State Election Secretary Paul Ziriax Offers Tips, Reminders for Nov. 6 General Election
ELECTION DAY VOTING; EXPECT LINES
Polls are open statewide from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. on Election Day. Lines at the polls are likely and will be 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 YOUR POLLING PLACE
Before going to vote, confirm your polling location. Look at your voter ID card, use the election board’s Online Voter Tool at www.elections.ok.gov or call your county election board. Look at your sample ballot using the Online Voter Tool. The law allows you to bring notes or a marked sample ballot with you to the polls as long as you do not show them to anyone else in the polling location. Bringing notes will help you cast your ballot faster and keep lines and wait times down.
KNOW THE LAW
Electioneering within 300 feet of a ballot box is a misdemeanor. Electioneering includes the wearing of campaign buttons, t-shirts or other paraphernalia and advocating for candidates, parties or ballot issues either orally or with written materials. The only people allowed at a polling place are voters and election officials. It is a misdemeanor for unauthorized people to be within 50 feet of a ballot box. Call your county election board to report violations of the law.
PROOF OF IDENTITY
There are three ways for voters to prove their identity under state 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 ID 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.)
YOU CAN ALWAYS VOTE A PROVISIONAL BALLOT
If you encounter problems at your polling place, such as not being listed on the poll registry, which may prevent you from casting a regular ballot, don’t leave the polling place without casting provisional ballot. Election officials can research your records, and your provisional ballot will be counted if it legally can be.
