Voters in Tulsa City Council District 2 may have déjà vu at the Aug. 25 election seeing the same candidates from two years ago on the ballot. First-term incumbent Anthony Archie is challenged by Aaron Bisogno, who has sought the seat in four previous elections.
District 2 encompasses parts of west and southwest Tulsa. You can see which district you live in on the city’s Council District Finder Map.
Meet the candidates
Hear directly from Archie and Bisogno at a free forum set for 6 p.m. Aug. 6 at University Village Theater, 8555 S. Lewis 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.
Archie is coming off his first term and points to successes in spurring economic development in the district. That includes securing Tulsa’s first IKEA, expected to open this year in the Tulsa Hills Shopping Center, and a $400 million south Tulsa shopping and apartment project near the River Spirit Casino.
Archie, a former pastor and social studies teacher, opened Oklahoma Toffee Company with his wife in 2017. The business donates 20% of profits to local teachers for school supplies.
He was born and raised on the south side of Chicago and moved to Tulsa in 2006 to attend Oral Roberts University, where he met his wife.
Archie, who defeated Bisogno by 1,000-plus votes in the 2024 election, is seeking a second term to continue his efforts and see projects through to completion.
“If a different councilor came in, the work would stall because that new councilor would spend the first two years trying to figure out where the bathroom is,” Archie said.
Improving safety is among Archie’s priorities across the district. He points to his work in helping double the bike patrol and install 24 surveillance cameras following a sexual assault at Turkey Mountain last year.
Bisogno acknowledged his unsuccessful track record at the ballot box, but says government transparency remains a motivating factor for seeking office.
“The reason I keep running is that it seems like the government is increasingly spending more and more of taxpayer dollars without asking them, and it seems like all the problems that they’re trying to fix with money isn’t working,” Bisogno said.
Bisogno has lived in Tulsa since 1989 and has a background in finance.
The lack of communication between city officials and residents comes up among constituents he speaks with, Bisogno said.
As an example, he pointed to the 2016 Vision Tulsa sales package that was approved by voters and provided $65 million to rebuild Gilcrease Museum. The District 2 councilor at the time was Jeannie Cue, who Bisogno challenged in three elections.
“A lot of people in my district didn’t even realize that the Gilcrease Museum was part of the 2016 package … (which was) to the tune of $70 million,” he said.
Bisogno questions the effectiveness of the city’s Safe Move program, which has rehoused over 500 people, according to city and housing placement officials. Bisogno said the numbers don’t reflect what some residents say are remaining homeless encampments in their neighborhood.
Early voting in the race runs from Aug. 20-22. Election Day is Aug. 25.
Ismael Lele is a Report for America corps member and writes about business in Tulsa for The Oklahoma Eagle. Your donation to match our Report for America grant helps keep him writing stories like this one; please consider making a tax-deductible gift of any amount today by visiting this link.
