Two statewide candidates who signed FOI Oklahoma’s Open Government Pledge won their respective runoff primary elections Tuesday.

In the GOP runoff for state auditor, Cindy Byrd bested Charlie Prater by 969 votes, or 50.17 percent to 49.83 percent, according to the State Election Board’s unofficial results.

Libertarian Chris Powell defeated Rex Lawhorn in that party’s runoff for governor with 59.07 percent of the votes.

Other pledge signers already on the Nov. 6 general election ballot are Democratic gubernatorial candidate Drew Edmondson and John Yeutter, the Libertarian candidate for state auditor.

In signing the pledge for state candidates, each promised to comply with the letter and spirit of Oklahoma’s open government laws if elected. Each also pledged “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.”

FOI Oklahoma invites all candidates for state, local and legislative seats to sign the pledge on FOI Oklahoma’s website, where a list of signers also can be found.

Since FOI Oklahoma began the pledge in 2008, 186 candidates have signed — with 95, or 51 percent —being elected at least once. 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.