Published: June 5, 2025 | Last Updated on June 13, 2025, 2:39 PM
OKLAHOMA CITY (Free Press) — Voters in House District 97 in northeast Oklahoma City are just days away from heading to the polls for the upcoming special election to choose their next state representative.
Two Democratic Party candidates, JeKia Harrison and Aletia Timmons, are competing for the open HD-97 seat, which was vacated after former Rep. Jason Lowe was elected to the Oklahoma County Board of County Commissioners in April. Since no Republican or Independent candidates filed to run in the special election, the winner of the Democratic primary on June 10 will secure the seat.
HD-97 spans a large portion of northeast Oklahoma City, stretching north along the John Kilpatrick Turnpike and reaching as far south as NE 10th Street. The district encompasses communities such as Spencer, Forest Park, Lake Aluma, and parts of Jones and Midwest City.
HD_97_web_3e4c9cb9c2Aletia Timmons
Timmons, endorsed by Lowe and Senator Nicki Nice, recently retired from her position as Oklahoma County district judge in March. Being elected to the bench in 2014, Timmons practiced civil rights and employment law at two separate law firms, one of which she founded. She also served as Deputy Chief in the Oklahoma County District Attorney’s office.
Outside the courtroom, Timmons served as an adjunct instructor at Langston University’s Oklahoma City Campus. She is also the co-founder of Jamming Hoopfest, a northeast OKC initiative that tackles food insecurity while offering mentorship and character development for local youth.
In a recent public debate hosted by Nondoc and News 9, Timmons expounded on her priorities for HD 97 and the state as a whole. During the debate on Tuesday night, she highlighted her commitment to addressing affordable housing and exploring alternative ways to fund public schools without relying on property taxes, which she says puts a strain on seniors in HD-97.
“When we talk about funding the schools, that tax burden is going to be on the seniors, and they’re worried about that,” Timmons said during the debate. “They’re concerned about losing their houses, so we’re going to have to find another way to fund those schools – not through property taxes – but another way so we don’t have seniors, especially in HD-97, whose demographic is older, losing those homes they fought their whole lives to keep.”
According to her campaign website, Timmons’ priorities also include criminal justice reform, youth empowerment initiatives, education, and community development.
Throughout her career, Timmons has received numerous honors, including the Ada Lois Sipuel Fisher Diversity Award from the Oklahoma Bar Association and the Outstanding Trial Judge Award from the Oklahoma Association for Justice.
JeKia Harrison
Harrison, business owner and community advocate, is running to fill the vacancy on a platform of prioritizing public schools, expanding access to affordable housing, boosting economic development, and improving access to quality healthcare.
The longtime NE OKC resident owns Pen 2 Paper Consulting, a political campaign and management firm.
Harrison graduated from Millwood High School and earned a bachelor’s degree in Psychology from Fisk University in Nashville, TN. After college, she returned to OKC and began her career as a child welfare specialist with the Oklahoma Department of Human Services, an experience she says gave her a deeper understanding of her community’s needs.
According to her campaign website, she later transitioned into politics, driven by a desire to shape policies that impact the lives of everyday people.
Harrison currently works as a legislative assistant for the Oklahoma House of Representatives and has been involved in several political campaigns, including Kendra Horn’s 2020 congressional re-election bid and her 2022 U.S. Senate campaign.
During the debate, Harrison said that education and economic development are the most pressing issues facing HD 97 and the state as a whole. She agreed with Timmons on the need to reform the public school funding formula, which currently relies heavily on property taxes.
“We have less folks that are here in our communities because of the cost of these homes, and we have a lot of dilapidated homes in the area,” Harrison said in her response. “So we have to address that issue as far as property taxes and what that looks like and addressing the funding formula.”
Harrison also said that the top concern she’s heard from HD 97 residents while canvassing is the poor condition of the street infrastructure.
“Knocking the doors in Spencer, Jones, and even in northeast Oklahoma City, we are having conversations about roads, bridges, streetlights,” Harrison said. “ A lot of this is going to be taken care of on other levels of government, city and county levels, but I think there’s some conversations that can be had about how we can help in the funding because some of these major roads that we have are actually state highways.”
Voting information
Polls will be open from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. on Election Day, June 10. To find your polling place or view a sample ballot for your precinct, visit the OK Voter Portal.
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.
