Early voting opens Thursday for House District 35 Republican runoff
Travis, Waters vie for Republican nomination ahead of Jan. 13 election; early voting available Thursday and Friday at Payne County Election Board
Payne County voters who cannot make it to the polls on Election Day can cast their ballots early at the County Election Board this week ahead of the Jan. 13 Republican runoff for Oklahoma House District 35.
Early voting is available Thursday, Jan. 8 and Friday, Jan. 9 from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. at the Payne County Election Board, located at 315 W. 6th Ave., Suite 207, in Stillwater. Early voting is not available at polling places.
"You do not need to provide an excuse to vote early. Oklahoma allows early voting for all elections conducted by the County Election Board or State Election Board — from school board and municipal elections to state and federal elections," Payne County Election Board Secretary Courtney Callison said. "This is a great option for those who will be out of town on Election Day or who want to avoid long lines."
Republican candidates Dillon Travis, left, and Mike Waters speak at an OK2A meeting in Cleveland, Oklahoma, on Dec. 18, 2025. – Photos by Chris Peters
The runoff will determine whether Dillon Travis or Mike Waters advances to face Democrat Luke Kruse in the Feb. 10 general election. The special election was called to fill the seat left vacant after Rep. Ty Burns resigned in August 2025, two days after pleading guilty to misdemeanor domestic abuse and assault charges.
Travis, a sixth-generation Oklahoma farmer and rancher from Maramec and owner of Southern Plains Ag Co., finished first in the Dec. 9 Republican primary with 30.41 percent of the vote. His campaign platform emphasizes education reform, agricultural protection including opposition to foreign ownership of Oklahoma farmland, rural infrastructure investment and support for natural gas development over renewable energy subsidies.
Waters, a former Pawnee County Sheriff with more than 25 years in law enforcement, placed second with 21 percent. He campaigns on public safety, veterans affairs, elder care and agricultural support, pledging to "back the blue" while advocating for mental health treatment alternatives to incarceration.
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Both candidates have deep agricultural roots — Travis running a production agriculture operation and agricultural business, Waters having been raised on a cattle ranch and currently running livestock in Pawnee County.
Voters who need assistance because they are blind, visually disabled, physically disabled, infirmed or illiterate may request an assistant or vote privately using the ATI device attached to the voting machine. Those requiring assistance should contact their precinct official or the County Election Board for instructions.
Related
HD 35 GOP Primary Analysis: Travis, Waters
Dillon Travis (30.41%) and Mike Waters (21%) advance to January 13 after primary split five ways, with nearly half of voters still up for grabs
Chris Peters
For questions, contact the Payne County Election Board at 405-747-8350 or paynecounty@elections.ok.gov.
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