Absentee ballot deadline approaches; early voting set for Presidential Primary

OKLAHOMA CITY – Voters have until Wednesday, Feb. 26, to request a mail absentee ballot for the March 3 Presidential Preferential Primary Election, Oklahoma State Election Board Secretary Paul Ziriax said today.

Voters can apply for absentee ballots on the Oklahoma State Election Board’s website using the OK Voter Portal at https://www.elections.ok.gov/ovp. Applications can also be downloaded from the site or picked up at any of the state’s 77 county election boards.

Completed absentee ballots must be received by mail at county election boards no later than 7 p.m. on Election Day, March 3.

In-person absentee voting begins Thursday, Feb. 27. Early voting will be available at all 77 county election boards including additional sites in several counties. The list of additional early voting sites can be found at https://www.elections.ok.gov.

Early voting will be available from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. Thursday, Feb. 27 and Friday, Feb. 28 and from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 29.

The State Election Board reminds voters that Oklahoma has closed primaries. In order to vote in a party’s primary election, you must be a registered voter of that party. The Democratic Party, however, has chosen to open its primaries to Independent voters. If you are an Independent voter and would like to vote in the Democratic primary, be sure to ask your poll worker for a Presidential Primary ballot.

Both the Republicans and Democrats will have a primary election on March 3. No Libertarian candidates filed; therefore, there will not be a Libertarian primary.

Voters in some counties may also have county questions and local elections on the ballot. You can view a sample ballot or check the status of your absentee ballot by using the OK Voter Portal at https://www.elections.ok.gov/ovp.