The Tulsa City Council elections will be held on August 25th along with the state runoff elections. The Tulsa City Council elections do not have primaries as they are non-partisan races.
If there are more than two candidates filed in a District and no candidate reaches over 50 percent in the Aug. 25th election the two candidates who win the most votes will have a runoff in the general election in November.
There are nine districts but only elections in six districts as District 4, 6 and 8 had only one candidate file. In each of those districts only the incumbent filed: Laura Bellis, Christian Bengel and Phil Lakin, Jr. respectively. There is usually a City Auditor at large election as well, but only Nathan Pickford filed, and was elected unopposed.
District 1 fields four challengers pitted against incumbent Vanessa Hall-Harper who has held the Council position since 2016.
Hall-Harper was elected to District 1 in 2016. She was on the council when they voted for closing of many retail stores during the pandemic and also the mask mandates.
She is a native Tulsan and graduated from Edison HighSchool. She has earned several degrees: a BA in Political Science/Pre Law, a Master of Science in Management and has a certificate in paralegal studies.
She is married to Lt. Marcus Harper of the Tulsa Police Department and they have one daughter. She has worked for Tulsa County and the Tulsa County Health Department.
According to her website, vote4vanessad1.com, Harper -Hill has five priorities to work on if elected to make Tulsa a more healthy community to work and live in.
“A healthy community has Adequate and Affordable Housing that enables good physical and mental health which depends on homes being safe and free from physical hazards and harmful exposures, thus providing families a sense of privacy, security, stability and control; and promotes healthy neighborhoods by providing safe places for children to play and for adults to exercise that are free from crime, violence and pollution.”
“A healthy community is Food Secure with grocery stores, community gardens and farmers markets from which residents can purchase healthy foods and fresh food.”
“A healthy community supports Public Safety by ensuring transparency and accountability from law enforcement, increased funding and support for firefighters, and more resources for mental health supports.”
“A healthy community has adequate Public Transportation that provides access to jobs and educational opportunities; medical treatments and doctor’s appointments; access to healthy food outlets and places for play and being physically active. “ and
“Communities with adequate and affordable housing, access to healthy food, an adequate number of police and fire officers and adequate public transportation are attractive to potential businesses. Healthy communities are more productive, have fewer health care costs, are more active and encourage spending. “
Mareo Johnson according to his website is “a lifelong advocate for fairness, justice, and the inherent dignity of all people. His personal journey of transformation has shaped his commitment to being the change he wishes to see in the world. Despite challenges along the way, he has never given up on his mission to uplift his community.”
He is the founder of Seeking the Kingdom Ministries and the founding organizer of the Tulsa Chapter of Black Lives Matter. He also has an extensive record of public service. He was appointed to the Tulsa Sales Tax Overview Committee, he serves as the Board President of the United Nations Association of Eastern Oklahoma, and is on the Advisory Board for the BMX Foundation, and many other boards. He says, “I’m all in on the fight for liberty. District 1 deserves leadership that listens to the people, protects our freedoms, and stands up for our community’s future.”
Corinice Wilson a registered Democrat, says her credentials for the City Council position are 30 plus years of serving Tulsa, over $7 millions in grants secured, having a PhD in criminology and social inequality and having supervised over 90 plus employees. According to her website she has sat on the boards of Youth Services of Tulsa, Big Brothers & Big Sisters, KIPP, League of Women Voters, Teach Not Punish, and OCCJ. She co-led the Tulsa Gang Coordinating Committee. She served as a Tulsa City Commissioner on the Beyond the Apology Commission. Her main issues are to make Decisions backed by data not politics, more education and work force access, equity across District 1, stronger families & safer youth, and public safety through prevention.
Reggie Williams Jr., a registered Democrat, desires leadership rooted in community and a commitment to the youth. He is a member of 100 Black Men of Tulsa, a partner with the North Tulsa Economic Development Initiative, the athletic director at the Salvation Army and is committed youth, sports and the future.
His facebook page says “When I get asked what does economic development look like for District 1? I tell people that economic development means more than buildings. It means jobs, thriving small businesses, access to capital, and opportunities for families to build wealth. I want to support entrepreneurs, attract investment, and ensure North Tulsa receives its fair share of economic opportunities.” and “Working with youth every day reminds me why this work matters. Our young people deserve more opportunities, mentors, and safe spaces to grow and succeed.” He describes one of his goals is “ strengthening communication with the community. I want people to feel heard, informed, and connected to what’s happening in District 1. I also want to focus on neighborhood concerns like streets, lighting, housing conversations, youth opportunities, and stronger support for families and seniors. Real change takes time, but people should be able to feel the difference when leadership is present and engaged.’
Thomas William Moore, a registered Independent, is a member of the Delaware Tribe and a citizen of the Cherokee Nation. He has a BS in Political Science and a BA in Journalism. He has a Juris Doctor degree from the University of Tulsa. He grew up living under the poverty line and had many jobs before studying to become a lawyer. Moore has worked as a desk clerk, hotel manager, bartender, dishwasher, furniture mover, paperboy, video store clerk, fast food employee, contractor, hardware installer, tech support, phone tech and a variety of other odd jobs.
Moore’s three key issues are: 1. More jobs better pay, better infrastructure, social justice, development of the neglected areas and to get the old neighborhoods fixed up and occupied but we have to have new ideas and get creative to get the job done. 2) The average wage earner in District 1 earns just over $18k per year which will net them about $1350 a month… just to keep the water, sewer and trash service going you’re going to give up almost 10% of that hard earned money and that is wrong. 3) District 1 is not the City’s dumping ground. I personally had to fight to keep a homeless shelter from getting installed in the most asinine location imaginable – Mohawk Park… 45 minutes from the nearest bus stop and over an hour to the nearest store or employer and I had to fight the City tooth and nail for almost a year to keep that homeless shelter and over 100 of the hardest case homeless people from getting dumped off in the most rural part of the city with the golf course, zoo and airport as the nearest places to go panhandle.
The District 2 race is a rematch of 2024’s election with both incumbent Anthony Archie and Aaron Bisogno running against each other. Archie won in 2024 by over a thousand votes. Both are registered Republicans.
Archie, a registered Republican, came to Tulsa to attend ORU from the South Side of Chicago and stayed. He has worked as a youth pastor, an elementary school teacher and now owns the Oklahoma Toffee Company with his wife, Chelsea. They have three children.
He claims results of his past two years as City Councilor as:
- Closing multiple homeless encampments and finding them housing and mental health help.
- Adding safety measures on Turkey Mountain.
- Securing funding for Bales Park for improvements
- Helping to bring IKEA to Tulsa
According to his website, archie4d2.com, he has six main areas to concentrate on.
- Economic Development
- Public Safety
- District Infrastructure
- Transportation
Work to reduce fares for those who rely on transportation for work, increase ridership, restore needed bus routes, and fund the expansion of Tulsa’s Micro-Transit System.
- Housing
As Tulsa’s population grows so does the need for various housing options. Support housing developments with an eye toward homeownership, and
- Homelessness
Support the work of “A Way Home For Tulsa” and the partner organizations that provide care to those at every stage of housing insecurity.
Aaron L. Bisogno, a registered Republican, is an Assistant Manager at Mariner Finance in Sapulpa. He has previously run against Anthony Archie in 2024 and Jeannie Cue in 2014, 2016 and 2022 for this seat. In past elections he was concerned with 1. Your rights are fully protected by the Constitution 2. Life liberty and the pursuit of happiness is paramount and 3. Transparency is vital : We need be able to see every red cent before it’s spent!
He especially thinks that the Tulsa City Council is not communicating effectively with the people and would like to improve on that.
In the District 3 council race there are two contenders: Jackie Dutton and Tanisha Bowen. Dutton is the incumbent first elected in 2024.
Dutton spent 20 years as a small business owner, and was involved in her neighborhood. She thinks that, “ District 3 is the Gateway to Tulsa, home to Tulsa International Airport and the eastern stretch of Tulsa’s Historic Route 66. As such, it presents an opportunity for immense, community-driven economy development.”
Her four key issues are:
- Honest answers and accountability: Residents deserve transparency. She will continue to ask the hard questions that deserve honest answers and work to keep you informed.
- Safer Streets and Better Services: Cleaning up the neighborhoods, strengthening code enforcement, and delivering the services residents count on.
- Smarter Housing and Growth: Thoughtful growth, better housing choices, and investments that strengthen our communities for the long term.
- District 3’s Fair Share: District 3 delivers for Tulsa every day. It’s time that we receive our fair share in return in services, funding and attention.
Dutton says her achievements in office thus far include new sidewalks, streets and curbs in the McClure Park neighborhood, new Boeing Park Playground equipment, working on getting a District 3 community center, working on getting an expansion of the Maxwell Park Library, helping constituents with concerns and navigating City Hall, and Oasis Park will be getting and update.
Bowen is a graduate of East Central High School. She is a REALTOR and a Realtist with 19 years of experience. She wants to work to build strong neighborhoods, quality education, and bringing opportunities for working families to the district. She wants to serve, lead and empower economic opportunities. Bowen has served on many boards related to real estate, and has volunteered in many capacities with the public schools, as well as educating people in financial literacy.
Her Facebook page says she voted yes on SQ 836 (minimum wage).