Jim Roth (politician)

Jim Roth is an American politician from the state of Oklahoma. A Democrat, Roth was appointed by Republican Governor Mary Fallin to serve on the Oklahoma State Election Board as the panel's lone Democrat. His nomination was rejected by the Republican-controlled Senate.[1] Previously, Roth served as one of three members of the Oklahoma Corporation Commission from June 2007 through January 2009. He had been appointed to the seat by Governor of Oklahoma Brad Henry.

Prior to his statewide positions, Roth had served as an Oklahoma County Commissioner, a post to which he had been elected in 2002 and re-elected in 2006.

Born in Prairie Village, Kansas, Roth attended Shawnee Mission East High School, Kansas State University, and Oklahoma City University School of Law. He then went on to work as a Chief Deputy and Attorney to the Oklahoma County Commission and the Oklahoma County Clerk.

Roth is openly gay and was the first ever openly LGBT person to hold a statewide elected office in Oklahoma.[2]

In his bid to serve out the last two years of the corporation commission term to which he'd been appointed, Roth was defeated 52%-48% by Republican Dana Murphy.[3]

Roth endorsed the MAPS 3[4] proposal on the December 8, 2009 ballot in Oklahoma City.[5]