 7 Councilman
Lee Cooper Jr., in response to Mayor David Holt's invitation to say a few words after Cooper was honored Tuesday by the council. Appointed in June to temporarily fill the vacant Ward 7 seat, Cooper was attending his final regular council meeting. He took a few moments to thank council members, introduce his wife, thank staff and express his "pleasure to serve for these few months." Then, turning to Holt, he said, "We appreciate you so very, very much. The end." A standing ovation followed.
"We are history makers. It just takes one person to make a difference."
— Newly-elected Ward 7 Councilwoman Nikki Nice, describing lessons she learned as a student at Northeast High School from Nancy Lynn Davis, who taught English and mentored students in the African American Cultural Society. Davis' mother was Nancy Randolph Davis, who was turned away at least twice when she tried to enroll at Oklahoma A&M College before being admitted in 1949, becoming the first black student to enroll at what became Oklahoma State University.
"We doubled the number of women representing the city on the council in one night."
— Ward 6 Councilwoman Meg Salyer, who for 10 years has been the only woman on the Oklahoma City Council. That changed Tuesday when Ward 7 voters elected Nikki Nice, who will be sworn in Nov. 19. The two will sit side-by-side during council meetings.
• Zoning regulations easing restrictions on stores selling adult products take effect Dec. 6.
• The city council will interview candidates to succeed City Manager Jim Couch in a special meeting Nov. 19.
• Members of the Fraternal Order of Police Lodge 123 were voting last week on a new one-year contract with the city of Oklahoma City. Results are expected Monday evening.
• The city council ratified a new one-year agreement with the International Association of Fire Fighters Local 157, the Oklahoma City firefighters' union.
• A federal trial on a challenge to Oklahoma City's panhandling ordinance opens a week from Monday.
Present/absent
Mayor David Holt and the eight city council members attended last week's meeting.
Calendar
The Oklahoma City Council meets at 9 a.m. Tuesday at Cox Convention Center, 1 Myriad Gardens, with the Central Oklahoma Transportation and Parking Authority board, for a regional transit workshop.
• City offices are closed Monday in observance of Veterans Day. Makeup day for residential trash collection is Wednesday. Buses will run and the animal shelter is open normal hours.