Tulsa City Council election: District 7 voters have unique option

BY KEVIN CANFIELD World Staff Writer
Sunday, October 21, 2012
10/21/12 at 4:37 AM

District 7 voters still have two choices when they enter the voting booth Nov. 6 to elect their next city councilor - incumbent Tom Mansur and challenger Arianna Moore.

It is possible, however, that someone not on the ballot could ultimately end up with the job.

That is because Mansur, who in August accepted a job with the city of Ardmore, said he would not serve if re-elected. So, if he were to receive more votes than Moore, the seat would be declared vacant and the city would have to call a special election.

Mansur said he decided to leave his name on the ballot because the voters, not him, should determine the outcome of the race.

Mansur and Moore, both Republicans, were going to meet in the general election because of the City Council's new nonpartisan election procedure.

"I think I would like for the public to know that if they feel comfortable with Miss Moore and agree with her, they should go ahead and vote for her," Mansur said. "If, on the other hand, they would like to have another slate of candidates, they should maybe vote for me."

Mansur said this is not how he anticipated - or wanted - his time on the council to end. But perhaps it makes sense, given the unusual circumstances surrounding his arrival on the job.

He was elected in November 2011 to a one-year term, succeeding John Eagleton, who did not seek re-election.

By the end of the year, he was dismissed from his job at SAIC Constructors because of a perceived conflict of interest.

SAIC does work with the city.

From Jan. 1 through late August, Mansur was without a job. So when the opportunity arose to become a utilities engineer for the city of Ardmore, he took it.

"I am still bothered by the whole process, because a lot of people in District 7 went out on a limb for me," Mansur said. "They just basically took my resume at face value, and a year later I am gone."

Moore knows she must now ask voters to do the same thing for her.

The frustration, she said, is that not only are District 7 residents unfamiliar with her, many are unaware of the peculiar circumstances of the election.

"I find that in the growing age of technology, people don't read the newspaper, because so many people don't know. It's surprising," Moore said. "I am trying to explain to people he literally doesn't want the job. Don't you want somebody who is passionate and wants to be there for you?

"So I have been trying to get my name out."

Moore, 25, works as a marketing assistant for MetLife Insurance. This is her first dive into politics - a fact she sees as a benefit.

"I am a real person," Moore said. "I do not come from money by any means, I don't come from a politically set family ... I am a normal citizen who just wants to make my city better.

"So I feel like people can relate to me and I can relate to them."

Moore said her priority as a councilor would be to respond to constituents' needs and improve communications between the city and its citizens.

She said she wants to make the city more functional, with improving streets on the top of her list.

"I don't know how much control the City Council has over the order of construction projects, but I have literally detoured off of a detour," Moore said. "Can we wrap up a project?"

Original Print Headline: Council District 7 voters have unique option

Kevin Canfield 918-581-8313
kevin.canfield@tulsaworld.com

Associated Images:

Mansur

Moore