LAWTON – A special primary election to fill the office of Comanche County Commissioner, District 1, will be held Aug. 27.
Six candidates filed for the office after Gov. Kevin Stitt issued an election proclamation.
The candidates include interim Commissioner Trent Logan, who was appointed by Stitt to fill the vacant seat May 31 pending election of a successor to former Commissioner John Donavon O’Brien; Elgin veterinarian Hank Hasenbeck; Kevin Turpin of Sterling, who states on Facebook that he “started a successful commercial and residential construction company … which has evolved into other ventures, including a cow-calf operation and commercial rental properties; Ryan John of Lawton, a military veteran and fourth-generation cattleman from Comanche County who received a bachelor’s degree in business, specializing in finance; Craig Tracht of Fletcher; and Chad Maguire.
Since only Republican candidates filed for the office and Oklahoma’s GOP has closed primaries, the office will be decided during the special primary election Aug. 27, Election Board Secretary Amy Sims said.
The winner will complete the 16 months remaining on the unexpired term of O’Brien, who was suspended on May 7 after a multicounty grand jury recommended his ouster, and subsequently pleaded “no contest” to two embezzlement charges reduced from felonies to misdemeanors. Three other misdemeanor charges – two counts of outraging public decency and one count of committing a computer crime – were dismissed.
Special Judge Christine Galbraith gave O’Brien an 18-month suspended county jail sentence, which means if he completes that term without any further trouble his criminal record can be wiped clean. In addition, O’Brien was assessed $2,123 in fines, court costs, fees and assessments.
And as a condition of his plea agreement with prosecutors, O’Brien resigned his county office on June 4 and agreed he would not seek an elected office for 18 months. O’Brien succeeded Gail Turner as the Eastern District county commissioner in January 2023, and held the office for just 17 months.
The early voting period will be held between 8 a.m. and 6 p.m. Aug. 22 and 23 at the Comanche County Election Board located in the County Courthouse, 315 SW Fifth St., Room 206, Lawton. Early voting also will be held from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Aug. 24. No excuse is needed.