Several candidates officially filed this week for county and municipal offices in Cleveland County as the 2026 primary election filing period got underway.
County Judge Race
Three candidates have filed to run for Cleveland County Judge in the Republican primary:
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Jim Houston of the Rye community
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Stephen McClellan of New Edinburg
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Rosemary Sinclair of the Staves community
Sheriff’s Race
The race for Cleveland County Sheriff has also drawn three Republican candidates:
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Brad Young of the Rowell community
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Lee Freeman of Rison
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Keden Shrum of Rison
The sheriff’s position is open following the announcement that Sheriff Jack Rodgers will not seek re-election.
Kingsland Mayor
In Kingsland, Samantha Johnson has filed as a Republican candidate for Mayor. The position is currently held by Karen Wiscaver, who was appointed following the resignation of former mayor Sharon Crosby. State law allows Wiscaver to seek election since the position is municipal rather than county-level.
Other Offices
Additional filings during the first two days of the primary election period include:
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Cleveland County School Board (Zone 7): William King
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Woodlawn School Board (At-Large): Rodger Stewart
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Rison City Council, Ward 1, Position A: Bruce Grubb (Republican)
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Rison City Council: Curtis Marks (Democrat)
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Kingsland City Council, Ward 1, Position 2: Lee Penister (Democrat)
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Cleveland County Treasurer: Angela D. Kimsey (Republican)
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Cleveland County Tax Collector: Patti Wilson (Republican)
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Cleveland County Assessor: Wendy Grice (Republican)
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Justice of the Peace, District 2: Melody Spears (Republican)
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Justice of the Peace, District 3: Dwayne Ashcraft (Republican)
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Justice of the Peace, District 7: Bruce Brown (Republican)
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Justice of the Peace, District 9: Charles T. Rodgers, Jr.
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Constable, White Oak Township: T.N. Wilson (Republican)
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Constable: Joseph Dwayne Drye (Republican)
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Constable, Hurricane Township: Daniel McClain (Republican)
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Constable: Joe Allen Clark, Sr. (Republican)
The filing period for the 2026 primary elections will continue through next week.
