Norman Ward 2 candidates sign Open Government Pledge

The winner of the Norman City Council Ward 2 seat will have promised to comply with the letter and spirit of the state’s Open Meeting and Open Records laws. In signing FOI Oklahoma’s Open Government Pledge, each candidate also promised “to support at every opportunity the public policy of the State of Oklahoma that the people are vested with the inherent right to know and be fully informed about their government so that they can efficiently and intelligently exercise their inherent political power.”

The two candidates are:

• Aleisha Karjala, 41, an associate professor of political science at the University of Science and Arts of Oklahoma in Chickasha; and
• Matthew Leal, 33, an outbound sales representative for Love's Travel Stops.

Incumbent Clint Williams is not seeking re-election.

The election is April 5.

FOI Oklahoma invites all candidates for state, local and legislative seats to sign the pledge. Instructions and lists of signers can be found on FOI Oklahoma’s website. FOI Oklahoma began the Open Government Pledge in spring 2008 as part of a national effort to spur public commitments to government transparency from candidates for president down to city council contests.

Joey Senat, Ph.D. Associate Professor OSU School of Media & Strategic Communications

The opinions expressed in this blog are those of the commentators and do not necessarily represent the position of FOI Oklahoma Inc., its staff, its board of directors or the commentator’s employer. Differing interpretations of open government law and policy are welcome.