One of two Republican candidates for state auditor & inspector has pledged that the office will comply with the letter and spirit of Oklahoma’s open government laws if she is elected. In signing FOI Oklahoma’s Open Government Pledge for statewide candidates, Cindy Byrd 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.”

Byrd is the deputy state auditor for local government services. She faces Charlie Prater of Edmond in the GOP runoff on Aug. 28.

In the three candidate primary in June, Byrd of Coalgate received 204,249 votes, or 49.45 percent. Prater received 173,807, or 42.08 percent.

The Republican nominee will face Libertarian John Yeutter of Tahlequah in the general election Nov. 6. No Democrat is running for the office. Incumbent Gary Jones ran unsuccessfully for the GOP gubernatorial nomination.

Yeutter signed the pledge last month.

Since FOI Oklahoma began the pledge in 2008, 186 candidates have signed — with 95, or 51 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 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.