The Board of Education of Eastern Oklahoma County Technology Center, Harrah Public Schools, Luther Public Schools, Jones Public Schools, and Choctaw-Nicoma Park Public School Districts hereby announce that statutorily qualified individuals interested in running as a candidate for the #4 seat for Eastern Oklahoma County Technology Center; the #5 seat on the Harrah Public Schools, Luther Public Schools, Jones Public Schools, Choctaw-Nicoma Park Public Schools; the #2 seat for Harrah Public Schools; and the #3 seat for Luther Public Schools may file to run as a candidate for these seats at the Oklahoma County Election Board between the hours of 8:00 a.m. and 5:00 p.m. Monday, December 2 through Wednesday, December 4, 2019.
The Boards of Education of Eastern Oklahoma County Technology Center and Harrah Public Schools, Luther Public Schools, Jones Public Schools and Choctaw-Nicoma Park Public Schools District have approved the following resolution calling for an election to be submitted to the voters of the district.
Date of the Election
A Board of Education Primary Election shall be held on February 11, 2020, only if three or more candidates file for the Board of Education position scheduled to be on the ballot or for a Board of Education position appearing on the ballot as an unexpired term. A Board of Education General Election shall be held on April 7, 2020, under the following circumstances: if only two candidates file for a position scheduled to be on the ballot or for a position on the ballot for an unexpired term or if no candidate in the Board of Primary Election receives more than 50% of the votes cast. The polling places shall be open from 7:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m.
Board Member Position on the Ballot
The voters shall elect a board member for board position No. 4, for Eastern Oklahoma County Technology Center; No. 5 for Harrah Public Schools, Luther Public Schools, Jones Public Schools, and Choctaw-Nicoma Park Public Schools, which has a 5-year term of office; No. 3 for Luther Public Schools, which has a 3-year term of office; and No. 2 for Harrah Public Schools, which has a 2-year term of office.
Qualifications of Candidates for Office
To be eligible to be a candidate for member of the board of education of a school district, a person must have resided in the district for at least six (6) months preceding the first day of the filing period, and have been a registered voter registered with the county election board at an address located within the geographical boundaries of the district for six (6) months preceding the first day of the filing period. In school districts that have been divided into elections districts, a candidate must have resided in the district for six (6) months preceding the first day of the filing period and have been a registered voter registered within the county election board at an address located within the geographical boundaries of the election district for six (6) months preceding the first day of the filing period.
No person shall be eligible to be a candidate for or elected to be a member of the board of education of a school district unless the person has been awarded a high school diploma or certificate of high school equivalency.
A person who has been convicted of a misdemeanor involving embezzlement or a felony under the laws of this state or of the United States or who has entered a plea or nolo contendere to such a misdemeanor involving embezzlement or a felony who has been convicted of a crime in another state which would have been a misdemeanor involving embezzlement or a felony under the laws of this state or has entered a plea of guilty or nolo contendere to such crime shall not be eligible to be a candidate for or to be elected to any state, county, municipal, judicial, or school office or any elective office of any political subdivision of this state for a period of fifteen years following completion of his sentence or during the pendency of an appeal of such conviction or plea.
No person shall be eligible to be a candidate for or serve on a board of education if he or she is currently employed by the school district governed by the board of education or is related within the second degree by affinity or consanguinity to any other member of the board of education or to any employee of the school district. The following are relatives within the second degree: A candidate’s spouse, child, parent, grandchild, grandparent, brother, sister, spouse’s child, spouse’s grandchild, spouse’s brother, spouse’s sister, spouse’s grandparent, grandchild’s spouse, parent’s spouse, and child’s spouse. The prohibitions in this paragraph shall not apply if the board member candidate is related within the second degree of affinity or consanguinity to an individual employed as substitute teacher by the school district or as a temporary substitute support employee if the school district has an Average Daily Membership of less than five thousand (5,000).
Candidates must affirm that upon being elected as a member of the Board of Education, within fifteen (15) months of election, they will complete at least twelve (12) hours of instruction on education issues, including school finance, Oklahoma education laws, and ethics, duties and responsibilities of district board of education members. Three (3) of these twelve (12) credits must be earned as follows: one (1) credit in ethics, one (1) credit in open meeting act and records act, and one (1) credit in school finance. Incumbents must affirm that they will complete six (6) hours of instruction within fifteen (15) months of election emphasizing changes in school law. Three (3) of these six (6) credits must be earned as follows: one (1) credit in ethics, one (1) credit in open meeting act and open records act, and one (1) credit in school finance.
Voters Eligible to Vote
In Eastern Oklahoma County Technology Center District 23, candidates are elected at large. To be eligible to vote, a voter must be registered with the county election board at an address within the geographical boundaries of the district, which include the following school districts: Choctaw/Nicoma Park, Harrah, Jones, and Luther.
Ballot Titles
The ballot to be submitted to the voters shall call for the voters to:
- Select one candidate for Eastern Oklahoma County Technology Center Position No. 4; Harrah Public Schools, Luther Public Schools, Jones Public Schools and Choctaw-Nicoma Park Public Schools, Board Position No. 5; Harrah Public Schools Board Position No. 2; and Luther Public Schools Board Position No. 3.
Approved by the Eastern Oklahoma County Technology Center (November 6th) and Harrah Public Schools (October 14th), Luther Public Schools (November 11th), Jones Public Schools (October 14th), and Choctaw-Nicoma Park Public Schools (November 11th) Boards of Education in October and November of 2019.
The Jones Journal 