Kerri Keck

Biography

As a candidate for House District 26, Kerri is committed to fighting for the issues that matter most to the people of Pottawatomie County. This includes improving economic development to create good-paying jobs, increasing access to affordable healthcare, making housing more affordable, investing in our schools, and improving infrastructure, in both urban and rural communities.  She will work with community members, medical and mental health experts, and education leaders in our district to identify issues and develop feasible, sustainable solutions.  We are a community, and working together, we can make amazing things happen!

Survey Issues

1.What do you feel should be the government’s role in public health and welfare?

I feel that the government should be a force for good and work to meet the needs of the community. Healthcare is a basic human right. Public healthcare is often the only healthcare available to the majority of Oklahomans, so it should be accessible and affordable to include prescription medication. We should be investing in healthcare in rural and urban areas alike, especially to ensure access to maternal healthcare and mental health resources. 

2. What are your views on individuals being able to safely and securely access sensitive medical procedures in privacy and without state control? 

The state shouldn’t be in the doctor’s office with patients. Patients should be afforded privacy in healthcare decisions and actions. 

3. What changes would you make to ensure every Oklahoman has the chance to participate meaningfully in the electoral process? 

I would like to eliminate straight party voting and closed primaries. I think both of these encourage negative campaigning and allow extremists to pander to their base to turn out in primaries, often winning tickets with no real opposition. I would work to allow ranked choice voting or similar voting measures to improve the choices available to voters and decrease partisan politics. 

4. Currently, only one political party in Oklahoma allows Independent voters to participate in primary elections. What will you do to ensure that all registered voters are able to fully express their political preferences? 

I would like to allow open primaries to ensure everyone has a chance to vote, even if there is no candidate affiliated with their party. I would like to eliminate partisan races in everything but State Senate and House of Representative campaigns. I don’t think there is any reason to allow partisan politics at the local level as it decreases responsiveness and accountability of elected officials to their constituents. 

5. Research from Pew Research Center indicates that “the role of money in politics” is consistently one of the top concerns of American voters across the ideological spectrum. What will you do to address this growing issue? 

I disagree with the Citizens United decision that has allowed dark money to flow so freely in our elections. First time candidates, and candidates who aren’t affiliated with the two main parties have little to no chance at getting elected because of the lack of resources and funding available. I would like to explore ways to allow public funding for political campaigns or improve transparency in funding from all sources. 

6. Many Oklahomans experience discrimination on the basis of race, ethnicity, religion, gender, and other factors; how would you address these problems as an elected leader? 

I disagree with the legislature’s decision to remove DEI from curriculum at our state funded schools. I think it is important for all people to learn the history, both good and bad, of our state and our country especially in regards to marginalized groups. Diversity is important as a driver of community, teamwork, creativity, and problem solving and enhances our community and state. I would work to re-establish and reframe DEI to educate people on the importance of inclusion and equality. 

7. How will you ensure that First Amendment rights to freedom of religion, speech, protest, and press are protected from infringement? 

I will work with the ACLU and Human Rights watch to remain informed on effective efforts to ensure our constitutionally guaranteed freedoms are protected for everyone. 

9. What issues do you see in our criminal legal system that could be reformed to be more equitable and efficient? 

I would like to see sentencing reform, especially for women and minors. I dislike our current system that fails to take into account outside influences and circumstances, has little to no representation for impoverished or low income individuals, and fails to consider positive conduct while in prison when determining probation and parole. I have spoken with several women incarcerated at Mabel Bassett that had very little representation during their trial, which led to harsh and unnecessarily harsh and lengthy sentences. I would like to fund mental health and reform programs in correctional institutions that allow an individual to obtain treatment and gain a skill set that they can utilize post-incarceration. These programs have proven to reduce and almost eliminate recidivism. 

10. What measures would you take to address food insecurity in Oklahoma?

To start, I would work to fund free meals for all school children and accept federal funding for meals during summer break. Nutrition is a part of overall health, so I would like to see increased funding for pregnant and nursing mothers and children to ensure availability of healthy food, especially in low income and rural areas. 

11. How would you protect people renting in Oklahoma from predatory landlords and expand affordable housing options in our state? 

I would work with Senator Julia Kirt and other members to increase renter protections and hold slumlords accountable for predatory practices. Women with children have the highest rates of eviction, which impacts family stability and health. I think the state should take advantage of federal funds to increase rental units across the state, which should improve pricing.