2020 Tulsa Mayoral Candidates

This Tulsa Mayoral Election Guide was created in order that you may have the tools and resources available to be an informed and confident voter at the ballot.

Local elections are just as important, if not more impactful, as state and federal elections. Elected leaders at the municipal level make decisions that directly influence our day to day lives, from bond issues affecting the schools our children go to, to resolving the placement of a Black Lives Matter mural downtown.

Your vote has an even larger impact on the outcome of these elections as they are often overlooked by the general public. I hope this guide encourages you to vote in more local elections this year, and even more, to get civically involved and one day run for office yourself.

Disclaimer: Adapted from information originally published by the Tulsa World.

G.T. Bynum

Age: 42

Occupation: Mayor of Tulsa

Why are you running for mayor?

We have made great strides in building a globally competitive, world-class city over the last four years but there is so much more to do. I want to follow through on the big initiatives underway that will make Tulsa a safer city with greater equality of opportunity.

What is the most serious challenge facing the city and how would you seek to address it if you are elected?

The most serious challenge we face in Tulsa is emerging from the multiple crises of 2020 as a united city that can compete with the best cities in the world for quality of life and economic growth.

What will be your top priorities?

My top priorities remain making Tulsa a safer city, a city of opportunity for everyone, a city designed by this generation for the next generation.

What personal qualities and work experiences do you have that you believe qualify you to be mayor?

Under my leadership, the city of Tulsa has become an international leader in the use of data to bring people together and solve problems through innovative programs like the Better Way program and the Tulsa Sobering Center. We recruited the two largest new employers in city history, the largest private sector investment in city history, and over $1 billion in business investment to Tulsa. I have approached this job not as a political office but as a nonpartisan public servant, and that is how I will continue to lead our city.

If you are elected mayor, would you continue to pursue a police oversight program?

Yes.

Would you support continued work to address the disparities in outcomes outlined in the city’s Equality Indicators reports?

One of the main reasons I decided to run for mayor was my strong belief that every kid growing up in this city should have an equal opportunity for a great life. I worked to establish the city’s first comprehensive strategy to address racial disparities (the Resilient Tulsa Strategy), created the Mayor’s Office of Resilience and Equity to follow through on it, and began publishing the Tulsa Equality Indicators report so every Tulsan can track our progress. We have made great strides, but there is much more to do.

Why should Tulsans vote for you as opposed to any of the other candidates?

The mayor of Tulsa is the CEO of one of the largest organizations in Tulsa, and the mayor’s team must provide exceptional service to multi-million dollar developers, victims of violent crime, the everyday commuter on Tulsa streets, and everyone in between. Having managed such a large team these past four years in addition to spending eight years on the City Council before my time as mayor, I have the knowledge necessary to run the city and its operations for the next four years. Most importantly, Tulsans can see the remarkable progress we’ve made during the last four years In becoming a truly globally competitive city. A vote for me is a vote for the team and the spirit of collaboration that is moving Tulsa forward.

Please add anything else you would like the public to know about why you are running for mayor.

My sole agenda in seeking this job is to make this a better city for every Tulsan.

  1. G.T. Bynumis the Mayor of Tulsain Oklahoma. Bynum assumed office in 2016. Bynum’s current term ends in 2020.

Bynum is running for re-election for Mayor of Tulsa in Oklahoma. Bynum is on the ballot in the general election on August 25, 2020.

Bynum was a member of the Tulsa City Council in Oklahoma, representing District 9. He was first elected in 2008. His city council colleagues appointed him to serve as Council Chairman in 2011.[1] Bynum served until his election as mayor in 2016.

In November 2017, Bynum gave a TED talk titled, “A Republican mayor’s plan to replace partisanship with policy.”

Bynum holds a B.S. from Villanova University. His professional experience includes working as a Senior Manager at Williams & Williams Worldwide Real Estate Auction and as a Managing Partner of Capitol Ventures. Bynum also worked on the staffs of Oklahoma Senators Don Nickles (R) and Tom Coburn (R).[1]


Craig Immel

Craig Immel obtained a bachelor’s degree from Oklahoma State University and a master’s degree from the University of Denver. His professional experience includes working as a construction manager, in real estate, consulting, and nonprofit work.[1]

Age: 44

Occupation: Construction manager and urban farmer

Why are you running for mayor?

I am running for mayor because Tulsa needs a truly nonpartisan approach to better quality decision making. I have been extremely disappointed in the current mayor’s failure to properly consider the facts, opinions and needs of the community when it comes to matters of education, public safety, economic development, government transparency, state preemption of local control, racial equality, and COVID-19 response.

I am ready, willing and able to step in to provide the nonpartisan leadership we need to move Tulsa forward.

What is the most serious challenge facing the city and how would you seek to address it if you are elected?

Aside from the current COVID-19 health and economic crisis, Tulsa’s most serious challenge to effective municipal government is simply its location within the jurisdiction of the state of Oklahoma. One defining characteristic of Oklahoma’s dysfunctional and hyper-partisan political landscape is its excessive preemption of Tulsa’s ability to run our city the way we see fit. Tulsa citizens are smart, innovative, entrepreneurial and compassionate, but our ability to build our brand and remain competitive nationally and world-wide is held back by backward policies made at the state legislature in Oklahoma City. Tulsa’s brand perception worldwide is at risk until we can get the word out that Tulsa is a much better place than all the embarrassing stories about Oklahoma politics would have other Americans believe. But to truly live up to a stronger brand for Tulsa, we first have to be assertive in standing up for ourselves as a city, and to finally decouple Tulsa’s fortunes from those of the rest of Oklahoma.

What will be your top priorities?

Development of appropriate science and fact-based COVID-19 response and recovery strategies is the most urgent priority right now. However, as a father to a Tulsa Public Schools student, fighting for the future of our public schools, kids, parents and teachers is my number one priority for the next four years.

What personal qualities and work experiences do you have that you believe qualify you to be mayor?

I have always been known as honest, fair, compassionate, empathetic, and respectful of people from all walks of life. I also have a hard-won reputation for having the courage to stand up for what is right, even when I have to do it alone.

Over the course of my professional career, I have learned to expertly blend business acumen, vision, integrity, and work ethic with team building and communications skills, to earn the reputation of an adaptable team player who knows how to get things done. I am looking forward to bringing these same skills and personal traits to City Hall as Tulsa’s next mayor.

If you are elected mayor, would you work to pursue a police oversight program similar to what has been proposed by Mayor G.T. Bynum?

Yes

Would you support continued work to address the disparities in outcomes outlined in the city’s Equality Indicators reports?

Yes

Why should Tulsans vote for you as opposed to any of the other candidates?

I bring a unique combination of personal traits, leadership skills, education, and life and professional experience that set me apart from the other candidates. I have direct experience in working with diverse groups of leading city planners, economic developers, builders and advocates from around the world, sharing the common goal of creating thriving urban environments designed to meet social, economic and environmental sustainability goals for all citizens, businesses and stakeholders. Most importantly, Tulsans can trust me to fight aggressively for the best interest of our city.

In 2015, I took a bold stand against an illegal, backroom deal to sell off a large parcel of River Parks land at Helmerich Park to an out-of-state strip mall developer for pennies on the dollar. That deal was originated in a previous mayor’s administration, but Mayor Bynum doubled down on it when he came into office, completely ignoring the pleas of thousands of concerned Tulsans. When all the typical outreach to the mayor, City Council, city planners, TPFA members, and others received no response, I initiated legal action to stop the illegal park sale, and was later joined in the lawsuit by other prominent Tulsa park supporters, including former Tulsa Mayor Terry Young, taking the case all the way to the Oklahoma Supreme Court.


GREG ROBINSON II

Age: 30

Occupation: Director of Community and Family Organizing, Met Cares Foundation

Why are you running for mayor?

My choice to run for mayor is rooted in who I am, what I’ve learned and lost, a righteous anger and an enduring hope in the potential and promise of Tulsa. I’m running to ensure every Tulsan regardless of their race, religion, orientation, identity, economic status and zip code has a pathway to upward mobility. I’m running so that every child in our city knows that they have the power to achieve their most audacious of dreams – and they can do it right here. I’m running because, on the cusp of 2021, Tulsa must meet this moment and show the world what true reconciliation looks like. I’m running because I believe that, together, we can build a better city for all of us.

What is the most serious challenge facing the city and how would you seek to address it if you are elected?

As Tulsa grapples with a rapid spike in COVID-19, we have to acknowledge that this pandemic is not only a health crisis, but an economic crisis, an educational crisis and a social crisis. This moment has laid bare deep and long-standing inequities across our city. As mayor, I will fight to ensure that we take every necessary step to protect our community from the spread of the virus.  We will work alongside our healthcare leaders as well as local and state officials to implement proactive measures to slow the spread of the virus. I will also actively address the disparities that have caused so many Tulsa families to experience health and economic distress in this time so that we emerge from this crisis stronger, making certain we are no longer leaving our neighbors behind.

What will be your top priorities?

As mayor, my top priorities in serving all Tulsans will be to ensure that our city is one rooted in freedom, justice, equity and safety. The city will pursue a set of policies that will focus on achieving:

  1. Inclusive Economic Development
  2. Equity in Housing and Public Education
  3. Investment in Mental & Public Health
  4. Safety of Tulsans Over Politics

All Tulsans should feel welcomed as their full and authentic selves and should have the power and resources to build the life they dream of here.

If elected, together, we will work every day to ensure that every Tulsan has access to a good job, a good home, good schools and effective transportation no matter where they live. Together, we will work to build a Tulsa where, in the midst of this current crisis, no one has to choose between paying their bills and caring for their health. Together, we will work to keep all Tulsans safe through comprehensive and common sense justice reforms. Together, we will implement a comprehensive climate and sustainability plan to protect our air and water while bringing cutting-edge jobs to our city. Tulsa has always been a city grounded in a spirit of innovation and entrepreneurship, and together we can implement the bold reforms we need to build an equitable and thriving city.

What personal qualities and work experiences do you have that you believe qualify you to be mayor?

I grew up in north Tulsa, on the periphery of Greenwood, and graduated from Booker T. Washington High School. Tulsa is in my bones. After attending college in Arkansas, I have spent my entire career working to bring people together for a common cause: making this world a better place. In the past eight years, I have led hundreds of employees across multiple local, state and national political campaigns. After years of working around the country, I returned to Tulsa because I believe deeply in the city we can be if we work together. In 2017, I helped to start an elementary school in north Tulsa, the first partnership school in the state, because I believed that we must invest deeply in all of our kids. In 2018, I helped to build out and lead the community organizing branch of the Met Cares Foundation and in the two years since we have brought thousands of community members together to create meaningful policy changes to address disparities in our city. I am a consensus builder, a dreamer, a servant leader, a believer in our community and a fierce advocate for the city we all love.

If you are elected mayor, would you work to pursue a police oversight program similar to what has been proposed by Mayor G.T. Bynum?

I have proudly stood alongside fellow Tulsans for years, calling for strong community-lead oversight and comprehensive, common sense policing reform. I would do the same as mayor. If elected, I will honor and uplift the voices of our community members and give them a seat at the decision-making table alongside city leaders and law enforcement.  I will push for changes in our city’s funding to ensure that our fellow Tulsans struggling with poverty, homelessness, addiction or mental illness are supported rather than criminalized. In doing so, we also ensure that our officers are safe and effectively supported in their work. Tulsans deserve effective policies over empty promises or divisive rhetoric. I refuse to believe that a city as bold as Tulsa cannot find innovative solutions that honor the best in our public servants while truly re-imagining what it means to invest in public safety.

Would you support continued work to address the disparities in outcomes outlined in the city’s Equality Indicators reports?

Without a doubt. I served on the advisory board for Resilient Tulsa and assisted in the creation of the Equality Indicators. In my current capacity at MET Cares Foundation I used EI as a framework to bring equity to families who have been left behind for too long. EI is an excellent framework, but we fall short on our promise as a city if we only create studies, reports and task forces. We must go beyond the pages of the report and intentionally use the data it provides to create meaningful policy change so that the quality of services, housing, or health care Tulsans receive are not based on their race, veteran status, gender identity, age, or immigration status. I am honored that DeVon Douglass, who led the initial implementation of the plan for our city, has joined our campaign. Creating an equitable Tulsa will be the top priority for me as mayor

Why should Tulsans vote for you as opposed to any of the other candidates?

Tulsa is my home. I believe so deeply in this city and know, as we approach the centennial of the 1921 massacre, we can draw on every bit of tenacity and boldness we have to build the city we dream of. We have been made to believe that there are limits to what Tulsa can be or achieve, but we don’t have to accept those limits anymore. We don’t have to be the underdog. We don’t have to be the city that strives to compete – we can be the city that others strive to compete with. I am the best candidate to lead our city in this direction as we enter 2021, because I know, honor and respect that power that exists within each and every Tulsan. I promise I will always listen with intention and lead with compassion because Tulsans deserve nothing less.

Please add anything else you would like the public to know about why you are running for mayor.

When I grew up in north Tulsa, in the shadow of Greenwood and Black Wall Street, I was always surrounded by people who believed in me and built me up. I was always made to believe that I could truly be anything I wanted to be. As I look back now and remember some of the kids who grew up near me, who went to school near me, who looked like me, I know that they didn’t always get poured into like I did. It wasn’t because they didn’t have people who cared for them, but it was because the city they loved didn’t always love them back. Every child in this city should wake up every day knowing that the place they call home believes in them, invests in them and will do everything it takes to see them succeed. I’m not a politician, I’m simply a kid from Tulsa who grew up watching his dad fight every day of his life for those who needed it most, who watches his mom pour into everyone around her even as she struggles with her own illness, and who sees the brightest and most brilliant potential in the eyes of the students I serve at Greenwood Leadership Academy. I’m a Tulsan who chose to run for mayor because I believe we all have the power to build something better; to build the innovative and equitable city we deserve.


Paul Tay

Paul Tay is running for election for Mayor of Tulsa in Oklahoma. He is on the ballot in the general election on August 25, 2020.

Tay also ran for election to the U.S. Senate to represent Oklahoma. He withdrew before the Democratic primary on June 30, 2020.

Tay ran for election to the Tulsa City Council to represent District 9 in Oklahoma. Tay lost in the general election on August 28, 2018. Tay was a mayoral candidate in Tulsa, Oklahoma. He was defeated in the primary election on June 28, 2016.[1]

Tay was a 2014 candidate for District 9 of the TulsaOklahoma City Council.

Age: 57

Occupation: Real estate

Why are you running for mayor?

I run for mayor to bring attention to the voiceless, homeless, and anyone disenfranchised by the mainstream.

What will be your top priorities?

  1. Pandemic. We need to look to the 1918 Pandemic for cues to the solution, and follow the science.  I am the only candidate with a physics degree and Marine Corps Officer training. I will make the tough decisions, based on sound science. I complete missions.
  2. Racial divide: It’s more pronounced as ever. As the only candidate of Chinese descent, I understand both black and white sides. I’ve lived and worked in both uniquely distinct cultures, and feel comfortable in speaking the cultural languages of blacks, whites, and Hispanics. I am quickly becoming fluent in Spanish.
  3. The federal war on drugs: Despite the passage of 788, the war on drugs is not over by a long shot. DEA agents continue to arrest marijuana trafficking.  Federal agents continue to harass marijuana users who might be connected to larger heroin and cocaine trafficking rings. Drug abuse should be treated as a public health issue, not criminal. Until drug abuse is completely decriminalized by the federal government, the city will continue to suffer from crimes associated with drug abuse. It is my intention to leverage the legal resources of the city of Tulsa to challenge the constitutionality of the federal Controlled Substances Act.

What personal qualities and work experience do you have that you believe qualify you to be mayor?

Most recently, I challenged the constitutionality of State Question 807 and 813 in the Oklahoma Supreme Court. From that vantage point, I learned first hand the federal Controlled Substances Act is evil, and must be challenged in the U.S. Supreme Court for substantive due process. CSA violates the Establishment and Equal Protection Clauses, where tobacco and alcohol are specifically exempted from scheduling. War on drugs is a colossal failure.

I challenge all other candidates to take a stand against incoming federal intrusion and enforcement of the Controlled Substances Act on Indian Territory.

If you are elected mayor, would you continue to pursue a police oversight program?

I will not pursue any of Mayor Bynum’s proposals, because they are strategically flawed in how society uses police.

It’s time to hold individual police officers accountable for their actions. I will execute the executive order requiring all police officers carry third-party personal liability and malpractice insurance, end the unconstitutional practice of qualified immunity, and learn to deescalate tense situations.  I would also close the Tulsa City Jail, seek to eliminate the myriad of mala prohibita city ordinances which only criminalizes the most benign acts, such as spitting on the sidewalk, jaywalking, and dancing in the streets.

Would you support continued work to address the disparities in outcomes outlined in the city’s Equality Indicators reports?

In my day-to-day life, I have always been aware of disparities outlined in the city’s Equality Indicators, before they were formalized and institutionalized.  Growing up in south Tulsa among white people, and working in north Tulsa, among black and Hispanic people, I needed no Equality Indicators to realize serious issues when I first ran for Mayor in 2002.

Why should Tulsans vote for you as opposed to any of the other candidates?

Tulsans should vote for me because I am the only candidate with a physics degree and training as Marine Corps officer at Quantico Base, Va. I was the first to publicly speak for more bicycling. I instigated the movement to rename Brady, in all its forms. I’ve worked behind the scenes and spoken out against 287(G). I fight for the free speech right to offend. I’ve been jailed for it, like Martin Luther King, Rosa Parks, and John Lewis.

As a person of Chinese descent, I bring a unique perspective borne of the third world, and raised to deal with first world problems. As such, the vast majority of the public misunderstands my motives and intentions.

Please add anything else you would like the public to know about why you are running for mayor?

I have been treated unfairly by individual Tulsa police officers, like black people.  I have been given a pass by white people, specifically because I am a non-threatening Chinese person of color.


Ty Walker

Age: 54

Occupation: Small business owner

Why are you running for mayor?

I am running because I want to create a better Tulsa with a brighter future for all of Tulsa.

What is the most serious challenge facing the city and how would you seek to address it if you are elected?

Economic prosperity.

What will be your top priorities?

Economic development, small business support and unifying Tulsa.

What personal qualities and work experiences do you have that you believe qualify you to be mayor?

My life-long experience working in various sectors, my education, my experience as a small business owner, my military experience, and my personal experience living on both sides of the track have given me skill-sets that are all needed to be a successful mayor for the city of Tulsa at this very present moment.

If you are elected mayor, would you work to pursue a police oversight program similar to what has been proposed by Mayor G.T. Bynum?

No

Would you support continued work to address the disparities in outcomes outlined in the city’s Equality Indicators reports?

Yes

Why should Tulsans vote for you as opposed to any of the other candidates?

I am the only candidate running that has walked across the bridge that we are trying to cross now.

Please add anything else you would like the public to know about why you are running for mayor.

To change a man’s heart is to change his economic situation. We as a city are past the time of being unified and changing the economic situations for all in this city. Now is the time to economically empower ALL of Tulsa through a conservative voice.


Ken Reddick

Age: 37

Occupation: Project manager /small business owner of Clean Slate Contracting

Why are you running for mayor?

I am running for mayor to give the people of Tulsa a voice at City Hall and an advocate for the issues most important to them. I want better accountability for Tulsa’s tax dollars and I want better standards for our infrastructure. We need a mayor that will stand shoulder to shoulder with our police and invest in our most needing communities.

What is the most serious challenge facing the city and how would you seek to address it if you are elected? 

Today the most important issue in Tulsa is building bridges between our communities. My number one priority will be to address the lack of communication between the communities of Tulsa. I will use the Mayor’s Office to facilitate resources and build a coalition to address our most troubled neighborhoods. We will do this by creating a Tulsa Chapter of the Ten Point Coalition based out of Indianapolis.

What will be your top priorities? 

Creating a coalition of stakeholders in the community to turn back the statistics on crime in our neighborhoods. Reforming our permitting process across the entire metro area. Performing a citywide efficiency audit and removing waste in our government.

What personal qualities and work experiences do you have that you believe qualify you to be mayor?

I am a certified project manager with an 18-year career in electrical utilities construction. I am a small business owner and life-long Tulsan. I am a natural born leader and team builder. I’ve been an advocate for the forgotten all of my life. I simply can’t stand by and watch someone or something be derelict.

If you are elected mayor, would you work to pursue a police oversight program similar to what has been proposed by Mayor G.T. Bynum? 

Absolutely not! The oversight committee that has been pushed by our mayor would only seek to undermine our local law enforcement. I agree that we need better training and transparency, but this is not the way. I support our Tulsa Police Department.

Would you support continued work to address the disparities in outcomes outlined in the city’s Equality Indicators reports?

No. We need to address these issues ourselves by serving on the front lines. We need to empower those organizations that work on these issues everyday.

Why should Tulsans vote for you as opposed to any of the other candidates?

We are the most prepared to take office and make real positive change. Other candidates are running on single issues and have no in-depth plans to address the problems facing Tulsa. We are well aware and ready.

Please add anything else you would like the public to know about why you are running for mayor.

Tulsa is at a crossroads in this election. Other candidates would allow outsiders to come into Tulsa and create our agenda. I want to sit at the kitchen table with every family of Tulsa and advocate for real change in their lives. I want to empower the people of Tulsa and return our city to the spiritual giant it once was.