Carter wins Ward 1 seat in the OKC City Council runoffs

Last Updated on April 7, 2021, 6:58 AM | Published: April 7, 2021

OKLAHOMA CITY (Free Press) — In one of the tightest races of the night, Bradley Carter will head for the Oklahoma City Council to represent Ward 3 following his victory in Tuesday night’s runoff election. 

Carter ended the race with 54 percent of the vote while his opponent, Shay Varnell followed up closely with 46 percent with all precincts reporting, according to the unofficial results from the Oklahoma State Election Board. 

Free Press did not receive a comment from Carter in time for publication but will update this report later. 

Ward 1 covers much of western OKC, including Lake Overholser, extending towards Lake Hefner to the east including a large portion of Candian and Oklahoma Counties.

Carter is a longtime resident of Ward 1, political newcomer and a local business owner. 

During his campaign, he said he will support businesses, defend constitutional rights, and provide more funding for law enforcement and first responders as council member.  He is endorsed by several OKC metro conservative leaders, including House Rep. Jay Steagull. 

Carter will assume office on April 13th to begin his four-year term on the council.

Varnell

“Thank you, to everyone that supported me and this campaign. It was great to meet so many amazing citizens of Oklahoma City,” Varnell said on a Facebook post following the loss. 

Varnell, a small business owner, currently serves as a member of the OKC Traffic and Transportation Commission. 

During his campaign, Varnell’s main focus was on public safety, infrastructure, and recreational development. He received endorsements from the former councilmembers of Ward 1, James Greiner and Gary Marrs. 

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.