Oklahoma City Council Explained

Oklahoma City Council
Coa Pic:Seal of Oklahoma City, Oklahoma.png
Logo Pic: Ward map of Oklahoma City, effective 1 April 2022.
House Type:Unicameral
Leader1 Type:Mayor
Leader1:David Holt
Party1:(R)
Leader2 Type:Vice Mayor
Leader2:JoBeth Hamon
Party2:(D)
Members:9
Political Groups1:officially nonpartisan
Majority

Minority

Term Limits:None
Term Length:4 years
Last Election1:April 6, 2021
Next Election1:April 4, 2023
Session Room:Oklahoma City (2019) - 184.jpg
Meeting Place:Oklahoma City Municipal Building
Website:City Council - City of OKC

The Oklahoma City Council is the unicameral legislative body of the City of Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. The form of government of Oklahoma City is a council-manager government, therefore the mayor is included as a member of the city council. The current mayor is David Holt. The mayor serves as President of the Council and presides over all council meetings. The city council must set policy, enact ordinances, and authorize expenditures of City funds. Although the council is nonpartisan, six of the nine members are associated with the Republican Party.

Members

Ward Name Party (officially nonpartisan) Term start Location References
Mayor David HoltApril 10, 2018Citywide [1]
1 Bradley Carter Republican April 6, 2021 [2]
2 James Cooper April 9, 2019 Central, Inner Northside [3]
3 Barbara Young Republican April 6, 2021 [4]
4 Todd Stone Republican April 4, 2017 [5]
5 Matt Hinkle Republican April 4, 2023 South, Far South-central [6]
6 JoBeth Hamon Democratic April 9, 2019 Central, Downtown, Inner Southside [7]
7 Democratic November 2018[8]
8 Mark Stonecipher Republican April 2015 [9]

History

Oklahoma City was founded on April 22, 1889 as the Village of Oklahoma. On May 1, 1889, ten days after the founding of the city, an election was held that selected the first mayor, William James Gault, and two wards were established. Oklahoma village became the county seat of County Two (present-day Oklahoma County) at the passage of the Oklahoma Organic Act on May 2, 1890. The townsite of 5,000 residents was incorporated on July 15, 1890 as the Village of Oklahoma City by commissioners of County Two. The Oklahoma City Council held their first meeting on July 22, 1890 and passed Ordinance No. 1 that divided the city into four wards. Each ward had two council members, one serving for one year and the other for two years.

The first City Charter was approved by city voters and Oklahoma Governor Lee Cruce in March 1911. In 1926, the office of city manager was created and the city adopted the council-manager form of government.[10]

On April 9, 2019, James Cooper became the first openly-gay man, and also the first person of color outside of Ward 7, to serve on the council.[11] [12]

References

  1. https://www.okc.gov/government/mayor Mayor - Official Website of the City of Oklahoma City
  2. https://www.okc.gov/government/city-council/ward-1 Ward 1 - Official Website of the City of Oklahoma City
  3. https://www.okc.gov/government/city-council/ward-2 Ward 2 - Official Website of the City of Oklahoma City
  4. https://www.okc.gov/government/city-council/ward-3 Ward 3 - Official Website of the City of Oklahoma City
  5. https://www.okc.gov/government/city-council/ward-4 Ward 4 - Official Website of the City of Oklahoma City
  6. https://www.okc.gov/government/city-council/ward-5 Ward 5 - Official Website of the City of Oklahoma City
  7. https://www.okc.gov/government/city-council/ward-6 Ward 6 - Official Website of the City of Oklahoma City
  8. https://www.okc.gov/government/city-council/ward-7 Ward 7 - Official Website of the City of Oklahoma City
  9. https://www.okc.gov/government/city-council/ward-8 Ward 8 - Official Website of the City of Oklahoma City
  10. https://www.okc.gov/government/archives-records/oklahoma-city-history/founding-of-oklahoma-city Founding of Oklahoma City
  11. https://www.gayly.com/okc-first-openly-gay-man-elected-city-council An OKC first: Openly gay man elected to City Council - The Gayly
  12. https://streaming.uco.edu/media/Symposium+2021+Keynote+AddressA+Oklahoma+City+Councilman+James+Cooper/1_pak2o5ap/85198041 Symposium 2021 Keynote Address: Oklahoma City Councilman James Cooper