(Update: On Tuesday, June 16, judicial candidates Linda Michelle Branstetter and James Pfeffer advanced to an Aug. 25 runoff election.)
East of Bartlesville and south of Coffeyville, Kansas, Nowata County’s approximately 6,700 registered voters will choose between three candidates to be the county’s next associate district judge on June 16. With incumbent ADJ Carl Gibson retiring from the bench after 24 years, Linda Branstetter, Tanayia Hubler and James Pfeffer are competing in the nonpartisan election to be his successor.
Nowata County includes the northern portion of Oologah Lake and the communities of Watova, New Alluwe, Coodys Bluff, Delaware, Lenapah, Noxie, Wann and South Coffeyville. The county seat of Nowata has a population of about 3,500 people, with the whole county having just more than 9,300 residents.
Six judicial elections across the state are set for a June primary after candidate filing. If no candidate secures a majority in the June 16 election, the top two candidates will advance to a Nov. 3 runoff election.
The following candidate biographies were constructed from publicly available information, campaign websites and social media. Candidates for Nowata County associate district judge are presented in alphabetical order by last name.
Linda Gambill-Branstetter
Hometown: Nowata
Age:Â 59
Biography:Â Linda Gambill-Branstetter is a public defender in Washington County and Nowata County who has also served as a municipal judge for Avant. She graduated from Oklahoma State University and the Oklahoma City University School of Law.
She also helped found the Bartlesville Police Department Foundation, a nonprofit which fundraises for BPD. She has the longest career of the three candidates, having been admitted to the bar in 1994. She has lived in the county since 1998 and founded her law office in 2001.
Platform:Â Branstetter’s campaign Facebook focuses on her connections to the county, with posts highlighting how she has lived in the county for nearly 30 years, how her children graduated public school, and how her family first settled in the county pre-statehood. Another post highlights how Branstetter has served as a municipal judge for “several cities.”
“Serving the people of Nowata County has always been rooted in a strong connection to the community and a commitment to fairness, integrity, and respect for the rule of law,” Branstetter said in her campaign announcement post. “I am grateful for the opportunity and encouragement that I have already received from my community of 30 years, isn’t that amazing!”
Links: Facebook
Tanayia Hubler
Hometown:Â Nowata
Age:Â 44
Biography:Â Hubler has been “involved in the agriculture and ranching industries” her entire life, according to her campaign announcement. She graduated from Oklahoma State University and the University of Oklahoma College of Law before being admitted to the bar in 2007. She has primarily worked as a trial attorney.
Platform:Â Hubler’s campaign graphics emphasize the slogans “rural minded,” “family-focused,” and “Christ-centered,” and her website highlights her legal experience and rural roots.
“I believe in earning respect — one good decision at a time,” Hubler said. “I stand behind family values, Christian principles, sincerity, and authenticity — and I’m not here to play the games many politicians do — I am here to serve Nowata County because I care about the people who call it home.”
Hubler’s website features a 45-second campaign video.
“As a trial lawyer, I’ve seen how important it is to have a judge who is fair and grounded,” she says in the vide. “That’s why I’m running for judge, to ensure safety, accountability and equal justice for citizens of Nowata County.”
Links: Facebook | Website | Instagram
James Pfeffer
Hometown:Â Nowata
Age:Â 59
Biography: Pfeffer grew up in Collinsville where he graduated high school in 1985. He joined the Oklahoma Bar Association in 2009 and has spent most of his career working as an assistant district attorney. He currently works primarily in Nowata County, but has previously worked for the Tulsa County District Attorney’s office.
Platform: Most of Pfeffer’s campaign posts advocate supporting justice and make unbiased decisions.
“I believe in seeking justice, protecting the community, and making decisions based on facts,” Pfeffer said. “Vote for family. Vote for Fairness. Vote for community. Vote Pfeffer on June 16.”
In one campaign video, Pfeffer tells voters why they should prefer him over his opponents.
“For the past 17 years, I’ve served as a prosecutor getting first hand experience in how a courtroom should operate. The fairness, balance and consistency,” Pfeffer said. “These principles matter because consistent decisions build trust and confidence in the judicial system.”
Links:Â FacebookÂ
