Candidates file for Muskogee Mayor, City Council races

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Voters in the city of Muskogee will go to the polls in February 2022 (yes, it's closer than you think) to vote on the mayoral and city council offices. Filing concluded yesterday, although candidates can still withdraw until Friday evening.

Officially, these races are non-partisan; however, voter registration can give you an idea of how a candidate leans. Given that these races tend to attract little attention, I'm posting the candidates registration, as well as a map of the Muskogee City Council Wards (above).

With the incredible growth of the Republican Party in previously Democrat-dominated areas of the state, including Muskogee, many of the candidates now are registered Republicans. 

Mayor: First-term mayor Marlon Coleman (R) drew one opponent, current Ward IV councilor Traci McGee (R). Interestingly enough, both Coleman and McGee are recent GOP registrants.

Ward I is an open seat, and attracted four candidates: Ricky Epperson (R), Shirley Hilton-Flanary (R), Jack Reavis (D), and Misty Leigh Shelton (R). Reavis is a perennial Democratic candidate, running for either State House or State Senate in every election from 2012 to 2020.

Incumbent councilors filed for reelection in the remaining three wards.

Ward II: incumbent Jaime Stout (R) is being challenged by Dale D. Boots Jr (R). Boots has run for city council previously, though in a different ward. [Update: Boots commented here to notify me that I had incorrectly listed him as a Democrat when he is currently registered as a Republican.]

Ward III: incumbent Ivory Vann (D) is facing Melody Cranford (Independent).

Ward IV: incumbent Tracy Hoos (R) has a multi-candidate field made up by challengers Tracy Cole (R), Mark Hughes (R), and Stanley Perkins (D).