Rep. Ken LuttrellR-Ponca City, attends a special session of the State House at the Oklahoma Capitol on Oct. 3, 2023. (Photo by Kyle Phillips/For Oklahoma Voice)
OKLAHOMA CITY – Two candidates will remain on the ballot after objections were filed claiming they did not meet the qualifications to run.
The Oklahoma State Election Board heard the challenges Thursday and ruled unanimously in favor of the two men.
Rep. Ken Luttrell, R-Ponca City, had challenged the candidacy of Carter Davis Rogers, an independent from Fairfax.
Luttrell claimed Rogers was a voter in Colorado and not registered in Oklahoma.
“Mr. Rogers has failed to re-register as a voter in Oklahoma since his return to the State, and is therefore ineligible to file a candidacy until he does so six months prior to filing,” the petition challenging his candidacy said disputed.
According to the petition, Rogers had previously registered to vote in Fairfax in 2020.
Rogers said his Oklahoma registration was never canceled. Luttrell tried to intimidate him, he said.
“It was an undemocratic attempt to have the election canceled by the Republican candidate,” Rogers said.
Luttrell is seeking his final two-year term representing House District 37.
Lawmakers are limited to twelve years.
Luttrell will face Rogers in the Nov. 5 general election.
Rep. Clay Staires, R-Skiatook, challenged the candidacy of Libertarian Kenneth Blevins of Sand Springs in the race for House District 66.
Staires claimed that the number of registered voter signatures Blevins submitted to get on the ballot could not be verified, according to the petition.
Blevins needed 483 qualified voters to cast ballots, rather than paying a $500 filing fee. Blevins submitted 528 signatures.
Bevin argued that he did meet the threshold.
“Now the work begins to actually try to win votes,” Blevins said.
Both will meet in the November 5 general election.
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