The Bartlesville City Council will take on a new look next month after Tuesday’s elections, after three incumbent council members were ousted by challengers in a shift that signals a stronger push to limit public drag performances.
The city has faced ongoing public debate over these performances at local Pride events. The new council line-up includes candidates who campaigned for “family values” and against opposition to public drag shows.
Tim Sherrick defeated incumbent Ward 1 councilor and current Mayor Dale Copeland by a narrow margin of just over 100 votes, securing the seat with nearly 52% of the vote. In his campaign, Sherrick emphasized family values and the “Make B’ville Great Again” message.
In Ward 2, challenger Larry East claimed a victory over incumbent Loren Roszel, receiving nearly 62% of the vote. East ran on a platform opposing public drag performances at Bartlesville’s Pride events, which he believes makes adult entertainment inappropriate for public spaces. After his victory, East said publicly that his opposition to public drag shows resonated with Ward 2 voters.
Ward 4 saw another change, as challenger Aaron Kirkpatrick ousted incumbent Quinn Schipper with more than 60% of the vote. Kirkpatrick, who campaigned on reducing homelessness and supporting firefighters, also raised concerns about drag shows in public settings. Unlike his fellow council members, however, Kirkpatrick has publicly portrayed his opposition as a child health issue.
Meanwhile, incumbent Trevor Dorsey of Ward 5 retained his seat with nearly 55% of the vote, defeating challengers Matthew Snodgrass and Karen Monroe. Dorsey has previously spoken out about limiting public drag performances, after leading previous efforts to police them for lewd violations. At the 2024 Price Festival, police were stationed to observe drag events but reported not issuing tickets for violations.
The only council member running unopposed was Ward 3 Vice Mayor Jim Curd, who was part of the previous council’s cautious approach to regulating public drag performances. Curd and his colleagues were reluctant to impose an outright ban, citing potential costly legal battles and court rulings that drag performances were protected under the First Amendment. The former council, led by Copeland, had opted for police oversight and negotiations rather than introducing outright restrictions to avoid legal costs that have caused similar bans in other areas.
The new council will be sworn in during the first meeting in December, during which a new mayor and deputy mayor will also be elected.
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Outspoken activist claims influence
Christian conservative activist Rich Penkoski, who is known for his sermons against LGBTQIA+ rights at Bartlesville Pride events and his strong objections to public drag performances at Bartlesville City Council meetings, attributed his advocacy to the incumbent council members’ defeat at the elections on Tuesday.
“Looks like Roszel and Copeland lost; glad I hammered them online and in the Bartlesville groups,” Penkoski said. “I can’t side with LGBT people and expect to win.”
Penkoski’s activism has not been without controversy. In a previous incident, he was given a five-year protective order after a same-sex couple in Bartlesville reported feeling harassed by him because of their sexual orientation. The Oklahoma Supreme Court later overturned the order.
This past year, Penkoski provided legal assistance to the city to help craft a ban on public drag shows that he claims would avoid any financial burden on Bartlesville taxpayers. He said he has no formal partnership with Dorsey.
“Trevor Dorsey is going to be mayor, mark my words,” Penkoski said, referring to Dorsey as the “only candidate who was considered for the position.” Dorsey’s online social media accounts were tagged in livestreams of street preacher protests, and Dorsey has been liking Penkoski’s Facebook posts since the activist launched his Bartlesville protests in 2022.
Penkoski further emphasized his commitment to his cause, saying, “I will continue to speak and share about the LGBT, about Bartlesville, and I will not give up until it is banned.”
This article originally appeared on Bartlesville Examiner-Enterprise: Majority of new Bartlesville City Council opposes public drag shows
