Tulsa City Councilor Jackie Dutton says she’s seeking another term to fight for infrastructure and quality of life in District 3. Challenger Tanisha Bowen says her priorities are increasing homeownership and advocating for businesses.
The district covers a portion of midtown and much of northeast Tulsa. Go to the city’s Council District Finder Map to find which district you reside in.
Meet the candidates
Hear directly from Dutton and Bowen at a free forum set for 6 p.m. July 23 at the Tulsa Air and Space Museum, 3624 N. 74th E. Ave. The event is sponsored by the Tulsa Flyer, Tulsa Press Club and Tulsa World. Let us know you’re coming here, and find other candidate forums here.
Dutton took office in December 2024 and considers the creation of the Neighborhood Conditions Index Collaborative program among her accomplishments. The city made the initiative permanent after bringing improvements to three neighborhoods during a pilot program that included District 3’s Sequoyah neighborhood.
She has opposed more data centers coming to the city, citing their placement in underserved neighborhoods, and advocates for more Route 66 funds along the 11th Street corridor east of Yale.
Dutton says she’s concerned about the lack of city funds District 3 has received for infrastructure and capital improvements. Among her priorities is bringing a community center and library facilities to the area.
“I’ve been very active within the City of Tulsa for decades,” Dutton, a retired liquor store owner, said. “I’m very familiar with the various neighborhoods and constituents in the district. I think that I have really a good feel for what the district needs.”
Bowen is a local real estate agent who has lived in the district for 22 years. She was active in her daughter’s PTAs through planning community events like back-to-school bashes or end-of-year celebrations, she said.
“I noticed it was an uncontested race, and I’m like, ‘If you want to have something done on an elevated level, then you’re going to have to be the one that do it. Be the change you want to see,’” she said of her decision to run.
Bowen’s priorities would be to increase homeownership rates and property preservation in the area and advocate for business growth.
“I would like to have businesses come in and advocate for businesses coming in that are beneficial to the district,” she said. “As a Realtor, I am passionate about homeownership. I’ve seen what it does to children who have homes that are owned by their parents, and it just has better outcomes for them.”
Both candidates view having the Tulsa International Airport in District 3 as a benefit.
“Everyone that comes into the city that has never been here before, they’re automatically landing in District 3,” Bowen said. “We are the first impression.”
Dutton would like to work with the airport to create more retail just off the premises for visitors.
“The airport is the first entrance to Tulsa and my district,” Dutton said. “What they experience coming into Tulsa and leaving is literally the gateway into my district, so I’m wanting to work on improvements for that as well.”
The winner of the Aug. 25 election will take office in December. Early voting runs from Aug. 20-22.
This article was produced as part of a partnership between the Tulsa Flyer and La Semana, a Tulsa-based bilingual Spanish-English newspaper serving Latino communities in Oklahoma.
News decisions at the Tulsa Flyer are made independently of our board members and financial supporters. Read more about our editorial independence policy here.
