The former executive director of the Oklahoma Women’s Coalition has promised “to support legislation to strengthen" the state's open government laws if elected to the Senate District 40 seat. In signing FOI Oklahoma’s Open Government Pledge for legislative candidates, Danielle Ezell also promised “to support at every opportunity” the state’s public policy 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.”

Ezell serves on the board of directors for the Oklahomans for Criminal Justice Reform coalition. It helped pass ballot measures in 2016 "that reclassified drug possession as a misdemeanor and reinvested savings in alternatives and treatment."  She also is a member of the Central Oklahoma Workforce Investment Board, owned a business and was a senior executive for Teleflora.

Ezell faces Carri Hicks in the Democratic primary on June 26. Incumbent Ervin Yen and Joe Howell meet in the Republican primary. The Democratic and Republican nominees will be joined on the ballot by independent Christopher Hensley for the general election Nov. 6.

Senate District 40 includes parts of Bethany, Nichols Hills, northwest Oklahoma City, The Village and Warr Acres.

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

Since FOI Oklahoma began the pledge in 2008, 199 candidates have signed, with 51 percent being elected at least once. In some races, all candidates for the office signed the pledge.

FOI Oklahoma began the Open Government Pledge 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.