Former Tulsa County District Attorney Tim Harris has filed for the open seat for District 7 on the Tulsa Board of Education.
When asked why he is running, Harris said, “I have always been called into public service.”
Harris said political ambition played no part in his decision but he had been urged by friends and supporters to help make things better at Tulsa Public Schools.
District 7 is an open seat because Vice President Suzanne Schreiber decided not to seek another term.
Three other candidates – Junegrid Baker, Ellen Fuller, and Susan Lamkin – also filed last week. Baker is a Spanish teacher at Tulsa Public School.
The schools in District 7 are Carnegie, Eisenhower International, Grissom, Key, Marshall, McClure and Patrick Henry elementary schools; Thoreau Demonstration Academy and Memorial High School.
Because only two candidates filed in TPS District 4, there will be no primary vote. Incumbent Shawna Keller will face E’Lana Ashley in the April 5 general election.
District 4 schools are Cooper, Disney, Dolores Huerta, Kerr, Lewis and Clark, Lindbergh, Peary and Skelly elementary schools; East Central Junior High School; and East Central High School.
In other filings last week for a primary vote (February 8):
Bixby Public Schools Seat 2
Tina Dumas, Jake Rowland and incumbent Amanda Stephens
Bixby Public Schools’ District 2 covers the school district’s southwest corner.
Broken Arrow Public Schools Seat 2
J.W. Berry, George Ghesquire, Robyn Havener, Joshua Moon and Debbie Taylor
Schools in Broken Arrow Public Schools’ Zone 2 are Arrow Springs Early Childhood Center; Leisure Park, Lynn Wood and Vandever elementary schools; Sequoyah Middle School; and the Freshman Academy.
Catoosa Public Schools Seat 2
Bonnie Franklin, Cheryl Marrs, Joshua Perkins and Stefan Swaggerty
Union Public Schools Zone 2
Shelley Gwartney, incumbent Chris McNeil and Derek Rader
The schools in that district are Andersen, Cedar Ridge, Moore and Peters elementary schools.
Other ballots on April 5:
Candidates in Catoosa’s District 4 are incumbent Joe Deere and Derrick Smith.
In Jenks, Ashley Cross faces current board President Terry Keeling.
Candidates in Mounds Seat 2 are Justin Green and Laci Jones.
In Owasso, Board President Rhonda Mills faces Joshua Stanton.
In Sand Springs, Seat 2, incumbent Mike Mullins faces MaRanda Trimble-Kerley.
Candidates for Skiatook Seat 2 are Misty Davis and Randal Tatum. Candidates for Seat 5 are incumbent Katy McLain and Kara Railey.
The two candidates for Seat 3 with the Tulsa Technology Center’s board are Mark Griffin and Jim Provenzano.
These candidates won because they were unopposed:
Ronna Taylor in Berryhill, Josh Cooper in Bristow, Aliix Rawls for Catoosa’s Ward 1, Chelsea Mize in Claremore, Tim Bess in Collinsville, Lynne Whetsell in Glenpool, David Ayers in Kellyville, Chris Carr for Kiefer Public Schools, Rae Lee Floyd for Liberty Public Schools, Jimmie Pilkington for Lone Star, Richard Hamilton for Pretty Water, Larry Hoover in Sapulpa and Mechelle Beats in Sperry.
No one filed for the open seat with Keystone Public Schools.
The voter registration deadline for the February primary election is Jan. 14, while the absentee ballot request deadline is 5 p.m. on Jan. 24. Early walk-in voting is set for Feb. 3-4.