OKLAHOMA CITY – Two candidates will remain on the ballot after challenges were filed alleging they didn’t meet the qualifications to run.The Oklahoma State Election Board on Thursday heard the challenges and unanimously ruled in favor of the two men.Rep. Ken Luttrell, R-Ponca City, had challenged the candidacy of Carter Davis Rogers, an independent from Fairfax.Luttrell alleged Rogers was a voter in Colorado and not registered in Oklahoma.“Mr. Rogers has failed to re-register as a voter in Oklahoma since his return to the state, and is therefore ineligible for a candidacy until he does so six months before filing,” according to the petition challenging his candidacy.Rogers had previously registered to vote in Fairfax in 2020, according to the petition.Rogers said his Oklahoma registration was never canceled. Luttrell was trying to intimidate him, he said.“It was an undemocratic attempt to get an election canceled by the Republican candidate,” Rogers said.Luttrell is seeking his final two-year term representing House District 37.Lawmakers are limited to 12 years. Luttrell will face Rogers in the Nov. 5 general election.Rep. Clay Staires, R-Skiatook, challenged the candidacy of Libertarian Kenneth Blevins of Sand Springs in the race for House District 66.Staires alleged that the number of signatures of registered voters Blevins submitted to get on the ballot could not be verified, according to the petition.Blevins needed 483 qualified voters to get on the ballot in lieu of paying a $500 filing fee. Blevins turned in 528 signatures.Bevin argued that he did meet the threshold.“Now the work actually begins trying to actually win votes,” Blevins said.Both will meet in the Nov. 5 general election.
