Tonya Day seeks to retain County Clerk post

Editor’s Note: June 18 is the election for Okmulgee County Clerk. Candidates are incumbent Tonya Day and challenger Tiffany Withrow.

— Experience Matters I am Tonya (Longnecker) Day, the current County Clerk. I was appointed in April of 2022 after the previous Clerk resigned.

My professional journey began 22 years ago, when Becky Thomas gave me the opportunity to join the County Clerk’s office. I started in land records where I learned the understanding of legal documents and familiarized myself with the filing requirements for each type of document. I also learned how to read, draw and plot out legal descriptions. I developed a deep passion for it, and helping individuals discover their family history was an exciting experience. I then spent 7 years as Purchasing Agent. This position required a high level of attention to detail and precision. Learning and keeping up with the changes in purchasing laws are a challenge in itself. This position entails determining the legality of a purchase, the bid process, and inventory. These are just a few of the things that I developed knowledge in. Eventually, I became 1st Deputy. There are too many things that I have learned in the past 22 years to list, a lot of my knowledge comes from experience. Through hard work and dedication, I was honored to be appointed as the County Clerk in April 2022. This position has been a great source of knowledge and learning. Creating and setting up accounts, the budget process, agendas, minutes, payroll and I could go on and on of all the duties that I have learned and continue to learn. I take great pride in my role and I am committed to serving the community with integrity and professionalism. I have continued to learn County Government through the OSU County Government training program where I have received numerous certifications. We are currently working on making are records more accessible to the public by recreating our older books and inputting the older documents into the computer system.

I have been a lifelong resident of Okmulgee County, currently residing in the Nuyaka area for the past 15 years. My parents are Thomas and Brenda Longnecker. I was married to Steve Day for 33 years until his unfortunate passing two years ago. Together we are blessed with three wonderful daughters. Stephanie. Shiane and Terra.

I attend the Refuge Church in Okmulgee, where I enjoy fellowship with my extended church family.

I have never claimed to be a politician, nor do I aspire to be one. My sole focus is on fulfilling my professional obligations and contributing my expertise to the success of my office. However, I understand that engaging in politics is sometimes necessary to effectively carry out my duties, and I am prepared to do so when required.

I would be honored to have your vote so that I could continue my journey. Thank you for considering my expertise and experience. I look forward to the opportunity to assist you in any way I can. Please feel free to reach out to me with any concerns or questions you may have at 918-758-1247 or email me at teedeeday1972@ yahoo.com.