Tonkawa, Newkirk voters can cast absentee ballots in person this week

NEWKIRK — Registered voters in Kay County who want to cast in-person absentee ballots for the Feb. 11 Tonkawa Municipal Special Election, or the Newkirk School District I-125 Special Bond Election,  can do so at the County Election Board office on Thursday, Feb. 6, or Friday, Feb. 7, from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m., County Election Board Secretary Cheryl Howard said today.

A two-member, bipartisan Absentee Voting Board will be on duty each day to assist absentee voters.

“In-person absentee voters fill out an application form when they get to the office. They are not required to give a reason for voting absentee” Howard said. “They are required to swear that they have not voted a regular mail absentee ballot and that they will not vote at their polling place on election day.”

According to Howard, the Absentee Voting Board verifies a voter’s registration information, then issues the voter’s ballots. The voter marks the ballots in a voting booth and then puts them in the voting device.

“It is very much like voting at a precinct polling place,” said Howard.

Contact the County Election Board, located at 201 S. Main St. in the basement of the Kay County Courthouse in Newkirk for more information. The telephone number is (580) 362-2130.