Moderate Turnout Expected In Local Races

Voter turnout is expected to be moderate today in two contested local races, one for the State Senate, the other for Oklahoma County commissioner.

In the Senate District 45 runoff, Republicans Kyle Loveless and Steve Russell seek election as the winner takes the seat, no Democrat or Independent having filed.

In the District 2 commissioner runoff, J. D. Johnston and Brian Maughan seek the GOP nomination and the winner faces Democrat Jim Dickinson in the fall.

Interest in the SD45 race, spurred in part by direct mail and personal contact by the candidates, should produce a decent turnout, observers say. Most give Russell the edge as voting started today.

Last-minute finance reports show Russell added $1,900 and Loveless added $500. Russell has raised $146,670, while Loveless has raised $101,726, including more than $38,000 of his own money.

Johnston has relied on paid media to fuel his campaign, while Maughan has conducted a "ground game" campaign that propelled him into the runoff with Johnston, former Bethany mayor. Maughan is said to be the front-runner.

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