Thanks to the strong support of Ada, OK Local 2298, fire fighter-friendly candidate Yoli Vazquez was elected to the Ada City Council with 71% of the vote, defeating incumbent Guy Sewell.
“Hard work and dedication paid off for our Ada members,” says 11th District Vice President Sandy McGhee. “I am very proud of their efforts. Having a fire fighter supporter like Yoli Vazquez in your corner really does make a difference.”
For years, Ada Local 2298 has been pushing the city council to update and expand fire department resources by allocating a small percentage of the city budget to meet these needs.
Only once, in 2010, did the council agree to put a penny sales tax on the ballot. The tax, which sunsetted after five years, generated money to fund several of the city’s critical needs, including replacing the central fire station, which had not been renovated or updated since the 1930s.
Local 2298 has since had to rely on federal grant dollars to replace equipment. But the local knew this would not be a long-term solution and that it needed to garner support from the city council.
After vetting potential candidates, Local 2298 endorsed local businessperson Yoli Vazquez, whose family owns a local Mexican restaurant chain and a fast-food restaurant and who has a history as a community leader, serving on the Main Street Board and the Ada Beautification Committee.
To support her run for office, Local 2298 – with assistance from the IAFF – launched a robust social media campaign. Meanwhile, Vazquez continued to demonstrate that she was on fire fighters’ side by featuring the IAFF logo on all her campaign materials, including videos.
“The IAFF brand is effective and resonated with the voter,” says Local 2298 Vice President Lance Haines. “We were glad to do our part to help elect a great candidate. Already, we are seeing the positive changes from her influence on the city council.”
Following this success, Local 2298 plans to stay politically active by first setting up a PAC.
