Voters in Oklahoma Senate District 32 electing new senator Tuesday

Lawton and Comanche County residents in Oklahoma Senate District 32 will go to the polls Tuesday to select a new senator.

Democrats and Republicans both have a slate of candidates who are vying to replace former Sen. John Michael Montgomery, who resigned in August to take the job as president/CEO of the Lawton Fort Sill Chamber of Commerce. Montgomery had been re-elected to his Senate seat in November, meaning the winner of the special election will be completing the remainder of his four-year term.

Democrats and Republicans are selecting their nominee to face off in the Dec. 12 general election. The dates were selected by Gov. Kevin Stitt; under state law, the governor is tasked with setting an election to fill vacancies in the Senate and House. State Senate officials said a swearing-in ceremony for the winner is tentatively set for Dec. 20.

Democrats have two candidates: Larry Bush, a Lawton insurance agent, and Johnny Jernigan, a nurse’s aide. On the Republican side, voters will have four choices: Dusty Deevers, an Elgin-area pastor and CEO of Deevers Properties; Jennifer Ellis, president and CEO of Cosmetic Specialty Labs; JJ Francais, mayor of Elgin and vice president of public affairs at Hilliary Communications; and Dr. Jean Hausheer, a retired ophthalmologist.

Polls will be open from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. in the 23 precincts that are part of Senate District 32. That district includes only parts of Lawton and Comanche County. Comanche County Election Board officials have said there has been some confusion among voters as to whether they live in District 32. A list of precincts open for Tuesday’s election is included with this story. Questions also may be directed to the Comanche County Election Board, 353-1880.

County Election Board Secretary Amy Sims also said Friday there had been some problems with electioneering near the courthouse. Electioneering, which is a crime, is defined as advocating directly or indirectly for or against a candidate. No one is allowed to electioneer within 300 feet of the entrance to a polling place or in-person absentee voting site or within 300 feet of a person standing in line outside a polling place while an election is in progress. The law also prohibits or exposing any printed materials (other than that provided by the election board) within 300 feet of a polling place entrance.