My name is Jennifer Mayo, and I’m running for Oklahoma County Commissioner in District 3 because too many county decisions are being made without explanations, clear responsibility, or results.

Oklahoma County has a few core jobs. Manage taxpayer money. Maintain basic infrastructure. Ensure public safety. Right now, we are failing at least one of those, and we are at risk of failing the others if we do not change how decisions are made. The county jail is the clearest example.

For years, the jail has been defined by instability. Chronic understaffing. Leadership turnover. Conflicting authority between the jail trust, the sheriff, and the county. Repeated incidents that never seem to result in structural change.

The jail operates with staffing levels that put detention officers, inmates, and medical staff at risk. The county continues to approve budgets that do not align with what it actually costs to safely operate a facility of this size. When funding gaps appear, the response has been reactive instead of planned.

Meanwhile, the cost of the new jail has increased dramatically from what voters were originally told. What began as a roughly $260 million project is now projected to cost hundreds of millions more due to inflation, delays, and scope changes. The new estimate is $860 million and rising.

As commissioner, I will not treat the jail as someone else’s problem. The county funds it. The county oversees it. The county answers for it.

That means insisting on public reporting that is understandable to residents. It means pushing for staffing plans that prioritize retention instead of constant rehiring. It means refusing to support funding requests that are not paired with clear explanations and measurable expectations.

The jail is not the only issue facing District 3, but it best illustrates why this role matters.

If elected, I will approach this role the same way I approach any serious responsibility.

Decisions made in the open.
Money tracked.
Responsibilities clearly assigned.
Outcomes evaluated honestly.

I’m Jennifer Mayo, and I’m asking for your vote.