Time running out to vote absentee in upcoming OKC City Council election

On February 9, voters in parts of Oklahoma City will have a say in the makeup of the City Council for the next four years. Wards 1, 3, and 4 each have a City Council seat up for grabs. With the election mere days away, time is running out for Oklahoma City residents to request an absentee ballot.

Turnout is expected to be low, so every vote will carry considerable weight in the election.

Absentee Ballots

The deadline to request an absentee ballot for the February 9 primary election is Tuesday, February 2 by 5:00 p.m. Absentee ballots may be requested at https://oklahoma.gov/elections/voter-info/absentee-voting.html .

For an absentee ballot to be accepted it must be notarized. Absentee ballots with photocopied I.D. are no longer accepted. The U.S. Postal Service recommends absentee ballots being returned to the Election Board via mail should be sent by February 2. Absentee ballots may also be returned to the Election Board by hand.

Candidates

Here are the candidates in the same order as they will appear on the ballot:

Ward 1

  • Jay Sherrill
  • Susan Kay Parisi
  • Shay Varnell
  • Bradley Carter
  • Megan Scott
  • Joshua W. Debolt
  • Richard Thomas Buchanan
  • Nana Abram Dankwa
  • Bill Fleming

Ward 3

  • Kelli Payne
  • Barbara Young
  • Tim Long
  • Trey Bishop
  • Jessica Martinez-Brooks
  • Allen Swanda

Ward 4

  • Sam Wargin Grimaldo
  • Todd Stone (incumbent)
  • Larry Hopper

Election details

The following is information provided by the City of Oklahoma City:

The Feb. 9 primary election determines whether a runoff is necessary. If a candidate earns more than half the votes in their Ward on Feb. 9, they are elected to office. If no candidate earns more than half the votes, the two candidates with the most votes in that Ward advance to a decisive runoff on April 6.

Winners take office April 13. Incumbent Councilwoman Nikki Nice was the only candidate who filed to run in Ward 7, and she will also begin a new term April 13.

Recent voter-approved amendments to the Oklahoma City Charter do not apply to the 2021 City Council election. The state Election Board’s certification of election results, and the Governor of Oklahoma’s formal acceptance of the City Charter amendments, had yet to occur before the Council called the election.

The 2021 election takes place under existing City ordinances, and federal and state law, like all recent City Council elections.

Voting information

All Oklahoma City voters in Wards 1, 3 and 4 registered to vote at their current address by the Jan. 15 deadline are eligible to vote in the Feb. 9 primary election. See a Ward map at okc.gov/WardMap.

Voters who have disabilities can find more information about voter assistance in Oklahoma at oklahoma.gov/elections.

State law requires proof of identity to vote. Acceptable forms of ID are a voter ID card, driver’s license or another form of ID issued by the federal government, state government or federally recognized tribal government. Voters may also cast a provisional ballot by proving their identity with a signed, sworn affidavit, which is available at the polling station.

Early voting for the special election is 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. Feb. 4-5 at your local county election board:

Regular voting is 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. Feb. 9 at your usual polling location. Find your polling location on your voter ID card, or using the voter portal at oklahoma.gov/elections/ovp.

EMBARK bus and OKC Streetcar service will be free on Election Day to help get voters to the polls. Visit embarkok.com or okcstreetcar.com to plan your trip.

Author Profile

Columnist covering local government in Oklahoma City and Oklahoma County from May 2019 through June 2023.