Governor elected, voters approve, deny state questions

Ashley Goff

Staff writer

On Tuesday, Nov. 6, Haskell County voters voted on several key races and also voiced their opinions on five state questions. Haskell County voters joined with other voters across the state in casting ballots for their party's candidates in the General Election. This ballot contained options for governor, lieutenant governor, State Representative for District 15, District Attorney for District 18 and County Commissioner for District No. 3, as well as others.

Haskell County voted Kevin Stitt for governor at 63.43 percent and for Drew Edmondson at 33.68 percent. The state of Oklahoma voted for Stitt at 54.3 percent and for Edmondson at 42.2 percent.

Voters of Haskell County voted for Matt Pinnell for lieutenant governor at 68.99 percent over Anastasia A. Pittman at 28.22 percent. Pinnell garnered 62 percent of the vote state wide.

State Auditor and Inspector candidates were John Yeutter and Cindy Byrd. Haskell County overwhelmingly voted for Byrd at 82.31 percent. State wide, Byrd won with 818,077 votes, winning 75 percent of the votes.

Candidates for attorney general were Mike Hunter and Mark Myles. Haskell County voted for Mike Hunter at 71.08 percent. State wide, Hunter won at 64 percent.

Randy McDaniel and Charles de Coune were on the ballot for state treasurer. An overwhelming majority of the votes in Haskell County went to McDaniel at 82.64 percent and 72 percent of the state voted for McDaniel as well.

Three candidates were on the ballot for Superintendent of Public Instruction. Joy Hofmeister won 59.04 percent of the votes in Haskell county and 59 percent in the state. Jon Cox received 33.44 percent of the votes in Haskell County and 34 percent in the state. Larry Huff received 7.52 percent of the votes in Haskell County and 8 percent in the state.

Commissioner of Labor also had three candidates on the ballot. Leslie Osborn received 65.69 percent in Haskell County and 62 percent in the state.

For insurance commissioner Glen Mulready won the popular vote in both Haskell County (68.58 percent) and in the state (62 percent).

The Corporation Commissioner is Bob Anthony after receiving 67.40 percent in the county and 60 percent in the state.

The seat for U.S. Representative of District 2 went to Markwayne Mullin who received 71.51 percent in Haskell County and 65 percent overall.

State Representative for District 15 is Randy Randleman who won the popular vote in Haskell County (65.00 percent). He received 65.54 percent throughout District 15.

District Attorney Chuck Sullivan has remained at his station with a vote of 67.08 percent in Haskell County. Sullivan carried both Pittsburg and Haskell counties receiving 60.83 percent of the vote.

The race for County Commissioner for District No. 3 ended with 57.16 percent in Haskell County voting for Billy Don Cloud and 42.84 percent voting for Paul Storie.

A yes or no vote for Judicial Retention was called for the Oklahoma Supreme Court for Patrick Wyrick (55.89 yes in Haskell County, 58.91 percent yes in the state), Noma D. Gurich (52.91 percent yes in Haskell County, 65.06 percent yes in the state), Yvonne Kauger (53.26 percent yes in Haskell County, 66.28 percent yes in the state) and James E. Edmondson (53.25 percent yes in Haskell County, 62.14 percent yes in the state).

A yes or no vote was called for the Judges of the Oklahoma Court of Criminal Appeals for Dana Kuehn in District 1 (54.78 percent yes in Haskell, 65.19 percent yes in the state), Scott Rowland in District 4 (56.90 percent yes in Haskell County, 61.10 yes in the state) and David B. Lewis of District 5 (54.96 percent yes in Haskell County, 63.04 percent yes in the state).

A yes or no vote was also called for the Judges of the Oklahoma Court of Civil Appeals for Kenneth L. Buettner of District 5, Office 1 (54.62 percent yes in Haskell County, 62.65 percent yes in the state) Robert Bobby Bell of District 5, Office 2 (54.61 percent yes in Haskell County, 62.57 percent yes in the state), E. Bay Mitchell, III of District 6, Office 1 (54.94 percent yes in Haskell County, 62.55 percent yes in the state) and Brian Jack Goree of District 6, Office 2 (55.09 percent yes in Haskell County, 60.00 percent yes in the state).

Haskell County voters voted against State Questions No. 793, 798, 800 and 801 and for State Question No. 794.

State Question No. 793 would allow eye care facilities inside retail stores. This measure was not approved in either Haskell County nor the state. 54.02 percent voted against the proposal in Haskell County. Ultimately, it failed by less than 6,000 votes state wide.

State Question No. 794, if approved, would guarantee certain rights — known as Marsy's Law — for crime victims. 76.53 percent voted for the proposal in Haskell County, and it overwhelmingly passed in the state, receiving more than 78 percent of the vote.

State Question No. 798 would, if approved, allow the governor and lieutenant governor to run on a joint ticket. 56.80 percent of the voters in Haskell County voted against this measure. The measure failed on a state wide level 54 percent to 45 percent.

State Question No. 800 would create the “Oklahoma Vision Fund” as a way to prevent the boom and bust effect of the oil industry on state agencies. Haskell County voted against the proposal at 61.27 percent. The measure failed state wide 57 percent to 42 percent.

State Question No. 801 would give local school boards the option to use existing property tax revenue for use in the classroom. 58.09 percent of Haskell County voted against the proposal. The measure failed state wide 50 percent to 49 percent.