Election Preview: Malden Smith, Ward 8 candidate

LAWTON, Okla. (KSWO) - Malden Smith is one of three candidates running for the Ward 8 spot on Lawton’s city council.

He first arrived in Lawton in 1991 for basic training on Fort Sill. After he retired, he and his wife became more involved with the community.

“My wife was a neighborhood watch captain for our neighborhood, and being that she got involved with it I had to find a way to get involved myself,” said Smith. “Whenever she wasn’t there, I kind of supported her and held the meetings down.”

Smith said the more he got involved, the more he wanted to take the next step in supporting his neighbors.

“It just kind of transitioned into me wanting to do something more than what we were doing for the community, as far as the neighborhood watch was involved. But I’m trying to elevate it for her, myself, the neighbors we know, and everybody in the community,” said Smith.

Smith believed Ward 8′s biggest problem is not everyone there is being made aware of decisions happening in city council meetings.

“Make sure everyone gets a chance to have that information at their disposal, that way they can make an educated decision about what they want to do. Instead of not voting at all, or just voting for something they necessarily wouldn’t agree with if they knew all of the information,” Smith said.

To fix this, Smith said he’d like to take the concept of the neighborhood watch and spread it across Ward 8 if he’s elected.

“It’s good to ask questions in a neighborhood watch meeting, but it’s better to have someone supporting those ideas that you bring to the neighborhood watch meeting,” added Smith. “So when you come to me with a question I will more than gladly come to you with an appropriate answer.”

Elections for Lawton City Council Wards 7 & 8, along with the Ad Valorem Tax will be held on September 12.

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