The owner of an Ardmore insurance agency has pledged to comply with the letter and spirit of Oklahoma’s open government laws if elected as the Carter County clerk. In signing FOI Oklahoma’s Open Government Pledge, Luke Pollard 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.”

Pollard, a Republican, will face the incumbent, Democrat Kayelyn Clubb, in the Nov. 8 general election. The Carter County Commission appointed Clubb to the job in March to replace Cynthia Harmon, who had resigned. Clubb had served as first deputy in the clerk's office since August 2015.

The county clerk is the primary record-keeper for the county government and serves as the secretary for county boards.

Pollard owns the Pollard Agency, a Farmers Insurance agency in Ardmore.

FOI Oklahoma invites all candidates for state, local and legislative seats to sign its Open Government Pledge. Instructions and lists of signers can be found on FOI Oklahoma’s website.

Nearly 170 candidates have signed the pledge — with 86, or 50 percent, being elected at least once – since FOI Oklahoma began it in 2008.

Joey Senat, Ph.D. Associate Professor OSU School of Media & Strategic Communications Mass Communication Law in Oklahoma

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.