NewsOn6.com Election Updates

NewsOn6.com & Associated Press reports

WASHINGTON (AP) -- Barack Obama has been elected president of the United States, the first African-American elevated to the White House.

With victories in Florida, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Virginia and other battleground states, Obama built a commanding lead over his Republican rival, John McCain.

As he fought to become president, Obama attracted millions of first-time voters -- and brought the historic American election to the attention of the entire world.

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9:55

Corp Commissioner, Short Term
Jim Roth 451,512 49.2%
Dana Murphy 465,945 50.8%
74% of precincts reporting

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9:54
News On 6 anchor Latoya Silmon is at the Oklahoma Jazz Hall Of Fame where many Democrats have gathered. Silmon reports everyone was sad when Oklahoma was called for McCain. However, one volunteer she spoke with says she is optimistic Obama will win the presidency.

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9:46

Oklahoma Voters Approve 4 State Questions

Associated Press
OKLAHOMA CITY -- Oklahoma voters have approved four amendments to the state constitution including the right to hunt, fish and trap.

With results from about half the state's precincts reporting all four questions were leading by double digits.

Other amendments approved include allowing winemakers to sell wine directly to liquor stores and restaurants and requires a person or business to file an application to get an exemption from property taxes.

The final amendment approved gives household property tax exemptions to veterans and their spouses if the veteran is 100% disabled due to a military action or a disease contracted while in active service.

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9:39

US President, Oklahoma Vote

McCain 511,688 66.3 %
Obama 259,598 33.7%
65% of precincts reporting

News On 6 anchor Craig Day is at the Republican Watch Party in downtown Tulsa. Republicans tell Day they are hopeful McCain will come out on top.

One voter told Day, "I think he's (McCain) done well and I think him picking Palin was a tremendous move on his part and I think if we had another week or so I think we'd get some more information out, change some minds."

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9:37

Newberry Wins State Senate Seat
A seat in the Oklahoma Senate will go to Republican Dan Newberry. The Republican defeated incumbent Senator Nancy Riley.

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9:25 p.m.

Sally Bell Concedes: Republican Sally Bell has conceded to Democrat Karin Keith in the race for Tulsa County Commissioner.

Tulsa Streets: News On 6 reporter Emory Bryan is at the Save Our Streets Watch Party in downtown Tulsa. Crowds cheered when this passed. Mayor Kathy Taylor says voters are getting what they asked for.

"I think it shows that we had great broad support, bipartisan support, the city council. And mainly we listened to the citizens. We revamped when they told us what the original plan wasn't what they wanted and it looks like right now they understood that we listened," said Mayor Taylor.

The mayor says work will start very soon in getting this package rolled out and the streets improved.

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9:09 p.m.

Tulsa County Commissioner District 2:
Karen Keith (D) 32,258 52.4%
Sally Bell (R) 29,265 47.6%

83% of precincts reporting

News On 6 anchor Craig Day reports Republicans are holding out hope for Sally Bell. Sally Bell overwhelmingly won her primary fight. It is a much closer race tonight.

Bell says no matter what happens tonight, she is glad she ran for office.

"I'm hopeful. We were outspent by quite a bit and that makes a difference. But, we'll see at the end of the night," said Sally Bell (R).

Day reports Bell got one of the biggest cheers of the night at the Republican Watch Party in Tulsa when she addressed the crowd.

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8:59 p.m.

Senate Up For Grabs In Legislative Races

Associated Press
OKLAHOMA CITY -- As Republicans fought for historic control of the state Senate Democrats moved to increase their numbers in the House in legislative elections Tuesday.

The Senate has been evenly split with 24 Republicans and 24 Democrats.

In Senate races Republican Jim Halligan was leading Democrat Bob Murphy for the seat of term-limited Democrat Mike Morgan.

But incumbent Republican Jim Reynolds was struggling against
Democrat David Boren -- who is not related to the University of Oklahoma president.

Republicans hold a comfortable 57-44 majority in the state House and appear headed to victory in two House seats vacated by Democratic incumbents.

But early returns also show at least four Republican House members trailing their Democratic opponents.

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8:55 p.m.

Tulsa Street Proposals Given Green Light

TULSA, OK -- Tulsa voters made their decision on repairing the city's streets.

The matter was put before voters in the form of two questions. The first was for a property tax vote and that money would be used for neighborhood street repairs. The second question was for a sales tax vote. That money was to be used for arterial streets.

The ballot question came after months of discussions by the mayor, Tulsa City Council, and residents.

The Tulsa City Council considered two proposals. One was a 12-year program that cost $2 billion. The one put before voters was a five-year program with a price tag of $452 million.

Tulsa Streets, Proposition 1
YES 61.2% 78,033 votes
NO 38.8 % 49,533 votes
78% of precincts reporting

Tulsa Streets, Proposition 2
YES 60.1% 76,705 votes
NO 39.9 % 50,823 votes
78% of precincts reporting

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8:35 p.m. Results:

US House Distict 1:
Sullivan (R)(i) :   114,888  = 65% of vote
Oliver (D) :         60,748    = 35% of vote
                          59% Precincts Reporting

US Senate:
Inhofe (R)(i) :     131,750 = 55%
Rice (D) :            98,300   =41%
Wallace (I) :       10,291   =4%

News On 6 anchor Craig Day reports people at the Republican Watch Party in Tulsa are thrilled with how Inhofe has done. Inhofe is at a watch party in Oklahoma City.

Corportation Commission Race, Short Term:

Jim Roth (D) (i) :     105,876  51% of votes
Dana Murphy (R) :  101,357   49% of votes
15% of precincts reporting

State Senate District 37:
Dan Newberry (R) :  17,191  63% of votes
Nancy Riley (D) (i) :   9,968   37% of votes

66% of precincts reporting

State Senate District 7:
Richard Lerblance (D) :    5,667   54% of votes
Kenny Sherrill (R) :          4,770   46% of votes
36% of precincts reporting

Tulsa County Commissioner District 2:
Karen Keith (D) :      29,025   52% of votes
Sally Bell (R) :          26,314    48% of votes
75% of precincts reporting

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8:28 p.m.

DEMOCRATS FOR MCCAIN, INHOFE
Associated Press
UNDATED -- McCain got votes from roughly a quarter of those who described themselves Democrats. That represents more than double the national rate. The crossover was also seen in the state's U.S. Senate race, as incumbent Republican Jim Inhofe collected about 20 percent of the Democratic vote.

For the bulk of the campaign, John McCain and Barack Obama have battled for the political middle. In Oklahoma, roughly four in 10 voters described themselves as moderate, and McCain and Obama each appeared to have roughly split that category.

THE ECONOMY IS NO. 1
Associated Press
UNDATED-- More than half of Oklahoma voters tagged the economy as the most important issue facing the country, dwarfing issues such as energy policy, the war in Iraq, terrorism and health care. Nationally, six in 10 voters picked the economy as the most important issue facing the nation.

A REFERENDUM ON BUSH?
Associated Press
UNDATED -- About six in 10 voters said they disapproved of the job that President Bush was doing. About two-thirds of those who held that view went for Obama.

ALREADY MADE UP THEIR MINDS
Associated Press
UNDATED -- Nearly nine in 10 voters made up their minds about which candidate to vote for sometime last week or earlier than that. Of that group, nearly two-thirds went for McCain.

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8:20 p.m.

Associated Press
OKLAHOMA CITY -- While many incumbent members of Congress across the country are vigorously defending their seats against well-financed challengers, political experts in Oklahoma say it will take a monumental upset to oust any of the state's incumbent U.S. House members.

Republicans John Sullivan, Frank Lucas, Tom Cole and Mary Fallin and Democrat Dan Boren all are heavily favored in today's general election.

Associated Press
OKLAHOMA CITY -- Jim Roth is vying to become the first openly gay official elected to statewide office in Oklahoma today as voters decide who will hold two of the three seats on the state's Corporation Commission. The 39-year-old Democrat was appointed last year to fill a vacancy and is pitted in a tight race against Republican Dana Murphy.

Associated Press
OKLAHOMA CITY -- A state question that Oklahoma winemakers say would provide a boost to their industry is being considered today by voters. State Question 743 would allow winemakers in Oklahoma and other states to sell wine directly to liquor stores and restaurants. Currently, wineries are limited to sales at fairs and festivals, unless they go through a liquor wholesaler.

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8:15 p.m.

TULSA STREETS:

Proposition 1: YES 62%
                       NO 38%

                       64% of reporting precincts

Proposition 2: YES 60.7%
                       NO 39.3%

                       64% of reporting precincts

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7:50 p.m.

Oklahoma election results are coming in. Oklahoma Senator Jim Inhofe will return to Washington, D.C. The Republican held back challenges from Democrat Andrew Rice and Independent Stephen Wallace.

Inhofe was first elected to the U.S. Senate in 1994 to fill the unexpired term of Senator David Boren, who left office to become the president of the University of Oklahoma. Inhofe won re-election in 1996, 2002, and again this year.

In the race for US House District 2, Democrat Dan Boren has a strong lead over Republican Raymond Wickson. Boren is leading with 69.2 percent of the vote, while Wickson has 30.8 percent. However, this is with only five percent of precincts reporting.

In the race for US House District 4, Democrat Blake Cummings has 27.6 percent of the vote.

Republican Tom Cole has 68.4 percent and Independent David Joyce has 4 percent.

Republican John Sullivan is leading the race for US House District 1. He has 67.9 percent of the vote while opponent Georgianna Oliver has 32.1 percent of the vote.