Maressa Treat narrowly defeats Derrick Scobey in race to fill Oklahoma County Clerk seat

Two members of the Treat household will be holding public office, Oklahoma County voters decided Tuesday.

Maressa Treat, the wife of Oklahoma Senate Pro Tem Greg Treat, narrowly won a special election against Democrat Derrick Scobey to serve out the remaining term of former Oklahoma County Clerk David Hooten, who resigned from the post in mid-2022.

Treat, who had the backing of U.S. Sens. James Lankford and Markwayne Mullin among others, entered Tuesday's race with a significant fundraising advantage.

However, Scobey led the race for most of the night Tuesday until the count tightened as votes from the last few dozen precincts were counted at the end of the evening.

With all precincts in, Treat had 21,994 votes (51.86%). Scobey, the pastor of Ebenezer Baptist Church and a member of the Oklahoma County Criminal Justice Authority, was supported by 20,416 voters.

"The County Clerk’s Office is a vital function of state and local government, where attention to detail and a strong work ethic are key to making the office a better place for those who rely on the services being provided," Treat said in a news release Tuesday night. "I plan to bring energy and vision to this office starting on day one."

The Oklahoma County clerk is responsible for maintaining records pertaining to city charters, military discharges and land records, including oil, gas and mineral leases, for property throughout the state. The office also maintains the county's financial records.

Treat, 41, most recently worked for U.S. Sen. James Lankford and describes herself as a lifelong conservative and community advocate.

Both candidates had to face others in primaries before advancing to Tuesday's election.

This article originally appeared on Oklahoman: Oklahoma election results: Maressa Treat win OK County clerk race