Williams wins Ward 7 City Council seat

Lawton will have a new City Council representative in January.

Sherene L. Williams won the Ward 7 seat in Tuesday’s runoff election, keeping incumbent Councilwoman Onreka Johnson from a third term. Williams won 375 votes (64.77 percent of the ballots cast) compared to 204 votes (35.23 percent) for Johnson.

The results mean Williams will join Ward 8 Councilman Randy Warren and Ward 6 Councilman Robert Weger in being sworn in for new three-year terms on Jan. 8. Warren won his primary election in September; Weger’s opponent was declared ineligible to run by the Comanche County Election Board, meaning he took his seat without an election.

Williams said she was elated by the chance to join the City Council and effect change in the ward and community.

“I’m very excited and could not be here, being elected, without my supporters,” she said.

Williams said her victory is proof of what can happen when people come together and work for change.

“We are powerful,” she said, of what she termed positive change. “I’m happy being elected.”

Williams said she also is making history as Lawton’s first African-American, combat veteran and retired lieutenant colonel elected to represent Ward 7. She said she is preparing to bring a new vision to the council, citing plans to advocate for citizens and plan for the future on issues such as raising revenue without raising utility bills. She said she also plans to meet with residents and listen to what they have to say, giving residents in Ward 7 an opportunity to build the community as a team.

Johnson said she was sad to be leaving the council.

“I want to thank everyone who supported me,” she said, adding she plans to continue serving her constituents until the very end of her term and also is pleased with the tone of her campaign. “I ran a clean race.”

Johnson said she intends to continue working to be a force in the community she has called home since 1999.

“I’m not going to stop,” she said, adding she intends to continue focusing her energies on youth and health initiatives. “That’s not going to change.”