A Libertarian Party member appointed last year to a county assessor position in Oklahoma is seeking a full term in a race that will not include a Republican candidate, despite the county’s heavily GOP electorate.
The national Libertarian Party announced over the weekend that six candidates affiliated with its Oklahoma state party have filed for office this year, including Sevier White for U.S. Senate, Kiefer Perry for State Treasurer, and Mike Hall for Commissioner of Labor.
The party is also fielding candidates in several local and legislative races, notable among them Laura Beth Culp, who is currently serving as Woodward County Assessor.
According to information shared with Independent Political Report by state party leadership, Culp is believed to be the first Libertarian to hold a partisan elected office in Oklahoma. While Libertarian Party members have previously won office in the state, including a mayoral victory in 2024, those races were all officially nonpartisan on the ballot.
Culp was appointed to the position in August after longtime officeholder Mistie Dunn retired before the end of her term. Dunn, a Democrat, had served as county assessor for roughly three decades and was most recently elected in 2022 without opposition.
Local reporting at the time of Dunn’s retirement said that Culp, a longtime Woodward County resident, had worked in the assessor’s office for approximately ten years prior to her appointment and planned to run for the office in the 2026 cycle.
State election records show that Culp has filed to run as a Libertarian and will face Democratic candidate Tiffany Jobe in the general election. Neither candidate faces a primary challenger, meaning both will advance directly to November. No Republican filed for the race, despite Republicans making up a substantial majority of registered voters in the county.
According to 2024 voter registration data, Republicans account for 7,746 voters, or nearly 70% of the county’s electorate. Independent voters make up the next largest bloc at roughly 15%, with Democrats comprising a similar share. Only 87 registered Libertarians were recorded in the county.
Ten years’ experience in the office seems to indicate she’s very qualified. Hope she wins.
Congratulations to Laura Beth Culp and the voters of Woodward County!