Last Updated on April 8, 2021, 5:05 PM | Published: April 7, 2021
OKLAHOMA CITY (Free Press) — Barbara Young claimed victory over Jessica-Martinez Brooks to represent Ward 3 in the OKC City Council runoff race Tuesday night.
According to the unofficial results from the Oklahoma State Election Board, Young was elected to represent the southwest OKC ward, with 57 percent of the vote to Martinez-Brooks’ 43 percent with all precincts reporting.
“We’re excited,” said Young in an interview with the Free Press following the election. “We’re excited and we’re ready to get out there and work hard for the voters from Ward 3.”
Ward 3 encompasses parts of the west and southwest sides of the city extending east into Canadian County and into northwest Cleveland County.
Young, who is a political newcomer and longtime southwest OKC resident, said she will serve as a proud conserative voice on the city council, which she largely attributes to her success.
“I’m a conservative candidate and the majority of Ward 3 is really, pretty conservative,” said Young during the interview. “That’s the kind of candidate that they were looking for to represent them on the City Council.”
During her campaign, Young prioritized public safety, strengthening the economy and improving the city’s infrastructure.
She currently serves on the board of the YWCA and the National Association of Women in Construction.
Young was endorsed by the Greater OKC Chamber, a political action committee that supports pro-business candidates at the state and local levels.
Young will be sworn into office on April 13 to begin a four-year term.
Martinez-Brooks
Martinez-Brooks said although she’s disappointed with the election results, she wrote in a Facebook post at the end of the evening that she is proud of the support she received from the community throughout her campaign.
“In the end, you show people that positivity and kindness matters, even though it might not show that in the election result,” said Martinez-Brooks in a phone interview with the Free Press. “I do believe in spreading that message of positivity, kindness, and support from people that represent the city on so many levels”
Election results are still subject to changes and are not considered final until they’re certified by the appropriate election board and will not include provisional ballot results until after 5 p.m. Friday, April 9.
Brianna Garcia is a freelance journalist covering local politics and culture for Free Press. She has a degree in Journalism from the University of Central Oklahoma.
