Ready for Election Day Tuesday, June 28? Some things have changed!

Last Updated on August 6, 2023, 2:53 AM | Published: June 27, 2022

OKLAHOMA CITY (Free Press) — Voters across Oklahoma who have not voted already at their county election boards or through absentee ballot will head to their precinct polling places Tuesday.

Several metro districts are seeing open seats this election with several in each party running for the nomination to represent their party in the race leading up to the November 2 Election Day this fall.

Especially in Oklahoma County, the hot-button issue of whether to vote for or against a bond that will provide the core of funding for a new Oklahoma County Detention Center or Jail has captured far more attention than most bond issue elections.

Here is our coverage of the proposals and issues some have with the proposal:

• Advocates, opponents weigh in on new OK County Jail before vote begins

The following is information provided by the Oklahoma State Election Board with information you need to know before Tuesday, especially since districts in wider OKC metro have changed, some drastically.

Closed primaries

Oklahoma has closed primaries. However, for the 2022-2023 election years, the Democratic Party has opened its primaries to registered Independents.

Independent voters wishing to vote a Democratic ballot, should let the election worker know when they check in at their polling place. As a reminder, Independent and Libertarian voters are eligible to vote in any nonpartisan elections on the ballot.

Verify polling place

Due to statutory redistricting, some precincts have changed. As a result, some polling places may have also changed. All voters should verify their polling place before heading to the polls. Voters can verify their polling place using the OK Voter Portal or by contacting their County Election Board or the State Election Board. The State Election Board reminds voters that you must vote at your assigned polling place.

Be prepared

Study the candidates and issues before going to the polls. View your sample ballot using the OK Voter Portal. You can also use the portal to find your polling place and track the status of your absentee ballot. The election list is available on the State Election Board website.

Proof of identity

Oklahoma law requires every voter who votes in person to show proof of identity before receiving a ballot.

There are three ways to show proof of identity under the law (only one proof of identity is required):

1. Show a valid photo ID issued by the federal, state, or tribal government; or
2. Show the free voter identification card issued to every voter by their County Election Board; or
3. 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.)

Ballot status

It is common for voters to ask, “How do I know my voted counted?” Information regarding ballot status can be found on the State Election Board website, along with details regarding Oklahoma’s voting devices and security procedures. 

Election results will be available on the State Election Board website after the polls close at 7 p.m. on election night.

Beware of misinformation/disinformation

During election time, misinformation and disinformation can run rampant. Voters are asked to be wary of information that seeks to promote conspiracy theories or false claims of fraud, voter suppression and/or other problems.

If you experience an issue or believe an election or voting crime has been committed, your first action should be to notify your precinct officials and contact your County Election Board while the incident is in progress. County Election Board officials will take immediate action to resolve the issue and/or contact local law enforcement.

State and county election officials should always be your trusted sources for information.

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