Clark Jolley
Clark Jolley is a Republican United States politician from the U.S. state of Oklahoma and is the Vice Chairman of the Oklahoma Tax Commission. On February 28, 2018, Jolley was appointed to serve as the Oklahoma Secretary of Finance, Administration and Information Technology by Governor Mary Fallin. Prior to being named to the Tax Commission, Jolley served in the Oklahoma Senate, the last five sessions as Chair of the Appropriations Committee.
Clark Jolley | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Oklahoma Tax Commissioner | |
| Assumed office March 29, 2017 | |
| Preceded by | Dawn Cash |
| Oklahoma Secretary of Finance, Administration and Information Technology | |
| In office February 28, 2018 – January 14, 2019 | |
| Preceded by | Preston Doerflinger |
| Succeeded by | Position Abolished |
| Member of the Oklahoma Senate from the 41st district | |
| In office November 17, 2004 – November 22, 2016 | |
| Preceded by | Mark Snyder |
| Succeeded by | Adam Pugh |
| Personal details | |
| Born | September 7, 1970 Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, U.S. |
| Political party | Republican |
| Spouse(s) | Verlyne Simmons
(m. 1997; div. 2015)April Jolley (m. 2017) |
| Education | Oklahoma Baptist University (BA) Oklahoma Baptist University (BME) University of Oklahoma (JD) |
| Website | Official website |
Born in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, Jolley graduated from Del City High School in 1988 and earned Music Education and Political Science degrees from Oklahoma Baptist University in Shawnee, Oklahoma in 1992. He received his Juris Doctor from the University of Oklahoma in 1995.
He has two children, one of whom attends the University of Central Oklahoma and the other is in the public school system.
After graduating from the University of Oklahoma Jolley established a private law practice and went on to serve an Administrative Law Judge for the Oklahoma Department of Labor. He was also a Barrister member of the Robert J. Turner American Inn of Court.
Jolley was first elected to the Oklahoma Senate from District 41, which included large portions of Edmond, north Oklahoma City and southern Logan County. He was re-elected in 2008 and again in 2012. After the redistricting in 2011 (which Jolley co-chaired), District 41 included areas of Edmond, north Oklahoma City and Arcadia in Oklahoma County.
Jolley was elected by his colleagues to serve as Republican Whip in 2007-08 and then elected to the office of Assistant Majority Leader in 2009. He was re-elected to the Assistant Majority Leader position until he resigned in 2012 after he was appointed the Chairman of Appropriations. In one of his last legislative acts, Jolley authored State Question 792, which was approved by the voters in November 2016 to modernize alcohol laws and place full-strength beer and wine in grocery stores.
In March 2017, he was nominated by Governor Mary Fallin and confirmed by the Oklahoma State Senate as an Oklahoma Tax Commissioner to fill a partial term created when former Commissioner Dawn Cash resigned to accept the position of First Assistant Attorney General under Oklahoma Attorney General Michael J. Hunter Source:
Jolley serves as an adjunct professor at both Oklahoma Christian University and Mid-America Christian University.
Election results
| Candidates | Party | Votes | % | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| CLARK JOLLEY | Republican Party | 27,380 | 79.4% | ||
| RICHARD PRAWDZIENSKI | Independent | 7,103 | 20.6% | ||
| Source: | |||||
| Candidates | Party | Votes | % | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| CLARK JOLLEY | Republican Party | 29,794 | 72.25% | ||
| DAVID TAYLOR | Democratic Party | 11,446 | 27.75% | ||
| Source: | |||||
| Candidates | Party | Votes | % | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| CLARK JOLLEY | Republican Party | 26,517 | 69.24% | ||
| JAMES H. BUXTON | Democratic Party | 11,778 | 30.76% | ||
| Source: | |||||