#OKCCIVICLIFE
Election rules diverge
A footnote in the Oct. 9 resolution calling the 2019 Oklahoma City Council elections raises a question of whether it is time to amend the city charter, its “constitution.”
The charter differs in several respects from state law on who qualifies to run for city council.
The conflict led last week to a state Supreme Court order upholding a decision by the Oklahoma County Election Board to toss a candidate from the Feb. 12 primary ballot in Ward 5.
Quoting a 2009 Oklahoma attorney general’s opinion, the footnote says qualifications for office contained the charter cannot be “inconsistent or in conflict with state law.”
The charter requires that council members be citizens. To serve, they must be eligible to vote and must have been ward residents for at least six months. All consistent with state law.
Inconsistent, though, are requirements that a council member be at least 21 years of age (state law: 18) and have lived in the city at least three years before being elected (state law: six months).
State law adds that candidates must have been registered to vote in their ward for at least six months before filing for office.
That is where Hunt got hung up.
Hunt registered to vote in Ward 5 on July 25 and filed for council Dec. 3, less than six months later.
On that basis, Ward 5 Councilman David Greenwell filed a “contest” to Hunt’s candidacy.
The county Election Board agreed Hunt failed to meet the qualifications to run and removed him from the ballot, the decision upheld by the Supreme Court.
Hunt’s attorney, Jay Barnett, argued state law actually required the council to stick to the charter in the resolution adopting qualifications for the ballot — qualifications Hunt met.
Hunt said he relied on the charter when deciding to run.
But the Supreme Court declined the case, saying in a brief order only that all justices concurred.
Barnett said they were disappointed the court chose not to “right the grievous wrong done” to Hunt.
“Today a candidate who was fully qualified under the law has been forced from the ballot, and that strikes at one of the most fundamental principles of American government,” he said.
Greenwell, seeking his third term, now will face challenger Kristina Hull in next month’s primary.
Left to be decided is whether the city charter ought to be amended to be consistent with state law.
Short takes: Housing, transit
• Mayor David Holt said he would appoint former Gov. Brad Henry and Mary Melon, chief executive officer and president of the Foundation for Oklahoma City Public Schools, as the city’s representatives on the Regional Transportation Authority.
• The city council approved $600,000 for the Community Enhancement Corporation to rehab 92 units at the Mount Vernon Apartments, 4020 N Meridian Ave., for affordable housing.
• For the second consecutive year, a record number of travelers passed through Oklahoma City’s Will Rogers World Airport. More than 4.3 million travelers flew into and out of Will Rogers in 2018, up 10.5 percent from the previous record, set in 2017.
They said it
“If you’re going to be a regular user of the streetcar then, absolutely, the mobile ticketing platform is the way to go.”
— Transit Director
Jason Ferbrache, discussing streetcar fares with the Transportation and Parking Authority board. Embark plans to collect fares beginning Feb. 2; the base fare will be $1. The app is Token Transit. Options will include using cash, coins, or credit card to get a fare ticket from a vending machine at a boarding platform. Inspectors will be on board, at random, checking for valid fares.
Tweet of the week
“’Uncommon grace’: How a 110-year-old taught life lessons while sweeping floors, by @ JenniCarlson_OK”
— @NewsOK, read the story and follow columnist Jenni Carlson at NewsOK. com.
Present/absent
Mayor David Holt and seven of the eight city council members attended the Jan. 2 meeting. Ward 6 Councilwoman Meg Salyer was away.
Calendar
The Oklahoma City Council meets at 8:30 a.m. Tuesday at City Hall, 200 N Walker Ave.
• Mayor David Holt delivers his first State of the City address Thursday at Cox Convention Center. Luncheon tickets are $60 for members of the Greater Oklahoma City Chamber, $100 for others. Go online to www. okcchamber.com for registration information.
• The city council’s 201920 budget workshop is Feb. 5. The annual workshop is the official start of the budget planning process and will be the first under the leadership of City Manager Craig Freeman and first-term Mayor David Holt. The new budget will be adopted in June.
• The city council primary is Feb. 12. Deadline to register to vote in the election is Friday.