The Start of an Election Year

We're starting off 2024 here in Oklahoma with a special election.

AI-generated image of people voting - Copilot

Tomorrow, Tuesday, January 9, 2024, is an election day here in Oklahoma. Oklahoma counties Atoka, Beaver, Beckham, Cleveland, Creek, Delaware, Grady, Grant, Kay, Logan, McIntosh, Muskogee, Noble, Oklahoma, Osage, Pittsburg, Texas, and Washita have county or city propositions on the ballot. Please login to the Oklahoma Voter Portal to see if you need to vote and to review your sample ballot.

As a reminder, there are no small elections. Many of these propositions are sales taxes or other issues that are important to your community. For example, Beckham County proposes a one-tenth of one percent sales tax to be collected and divided between the county’s fire departments. The city of Guthrie in Logan County asks residents to vote on a franchise agreement between the city and Oklahoma Natural Gas for the next 25 years. And as a final example, voters in Beaver County are asked if the county should be added to the High Plains Technology Center’s school district. These are all important issues, so please go vote. The polls will be open Tuesday from 7:00 am to 7:00 pm.

The next time Oklahoma heads to the polls will be Tuesday, February 13, 2024. These will be the all-important school board primary elections and a special election for State Representative, District 39 (Edmond, OK).

If you are not registered to vote, you have until January 19, 2024, to be registered for the February 13th election. Please visit the Oklahoma State Elections Board for details.

I'll have more on registering to vote in Oklahoma next week.

In The News

A look at some of the latest headlines from around our Oklahoma and beyond.

• Choctaw Nation shares the buzz about bees with beekeeper workshop | KXII

• Oklahoma Wine Trails Passport Program Released, Highlights Local Wineries | KWTV

• Oklahoma Parole Rate Declines | Oklahoma Watch

• Oklahoma rejects federal Summer EBT food program | The Oklahoma

• Oklahoma tribes to step up as state opts out of children’s food assistance program | Oklahoma Voice

• OPINION: Stitt shouldn’t have opted out of USDA program that feeds hungry youth | Oklahoma Voice

• AG Drummond announces potential legal action over insulin costs | Oklahoma Attorney General

• Oklahoma Supreme Court to hear arguments on petition to raise minimum wage | KGOU

• 'Stop using our... children as political pawns': Rep. McBride confirms new details on state superintendent subpoena | KOKH

About Oklahoma: Coal County

Coal County, Oklahoma

Welcome to Coal County.

Coal county is in the south southeaster part of the state. The county was created at statehood in 1907 from Shappaway County of the Pushmataha District of the Choctaw Nation and part of the Pontotoc District of the Chickasaw Nation.  The county was named Coal after the abundance of coal mined in the area.

Coalgate, Oklahoma, located in the southeastern part of the county at the intersection of State Highway 31, State Highway 43, and U.S. Highway 75, is the county seat, the county’s largest city, and home to the Coal County Historical & Mining Museum.

Other notable communities include Centrahoma and Tupelo in the northwestern, Lehigh and Phillips in the southeastern, and Olney, Clarita, and parts of Bromide in the southwestern parts of the county.

• Established: 1907

• County Seat: Coalgate, Oklahoma 74538

• Nation: Choctaw, Chickasaw

• Map: Google Maps

• Area: 518 mi² (1,342km²)

• Population:  5,266 (2020 Census)

• Time Zone: UTC−6 (Central), DST observed

• Area Code: 580

• Congressional District: 2

• State House District: 18, 22

• State Senate District: 14

• Weather: NWS Tulsa

• Tourism Region: Choctaw County

• History: Oklahoma Historical Society

• Historic Places: Exploring Oklahoma History

• More Information: Wikipedia

Extras

Here are some more things I hope you'll find interesting.

Animation vs. Physics | Alan Becker

CLONE WARS: BATTLE OF THE HEROES - A Star Wars Fan Animation | HELLO THERE

After 34 Years, Someone Finally Beat Tetris | aGameScout

TomSka's Guide To Plagiarism (The Somerton Scale) | TomSka & Friends

How to Eat for $50 a Week | Walmart Budget Meal Plan 7 days for Two People | Dollar Tree Dinners

After ten years, it's time to stop making videos. | Tom Scott

Feedback Welcome

If you have any comments or questions, please feel free to leave a comment on Substrack, email me at blogoklahoma@blogoklahoma.net, or connect with me at Mastodon at @blogoklahoma@social.tulsa.ok.us or Threads at @blogoklahoma@threads.net.

Have a great week.

– K.