Voter guide · Nov 3, 2026

Bartlesville City Council Election 2026

5 of 5

council seats up

5 contests

13 candidates

Updated Oct 5, 2026. Every claim links to its source. How we check →

The candidates

Listed alphabetically by last name. Every position links to its source.

City Council Ward 1 · 1 seat

City Council Ward 2 · 1 seat

David AustinCommunications lead for ConocoPhillips Bartlesville and former Examiner-Enterprise managing editor.3sourced
Cameron ByersConocoPhillips IT worker with a computer engineering degree from the University of Arkansas.4sourced

City Council Ward 3 · 1 seat

City Council Ward 4 · 1 seat

City Council Ward 5 · 1 seat

Voters choose one council member in their own ward, and all five seats are on the 2026 ballot.

2 notes on these statements

Larry East, who holds the Ward 2 seat, did not file for re-election. Bartlesville Radio

Because all five council seats are on the ballot, no current council members hold over. City of Bartlesville · Jul 23, 2026

Start here

Match quiz5 questions · answers stay on your phone Seat the CouncilPick winners, see the council What council decidesLicense plate reader cameras, Hiring a city manager, Long-term water supply Key datesDeadlines and vote centers

Next date

Voter registration deadline

Fri, Oct 9, 2026

In 4 daysAll key dates

What the next council decides

License plate reader cameras

Where it standsOn Aug. 3, 2026 the council renewed contracts with Flock Safety and Axon, cutting the number of Flock cameras and adding two Axon cameras. The contracts will be revisited in one year.

What's on the tableWhether to keep, restrict or end the license plate reader program when the contracts come up again.

Bartlesville has 10 cameras, positioned only at the ingress and egress of the city limits under restrictions a council majority imposed last year. City of Bartlesville · May 6, 2026
The city says its police department made 1,244 inquiries to the Flock system over the past year. City of Bartlesville · May 6, 2026
Ward 1 Councilor Tim Sherrick voted against extending the program in August 2026. News On 6 · Aug 4, 2026
The city says it will revisit the contracts with both companies in one year. City of Bartlesville · Aug 4, 2026

Hiring a city manager

Where it standsCity Manager Mike Bailey resigned Aug. 7, 2026, and Laura Sanders is interim city manager. The council has interviewed internal candidates and had taken no action on a hire at last report.

What's on the tableWho becomes the permanent city manager, and how the council and manager divide their roles.

The City Council voted 5-0 to appoint Assistant City Manager Laura Sanders as interim city manager. City of Bartlesville · Aug 13, 2026
The council voted Aug. 28 to open a two-week period for internal applicants; five internal candidates applied. City of Bartlesville · Sep 22, 2026
The council's Aug. 28 motion to open the job to internal candidates first passed 4-1. Bartlesville Radio
After interviewing candidates in closed session, the council announced it had taken no action on hiring a new city manager. Bartlesville Radio

Long-term water supply

Where it standsIn February 2025 the council approved water committee recommendations to pursue Hulah Lake reallocation and Copan Lake storage and to plan for emergency supply from nearby cities.

What's on the tableHow and when to fund and carry out the Hulah and Copan water projects.

The recommendations pursue flood-control reallocation at Hulah Lake and reserved storage rights at Copan Lake, plus an emergency plan for water from Tulsa, Collinsville or Skiatook. City of Bartlesville · Apr 1, 2026
The city estimates the measures together would yield more than 20 million gallons per day at a total cost of about $95 million. City of Bartlesville · Apr 1, 2026

Spending the 2026 bond and sales tax

Where it standsVoters approved all five city propositions on Feb. 10, 2026, including a general obligation bond and extensions of two sales taxes.

What's on the tableHow the council schedules and oversees streets, public safety, parks and facilities projects paid for by the measures.

The city says the measures will generate $35 million for capital projects, with street improvements receiving the majority of the funding. City of Bartlesville · Feb 11, 2026
Voters also extended the 1/4-cent economic development sales tax. City of Bartlesville · Feb 11, 2026

Endeavor 2045 comprehensive plan

Where it standsThe council passed the Endeavor 2045 comprehensive plan in November 2024 and rejected proposed amendments to it in May 2025.

What's on the tableWhether and how to change or implement the plan's 129-plus action steps.

The council voted 4-0 to pass the updated comprehensive plan on Nov. 4, 2024. City of Bartlesville · Nov 7, 2024
The plan identifies more than 129 action steps built around four guiding principles. City of Bartlesville · Nov 7, 2024
Larry East and Tim Sherrick voted in favor of the proposed amendments; a majority of councilors voted against. KTUL · May 7, 2025

Who matches you?

Answer any of these questions. We compare your answers with each person's sourced record, and nothing is stored. Questions where no one has a sourced record yet are left out. Tap a selected answer again to skip it.

1. What should Bartlesville do about its license plate reader cameras?
2. How should Bartlesville secure its long-term water supply?
3. How should the city use public money to recruit employers?
4. How should Bartlesville pay for major projects?
5. What should the council do with the Endeavor 2045 comprehensive plan?

Seat the Council →

Pick a winner for each open seat and see where the resulting council stands on each issue.

Key dates

Election DayThe Wiley PostNov 3, 2026
Voter registration deadlineThe Wiley PostOct 9, 2026

The seat math

0 stay (not up this year): 5 on this ballot

5 council seats. The council decides by a 3-vote majority.

City Council members are elected from each of the city's five wards and serve two-year terms, with elections in even-numbered years. City of Bartlesville
The mayor and vice mayor are elected by the council during the first meeting of the new term. City of Bartlesville
All five council seats are decided by the voters of each ward every two years in the November general election. City of Bartlesville · Jul 23, 2026

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