DUNCAN — Two hours remain for voters to head to the polls before they close at 7 p.m. in what is considered a historic race for Oklahoma.

Duncan native Lt. Governor Jari Askins and U.S. Senator Mary Fallin are battling for the state’s top position in the 2010 General Election. Either way the vote goes, one of them will be the first female governor to serve Oklahoma residents.

Askins began her morning with a stop at the annual Kiwanis Pancake Day event. By 10 a.m. she had arrived at Precinct 3 at the First United Methodist Church to a small excited crowd of supporters and friends.

Minutes later she was affixing her “I Voted” sticker to her dress jacket and offering plenty of smiles and hugs to those around her. She was voter 163.

Askins said she anticipates it to be a long day and will ride out the evening’s incoming results at a watch party at the Crowne Plaza in Oklahoma City.

In the District 6 District Attorney race, both candidates, incumbent Bret Burns and opponent Jason Hicks, said today has been busy.

Burns also began his day at the Kiwanis Pancake Day event before heading to his Duncan office and having lunch with his staff. After that, he returned to Chickasha and stopped in at the Grady County Courthouse and office, then went to cast his ballot and had finished that around 3:30 p.m. He plans to watch the results with family and supporters at the 50s Diner in Chickasha.

“It’s (Grady) a central location for all four counties. We have people from Waurika to Hydro coming out to support us tonight. We worked hard just as I’ve worked hard for the past 18 years. At some point, you just have to let your work record speak for you,” Burns said.

Calling from Tuttle, opponent and local attorney Jason Hicks  said he and his wife, Marla, voted at Duncan’s Precinct 1, The Christian Center, earlier in the day.

“My wife was No. 100 and I was 101. I feel good. I’ve had so many text messages, phone calls and supporters posting on facebook,” he said, noting it was encouraging. “I’m just trying to make the time go by.”

Hicks said he plans to be at the Stephens County Courthouse around 7 tonight to watch the first results come in.

“I’ve got people in all four courthouses so I should know the numbers pretty quickly. I’ll be there for awhile, then I will go to the watch party up on Plato,” he said. He expects to go to Chickasha’s Eduardo’s for the remainder of the evening.

— Toni Hopperis a reporter for The Duncan Banner. He can be reached at 580-255-5354, Ext. 132, or via e-mail at Toni.hopper@duncanbanner.com.