Incumbent defeats Chamber-backed challenger by more than a 3-to-1 margin in one of the county’s most closely watched down-ballot contests.
OKLAHOMA CITY — Oklahoma County Assessor Larry Stein won renomination Tuesday, defeating businessman Ferlin Kearns in a race that drew unusual political attention for a county administrative office.
Stein received 40,386 votes, or 76.9%, to 12,162 votes, or 23.1% for Kearns, according to unofficial results from the Oklahoma County Election Board. All 290 precincts reported.
The race became one of the county’s more closely watched down-ballot contests after the Greater Oklahoma City Chamber PAC endorsed Kearns, an Edmond businessman and convicted felon who later received a pardon. The endorsement injected a higher profile into an office that typically attracts little organized political involvement and drew scrutiny because county assessor races rarely attract intervention from major political organizations.
Stein, who was first elected assessor in 2018 and reelected in 2022, campaigned on his administration’s record, citing technology upgrades, operational improvements and increased transparency in the property assessment process.
Kearns argued the office needed new leadership and a more business-oriented approach to property valuation and taxpayer service.
The lopsided result suggests Republican voters were largely unmoved by the Chamber-backed challenge, returning Stein to the general election ballot by a margin of more than 28,000 votes.
Stein’s victory advances him to the Nov. 3 general election, where he will face Democrat John Gibbons of Oklahoma City, who was unopposed for his party’s nomination.
