TULSA — Both run-offs in the Tulsa County Commission District Two race feature veterans of political office facing candidates running their first race.

On the Democratic ballot, the candidate whose name has never appeared on campaign signs is Sarah Gray, but she’s not exactly a newcomer to politics.

[Hear the KRMG In Depth Report on Tulsa County Commission candidate Sarah Gray HERE]

She visited the KRMG studios Thursday to talk about the commission race, and says she works as a community organizer, communications expert, and consultant.

“I do federal communications project management, so I work with a couple different federal partners, department and a bureau, serving their communications needs,” Gray said. “But I’ve done everything from running communications for school board races all the way up to a presidential race.”

She said that day one as a newly-elected commissioner, she would see to it that meetings are live streamed.

“The fact that it’s the year 2024 and we don’t live stream our meetings - I just think that’s shameful, honestly, because it’s an accessibility issue, it’s a transparency issue,” Gray said. “You know folks already - we’re fighting a lot of distrust in the government.”

But she wants to tackle much weightier issues as well, like the affordability of housing and child care, as well as homelessness - which is something she’s experienced in her own life.

She tells KRMG she was homeless off and on for several years as a teenager, and she thinks the county can help bring together the various communities, municipalities, and other governmental entities to address the problem.

She’s also passionate about taking on the apparent mismanagement of the Juvenile Justice Center, which has recently seen employees fired and arrested for allegedly raping or trafficking inmates.

For Gray - that also hits very close to home.

“I personally have, you know, been a - well, I won’t say a victim - I am a survivor of child sex trafficking, I have gone through many of the things that these children have experienced at the hands of the adults who are charged with their care in that facility,” Gray told KRMG. “And so, when I say that it’s a personal issue for me, it truly, truly is.”

Gray said ultimately, she wants to make a difference for her community - and her family as well.

“I love this place, I’m born and raised here, and don’t have any intention on ever leaving,’ she said. “I’ve also got two little boys who, I hope whenever they grow up, should they choose to have children, you know I’d like for them to choose to stay here too, and raise their families where our family is.”

The run-off election for Tulsa County Commissioner District Two is August 27th.