Seminole County voters will go to the polls in just over two weeks to cast their ballots in a limited number of Municipal and School Board races.

In the City of Seminole, the mayor and one councilman from each of the four wards were up for election on February 14. All open seats on the city council were unchallenged, so incumbents Dana Miller, Eddie Foreman, Tim Poplin, and Chris Anson will all remain in their respective seats.

Seminole citizens have a choice for Mayor between incumbent Jeff Griffin and challenger Stephanie Davis.

The majority of all other municipal and school board elections in the county were unchallenged with the exceptions of: Strother Public Schools District Board of Education Office #3, which will be a threeway race between Luke Hester, Tami J. Shelton, and Dustin Hogue; and the Butner Public Schools District Board of Education Office #3, which will be a race between Mike Sowder and Steve Williams.

According to the City Code of Seminole, Oklahoma, the elective officers of the City are a mayor, elected at large, and two councilmen from each of four wards. All officers elected shall be qualified electors of the city, and all councilmen shall be actual residents of the ward from which they may be elected.

The code states that the mayor and city council are responsible for appointing the city manager, city attorney, city clerk, city treasurer and municipal judge.

The city manager appoints all remaining officers and heads of departments.

The mayor shall preside at all meetings of the council and shall have a casting vote when the council is equally divided, and shall take care that the provisions of this charter are complied with. The mayor shall sign the commissions and appointments of all officers, elected or appointed, and endorse the approval of all official bonds approved by the mayor and council. The mayor shall sign all orders and warrants drawn upon the treasurer for money. The mayor shall have the power to sign or veto any city ordinance passed by the council, provided that any ordinance vetoed by the mayor may be passed over his veto by vote of two-thirds of all the members of the council, notwithstanding the veto, and should the mayor neglect or refuse to sign any ordinance or return the same with his objections in writing at the next meeting of the council, the same shall become law without his signature.

An interesting item in the City Code states, “the mayor is hereby authorized to call upon every male inhabitant of the city, over eighteen years of age, and under the age of fifty years, to aid in enforcing the laws.”

The code continues to spell out the procedures for when a vacancy occurs in the office of mayor or council member. It also details the procedure for scheduling regular and special meetings, setting policies, etc.

The city code states the city manager shall be chief administrative officer and head of the administrative branch of the city government. He shall be responsible to the mayor and council for the execution of laws and ordinances and administration of the government of the city. He shall have such powers and duties as are provided by charter, law or applicable ordinance or resolution.