The new chair of the Tulsa County Republican Party wants to see some changes to how local elections are handled.
Melissa Myers, who was elected chair of the Tulsa GOP in March, previously ran an unsuccessful campaign for Tulsa County commissioner.
Following a party committee meeting earlier this month, Myers said she and her fellow Republicans want to see elections in Tulsa go back to an old format.
“We would like to get back to partisan elections,” she said. “That was a huge, unanimous vote. I will be sending that resolution to the city of Tulsa in the next couple weeks.”
Myers argued the lack of party affiliation on city ballots causes confusion and that partisan elections could help people research their candidates more efficiently.
“You’re like ‘OK, I know they’re a Republican,’ so then, now, I just home in on those Republicans and do my research and due diligence on their back history.”
Voters approved moving Tulsa to nonpartisan elections in 2011, meaning candidates’ political parties are not listed on the ballot when voters go to the polls.
When it comes to the GOP’s standard-bearer, Myers said President Donald Trump has helped “reenergize people.”
“It’s the participation,” Myers said. “People seeing you at the voter’s box getting out to vote, or if you’re holding up signs. Finding something that you can participate in our election process.”
Tulsa GOP’s previous chair, Ronda Vuillemont-Smith, said local Republicans should make their platform “more inviting to diversity, whether it be that you’re gay, that you’re a different ethnic background than me, whatever.”
When asked if diversity was also a priority, Myers differed from her predecessor.
“Diversity, for me, is in your strengths, your gifts and your talents,” she said. “I am not looking at what you do, at your home, or what your lifestyle is. We want your diversity not to be your skin color. I want ‘Hey, you’re a doctor, you’re a homemaker, you’re a small business owner.’”
