Each county in Oklahoma is divided into three compact districts, which are numbered one, two, and three. The statutes require that each district be as equal in population as practical. The voters of each district elect one County Commissioner from that district, who must reside in, and have been a registered voter in, that district for a six-month period immediately preceding the first day of the filing period. The Board of County Commissioners reapportions the districts in the county on or before October 1 following the final official publication of the Federal Decennial Census to the State of Oklahoma for legislative redistricting. District borders must follow clearly visible, definable, and observable physical boundaries. If the Board of County Commissioners fails to reapportion the county according to the requirements of the statutes, the County Excise Board is responsible for reapportioning the districts.
Although County Commissioners are elected individually by district, all three are elected to the Board of County Commissioners. As members of that board, they are responsible to all citizens in the county. The Board of County Commissioners serves as the administrative and management body for the county. The Board of County Commissioners must act together as a board to enter into contracts, approve purchases, or make any other agreements that affect the county’s welfare.