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Sallisaw Police Chief Candidates Tie; Name To Be Drawn From Hat

The two candidates for the Sallisaw police chief position tied in Tuesday night’s election, meaning the winner will be picked from a hat. Terry Franklin and San...

The two candidates for the Sallisaw police chief position tied in Tuesday night’s election, meaning the winner will be picked from a hat.

Terry Franklin and Sandy Girdner were both vying for the police chief job, but when final results were released by election officials, they showed the race tied 837 to 837.

Cindy Osborn, the election board chairwoman, said a meeting will be held Friday to certify the results, after which a special meeting will be scheduled to determine Sallisaw’s new police chief.

“At that special meeting, we will literally draw a name out of a container or a hat,” Osborn said.

The police chief position opened up in November after former chief Shaloa Edwards resigned amid an embezzlement scandal. (Read more on that case here)

The election rule book states papers shall be folded in half one time so the names are not visible. They shall then be placed inside a container, where one piece of paper will be drawn.

Also in Sallisaw on Tuesday night, Julie Ferguson became the first mayor-elect after winning her mayoral race against Shannon Vann. Ferguson received 1,146 votes (69 percent) to Vann’s 528 votes (31 percent).

Ferguson said she has big plans for Sallisaw and hopes to reduce the city’s debt. She said what Sallisaw needs most is economic development.

“It’s awesome to make history like this because I knew in my heart I could do it,” Ferguson said. “For me, it’s an answered prayer. And a lot of people who want a change, who want a different direction so we can be positive and recruit and bring in business and industry.

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