{{short description|American politician}} {{BLP sources|date=December 2013}} {{Use American English|date=February 2026}} {{Use mdy dates|date=February 2026}} {{Infobox officeholder |name = Susan Savage |image = SecSavageStump (cropped).jpg |caption = Savage in 2007 |office = 29th Secretary of State of Oklahoma |governor = Brad Henry |term_start = January 13, 2003 |term_end = January 10, 2011 |predecessor = Kay Dudley |successor = Glenn Coffee |office1 = 36th Mayor of Tulsa |term_start1 = July 13, 1992 |term_end1 = April 1, 2002 |predecessor1 = Rodger Randle |successor1 = Bill LaFortune |birth_date = {{birth date and age|1952|3|30}} |birth_place = Tulsa, Oklahoma, U.S. |death_date = |death_place = |party = Democratic |alma_mater = Arcadia University }} '''M. Susan Savage''' (born March 30, 1952) is an American Democratic politician from Oklahoma. She was the 36th Mayor of Tulsa from 1992 to 2002, the first woman to hold that office. From 2003 to 2011, she was the 29th Secretary of State of Oklahoma.
==Biography== Savage graduated from Edison High School in Tulsa and in 1974 earned a B.A. degree from Beaver College (now Arcadia University) in Pennsylvania. She returned to Tulsa in 1977 and became executive director of the Metropolitan Tulsa Citizens Crime Commission. Savage went on to become chief of staff to then-Tulsa Mayor Rodger Randle before eventually becoming elected mayor herself in a 1992 special election to complete the remainder of Randle's term.
===Mayor of Tulsa=== Savage served as mayor of Tulsa from 1992 to 2002, and was the first woman to hold that office.
As mayor, Savage was responsible for a $500 million budget and 4,000 employees. Her administration was marked by unprecedented job growth, neighborhood revitalization, public safety improvements and improved government efficiency. Savage focused on improving streets, parks, water, wastewater, stormwater, public safety, cultural and correctional facilities in Tulsa.
During Savage's administration, the Reason Public Policy Institute of Los Angeles ranked Tulsa 3rd among 44 U.S. cities for how well it delivered government services. Newsweek magazine featured Savage as one of the nation's 25 "mayors to watch" in 1996.
===Secretary of State=== Savage was appointed by Governor of Oklahoma Brad Henry as Secretary of State of Oklahoma and served from 2003 to 2011.
In July 2013 Savage became a consultant and senior director of philanthropic development for Morton Comprehensive Health Services, a nonprofit health services provider in northeastern Oklahoma.<ref>[http://www.tulsaworld.com/archives/former-tulsa-mayor-susan-savage-chosen-as-morton-health-philanthropy/article_06091e85-10c0-52bf-a9fa-98002f708e0d.html "Former Tulsa Mayor Susan Savage chosen as Morton Health philanthropy consultant"], ''Tulsa World'', July 6, 2013.</ref> In 2016, Savage became CEO of Morton.
She currently lives in Tulsa and has two daughters.
==Awards and recognition== * Oklahoma Municipal League Hall of Fame for City and Town Officials in 2005 * 2002 National Conference for Community and Justice Honoree for leadership * Honorary Doctor of Laws from Arcadia University * Past recipient of the Oklahoma Human Rights Award * 2009 induction to the Oklahoma Women's Hall of Fame
==Appointments== * National Advisory Board of the Riley Institute for Urban Affairs at the College of Charleston * Executive Board member, Southern Regional Education Board * Advisory Board member, Oklahoma Academy for State Goals * Advisory Board member, Oklahoma City United Way * Trustee, Oklahoma Nature Conservancy Board of Directors * Trustee, Oklahoma Foundation for Excellence * Board member, Creative Oklahoma, Inc.
==Electoral history== {{Election box begin | title=1992 Tulsa Mayoral special election<ref>{{cite news |title=Mayor's Race Results |url=https://tulsaworld.com/archive/mayors-race-results/article_5b827e2e-885f-5c70-960c-f98a30d23413.html |access-date=December 21, 2024 |work=Tulsa World |date=August 26, 1992}}</ref> }} {{Election box winning candidate with party link no change| |party = Democratic Party (United States) |candidate = Susan Savage |votes = 37605 |percentage = 40.6% }} {{Election box candidate with party link no change| |party = Republican Party (United States) |candidate = Dewey F. Bartlett Jr. |votes = 20646 |percentage = 22.5% }} {{Election box candidate with party link no change| |party = Republican Party (United States) |candidate = Dick Crawford |votes = 11913 |percentage = 12.9% }} {{Election box candidate with party link no change| |party = Democratic Party (United States) |candidate = Joe Williams |votes = 9,149 |percentage = 9.2% }} {{Election box candidate with party link no change| |party = Democratic Party (United States) |candidate = James Hogue Sr. |votes = 7806 |percentage = 8.5% }} {{Election box candidate with party link no change| |party = Republican Party (United States) |candidate = Tom Quinn |votes = 1522 |percentage = 1.7% }} {{Election box candidate with party link no change| |party = Republican Party (United States) |candidate = Larry C. Hovis |votes = 482 |percentage = 0.5% }} {{Election box candidate with party link no change| |party = Republican Party (United States) |candidate = Bob Kaczmarek |votes = 286 |percentage = 0.3% }} {{Election box candidate with party link no change| |party = Republican Party (United States) |candidate = Lawrence D. Randall |votes = 244 |percentage = 0.3% }} {{Election box candidate with party link no change| |party = Republican Party (United States) |candidate = John F. Loerch |votes = 209 |percentage = .2% }} {{Election box candidate with party link no change| |party = Democratic Party (United States) |candidate = Barbara Kochevar Clark |votes = 197 |percentage = 0.2% }} {{Election box candidate with party link no change| |party = Republican Party (United States) |candidate = Dennis W. Mahon |votes = 186 |percentage = 0.2% }} {{Election box candidate with party link no change| |party = Republican Party (United States) |candidate = Sandra Ruffin |votes = 174 |percentage = 0.2% }} {{Election box candidate with party link no change| |party = Republican Party (United States) |candidate = Joe Jones |votes = 160 |percentage = 0.2% }} {{Election box candidate with party link no change| |party = Democratic Party (United States) |candidate = Rocky Frisco |votes = 159 |percentage = 0.2% }} {{Election box candidate with party link no change| |party = Democratic Party (United States) |candidate = Susan Town |votes = 128 |percentage = 0.1% }} {{Election box candidate with party link no change| |party = Republican Party (United States) |candidate = Robert D. Ward |votes = 117 |percentage = 0.1% }} {{Election box candidate with party link no change| |party = Democratic Party (United States) |candidate = William D. Reif |votes = 111 |percentage = .1% }} {{Election box candidate with party link no change| |party = Republican Party (United States) |candidate = Dave Cuenod Jr. |votes = 103 |percentage = 0.1% }} {{Election box candidate with party link no change| |party = Republican Party (United States) |candidate = Linda Spalding |votes = 94 |percentage = 0.1% }} {{Election box candidate with party link no change| |party = Democratic Party (United States) |candidate = Anthony R. Coleman Sr. |votes = 93 |percentage = 0.1% }} {{Election box candidate with party link no change| |party = Democratic Party (United States) |candidate = Lawrence F. Kirkpatrick |votes = 89 |percentage = 0.1% }} {{Election box candidate with party link no change| |party = Democratic Party (United States) |candidate = Rick Blackburn |votes = 86 |percentage = 0.1% }} {{Election box candidate with party link no change| |party = Republican Party (United States) |candidate = Ted C. Talbert |votes = 72 |percentage = 0.1% }} {{Election box candidate with party link no change| |party = Democratic Party (United States) |candidate = James F. Carrigan |votes = 70 |percentage = 0.1% }} {{Election box candidate with party link no change| |party = Republican Party (United States) |candidate = Shelley D. McNeill |votes = 70 |percentage = 0.1% }} {{Election box candidate with party link no change| |party = Democratic Party (United States) |candidate = Chris T. Hartline |votes = 63 |percentage = 0.1% }} {{Election box candidate with party link no change| |party = Republican Party (United States) |candidate = Bob Looney |votes = 53 |percentage = 0.1% }} {{Election box candidate with party link no change| |party = Republican Party (United States) |candidate = Steven W. Kopet |votes = 51 |percentage = 0.1% }} {{Election box candidate with party link no change| |party = Republican Party (United States) |candidate = Charles R. Doty |votes = 49 |percentage = 0.1% }} {{Election box candidate with party link no change| |party = Democratic Party (United States) |candidate = Les D. Ecker |votes = 49 |percentage = 0.1% }} {{Election box candidate with party link no change| |party = Republican Party (United States) |candidate = William Neill Wilbanks |votes = 48 |percentage = 0.1% }} {{Election box candidate with party link no change| |party = Democratic Party (United States) |candidate = Kenneth Ray Thompson |votes = 47 |percentage = 0.1% }} {{Election box candidate with party link no change| |party = Republican Party (United States) |candidate = Jim Ed Briggs |votes = 46 |percentage = 0.1% }} {{Election box candidate with party link no change| |party = Democratic Party (United States) |candidate = Michael Luc Provencher |votes = 43 |percentage = 0.1% }} {{Election box candidate with party link no change| |party = Democratic Party (United States) |candidate = Michael S. Crabbe |votes = 42 |percentage = 0.04% }} {{Election box candidate with party link no change| |party = Republican Party (United States) |candidate = David Ferree |votes = 42 |percentage = 0.04% }} {{Election box candidate with party link no change| |party = Democratic Party (United States) |candidate = Phillip Leon Hamilton |votes = 41 |percentage = 0.04% }} {{Election box candidate with party link no change| |party = Republican Party (United States) |candidate = Richard C. Bevins Jr. |votes = 38 |percentage = 0.04% }} {{Election box candidate with party link no change| |party = Democratic Party (United States) |candidate = Douglas A. Casada |votes = 38 |percentage = 0.04% }} {{Election box candidate with party link no change| |party = Democratic Party (United States) |candidate = Josh Martin |votes = 37 |percentage = 0.04% }} {{Election box candidate with party link no change| |party = Republican Party (United States) |candidate = Robert E. Fearon |votes = 34 |percentage = 0.04% }} {{Election box candidate with party link no change| |party = Democratic Party (United States) |candidate = Dan O'Rourke Jr. |votes = 34 |percentage = 0.04% }} {{Election box candidate with party link no change| |party = Republican Party (United States) |candidate = Brad A. Pfeiffer |votes = 32 |percentage = 0.04% }} {{Election box candidate with party link no change| |party = Republican Party (United States) |candidate = Timothy A. Fisher |votes = 29 |percentage = 0.03% }} {{Election box candidate with party link no change| |party = Republican Party (United States) |candidate = Darein W. Gandall |votes = 28 |percentage = 0.03% }} {{Election box candidate with party link no change| |party = Republican Party (United States) |candidate = Richard E. Brooks |votes = 26 |percentage = 0.03% }} {{Election box candidate with party link no change| |party = Republican Party (United States) |candidate = Brad Jensen |votes = 26 |percentage = 0.03% }} {{Election box candidate with party link no change| |party = Republican Party (United States) |candidate = Monty Dale Davidson |votes = 23 |percentage = 0.03% }} {{Election box candidate with party link no change| |party = Democratic Party (United States) |candidate = Robert E. Dumont |votes = 22 |percentage = 0.02% }} {{Election box candidate with party link no change| |party = Republican Party (United States) |candidate = Curtis W. Gilling |votes = 22 |percentage = 0.02% }} {{Election box candidate with party link no change| |party = Republican Party (United States) |candidate = J. David Weatherman |votes = 22 |percentage = 0.02% }} {{Election box candidate with party link no change| |party = Republican Party (United States) |candidate = Gary Johns |votes = 21 |percentage = 0.02% }} {{Election box candidate with party link no change| |party = Republican Party (United States) |candidate = Rick R. J. Hart |votes = 17 |percentage = 0.02% }} {{Election box total| |votes = 92794 |percentage = 100.00% }} {{Election box end}}
==References== {{Reflist}}
==External links== *{{C-SPAN|32108}}
{{s-start}} {{s-off}} {{s-bef|before=Kay Dudley}} {{s-ttl|title=Secretary of State of Oklahoma|years=2003–2011}} {{s-aft|after=Glenn Coffee}} {{s-end}}
{{Mayors of Tulsa}} {{Brad Henry cabinet}} {{Oklahoma Women's Hall of Fame}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Savage, M. Susan}} Category:1952 births Category:20th-century mayors of places in Oklahoma Category:21st-century mayors of places in Oklahoma Category:Arcadia University alumni Category:Living people Category:Mayors of Tulsa, Oklahoma Category:Oklahoma Democrats Category:Secretaries of state of Oklahoma Category:Edison Preparatory School alumni Category:Women mayors of places in Oklahoma Category:21st-century American women politicians