David Holt wins second term as Oklahoma City mayor

Incumbent David Holt was reelected for a second term as mayor of Oklahoma City Tuesday, a win the OKC native characterized as a statement by voters against the partisan divisiveness rife across the country.

The election attracted the most voters in a mayoral election since 1959, according to The Oklahoman archives, with more than 60,000 casting ballots. Defeating opponents on both the left and right sides of the political spectrum, Holt said in his victory speech that Oklahoma City is a place where people can work together across party lines.

His reelection secures that ideal, he said.

"Today was a statement by the people of Oklahoma City," Holt said. "A statement that we as a city reject lies, racism and bigotry."

With all precincts reporting, Holt had 59.8% of the vote. Frank Urbanic had 19.9%, Carol Hefner 13.6%, and Jimmy Lawson had 6.6%.

Live results: Follow along as votes are counted in Tuesday's election

Oklahoma City mayor is a nonpartisan office making $24,000 a year and is one of nine votes on the city council. Holt is a licensed attorney and managing director of investor relations at Hall Capital.

City Manager Craig Freeman said he appreciates the incumbent sticking around City Hall.

"It's really nice, he's trying to lead the whole city," Freeman said at Holt's election watch party.

OKC Mayor David Holt campaign contributions near record levels

Holt's reelection bid proved to be Oklahoma City's most expensive mayoral campaign ever, having raised at least $805,000 according to reports filed with the city clerk's office. Holt's predecessor Mick Cornett raised $801,000 in 2014.

More than $1.15 million was raised by the four candidates as of Jan. 24.

Of the 357,789 people eligible to vote in this election, 60,756 voters cast ballots, or 16.9%. That's an increase from the 8.4% of eligible voters in 2018's mayoral election in which Holt was elected to succeed Mick Cornett, and the 13.5% that turned out for MAPS 4 in 2019.

Absentee voting nearly quadrupled since Holt's first election, with 5,391 absentee ballots dwarfing 2018's total of 1,396. Holt received 4,069 of the absentee votes.

OKC Mayor David Holt's campaign to 'find common purpose'

Holt's reelection campaign, reminiscent of his initial bid for mayor, has been focused on the idea of "One OKC."

Holt promised then and now that he would bring all Oklahoma City voices to the city government conversation.

"We have to put aside the things that divide us and find common purpose," Holt told his election watch party crowd. "That's what made America great and what makes Oklahoma City great."

Holt collected more than 2,000 endorsements from individuals and organizations, including the local police and fire unions.

Well-known for his Twitter presence, Holt used his accounts 45,000-plus following to promote his campaign. In the days leading up to and on Election Day, he retweeted dozens of supporters telling their followers why they were voting to reelect Holt.

And just hours before the polls closed, the incumbent took to Twitter to make a victory prediction.

"Y'all, we have to work together," Holt wrote. "In OKC, if we're not working together as Republicans & Democrats, we're never going to get anything done. Expect validation of that tonight."

The former State Senator's call for unification was in stark contrast to opponents Hefner and Urbanic, who used their campaigns to take shots at the mayor's status as a moderate Republican and longtime politician, his support of President Biden's recent infrastructure bill and his push to pass the MAPS 4 1-cent sales tax for 16 projects totaling almost $1 billion.

Hefner did not respond to requests for comment Tuesday night, while Lawson simply said "Congrats David Holt!!!" by text.

"All citizens of Oklahoma City should rest easy knowing that Carol Hefner will never be mayor," Urbanic told The Oklahoman by text Tuesday night.

OKC Mayor David Holt's handling of COVID-19 pandemic, police reform discussion

The second half of Holt's first four-year term as mayor was defined by the COVID-19 pandemic.

Just three months after the passage of MAPS 4 by OKC voters, Utah Jazz player Rudy Gobert tested positive for the coronavirus just before tipoff at a Jazz-Thunder game on March 11, 2020. The game, and the NBA season, was canceled as a result.

Four days later, Holt declared a state of emergency for Oklahoma City.

Throughout the pandemic, Holt shared case, death and hospitalization data as a way to encourage residents to take precautions.

Mitigation efforts from Holt and the city council included a citywide mask ordinance that lasted from July 17, 2020, to April 30, 2021, and a 10-day campaign in November of 2020 in which Holt asked residents to avoid activities and gatherings in hopes to stem a third wave that was building.

Since vaccines became widely available, Holt has consistently encouraged vaccination and voted for a new mask mandate last August, which failed 4 to 5.

Just two months into the pandemic, the Minneapolis police killing of George Floyd gripped the nation and brought police reform to the forefront of city government discussions across America, including Oklahoma City.

Holt attended a peaceful Black Lives Matter protest May 30 to listen to protesters.

He formed the Mayor's Law Enforcement Policy Task Force and the Community Policing Working Group later that summer. The two groups have worked with Chicago-based consultant 21CP Solutions to form a list of police reform recommendations which are set to go to the city council for approval soon.

Holt also formed the Mayor's Task Force on Homelessness, which created an action plan to eliminate homelessness, with eight focus areas including affordable housing, transportation and outreach and case management.

Oklahoma City's recovering economy

Holt has been one of the biggest cheerleaders of Oklahoma City's economy, both before the pandemic and during its recent recovery, touting the low unemployment rate of 1.6% and record sales tax collections since last May.

Before the pandemic, Holt was largely focused on forming MAPS 4 and championing its passage. More than any previous MAPS, the latest edition of the 1-cent sales tax funds human needs in addition to traditional parks, street and capital projects.

The incumbent mayor has also overseen the completion of the last projects of MAPS 3, including Scissortail Park, the Streetcar and the new OKC Convention Center.

Holt said his reelection was indicative of the city's continued support for MAPS, a celebration of the city's economic success and record low unemployment rate.

Over the next four years, Holt has said he is looking forward to boosting funding for core services like police and fire, overseeing the implementation of MAPS 4, improving and supporting public education and continuing to include diverse voices in city conversations.

"We have protected Oklahoma City's unique political culture," Holt said Tuesday night. "We are not a red city, a blue city, or even a purple city. We are Oklahoma City ... Thank you for the honor of being your mayor."

This article originally appeared on Oklahoman: OKC mayor election: David Holt wins to second term