Oklahoma’s Election Season Kicks Off With Filing Week

OKLAHOMA CITY (KOKH) — It’s filing week at the State Capitol, and come Friday, Oklahomans will know who they’ll see on the ballot this year.

In the eyes of the State Election Board, until a person submits paperwork to the Board, they aren’t officially recognized as a candidate.

For politicians, candidates, and voters, seeing who ends up showing up to run can get interesting.

“In a way, candidate filing is a bit of a spectator sport,” Paul Ziriax, the Secretary of the State Election Board said.

It’s the official start to the election season, and Ziriax said he’s expecting around 600 people to throw their hats in the ring this year.

“This will be from offices ranging from United States Senator and Governor all the way down to District Attorney and State Representative,” Ziriax said.

After the 2018 teacher demonstrations and COVID in 2020, this is the first gubernatorial election filing week since 2016 that’s set up in a typical fashion inside the Capitol.

“We’re excited that we’re kind of getting back to a little bit of normalcy,” Ziriax said.

Candidates will line up and turn in their paperwork in order to get approved to add their names on the ballot.

This year the State Election Board is introducing an online portal where voters are able to see who is running for office, along with more information on each candidate.

“I think it’s important that the general public have access to that type of information, and we’re trying to make it as easy as possible for them,” Ziriax said.

Candidates have from Wednesday at 8 a.m. to Friday at 5 p.m. to file their papers.

The filing doesn’t include county offices. Those candidates have to file with the Secretary of their County Election Board.