OKLAHOMA CITY (Free Press) – In less than two weeks, Ward 7 voters in Oklahoma City will head back to the polls on Tuesday, April 1 to decide who will be their next City Council representative.
The runoff contest includes two candidates with experience in the City of Oklahoma City government: Camal Pennington, the Ward 7 planning commissioner, and John A. Pettis, a former Ward 7 city councilman.
The run-off was called after no candidate secured more than the required half of the vote in the February general election. According to the election results from the Oklahoma State Election Board, Pennington led the race with 45% of the total vote, while Pettis followed behind with 30%.
The race for the northeast OKC Ward 7 seat became highly contested after former Councilwoman Nikki Nice announced last year that she would step down to run for Senate District 48, a race she ultimately won.
Ward 7 covers a vast area of the city, spanning the north, northeast, and historic eastside, extending into the southeast near Nicoma Park and Del City. Its size surpasses that of most state Senate districts.
Camal Pennington
Pennington, who began campaigning for the vacant seat nearly a year ago, serves as the chair of the OKC Planning Commission, representing Ward 7.
He is also the Executive Director of It’s My Community Initiative, a non-profit organization focused on improving and expanding programs that assist financially vulnerable families and communities.
The northeast OKC native earned a bachelor’s degree in political science from Oklahoma City University on a Clara Luper scholarship before attending law school at the University of Oklahoma.
In an interview with Free Press, Pennington said that his intention to run stemmed from his desire to strengthen his community and provide residents with the same opportunities he had growing up.
“The reason why I’m running is because I believe that every kid in every part of our community deserves the same opportunity that I did to grow up in a healthy, strong family in a safe neighborhood where I was able to get an excellent education and go on to pursue my dreams,” Pennington said. “So, all the work that I do is centered around how we can build safe, healthy, and thriving communities so that our families are strong.”
His priorities include public safety, community-led economic development, infrastructure, and diversion programs aimed at assisting with broader issues, such as diverting people away from jail and youth programs that provide better education and workforce opportunities.
According to Pennington, the number one issue that is on the minds of Ward 7 residents is streets, sidewalks, and streetlights.
“I think that is a unifying issue, even when I’m talking to my neighbors in the most northern parts of our ward, or as far out as east of Spencer,” Pennington said. “There are so many roads in the far east part of our city that are just neglected.”
Pennington also said, if elected, he would advocate for maximizing resources to support homelessness initiatives, like the Key to Home Partnership, a coalition of more than 50 organizations working together to prevent and end homelessness in OKC.
“I want voters to know that my focus will be making Oklahoma Ward 7 the best place to live in Oklahoma City and that starts with ensuring that every neighborhood is safe, that every neighborhood has high-quality streets, sidewalks, and streetlights, and that we’re creating a strong economy that builds jobs and opportunities for our entrepreneurs, artists and business owners throughout our community,” Pennington said.
John A. Pettis
The former Ward 7 councilman is campaigning to reclaim the seat after announcing his candidacy last fall.
In an interview with Free Press, Pettis highlighted his extensive track record and his commitment to continuing his efforts if re-elected.
“I believe I represented the people of Ward 7 very well,” Pettis said. “When the seat became open, I decided to run for city council again – that has always been my plan to run for city council again. So this is nothing new at all.”
He highlighted some of his efforts to reduce crime in Northeast OKC by introducing foot patrols and leading the push for body cameras, crediting these accomplishments to strong collaboration between the community and law enforcement.
Some of the other accomplishments he emphasized include improving infrastructure, boosting economic development, and securing funding for the Willa D. Johnson Recreation Center.
He said his priorities will remain unchanged and he will continue to focus on economic development, crime reduction, infrastructure, urban and rural planning, and diversity, equality, and inclusion.
“So you see we’ve had some major success when I was in council, and so I am running for city council again so we can continue making Ward 7 the best ward in OKC,” he said.
Pettis first took office in 2013 and served for five years before resigning amid charges of embezzlement and willingly failing to file state tax returns.
Pettis pleaded guilty to a misdemeanor tax evasion charge after three counts of embezzlement charges were dropped at the request of the state. The former Oklahoma County District Attorney David Prater said he dismissed the charges due to the lack of supporting evidence.
As part of the plea agreement, Pettis received a five-year deferred sentence for the misdemeanor tax evasion charge and agreed not to seek public office again.
Pettis believes the agreement is “null and void” after the final charge was dismissed, attributing the reversal to the current DA, Oklahoma County Judge, and prayers from the community.
“The new district attorney and the new judge in my case dismissed the charge against me, and I can run for office again,” Pettis said in the video on his campaign website.
However, Pettis’ motion for expungement of the guilty plea for tax evasion is still listed as pending at publication after the OSBI and the Oklahoma County District Attorney’s Office under Vicki Behenna filed their opposition to the expungement in September 2024. The filing came a year after Behenna’s election.
In an interview with Free Press, Pettis emphasized that he is not the first and only candidate who has experience in the criminal justice system pointing to the current president as an example.
“That’s why I believe I’m the best [candidate] because I’ve seen the good and the bad when it deals with the criminal justice system,” Pettis said. “And may I add, when you think about candidates, just look at Donald Trump, that’s the only thing I need to say.”
Voting information
Polls are open from 7:00 am to 7:00 pm on Election Day. To find your polling place and 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.
