Democracy Watch: Previewing Oklahoma’s State Treasurer Race

The typically low-key Office of the State Treasurer has generated plenty of headlines in recent years.

Paul Monies has reported extensively on Treasurer Todd Russ’ efforts to incorporate so-called Oklahoma values and anti-ESG principles into the state’s investment funds. In June, Monies reported that Russ was using an unclaimed property office in Clinton as an unauthorized commuting hub.

Oklahoma will elect a new state treasurer on Nov. 3, as incumbent state auditor Cindy Byrd soundly defeated Russ in the June primary. The winner will take on a variety of duties as Oklahoma’s chief banker, including investing state money, processing payments and administering the unclaimed property program.

Here’s a look at the candidates and their policy positions:

The Candidates:

• Republican Cindy Byrd, the incumbent state auditor and inspector from Coalgate.
• Libertarian Kiefer Perry, vice chair of the Libertarian Party from Broken Arrow.

Their Platforms:

• If elected, Byrd says she would push state agencies to reduce administrative redundancy and plan for reductions in federal funding. She says promoting Oklahoma’s tourism industry and improving education outcomes would strengthen the state’s economy. In an interview with NonDoc, Byrd said she would prioritize dividends over any investment firm’s position on environmental or social issues.

• Perry vows to crack down on potential conflicts of interest, saying he would strictly prohibit awarding contracts to bidders with political connections. He says he wants to diversify the state’s monetary reserves into tangible assets and work with the Legislature to reduce the state’s debt.

For More Information:

Byrd’s campaign website and Facebook account.
Perry’s campaign website and Facebook account.

This article has been republished with permission from Oklahoma Watch.

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