By Conrad Easterday, CTCN Editor

The closely watched presidential race between former president Donald Trump and current vice president Kamala Harris was still undecided at press time with Oklahoma voters leaning heavily toward Trump who will add seven electoral votes from the Sooner state to his total.

As of press time, the former president was leading Harris with two-thirds of the Oklahoma vote. Kendal Sacchieri, the Republican candidate for State Senate District 43, which includes Stephens and parts of Grady County, defeated Democrat Sam Graefe easily, securing the legislative seat by a margin of 78 percent. This will be her first term in the Oklahoma Senate.

Sacchieri thanked her supporters and said she was proud to represent them in the Senate. Fourth District Congressman Tom Cole retained his seat without much opposition from Mary Brannon, a Democrat. The Republican Cole is the newly minted chairman of the House Appropriations Committee. Like Trump, he was leading with almost two-thirds of the vote.

The retention vote for Oklahoma Supreme Court Justice Noma D. Gurich saw an almost even split in the number of Yes and No votes as did Supreme Court Justice Yvonne Kauger and Supreme Court Justice James E. Edmondson. Conservatives campaigned against all three justices, labeling them liberal activists. Republican J. Brian Bingman will likely win the opening on the Oklahoma Corporation Commission, which regulates public utilities and the oil and gas industry.

A proposal to allow cities to create public infrastructure districts was failing badly at press time. State Question 833 gathered just 38 percent of Yes votes. Improvement districts created by petition of all landowners in the district would be able to issue bonds to pay for the improvements.

A second question that clarifies only citizens of the United States are qualified to vote in Oklahoma had 80 percent of the vote with 511 of 1984 precincts reporting.