As lawmakers argue at the State Capitol over how to reform and reduce property taxes, rural Oklahoma voters headed to the polls Tuesday to settle school bond questions and elect new mayors, with Muskogee’s race coming down to an 11-vote margin. In all, eight public school districts saw their bond proposals fail.
Tuesday marked the first major election held after Senate Bill 652 went into effect, which consolidated the state’s election dates into five standard election days each year.
In terms of the largest bond amount on ballots, voters living within the Weatherford Public Schools District rejected the Custer County district’s two bond proposals totaling more than $201 million. In Oklahoma, school districts must receive 60 percent support from voters to leverage future property taxes as payment for loans funding construction projects, equipment upgrades and transportation infrastructure.
WPS’ Proposition 1 failed with only 36.5 percent support. The bond would have funded the construction of a new high school complex. Although it received more support with 50.45 percent of voters saying yes, Proposition 2 also failed. It would have authorized $500,000 of transportation purchases.
A tie in Cherokee County also spelled failure for a school bond, with each choice for Hulbert Public Schools’ Proposition 1 receiving 50 percent of the vote. The proposal requested $8.64 million for a new football/track stadium and district-wide improvements. The second proposition, a $420,000 bond for transportation purchases, failed with 55.72 percent support.
All election results are unofficial until they are certified by the Oklahoma State Election Board.
New mayors for six rural Oklahoma cities
Muskogee saw a tight mayoral race Tuesday, with Ryan Lowe receiving 11 more votes than challenger James Gulley. Results show Lowe received 1,917 votes against Gulley’s 1,906.
Lowe, who campaigned on restoring accountability and common-sense leadership, ran for the city’s Ward 2 Council seat in 2024. Gulley campaigned on strengthening the city’s economy and previously served on the city’s council from 2006 to 2018.
According to the Muskogee Phoenix, Lowe told supporters at a watch party that “tonight starts the healing process of Muskogee, Oklahoma” and “the days of people making money off the hard-working taxpaying citizens of this city are over.”
Current Muskogee Mayor Patrick Cale announced his decision to not seek reelection amid ongoing clashes on various issues.
Meanwhile, voters in the southeast Oklahoma community of Krebs elected Zella Kincaid in a four-person race to fill the unexpired term of former Mayor Tommy Walker following his November resignation.
In Sallisaw, Marley Abell was elected mayor with 55.12 percent of the vote despite the town’s Fraternal Order of Police Lodge endorsing the town’s Ward 1 Commissioner Kenny Moody, who received 41.51 percent of the vote.
In southwest Oklahoma, voters in Mangum elected Mary Jane Scott as mayor for an unexpired term after former Mayor Jackie Menasco stepped down in October. Scott is a former mayor of Mangum and also served on the city’s commission for 10 years.
In the northwest part of the state, Alva voters elected Joey Melton for an unexpired term after former Mayor Kelly Parker submitted his resignation in December 2025. Melton won the three-way race with 67 percent of the vote, also beating an outside candidate, Sasquatch, who asked voters on Facebook to write the mythical creature in on their ballots.
Wewoka residents voted Keith Kincade to serve as the Seminole County city’s next mayor with 56 percent of the vote.
Rural voters pass sales tax propositions
Also on the ballot for some rural voters were municipal and county tax proposals.
In Bartlesville, all five tax propositions presented to voters passed with no problem, including three general obligation bond packages to be funded by property taxes.
Bond Proposition 1 in the amount of $1.6 million for fire equipment passed with 80 percent of the vote. Proposition 2 authorized $13.5 million in street and bridge repairs passed with 77 percent support, and Proposition 3 for $2.9 million earmarked for parks and recreation passed with just more than 72 percent of the vote.
Bartlesville voters also approved the extension of a 1/4 cent economic development sales tax with 70 percent support. Similarly, they renewed a 1/2 cent capital improvement sales tax with nearly 71 percent support.
With 65.43 percent support, residents in Latimer County passed a 1/4 cent sales tax for the establishment, maintenance and operation of the county’s government, with 1/8 going to the county’s general fund, 1/16 to the county’s Solid Waste Trust Authority, and 1/16 going to the county’s 911 system.
School districts across state see bond proposals pass.
Several rural school bond propositions were approved across the state.
In Alfalfa County, Aline-Cleo Public Schools voters approved a $500,000 bond for new buses with 84.81 percent of the vote.
Crowder Public Schools, in southeast Oklahoma, asked voters to approve a $265,000 bond for paving, striping, and fencing around the gym parking lot. The proposition passed with 70.59 percent of the vote.
Depew Public Schools voters along the Turner Turnpike approved a $12.38 million bond with 79.81 percent of the vote for demolition and remodel of the middle school gym lobby and a renovation of the existing middle school building, along with the construction of a new field house.
Spiro Public Schools had two propositions approved. The first proposal asked for $1.85 million to repair HVAC at the middle school, construction of a multipurpose building, and repair/remodel the cafeteria and was approved with 64.63 percent of the vote. Proposal two requested $300,000 for transportation needs and passed with 68.28 percent of the vote.
West of Duncan, voters in the Empire Schools District approved two bond proposals, with both receiving 82 percent support. The first authorizes $365,000 for new gymnasium flooring, an LED sign, awnings, HVAC and equipment for district use. The second authorizes $270,000 for transportation needs.
Other rural districts see school bonds pass
- Caney Valley Public Schools received approval for a $3.04 million bond funding classroom renovations, facility upgrades, technology improvements, HVAC improvements and a new school bus;
- Chisholm Public Schools received approval for a $500,000 bond funding three new school buses;
- Colbert Public Schools received approval for two propositions: $280,000 for new school-owned vehicles, security fencing, cafeteria equipment, and renovate/repair/remodel HVAC districtwide; and $280,000 for three new school buses;
- Cordell Public Schools received approval for a $1.37 million bond funding for remodeling of an elementary school’s main entrance, playground equipment and remodeling of high school restrooms;
- Crutcho Public Schools received approval for two bond proposals: $7.5 million for gymnasium expansion, HVAC district-wide repairs, district-wide technology, district-wide renovations, playground equipment, install fencing, acquire a school-owned vehicle from proceeds of bond maturing within five years of issuance, district-wide furniture, and athletic uniforms; and $100,000 to acquire student transportation infrastructure;
- Elmore City-Pernell Public Schools received approval for a $19.8 million bond funding a new gymnasium;
- Henryetta Public Schools received approval for a $19.2 million bond funding district-wide renovation projects and a new football/track sports complex;
- Marlow Public Schools received approval for a $1 million bond funding transportation needs;
- Miami Public School received approval for a $15.7 million bond to build a new lower elementary school, make significant upgrades to Nichols Upper Elementary and renovate the Miami Innovation Center;
- Northrock Creek Public Schools received approval for a $32 million bond to construct additions for the elementary and secondary schools;
- Roff Public School received approval for a $7.4 million for the construction of a new elementary classroom building;
- Temple Public Schools received approval for a $495,000 bond funding district-wide improvements, a new agricultural education vehicle, new ceiling tiles for the cafeteria and elementary school, new playground equipment and technology upgrades;
- Twin Hills Public Schools received approval for a $940,000 bond funding roof repairs, construction of a new school building and improving school sites.
Some school bond packages fail
In addition to voters’ rejection of the Weatherford Public Schools’ and Hulbert Public Schools’ packages, six other districts saw their proposals fail:
- Only 54.5 percent of Canton Public Schools voters cast ballots in support of a $12.1 million bond for an elementary classroom addition, enclosed corridor and a gym lobby addition;
- Only 56.84 percent of Locust Grove Public Schools voters supported a $950,000 bond proposal for transportation needs;
- Only 39.89 percent of Marietta Public Schools voters favored a $3.89 million proposal for new turf for the football/soccer field and to construct a new baseball facility;
- Only 40.3 percent of McAlester Public Schools voters supported a $4.7 million proposal for the construction of a new STEM facility equipped with a safe room;
- Only 42.13 percent of Meeker Public Schools voters favored an $8.72 million proposal for renovations of the football stadium and to add a track; and
- Only 32.68 percent of Merritt Public Schools voters supported a $28.53 million proposal for a new performing arts auditorium, a new athletic track and show barn renovations.
