— In-person absentee voting will begin today in Muskogee County for school board elections scheduled Tuesday.

The Muskogee County Election Board Office will be open from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. Friday and Monday for early voters. Precinct polling will be from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. Tuesday.

Beach said school elections on tap include the districts of Hilldale, Braggs, Fort Gibson, Haskell and Midway. The election board is located in Room 120 at the Muskogee County Services Building, 400 W. Broadway.

Meet the candidates

Haskell

Candidates for Haskell Board of Education, Office 3



Lewis Gonzales

AGE: 39.

HOMETOWN: Beggs.

EDUCATION: Beggs High School, 1991.

PROFESSION: Manager of Guarantee Guttering and Siding.

FAMILY: Wife, Mindy. Three children.

REASON FOR RUNNING: Gonzales said he believes student test scores need to improve. He said school security and financing are the other main issues.

“We want our children to have the best education possible. I also want to make sure our schools are safe. Finances drive the other two issues.”



Dewayne Brown (incumbent)

AGE: 49.

HOMETOWN: Haskell.

EDUCATION: Haskell High School, 1981.

PROFESSION: Steel fabricator shop owner.

FAMILY: Wife, Paula. One son.

REASON FOR RUNNING: Brown said Haskell hired a new administrative staff, including a new superintendent, in 2012.

“I want to see that through. We have made a lot of decisions and we have taken a lot of steps toward improvement. I’m also interested in raising test scores.”

Braggs

Candidates for Office 3, Braggs Board of Education.



Samantha Hubler King

AGE: 36.

HOMETOWN: Braggs.

EDUCATION: Degree in health science from University of Arkansas.

PROFESSION: CT Radiology technician.

FAMILY: Two sons.

REASON FOR RUNNING: King said she is concerned with getting a $635,000 bond issue passed to pay for new windows and roofing.

“I’m also concerned with getting our attendance up. We need to offer kids more so we can get more kids.”



Jeff Ward

AGE: 43

HOMETOWN: Braggs.

EDUCATION: Braggs High School, Connors State College.

PROFESSION: Works at Georgia-Pacific.

FAMILY: Two children.

REASON FOR RUNNING: Ward said he wants to improve the school’s standing with state academic standards.

“I want to make sure we’re heading in the right direction. The state has this new school grading system. We need to get more after-school programs.”







MIDWAY

Michael Ray

AGE: 37.

HOMETOWN: Council Hill/Boynton.

EDUCATION: Midway High School.

PROFESSION: Oil field worker.

FAMILY: Wife, Misty; four children.

REASON FOR RUNNING: “I’m doing it for my kids. I want to make sure they get a good education. Sure, we need to upgrade facilities, but we need to concentrate on education, too.”



Bruce Reed

AGE: 61.

HOMETOWN: Boynton.

EDUCATION: Attended trade school.

PROFESSION: On disability.

FAMILY: Wife, Valerie; two grown children.

REASON FOR RUNNING: “I want to see kids do well. What I see as the main issue is that we are growing rapidly. We do not have sufficient room for the kids. That’s why we’re having a bond issue in March.”



Vaughn Miller

AGE: 47.

HOMETOWN: Council Hill/Hitchita.

EDUCATION: Bachelor of Science in Animal Sciences from Oklahoma State University.

PROFESSION: Operations manager at Helena Chemical and a rancher.

FAMILY: Two sons.

REASON FOR RUNNING: “We are trying to pass a bond issue in March to build a new elementary school because we need more room in the district.”