Lawmaker Wants Non-partisan Elections

OKLAHOMA CITY – State Rep. Josh Cockroft announced today he will file two pieces of legislation that would make county elections non-partisan in Oklahoma.

            The first bill will focuse solely on sheriff elections. The second bill would make all county elections non-partisan.

            “Making these non-legislative positions non-partisan is an important step to simply putting the right people in the right office, no matter their party,” said Cockroft, R-Tecumseh. “Constituents are always telling me about the frustration they have with the current system, where they can’t always vote for the candidate they want because of his or her party designation. While I believe legislative positions should be partisan, I don’t think most of us see a need for partisan county elections.”

            The Oklahoma Sheriff’s Association have voted unanimously for the first time to support legislation to make sheriff elections non-partisan, Cockroft said. Non-partisan elections would allow all voters to participate, even if candidates that file belong to only one party.

            “Individuals will still be able to run for office pointing to the ideals of the party they belong to, but the duties that they perform don’t require an R or a D behind their name, and the ballot box won’t either,” Cockroft said.

            Lawmakers are currently in the process of drafting legislation, which must be filed by Jan. 17, 2013. The legislative session convenes Feb. 4, 2013, with the governor’s State of the State address.