State Election Board offers tips, reminders for Oklahoma voters

OKLAHOMA CITY –The State Election Board and Secretary Paul Ziriax offer these tips and reminders for Oklahoma voters before they head to the polls for the March 3 Presidential Preferential Primary.

BE PREPARED AND KNOW YOUR POLLING PLACE

Study your ballot before going to the polls. View your sample ballot using the election board’s OK Voter Portal at elections.ok.gov/ovp. You can also use the portal to find your polling place location.

KNOW WHO IS ON THE BALLOT

Both the Republican and Democratic parties will have a primary election. Fourteen candidates will appear on the Democratic primary ballot and six candidates will appear on the Republican ballot. No Libertarian candidates filed; therefore, there will not be a Libertarian primary.

Presidential candidates who have “dropped out of the race” or “suspended their campaigns,” but did not formally withdraw by the state-mandated deadline (December 6, 2020), will still appear on the ballot. Votes for these candidates will be tallied and recorded in accordance with regular election procedures.

KNOW WHAT IS ON THE BALLOT

Many counties and states also have propositions on the ballot. Voters who are not eligible to vote in a primary election may still be able to vote on other issues. The State Election Board recommends viewing a sample ballot before heading to the polls. Sample ballots are specific to each voter and are available through the OK Voter Portal at elections.ok.gov/ovp.

ELECTION DAY VOTING

Polls are open statewide from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. on Election Day. Lines at the polls are 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 WHO CAN VOTE IN PRIMARIES

Oklahoma has a closed primary system. In order to vote in a party’s primary, you must be a registered voter of that party. However, the law allows recognized parties to open its primaries to Independents by notifying the State Election Board. The Democratic Party is allowing Independents to vote in its primaries in 2020 and 2021. The Republican and Libertarian primaries will remain closed.

PROOF OF IDENTITY

Oklahoma law requires every voter to show proof of identity before receiving a ballot. There are three ways to show proof of identity:

1. A valid photo ID issued by the federal, state, or tribal government, such as a driver’s license, military ID, or passport; or
2. A Voter ID card, which is issued to every voter by their County Election Board; or
3. A signed affidavit, along with a provisional ballot. (If the information on the affidavit matches official voter registration records, the ballot will be counted after Election Day.)

Voters with questions should contact their County Election Board or visit the State Election Board’s website at elections.ok.gov.