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  • Duncan Banner, senate redistricting

    Duncan Banner, senate redistricting
May 17, 2011

County may be in new Senate district

David Laughlin The Duncan Banner

DUNCAN — Pending gubernatorial approval of Senate Bill 821, Stephens County’s political landscape could change dramatically come 2012.

Stephens County is represented by Senator Anthony Sykes (R-24). Should SB-821 be approved, Senate District 43, currently held by Jim Reynolds, would shift to Stephens County. Sykes’ district would shrink to accommodate population growth in his district.

“This has really opened a grand opportunity for Stephens County to have a homegrown person that would represent them for many years to come,” said Reynolds. “I think Stephens County will be good for many years to come.”

To complicate matters, Reynolds is expected to leave office within the next six weeks to become treasurer of Cleveland County. Reynolds would have reached his term limit in 2012.

Speculation arose on whether current constituents of Senate District 43 would be afforded the opportunity to vote in a coming special election to fill Reynolds’ vacant seat. A representative from the Oklahoma State Election Board said a special election hasn’t been scheduled yet because Reynolds has yet to resign from his post.

Additionally, the representative expects the election to occur within the current confines of Senate District 43, not in Stephens County.

Sykes anticipated a major shift in his constituency. Because of tremendous growth in the last decade, Sykes knew his district would be affected. During the last decade, Sykes’ district swelled to nearly 100,000.

“The area and population that has composed Senate District 24 is so large that it is essentially being split into two districts. The McLain, Grady and Stephens County portions, along with Purcell, will form the new senate district 43. A few more Cleveland County precincts will be added to the current Cleveland County portions of Senate District 24,” said Sykes.

Even though Sykes’ days of representing Stephens County are numbered, Sykes relished the opportunity to do so for more than half a decade.

“In my heart, I will always represent Stephens County. I will miss the people, places and events that I have grown to love,” Sykes said. “I will continue to represent the current boundaries of Senate District 24 until 2012 when a new Senator will be chosen for Senate District 43. I will relish the remaining time I have, and be on the lookout for a future opportunity to return to the place that I’ve grown to call my second home.”

Senator Don Barrington (R-31) will continue representing a portion of Stephens County. His district will account for the western portion of Stephens County, west to Comanche County.

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