Carnegie Voters Split: Town Clerk Becomes Appointed, Treasurer Stays Elected by Five Votes

Carnegie voters walked into Tuesday with two nearly identical propositions in front of them and walked out with two different answers. Proposition 1, which makes the town clerk an appointed position, passed 177 to 156. Proposition 2, the same change for the town treasurer, failed by just five votes, 164 to 169. Same idea, same ballot, one narrow loss.

Vice Mayor Sandy Settle made the case for both measures on social media, pointing to a shrinking population and a smaller pool of residents who live inside town limits and are willing to run for office. She argued that an elected official without the required skills can win anyway and is difficult to remove once in office. Under the proposals, the council would hire appointees based on ability, training, and experience, which Settle said would strengthen accountability.

The outcome leaves Carnegie with a hybrid system and a conversation that is far from finished. Small towns across southwest Oklahoma face the same math: fewer people, fewer volunteers, and more technical work in jobs that used to be simple. Voters clearly weigh community control against professional competence, and in this case they split almost perfectly. If you live in Carnegie, how did you vote on these two propositions, and what tipped your decision?