Sarah Gray

This page was current at the end of the individual's last campaign covered by Ballotpedia. Please contact us with any updates.

Sarah Gray

Democratic Party

Elections and appointments

Last election

November 5, 2024

Personal

Birthplace

Tulsa, Okla.

Profession

Public Relations Consultant

Contact

Campaign website

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Sarah Gray (Democratic Party) ran for election to the Tulsa County Board of Commissioners to represent District 2 in Oklahoma. She lost in the general election on November 5, 2024.

Gray also ran for election to the U.S. House to represent Oklahoma's 1st Congressional District. She did not appear on the ballot for the Democratic primary on June 18, 2024.

Gray completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey in 2024. Click here to read the survey answers.

Biography

Sarah Gray was born in Tulsa, Oklahoma. Her career experience includes working as a public relations consultant.

Elections

2024

County Board of Commissioners

See also: Municipal elections in Tulsa County, Oklahoma (2024)

General election

General election for Tulsa County Board of Commissioners District 2

Lonnie Sims defeated Sarah Gray in the general election for Tulsa County Board of Commissioners District 2 on November 5, 2024.

		Candidate	%	Votes
✔		Lonnie Sims (R)	50.8	38,776
		Sarah Gray (D)	49.2	37,524

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	There were no incumbents in this race. The results have been certified. Source	Total votes: 76,300
= candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
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Withdrawn or disqualified candidates

• Josh Turley (Independent)

Democratic primary runoff election

Democratic primary runoff for Tulsa County Board of Commissioners District 2

Sarah Gray defeated Maria Veliz Barnes in the Democratic primary runoff for Tulsa County Board of Commissioners District 2 on August 27, 2024.

		Candidate	%	Votes
✔		Sarah Gray	59.0	7,786
		Maria Veliz Barnes	41.0	5,400

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	There were no incumbents in this race. The results have been certified. Source	Total votes: 13,186
= candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
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Republican primary runoff election

Republican primary runoff for Tulsa County Board of Commissioners District 2

Lonnie Sims defeated Melissa Myers in the Republican primary runoff for Tulsa County Board of Commissioners District 2 on August 27, 2024.

		Candidate	%	Votes
✔		Lonnie Sims	54.7	6,137
	Submit photo	Melissa Myers	45.3	5,092

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	There were no incumbents in this race. The results have been certified. Source	Total votes: 11,229
= candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey.
Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team.

Democratic primary election

Democratic primary for Tulsa County Board of Commissioners District 2

Sarah Gray and Maria Veliz Barnes advanced to a runoff. They defeated Jim Rea in the Democratic primary for Tulsa County Board of Commissioners District 2 on June 18, 2024.

		Candidate	%	Votes
✔		Sarah Gray	37.7	2,152
✔		Maria Veliz Barnes	33.4	1,909
	Submit photo	Jim Rea	28.9	1,654

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	There were no incumbents in this race. The results have been certified. Source	Total votes: 5,715
= candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey.
Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team.

Republican primary election

Republican primary for Tulsa County Board of Commissioners District 2

Lonnie Sims and Melissa Myers advanced to a runoff. They defeated Jeannie Cue in the Republican primary for Tulsa County Board of Commissioners District 2 on June 18, 2024.

		Candidate	%	Votes
✔		Lonnie Sims	40.3	2,827
✔	Submit photo	Melissa Myers	31.5	2,205
		Jeannie Cue	28.2	1,975

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	There were no incumbents in this race. The results have been certified. Source	Total votes: 7,007
= candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey.
Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team.

Endorsements

Ballotpedia did not identify endorsements for Gray in this election.

U.S. House

See also: Oklahoma's 1st Congressional District election, 2024

Oklahoma's 1st Congressional District election, 2024 (June 18 Republican primary)

Oklahoma's 1st Congressional District election, 2024 (June 18 Democratic primary)

General election

General election for U.S. House Oklahoma District 1

Incumbent Kevin Hern defeated Dennis Baker and Mark Sanders in the general election for U.S. House Oklahoma District 1 on November 5, 2024.

		Candidate	%	Votes
✔		Kevin Hern (R)	60.4	188,832
		Dennis Baker (D)	34.5	107,903
		Mark Sanders (Independent)	5.0	15,766

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	Incumbents are bolded and underlined. The results have been certified. Source	Total votes: 312,501
= candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey.
Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team.

Democratic primary election

Democratic primary for U.S. House Oklahoma District 1

Dennis Baker defeated Evelyn Rogers in the Democratic primary for U.S. House Oklahoma District 1 on June 18, 2024.

		Candidate	%	Votes
✔		Dennis Baker	59.2	8,527
	Submit photo	Evelyn Rogers	40.8	5,871

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	There were no incumbents in this race. The results have been certified. Source	Total votes: 14,398
= candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey.
Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team.

Withdrawn or disqualified candidates

• Sarah Gray (D)

Republican primary election

Republican primary for U.S. House Oklahoma District 1

Incumbent Kevin Hern defeated Paul Royse in the Republican primary for U.S. House Oklahoma District 1 on June 18, 2024.

		Candidate	%	Votes
✔		Kevin Hern	87.0	30,244
		Paul Royse	13.0	4,504

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	Incumbents are bolded and underlined. The results have been certified. Source	Total votes: 34,748
= candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey.
Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team.

Campaign themes

2024

Ballotpedia survey responses

See also: Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection

Sarah Gray completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey in 2024. The survey questions appear in bold and are followed by Gray's responses. Candidates are asked three required questions for this survey, but they may answer additional optional questions as well.

Expand all | Collapse all

Who are you? Tell us about yourself.

I am a dedicated community advocate and communications professional. I was born and raised in the Muscogee Nation - our forever home. I'm the proud mom of two public school kids who keep me on my toes, and everything I do is for them. We are Cherokee/Muscogee/Kiowa.

I work in communications and public relations in Tulsa and throughout Oklahoma - specializing in civic engagement, media relations, and Tribal affairs. I have a B.A. in political science and M.A. in strategic communications.

My campaign is focused on making sure Tulsa County is a place where folks feel respected, are included in decisions, and are confident they're the priority of their elected officials.

I'm bringing a multifaceted perspective to the table. I'm not just a single mom, renter (and aspiring homeowner), or small business owner. I'm someone who has navigated immense challenges and triumphs, and I believe this diversity of experience uniquely positions me to understand and address the needs of our community.

I am committed to representing the voices of everyday, working-class families. You will always know where I stand, and you can trust that my votes as commissioner will always be rooted in our shared values.

Please list below 3 key messages of your campaign. What are the main points you want voters to remember about your goals for your time in office?

• Democracy thrives in the sunlight, and I am committed to bringing unparalleled transparency, accountability, and community access to Tulsa County Commissioner District 2.

  I will draw upon my expertise in communications and public relations to ensure you always know what's happening in the county commissioner's office - whether its through live streaming meetings, regular public town halls, or a public log of my meetings.

  You'll always know who has your commissioner's ear, from corporations to community partners.
• Our workforce needs a foundation of stability and support. By investing in affordable housing and quality childcare, we will ensure working families thrive. Strengthening our economy begins and ends with empowering our residents. Mortgage and rent payments have skyrocketed, and the cost of childcare - if you can access it to begin with - can run as high as your housing. That's not sustainable. If we want to improve the economy, decrease the number of folks in the criminal legal system, reduce homelessness, and improve attendance and graduation rates - we have to invest in affordable housing and access to high-quality childcare.
• Tulsa County should be in consistent, proactive communication with Tribes. We are fortunate to have great partners in the Cherokee, Muscogee, and Osage Nations. We have the unique opportunity to build powerful partnerships that will benefit everyone who calls this place home. I will always proactively engage with Tribal leaders on projects that impact our shared communities. Working together with Tribes, we have the ability to bring home more federal dollars to fix our roads, support our workforce, and provide for our neighborhoods in the ways we need.

What areas of public policy are you personally passionate about?

I am passionate about many areas of public policy, including child and family, education, urban affairs, environment, justice, and anti-corruption and integrity.

What characteristics or principles are most important for an elected official?

- Connection to the community they're representing

- Integrity and Honesty: Upholding a strong moral ethic and committed to transparency in all actions.
- Empathy: Understanding and addressing the diverse needs of all community members, especially the most vulnerable.
- Responsibility: Being accountable for their actions and the outcomes of their policy decisions.
- Communication: Engaging effectively with the community in two-way communication. The community should be able to count on consistent, authentic communication about what is happening in their office.

- Commitment to Service: Prioritizing the public interest above personal or political gains. Committed to creating a government that serves the people who pay for the office rather than the person who holds the office.

What do you believe are the core responsibilities for someone elected to this office?

The core responsibilities of an elected official begin and end with serving the public interest; not the interest of donors, potential business partners, or yourself - the people of the community. Elected officials can achieve this by prioritizing public engagement and feedback at every turn; creating a robust system of transparency and accountability; seeking meetings with community members and stakeholders who aren't represented by corporate interest groups.

What legacy would you like to leave?

I hope to leave a legacy that my kids and community can be proud of, one that shows how much I cared about the people around me. I want everyone to know that they matter, they are respected, and they deserve to be heard. And I want for people to feel confident that they always know where I stand, and that I am always open to having my mind changed.

Growing up was tough for me, but those challenges, and those I've faced as an adult, helped shape who I am today. I hope to show young people who are struggling that they can overcome obstacles and make a big difference in the world.

As county commissioner, I want to inspire people to take action and give them hope that the government can and will do right by folks. I want to prove that no matter what path you've walked, paved or still thick with brush, you can be a strong voice for your community as long as you have your community at your side.

When I leave office, I want people to look back on my tenure as a time when they could count on transparency and community involvement. My goal is for my time in office to be remembered as four years when the County truly worked hard to address the needs of the community first, above all other interests.

What was your very first job? How long did you have it?

My first job was at a Warehouse Market grocery story when I was about 14/15 years old and bouncing around from couch to couch throughout Green Country. I had it for a couple months over the summer. Turns out it's hard to keep a job when you're a homeless teenager. I was living a life well above my age and beyond my means. Looking back, I'm proud of that young girl for trying to find a way forward. It took a while, but I made my way through it.

Tell us your favorite joke.

The current American tax code.

Note: Ballotpedia reserves the right to edit Candidate Connection survey responses. Any edits made by Ballotpedia will be clearly marked with [brackets] for the public. If the candidate disagrees with an edit, he or she may request the full removal of the survey response from Ballotpedia.org. Ballotpedia does not edit or correct typographical errors unless the candidate's campaign requests it.

Ballotpedia survey responses

See also: Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection

Sarah Gray did not complete Ballotpedia's 2024 Candidate Connection survey.

Campaign finance summary

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Note: The finance data shown here comes from the disclosures required of candidates and parties. Depending on the election or state, this may represent only a portion of all the funds spent on their behalf. Satellite spending groups may or may not have expended funds related to the candidate or politician on whose page you are reading this disclaimer. Campaign finance data from elections may be incomplete. For elections to federal offices, complete data can be found at the FEC website. Click here for more on federal campaign finance law and here for more on state campaign finance law.

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Sarah Gray campaign contribution history

Year	Office	Status	Contributions	Expenditures
2024*	U.S. House Oklahoma District 1	Withdrew primary	$0	N/A**
Grand total			$0	N/A**
Sources: OpenSecrets,  Federal Elections Commission ***This product uses the openFEC API but is not endorsed or certified by the Federal Election Commission (FEC).
* Data from this year may not be complete
** Data on expenditures is not available for this election cycle
Note: Totals above reflect only available data.

See also

2024 Elections

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Candidate

Tulsa County Board of Commissioners District 2

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