OKLAHOMA CITY — Oklahoma State Election Board Secretary Paul Ziriax is urging voters to verify their polling places before heading out to cast their ballots on Tuesday.
Due to redistricting, some voters may have new precincts and polling locations, he said.
Ziriax said one of the most common mistakes voters make is not being prepared for the length of the ballot.
Voters will decide statewide, congressional and legislative races in this election. They will also vote on appellate judge retentions, election of some judges and local races.
“We have a large number of offices on the ballot and a large number of judicial retention questions,” Ziriax said. “I think sometimes voters are surprised at how many offices or questions there are on that ballot.”
He said voters can go to the Oklahoma State Election Board website’s voter portal to get a sample copy of their ballot.
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At the polls, voters will be required to show proof of identity to vote.
Electioneering is banned within 300 feet of the ballot box, Ziriax said. That includes political clothing and buttons, he said.
“Voters should leave that in their vehicle,” he said.
By law, 5 p.m. Friday is the deadline to contest the results of an election, be it a call for a recount or a petition alleging irregularities, he said.
Oklahoma has almost 2.3 million registered voters, which is a net increase of more than 77,000 registered voters since Jan. 15 and a net increase of more than 175,000 registered voters since Nov. 1, 2018, according to the Oklahoma State Election Board.
Republicans make up 51.19% of voters, followed by Democrats at 29.95%, independents at 18% and Libertarians 0.86%, according to the State Election Board.
Early in-person voting began across the state on Wednesday and continued through Saturday.
“Right now, it appears that the early voting totals and the mail absentee totals are on par with what we saw in 2018, which was a good turnout for a gubernatorial election year,” Ziraix said toward the end of the week. “And at this point, I am optimistic we will have good turnout for a gubernatorial election year on Tuesday.”
“Democrats are anxious, excited and motivated,” said Oklahoma Democratic Party Chairwoman Alicia Andrews.
“I think the turnout is going to be pretty significant,” said A.J. Ferate, Oklahoma Republican Party chairman.
Polls are open from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. Tuesday.
State Superintendent Joy Hofmeister and Gov. Kevin Stitt debated in Oklahoma City. The event was livestreamed but not broadcast.
Gov. Kevin Stitt, a Republican, and State Superintendent Joy Hofmeister, a Democrat, sparred Wednesday during a debate in Oklahoma City.
The gubernatorial candidates are close in the polls less than a month out from the general election and are trying to differentiate their policy opinions.
Stitt raised twice as much as Hofmeister from June 14 to Aug. 8 but needed only half as many lines to report it.
The leaders of the Cherokee, Chickasaw, Choctaw, Muscogee and Seminole nations, formerly known as the Five Civilized Tribes, announced their endorsement of Hofmeister over Stitt on Tuesday.
Almost $10.3 million of that has benefited Democrat Joy Hofmeister. Gov. Kevin Stitt put almost $2 million of his own money into his re-election campaign during October.
The event was held by the Tulsa Regional Chamber.
Markwayne Mullin had the support of some of the state’s wealthiest and most politically active citizens, but almost all of the $680,116.71 Kendra Horn raised during the third quarter was from individuals. Much of that came in amounts of $100 or less.
Apparently nothing changed the minds of voters between June’s primary and Tuesday’s runoff.
It’s the first time such a thing has happened in Oklahoma, and making the matchup even more unusual is that all of the men in those races are Republicans and all of the women are Democrats.
Four GOP incumbents have huge financial and political advantages. The open CD2 spot has been overwhelmingly Republican since former U.S. House Rep. Dan Boren retired from politics 10 years ago.
Former state Sen. Josh Brecheen prevailed Tuesday in one of the country’s most surprisingly expensive Congressional races.
Tuesday night’s event hosted by KOKH-Fox 25 TV in Oklahoma City is the only time state superintendent candidates have debated one-on-one. #oklaed
The Tulsa World had a front-row seat for their markedly different political rhetoric at recent campaign stops, followed up by one-on-one interviews with Jena Nelson and Ryan Walters. #oklaed
Ryan Walters claims victory over Shawnee Superintendent April Grace. #oklaed
All three face opponents in November’s general election.
Changed voter demographics of House District 70, as well as a fairly well-known candidate, give Democrats hope that they can flip the seat blue in the Nov. 8 general election.
After 12 years, a new face will represent the district, which encompasses a large chunk of Sand Springs as well as Sperry and Skiatook and a substantial swath of the surrounding rural Tulsa and Osage counties.
Democrat Melissa Provenzano won HD 79 in 2018 and successfully defended the seat in 2020, despite a substantial Republican advantage in registered voters. With time and redistricting, that margin has decreased from about 3,570 to about 1,650, but the GOP still views it as a potential pickup for nominee Paul Hassink.
After complaints about where the poles are being installed and wireless companies’ failure to provide notice of their work, councilors establishing additional regulations on Wednesday.
Laura Bellis, who was elected in August to represent District 4, made her remarks during a fundraiser for Councilor Lori Decter Wright.
District 7 candidate Ken Reddick’s list of endorsements has included the governor for weeks.
Ken Reddick is running against District 7 City Council incumbent Lori Decter Wright. He says he only made the trip to provide transportation for a veteran who wanted to go.
In the District 4 race, Laura Bellis wins outright with 50.6% of the vote.
Lori Decter Wright received 1,840 of 3,696 votes cast, leaving her nine votes of a majority.
Officials have long warned of a looming election crisis if more people don’t sign up to become poll workers, and some counties are losing longtime precinct officials to increasing fear of harassment or intimidation.
The Tulsa County Election Board is down 350 to 400 precinct workers from what it will need for the November elections, and it is looking to local municipalities for help.
A nationwide effort by Trump supporters to undermine trust in the election process appears to have escalated, and officials think an event held last month in in Springfield, Missouri, could be to blame.
It’s been a long time since Oklahoma Democrats had fun this late in a general election campaign. But they did Saturday night at the Mike Synar Memorial Barbecue.
Nearly 70% of Oklahoma’s state legislative elections will be decided without a single vote cast in November. Political experts, local organizers and legislative candidates help shed light on why uncompetitive races are rising.
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