Shay Varnell

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

Shay Varnell

Nonpartisan

Elections and appointments

Last election

April 6, 2021

Education

Bachelor's

University of Central Oklahoma, 1999

Personal

Birthplace

Oklahoma City, Okla.

Religion

Christian

Profession

Owner/Agent of an insurance agency

Contact

Campaign website

Campaign Facebook

Shay Varnell ran for election to the Oklahoma City Council to represent Ward 1. He lost in the general election on April 6, 2021.

Varnell completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey in 2021. Click here to read the survey answers.

Biography

Varnell was born in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. He earned his bachelor's degree from the University of Central Oklahoma in 1999. His career experience includes owning an insurance agency where he works as an agent.

Elections

2021

See also: City elections in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma (2021)

General election

General election for Oklahoma City Council Ward 1

Bradley Carter defeated Shay Varnell in the general election for Oklahoma City Council Ward 1 on April 6, 2021.

		Candidate	%	Votes
✔	Submit photo	Bradley Carter (Nonpartisan)	54.0	2,489
		Shay Varnell (Nonpartisan)	46.0	2,118

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	There were no incumbents in this race. The results have been certified. Source	Total votes: 4,607
= 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.
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Nonpartisan primary election

Nonpartisan primary for Oklahoma City Council Ward 1

The following candidates ran in the primary for Oklahoma City Council Ward 1 on February 9, 2021.

		Candidate	%	Votes
✔	Submit photo	Bradley Carter (Nonpartisan)	26.3	1,022
✔		Shay Varnell (Nonpartisan)	18.6	724
		Nana Dankwa (Nonpartisan)	16.6	645
	Submit photo	Jay Sherrill (Nonpartisan)	14.2	552
	Submit photo	Megan Scott (Nonpartisan)	11.1	432
	Submit photo	Bill Fleming (Nonpartisan)	4.5	176
	Submit photo	Richard Buchanan (Nonpartisan)	4.2	162
	Submit photo	Joshua Debolt (Nonpartisan)	2.3	88
	Submit photo	Susan Parisi (Nonpartisan)	2.1	82

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	There were no incumbents in this race. The results have been certified. Source	Total votes: 3,883
= 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

2021

Ballotpedia survey responses

See also: Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection

Shay Varnell completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey in 2021. The survey questions appear in bold and are followed by Varnell'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.

Shay Varnell, Candidate for the OKC City Council, Ward 1

Born and Raised in Oklahoma City, OK Married to Stacy Varnell for over 18 Years Two daughters that attend Bethany Public Schools

I currently serve as the OKC, Ward 1 Traffic & Transportation Commissioner. I currently serve on the Bethany Public Schools Foundation Trust

Love to spend time with my family and enjoy playing golf.

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?

• First Responders First, Get the Police and Fire Departments the funding, training and equipment they need to keep our city safe.

• Infrastructure, Invest in our roads to ensure our streets and bridges are safe for all that travel them.
• Job Growth, Work with business to bring quality jobs to OKC.

What areas of public policy are you personally passionate about?

Parks & Recreation:
We have wonderful park and recreation areas throughout the Oklahoma City metro area. My family and I enjoy many of the parks and golf courses that OKC has to offer. These areas need the attention of the City Council to ensure that the citizens of OKC enjoy outside activities.

What qualities does this office possess that makes it a unique and important part of the state government and legal system?

City government is the government that is closest to the people. It is the government that affects the daily lives of the people. It's City government that manages the Police Department, Fire Department and the roads we travel every day.

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

Taking personal agendas out of decision making and LISTEN to the people that voted you in to office.

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

Do what is best for the people they represent.

Do you believe that it's beneficial for holders of this office to have previous experience in government or politics?

Yes!!!
I currently serve on the OKC Traffic & Transportation Commission. This experience has given me an inside view of how the City really operates. Without this experience, I would be so far behind the curve when elected to the City Council. I probably wouldn't have even run for this office but I am confident that my skill-set is what makes me the best candidate for this position.

What kind of skills or expertise do you believe would be the most helpful for the holders of this office to possess?

Experience, Relationships and Time:

1. My experience on the OKC Traffic & Transportation Commission has given me an inside view that will let me hit the ground running on my first day in office.
2. Relationships are key to being able to work with the Mayor and other City Councilmembers to ensure our city continues to move in the right direction.

3. I will devote as much time as needed to make sure the citizens of OKC are a priority in City Council issues. It's classified as a part-time job, but to do it right, a City Councilman needs to give it our full(time) attention.

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.

See also

2021 Elections

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Candidate

Oklahoma City Council Ward 1

Website

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