The State Election Board and Secretary Paul Ziriax offer these tips and reminders for Oklahoma voters before they head to the polls for the Tuesday, June 26 State Primary.
BE PREPARED AND KNOW YOUR POLLING PLACE
Study the candidates before going to the polls. Look at your sample ballot using the election board’s Online Voter Tool at www.elections.ok.gov. You can also use the tool to find your polling place or track the status of your absentee ballot.
ELECTION DAY VOTING
Polls are open statewide from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. on Election Day. Lines at the polls are longest before work, during the lunch hour and after work. Voters can save time by voting during “off-peak” hours – usually from 9 a.m. to 11 a.m. and 1:30 p.m. to 4 p.m.
KNOW WHO CAN VOTE IN PRIMARIES
All registered voters in Oklahoma may vote on judicial officers and State Question 788. Registered Republicans, Democrats and Libertarians may also vote in their respective party primaries. The Democratic Party has opted to allow registered Independents to vote in its primary, but the Republican and Libertarian Parties opted to close their primaries to Independents.
PROOF OF IDENTITY
Oklahoma law requires every voter who votes in person at the precinct polling place or during early voting at the County Election Board to show proof of identity before receiving a ballot.
There are three ways for voters to prove their identity under the law (only one proof of identity is required):
- Show a valid photo ID issued by the federal, state, or tribal government; or
- Show the free voter identification card issued to every voter by their County Election Board; or
- Sign an affidavit and vote a provisional ballot. (If the information on the affidavit matches official voter registration records, the ballot
- will be counted after Election Day.)
NOTE: Republican voters in Oklahoma County have three ballots. The first ballot shows state-wide races, the second one has county races and the third is State Question 788 and judicial election. Democrats will have two ballots, one for all of the statewide and county races and the other for the SQ and judges.
