One of the actions taken by the Watonga City Council in its regular December meeting was to approve the resolution calling for a 2025 election.
That election will fill the vacant council seats in Wards # 1,2 and 4, as well as the at-large seat. There are ward maps at Watonga City Hall and there may be one available at the election board office as well during the filing period.
Filing for the election will begin Feb.3 and continue through Feb. 5. The applications are available in the Blaine County Elections Board in the basement of the county courthouse on Weigle Avenue.
In order to run for election, an applicant must have been registered to vote in their locality for at least six months. For Watonga council, that means inside the city limits and inside the ward for which the candidate is seeking a seat. The exception is for the at-large seat.
Candidates for at-large must have lived in and been registered to vote in the city for at least six months.
Early voting for Watonga City Council is Thursday, March 27 and Friday, March 28. Early voting only takes place at the elections office. Regular voting will be held April 1 and is at all regular polling places. One’s voting location is generally on the voter registration card or can be checked on the Oklahoma Voter Portal at Oklahoma. gov/elections.
There are also multiple elections for the Geary City Council. Seats for Wards # 1,2 and 4 will be open, as well as mayor. Geary operates on a mayor-council form of government.
As with other municipalities, candidates must be residents of the city and the appropriate ward to run for that seat, and a resident of the city to run for mayor. They must also have been registered to vote in the right ward for at least six months. The filing dates are Feb. 1-3, the same as other towns’ dates, and the election is April 1, with two early voting days the week before.
Unlike many other elections, there is no runoff in city council elections. The person who earns the most votes wins the seat, no matter the margin.
For more information on voting or becoming a candidate, contact the Blaine County Election Board at (580) 6235518.