LAWTON — People who are considering a bid for the District 32 seat in the Oklahoma Senate will need to decide soon.
State Sen. John Michael Montgomery, who represents District 32, announced earlier this month that he was leaving the Legislature to become the new president and CEO of the Lawton-Fort Sill Chamber of Commerce, starting Aug. 1. Gov. Kevin Stitt has called for a special election to name Montgomery’s successor in the Senate.
Montgomery (R-Lawton) was elected to his second term in the Senate in November 2022. His district includes Lawton’s northern and western sides as well as the towns of Cache, Indiahoma, Elgin and Fletcher.
The candidate filing period for Montgomery’s vacant seat will begin July 31 and end Aug. 2, according to the Comanche County Election Board office.
Candidates for the Wards 6, 7 and 8 seats on the Lawton City Council will also file their declarations of candidacy between July 31 and Aug. 2
The special primary election for Montgomery’s seat will take place Oct. 10. If no candidate receives a majority of the vote in the primary election, a special general election will be set for Dec. 12.
Two Republicans, Elgin Mayor JJ Francais and Lawton businesswoman Jennifer Ellis, have announced that they are running to replace Montgomery in the state Senate.