Voting in Oklahoma
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Contents
- 1 Voter registration
- 2 Voting in elections
- 3 Absentee voting
- 4 Early voting
- 5 Convicted felons' voting rights
- 6 Election administration costs
- 7 Election agencies
- 8 Noteworthy events
- 9 Election policy ballot measures
- 10 Election policy legislation
- 11 Recent news
- 12 See also
- 13 External links
- 14 Footnotes
Voting policies are enacted and enforced primarily at the state level. These policies, which include voter identification requirements, early voting provisions, online voter registration systems, and more, dictate the conditions under which American citizens cast their ballots in their individual states.
This page includes the following:
- Voter registration details, including methods of registering and requirements
- Details on voting in elections, including identification requirements, poll times, and primary election type
- Absentee/mail-in voting rules[1]
- Early voting rules
- Convicted felons' voting rights
- Election administration costs report
- Election agencies list
- Election policy ballot measures list
- Election policy legislation list
Voter registration
To vote in Oklahoma, one must be at least 18 years old, a United States citizen, and a resident of Oklahoma.[2] The deadline for registration is 25 days prior to the election.
| “ | Voter registration applications are available at your County Election Board, post offices, tag agencies, libraries and many other public locations. You will be offered a voter registration application when you get your driver's license and when you apply for assistance at some government agencies. You also may download an application form.[3] | ” |
| —Oklahoma State Election Board[2] | ||
Once an applicant has been successfully registered, the county election board will mail him or her a voter identification card.[2]
Automatic registration
Oklahoma does not practice automatic voter registration.
Online registration
- See also: Online voter registration
In April 2015, Oklahoma passed legislation authorizing an online voter registration system.[4] As of November 2019, this system was not yet fully active; already-registered voters could update their information, while new voters could not register online. To check the status of online registration in Oklahoma, click here.
Same-day registration
Oklahoma does not allow same-day voter registration.
Residency requirements
To register to vote in Oklahoma, you must be a resident of the state.
Verification of citizenship
Oklahoma does not require proof of citizenship for voter registration.
Verifying your registration
The Oklahoma State Election Board allows residents to check their voter registration status online by visiting this website.
Voting in elections
Voter identification
- See also: Voter identification laws by state
Oklahoma requires voters to present identification while voting.[5]
Valid forms of identification include government-issued photo IDs and county election board voter identification cards (which do not include photographs).
Voters can present a document issued by the United States government, the State of Oklahoma, or a federally recognized tribal government. The document must include the following information:
- Name
- Photograph
- Expiration date that is after the date of the election
Background
On May 8, 2018, the Oklahoma Supreme Court issued its ruling in Gentges v. Oklahoma State Election Board, finding that Oklahoma's voter identification law did not violate the state constitution. The court's per curiam opinion said: "[The] Oklahoma Voter ID Act is based on the State's attempt to prevent voter fraud and the lack of evidence of in-person voter fraud in the state is not a barrier to reasonable preventative legislation. Requiring voters to show proof of identity serves to protect the integrity and reliability of the electoral process and prevent in-person voter fraud." The case came to the state supreme court on appeal from the Oklahoma County District Court, which had similarly upheld the constitutionality of the state's voter ID law. The original suit was brought by Delilah Gentges, who alleged that the voter ID law was "unconstitutional as an interference with the free right to suffrage and equivalent to a poll tax."[6]
As of April 2021, 35 states enforced (or were scheduled to begin enforcing) voter identification requirements. A total of 21 states required voters to present photo identification at the polls; the remainder accepted other forms of identification. Valid forms of identification differ by state. Commonly accepted forms of ID include driver's licenses, state-issued identification cards, and military identification cards.[7][8]
Poll times
- See also: State poll opening and closing times
In Oklahoma, all polls are open from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. Central Time. An individual who is in line at the time polls close must be allowed to vote.[9]
Primary election type
- See also: Primary elections in Oklahoma
A primary election is an election in which registered voters select a candidate that they believe should be a political party's candidate for elected office to run in the general election. They are also used to choose convention delegates and party leaders. Primaries are state-level and local-level elections that take place prior to a general election. In Oklahoma, the Republican Party conducts a closed primary, in which only registered party members may participate. The Democratic Party holds a semi-closed primary, in which unaffiliated voters may participate.[10]
Absentee voting
- See also: Absentee voting
All voters are eligible to vote absentee in Oklahoma. There are no special eligibility requirements for voting absentee.[11]
Applications for absentee ballots must be received by 5 p.m. on the third Monday preceding an election. A returned absentee ballot must then be received by election officials before 7 p.m. on Election Day.[11]
Although all Oklahoma voters are eligible to vote absentee, those who are physically incapacitated, living in a nursing home, or serving in the military or living overseas may request a special absentee ballot designed for their circumstances.[11]
Early voting
- See also: Early voting
Oklahoma permits early voting. Learn more by visiting this website.
As of April 2021, 38 states and the District of Columbia permitted early voting. Early voting permits citizens to cast ballots in person at a polling place prior to an election. In states that permit early voting, a voter does not have to provide an excuse for being unable to vote on election day. States that do not permit early voting still permit some or all citizens to vote early by mail—often known as absentee voting. Some states allow no-excuse absentee voting, while others require an excuse. States that allow in-person absentee voting without an excuse are counted among early voting states. Click here for early voting laws by state.[12]
Convicted felons' voting rights
- See also: Voting rights for convicted felons
In Oklahoma, those convicted of a felony regain their voting rights automatically after a period of time equivalent to the original sentence–including incarceration, parole, and probation–has passed, unless these individuals receive a pardon for their offenses.
Voting rights for convicted felons vary from state to state. In the majority of states, convicted felons cannot vote while they are incarcerated but may regain the right to vote upon release from prison or at some point thereafter.[13][14][15]
Election administration costs
National Conference of State Legislatures report, 2018
On February 14, 2018, the National Conference of State Legislatures (NCSL) released a report on the costs of election administration in the states: "The Price of Democracy: Splitting the Bill for Elections." The report's authors noted that "no one knows how much [states] spend on elections ... [because] good research on election costs is slim." Generally, local units of government (most often counties, but sometimes cities and towns) are primarily responsible for election administration costs, though states and the federal government may also contribute. The report identified the states listed in the table below as assuming financial responsibility for at least some aspects of election administration.[16]
To access the complete NCSL report, click here.
| Election administration costs assumed by state | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| State pays all expenses for federal or state elections | State bears a portion of election costs | State pays for statewide special elections or statewide elections that don’t coincide with regularly scheduled elections | State pays for primary elections (statewide, presidential, or both) |
| Alaska Delaware |
Alabama Colorado Hawaii Kentucky Louisiana Rhode Island |
Arkansas Florida Iowa Michigan Missouri New Jersey North Dakota Ohio Oregon Pennsylvania Tennessee Washington West Virginia |
Arizona Arkansas Idaho Kansas Michigan Minnesota Missouri South Carolina Tennessee Texas Virginia Washington |
| Note: If a state is not listed above, it was not included in the report. Source: National Conference of State Legislatures, "The Price of Democracy: Splitting the Bill for Elections," February 14, 2018 | |||
Election agencies
- See also: State election agencies
Individuals seeking additional information about voting provisions in Oklahoma can contact the following state and federal agencies.
Oklahoma State Election Board
- Room B-6, State Capitol Building
- 2300 N. Lincoln Boulevard
- Oklahoma City, Oklahoma 73105-4804
- Phone: (405) 521-2391
- Fax: (405) 521-6457
- Website: http://www.ok.gov/elections/index.html
- Email: info@elections.ok.gov
Oklahoma Ethics Commission
- 2300 N. Lincoln Boulevard, Room B-5
- Oklahoma City, OK 73105-4812
- Phone: (405) 521-3451
- Website: http://www.ok.gov/oec/
U.S. Election Assistance Commission
- 1335 East West Highway, Suite 4300
- Silver Spring, Maryland 20910
- Telephone: 866-747-1471
Noteworthy events
2021
On May 11, 2021, Governor Kevin Stitt (R) signed HB2663, making the following modifications to Oklahoma's election laws:[17]
- Moved the deadline for requesting absentee/mail-in ballots from 5 p.m. on the Tuesday preceding an election to 5 p.m. on the third Monday preceding an election.
- Added one day for in-person early voting in general elections (8 a.m. to 6 p.m. on the Wednesday immediately preceding a general election; early voting previously opened on the Thursday preceding the election).
These changes were scheduled to take effect on January 1, 2022.[17]
Election policy ballot measures
Ballotpedia has tracked the following ballot measures relating to election and campaign policy in Oklahoma.
- Oklahoma Direct Election of U.S. Senators, State Question 41 (August 1912)
- Oklahoma Election Regulations, State Question 531 (1978)
- Oklahoma Fair Elections, State Question 78 (1916)
- Oklahoma Labor Commissioner Elections, State Question 613 (1988)
- Oklahoma Majority Needed to Approve Bond Issues, State Question 616 (August 1988)
- Oklahoma Primary Elections, State Question 388 (July 1960)
- Oklahoma Qualifications for Electors, State Question 82 (August 1916)
- Oklahoma Qualifications of Electors, State Question 503 (August 1974)
- Oklahoma Qualified Electors, State Question 412 (May 1964)
- Oklahoma Registration of Electors, State Question 80 (1916)
- Oklahoma Repeal Poll Tax, State Question 590 (1986)
- Oklahoma Residential Requirements for Electors, State Question 432 (May 1966)
- Oklahoma Run-off Primary Elections, State Question 312 (July 1944)
- Oklahoma State Conduct of General Elections, State Question 21 (1910)
- Oklahoma State Question 798, Governor and Lieutenant Governor Joint Ticket Amendment (2018)
- Oklahoma Utility Bond Elections, State Question 488 (August 1972)
- Oklahoma Votes Needed for Initiatives, State Question 495 (August 1974)
- Oklahoma Votes Needed to Amend the Constitution, State Question 496 (August 1974)
- Oklahoma Voting Age, State Question 356 (1952)
- Oklahoma Voting Age, State Question 484
- Oklahoma Voting Requirements, State Question 479 (December 1971)
Election policy legislation
The following is a list of recent election bills that have been introduced in or passed by the Oklahoma state legislature. To learn more about each of these bills, click the bill title. This information is provided by BillTrack50 and LegiScan.
Note: Due to the nature of the sorting process used to generate this list, some results may not be relevant to the topic. If no bills are displayed below, no legislation pertaining to this topic has been introduced in the legislature recently.
Recent news
The link below is to the most recent stories in a Google news search for the terms Oklahoma voting. These results are automatically generated from Google. Ballotpedia does not curate or endorse these articles.
See also
Elections in Oklahoma
- Oklahoma elections, 2022
- Oklahoma elections, 2021
- Oklahoma elections, 2020
- Oklahoma elections, 2019
- Oklahoma elections, 2018
- Oklahoma elections, 2017
- Oklahoma elections, 2016
- Oklahoma elections, 2015
- Oklahoma elections, 2014
- Oklahoma elections, 2013
- Oklahoma elections, 2012
External links
Footnotes
- ↑ We use the term "absentee/mail-in voting" to describe systems in which requests or applications are required. We use the term "all-mail voting" to denote systems where the ballots themselves are sent automatically to all voters. We use the hyphenate term for absentee voting because some states use “mail voting” (or a similar alternative) to describe what has traditionally been called "absentee voting."
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 Oklahoma State Election Board, "Voter Registration in Oklahoma," accessed October 4, 2019
- ↑ Note: This text is quoted verbatim from the original source. Any inconsistencies are attributable to the original source.
- ↑ NewsOK, "Oklahoma voter registration soon will be available online," June 16, 2015
- ↑ Oklahoma State Election Board, "Facts about Proof of Identity for Voting in Oklahoma," accessed October 7, 2019
- ↑ Oklahoma State Courts Network, "Gentges v. Oklahoma State Election Board, Opinion," May 8, 2018
- ↑ National Conference of State Legislatures, "Voter Identification Requirements|Voter ID Laws," June 5, 2017
- ↑ The Washington Post, "Do I need an ID to vote? A look at the laws in all 50 states," October 27, 2014
- ↑ Oklahoma State Election Board, "Frequently Asked Questions," accessed October 17, 2019
- ↑ Oklahoma State Election Board Website, "Voter Registration in Oklahoma," accessed January 3, 2014
- ↑ 11.0 11.1 11.2 Oklahoma State Election Board, “Absentee Voting in Oklahoma,” accessed September 27, 2019
- ↑ National Conference of State Legislatures, "State Laws Governing Early Voting," August 2, 2019
- ↑ Oklahoma State Election Board, "Voter Registration in Oklahoma," accessed October 20, 2019
- ↑ National Conference of State Legislatures, "Felon Voting Rights," accessed July 15, 2014
- ↑ American Civil Liberties Union, "State Criminal Re-enfranchisement Laws," accessed September 13, 2019
- ↑ National Conference of State Legislatures, "The Price of Democracy: Splitting the Bill for Elections," February 14, 2018
- ↑ 17.0 17.1 Oklahoma State Legislature, "Bill Information for HB 2663," accessed May 25, 2021
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