With the election of Sereta Wilson to represent Ward 5, seven of Norman's eight City Council members have pledged to comply with the letter and spirit of Oklahoma’s open government laws. In signing FOI Oklahoma’s Open Government Pledge, each 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.”

Wilson signed the pledge in 2016, months before defeating incumbent James Chappel in the April 4 election. Ward 5, which surrounds Lake Thunderbird, covers about half of the city’s land area.

The other pledge signers on the Norman City Council are:

• Greg Heiple, Ward 1
• Aleisha Karjala, Ward 2
• Robert Castleberry, Ward 3
• Bill Hickman, Ward 4
• Breea Clark, Ward 6
• Stephen Holman, Ward 7

The remaining councilman is Kyle Allison of Ward 8.

Since FOI Oklahoma began the pledge in 2008, 184 candidates have signed — with 93, or 50 percent—being elected at least once.

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 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.