Bartlesville voters have said a resounding “Yes” to five City ballot propositions put before voters on Tuesday, according to unofficial results by the Oklahoma State Election Board.
On the ballot were three funding measures that have been in place for decades and approved by Bartlesville voters approximately every five years.
By a margin of at least 70 percent in most precincts, voters approved extending the 1/2-cent Capital Improvement Project and 1/4-cent Economic Development sales taxes, as well as voted in favor of the 2026 General Obligation Bond Issue.
City leaders expressed gratitude for everyone who turned out to vote in the election, and for demonstrating their commitment to continued investment in the community.
“I am extremely grateful to voters for their strong showing of support in this election,” said Mayor Jim Curd. “The significant support and larger turnout demonstrates a valued foundation of trust the citizens have in our administration and our City government. We appreciate the trust and support of our community, and we look forward to continuing to move Bartlesville forward in making it a most desired place to live and work.
“Many thanks as well to the City Council, City administration, staff and all the volunteers who delivered solid information regarding these propositions to our citizens. For this election, as we have always done in the past, we generated concise information from the staff, attended numerous public and civic meetings, and provided direct access for public questions and reliable information streams. It was all first rate.”
“With all five propositions receiving approvals over 70 percent, this is a resounding message from the citizens of Bartlesville,” said City Manager Mike Bailey. “I want you to know we hear you, we thank you, and we look forward to another five years of excellence for our wonderful community.”
Bailey thanked citizens, City Council members, and City staff who participated in helping to ensure voters were informed about the propositions before casting their ballots.
“It’s clear that Bartlesville voters went to the polls informed about these propositions and what they mean for our community,” he said. “That is due in no small part to the enormous effort that went into every aspect of this election, from culling the projects list and consistent, staunch support from all five City Councilors, to citizen engagement and providing clear, accessible information for the public. This was truly a community effort, and the results speak for themselves. I am sincerely grateful to everyone who participated.”
The measures will generate $35 million for capital projects, including street improvements, which will receive the majority of the funding, as well as public safety and facilities upgrades and parks and recreation. Extension of the 1/4-cent ED Sales Tax will ensure continuation of the City’s economic development efforts.
For a full list of projects and detailed information of all facets of the election, see www.cityofbartlesville.org.
BY THE NUMBERS
Turnout for the Feb. 10 election totaled 3,074 voters, representing 12.7 percent of the 24,110 registered voters in Bartlesville, according to unofficial results from the Oklahoma State Election Board. Turnout for the 2026 election was up 33.9 percent from the most recent bond election in 2023.
Early voting accounted for 452 ballots, or 14.7 percent of total turnout, while 2,595 voters cast ballots on Election Day. The early voting total was 91.5 percent more than the 2023 bond election which saw 236 early voters.
Absentee ballots accounted for just 0.9 percent of all ballots cast, or 27 out of 3,074 voters. The total was much lower than the 2023 bond election which saw 4.2 percent voting absentee, or 97 out of 2,295 voters.
Note: Election results are unofficial until certified by the Washington County Election Board, which will be after 5 p.m. Friday, Feb. 13.
For detailed information about the election, see below and CityofBartlesville.org/election‑2026
DATA APPENDIX
Election Overview
Election date: Feb. 10, 2026
Ballot items: Five propositions (General Obligation Bonds + 1/2‑Cent Sales Tax + ¼-Cent Economic Development Tax)
Status: Results are unofficial until certified by election authorities
Certification expected: After 5 p.m. Friday, Feb. 13
Total Voter Participation
Total ballots cast: 3,074
Registered voters: 24,110
Turnout percentage: 12.7%
Proposition Results Summary
Proposition 1 — G.O. Bond Public Safety
Yes: 2,464 (80.29%)
No: 605 (19.71%)
Proposition 2 — G.O. Bond Streets & Bridges
Yes: 2,373 (77.25%)
No: 699 (22.75%)
Proposition 3 — GO Bond Parks & Recreation
Yes: 2,231 (72.65%)
No: 840 (27.35%)
Proposition 4 — ¼-Cent Economic Development Tax Renewal
Yes: 2,137 (70.0%)
No: 916 (30.0%)
Proposition 5 — 1/2‑Cent CIP Sales Tax Renewal
Yes: 2,164 (70.86%)
No: 890 (29.14%)
Financial Summary
General Obligation Bonds
Total bond amount proposed: $35 million
Bond issuance schedule: Phased over multiple years
Estimated property tax impact: No increase due to phased issuance and capped millage rate of 15 mills.
1/4‑Cent ED Sales Tax
Current rate: 0.25%
Continues at existing rate
1/2‑Cent CIP Sales Tax
Current rate: 0.50%
Continues at existing rate
Project Categories & Funding Allocation (includes GO Bond & CIP Sales Tax)
Streets & Bridges $18.3 million
Public Safety $5.4 million
Parks & Recreation $3.5 million
Municipal Facilities $7.4 million
Total: $35 million*
*Includes $500,000 cost of issuance
Where to Find Official Information
Election details: https://www.cityofbartlesville.org/election-2026/
Election results: https://oklahoma.gov/elections/elections-results
NEXT STEPS
Certification of results
The county election board will certify the results after 5 p.m. on Feb. 13. Until then, all results remain unofficial.
City staff review and planning
City staff will begin preparing project timelines, design work and bid schedules. Projects will be grouped into phases to manage costs and minimize tax impacts.
Financial and administrative steps
Bond issuances (which require approval of the City Council) are scheduled over several years. The first tranche of G.O. Bonds will not be received until late 2027 or early 2028, at the earliest. Sales tax renewals will continue at the existing rate.
All official information will remain available at CityofBartlesville.org.