Only a handful of Oklahoma district attorney races contested

While the offices of 27 district attorneys will be on Tuesday's primary ballots in Oklahoma, only a handful are contested.

In Oklahoma County, Democrat David Prater is running unopposed and is assured of another four-year term.

Elsewhere in central Oklahoma, the winner of the Republican primary between Laura Thomas and Jill Ochs-Tontz will face Democrat Cory Williams in the November general election for the District 9 post covering Payne and Logan counties.

Williams, 40, has served in the Oklahoma House for since 2008. Thomas, 60, is the incumbent, and the first female ever elected in her district in 2014. Ochs-Tontz, 34, is an attorney with a practice in Guthrie.

District 21 incumbent Greg Mashburn, 46, is running uncontested for the GOP nomination and did not draw a Democratic opponent for the post overseeing Cleveland, Garvin and McClain counties.

In District 23, which covers Pottawatomie and Lincoln counties, Republican Allan Grubb, 42, will face Democrat Adam Panter, 37, in November. Neither drew a primary opponent. Panter currently serves as first assistant district attorney, while Grubb operates a law practice in Shawnee.

Elsewhere across the state, only five other district attorney races drew primaries.

“It's not a huge number, which isn't uncommon,” Oklahoma District Attorneys Council executive coordinator Trent Baggett said.

“Often law enforcement is the face of public safety for citizens but in court it is the district attorney,” Baggett said. “If you want strong, qualified prosecution services you need to pay attention to who is running.”