OKLAHOMA CITY — The Oklahoma Election Board has been quieter than in previous years just before a primary.
State Election Board Secretary Michael Clingman is making no predictions on turnout for Tuesday's voting.
"I don't know what to expect," Clingman said. "Neither Democrats nor Republicans have a hotly contested primary at the top of the ticket."
Polls in all 77 counties will be open from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. Tuesday, but voters will only see primary races for two statewide offices — U.S. Senate and a short term on the Corporation Commission.
Voters in Tulsa County will see party primaries in several legislative districts and one County Commission district.
Congress
Voters will choose candidates for the U.S. Senate and three of five congressional districts in Tuesday's primary.
Incumbent Jim Inhofe is a heavy favorite to defeat three lesser-known opponents Evelyn Rogers, Ted Ryals and Dennis Lopez in the GOP Senate primary.
Meanwhile, state Sen. Andrew Rice of Oklahoma City faces perennial candidate Jim Rogers on the Democratic side.
Both parties also have primaries in the First Congressional District, which includes Tulsa, Wagoner and Washington counties and portions of Rogers and Creek counties. Incumbent John Sullivan is opposed by Fran Mo-ghaddam on the GOP ballot.
Local anti-war activist Mark Manley meets newcomer Georgianna Oliver in the Democratic election.
Democratic incumbent David Boren defends his Second District seat against Kevin Coleman of Grove.
Democrats Bert Smith and Steven Perry meet in a Fifth District primary for the right to challenge GOP incumbent Mary Fallin in November.
Corporation Comm.
In the race for Corporation Commission, Dana Murphy, a lawyer, and Rep. Rob Johnson of Kingfisher face off to determine who will be on the ballot against incumbent Democrat Jim Roth. Gov. Brad Henry appointed Roth to fulfill the unexpired term of Denise Bode, who quit to pursue a job in the private sector.
State Senate
In Senate District 35, five Republicans are seeking the post being vacated by term-limited Sen. James Williamson of Tulsa. They are Gary Stanislawski, Jeff Applekamp, Cason Carter, Keith Eisenberger and Janet K. Sullivan.
A runoff on Aug. 26 may determine who will get the post. No Democrats filed to run.
The race for Senate District 37 pits Jan Megee against Dan Newberry. The winner will face Sen. Nancy Riley, D-Sand Springs, on the general election ballot.
The winner of the Democratic primary in Senate District 21 will face former Oklahoma State University President James Halligan on the November ballot. Former Payne County Associate District Judge Bob Murphy and Gregory M. Wilson, a police and fire chief, are the Democrats on Tuesday's ballot.
The winner of the race for Senate District 11 will be elected to office. Sen. Judy Eason-McIntyre, D-Tulsa, faces Prophet-Kelly L. Clark Sr. of Tulsa. No Republicans filed for the seat.
State House
Several races for the House of Representatives will occur in the Tulsa area Tuesday, but only one contest will be decided.
Two Democrats are vying to represent House District 73 in north Tulsa. Incumbent Jabar Shumate, first elected four years ago, is running against newcomer Kevin Matthews, a longtime employee of the Tulsa Fire Department. No Republicans filed, so the Democratic primary will determine who gets the seat.
Five Democrats are vying for the House District 72 seat held by Rep. Darrell Gilbert, who is being term-limited after 12 years in the House.
Candidates include Elverez Allen, who operates his own business, Cartridge World; Christie Breedlove, an officer of the Federation of Democratic Women and an employee of Magellan Midstream pipeline company; Monroe Nichols, coordinator of education initiatives in the office of Tulsa Mayor Kathy Taylor; Seneca Scott, operations manager for an energy company; and, John Slater, an independent insurance agent.
Unless one of the candidates receives more than 50 percent of the vote, the top two Democrats will face each other in a runoff. The winner will be pitted against independent Lawrence Kirkpatrick in the general election. Kirkpatrick has run unsuccessfully in several races.
In House District 98, incumbent Republican John Trebilcock of Broken Arrow faces John Newhouse, also of Broken Arrow. Both are attorneys. The GOP winner in this predominantly Republican district will face Democrat Greg Frederick of Broken Arrow in the general election.
Tulsa County Comm.
Republican voters in District 2 will decide between incumbent Commissioner Randi Miller and Sally Bell in a hotly contested race. The winner will advance to the general election to face Democrat Karen Keith.
Bell, 66, was vice president and chief financial officer of Bell's Amusement Park until it closed in 2006. Miller, 52, was first elected to the Board of County Commissioners in 2002 after serving on the Tulsa City Council.
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