In January 2023, it was reported there were 2,225,086 people registered to vote here in Oklahoma. By the time I’m publishing this newsletter, the latest voter registration counts could be out. Are you among their number? Are you registered to vote?
How Register To Vote In Oklahoma
Registering to vote in Oklahoma is easy and only takes a few moments. You’ll find all the details at the Oklahoma State Election Board’s website, but here are the basics:
Who can register to vote?
Well, you must be a U.S. citizen, a resident of the State of Oklahoma, and at least 18 years old. You cannot be a convicted felon or have been judged incapacitated by a court.
When can you register to vote?
You can register at any time. However, there is a registration deadline of 25 days prior to the date of an election. For example, you must be registered by January 19, 2024, to be able to vote in the February 13, 2024, Board of Education Primary Election, or you must be registered by February 9, 2024, to vote in the March 5, 2024, Presidential Preferential Primary.
Where and how can you register to vote?
You have a few options for registering to vote: In Person, By Mail, and now Online.
You can register in person at your local county elections board office, at your local tag agency when you apply for, update, or renew your driver's license or state ID, or when you register at a public assistance agency when you apply for, update, or renew services.
You can register by mail. You can download a form to fill out on the Oklahoma Elections Board’s website. You can also get an application from your local county election board office, most tag agencies, libraries, and post offices. Once filled out, you’ll need to drop it into the mail or hand deliver it to your local county election board office. You’ll find instructions on the form.
And as of July 2023, you can register to vote online at the OK Voter Portal. Please note an Oklahoma driver’s license or State ID and a signature is required. You’ll find instructions and more details on the website.
If you’re an Oklahoma resident in the U.S. military or residing abroad, you’ll find some special instructions here on registering and voting.
Political Party Affiliation
When you fill out your application, your political party will be asked. Oklahoma only has three recognized political parties: Democratic, Libertarian, or Republican. If you do not select one of them, you can register as “No Party” or Independent. Oklahoma has a closed primary system. Only registered party voters can vote in their party’s primary. There is an exception this year. The Democratic party has opened its primary to independent voters.
Registration
Please remember you are not a registered voter until your local county elections board receives, processes, and approves your application. Once approved, you will receive your voter ID card in the mail. Your new voter ID card lists your name, address, political affiliation, and polling place. Please keep this card safe; your voter ID card can be used as “proof of identity” at the polls on election days. (Oklahoma has a “proof of identity” or voter ID law. You can find details on that here.)
Now that you’re a registered voter, please don’t forget to go vote.
Voter Participation
Unfortunately, Oklahoma has a voter participation problem. In the 2022 general election, only about 50% of registered voters voted for Governor (more). Last year, about 25% voted in the March 7th special election for State Question 820. If you’re curious about other voter statistics, you can view the results of more elections here.
So, how do we get more people to vote?
Just for the heck of it, I asked Microsoft’s Copilot AI this question. I got back an interesting list of options: create a sense of obligation, make an argument for popularity, make the use it or lose it argument, or ask the person to vote.
I think the last one on that list should probably be a good place to start.
“Please, will you vote?”
In The News
A look at some of the latest headlines from around Oklahoma and beyond.
Superintendent Ryan Walters threatens breakup with statewide education organizations | KGOU
Lawsuit against State Superintendent over student records policy moves to federal court | KOKH
Some Oklahoma tribal tag tickets dropped, but questions on laws linger | The Oklahoman
Cherokee Nation tribe invests millions in roads, bridges | The Journal Record
Republican governors are rejecting free summer lunch programs for kids | The Washington Post
From Iowa to Florida, national lawsuits against local book bans begin to gain traction | LA Times
Oklahoma wildlife board delays vote on bowfishing limitations amid public pushback | Oklahoma Voice
Cheyenne and Arapaho Tribes receive funds for Oklahoma bison herd expansion | KOSU
Potential name change could hit Ponca City's Pioneer Woman Museum | KFOR
Privacy Badger Puts You in Control of Widgets | Electronic Frontier Foundation
About Oklahoma: Comanche County
Welcome to Comanche County.
Comanche County is in the south-southwestern part of the state. The county was formed in 1901 as part of Oklahoma Territory and was named after the Comanche nation.
Lawton, Oklahoma, located in the center of the county at the intersection of Interstate 44, State Highway 7, and State Highway 62, is the county seat and the county’s largest city. Lawton is also home to the Museum of the Great Plains, Fort Sill, Cameron University, and the headquarters of the Comanche nation.
Other notable communities are Elgin, Fletcher, and Sterling in the northeastern, Geronimo and Faxon in the southern, Cache and Indiahoma in the western, and Meers and Medicine Park in the northern parts of the county.
Comanche County is also home to the Wichita Mountains National Wildlife Refuge, The Holy City of the Wichitas, Mount Scott, Lake Lawtonka, and Lake Ellsworth.
Established: 1901
County Seat: Lawton, Oklahoma 73501
Map: Google Maps
Area: 1,069 mi2 (2,769 km2)
Population: 121,125 (2020 Census)
Time Zone: UTC−6 (Central), DST observed
Area Code: 580
Congressional District: 4
State House District: 62, 63, 64, 65
State Senate District: 31, 32
Weather: NWS Norman
Tourism Region: Great Plains Country
History: Oklahoma Historical Society
Historic Places: Exploring Oklahoma History
More Information: Wikipedia
Extras
Here are some more things I hope you'll find interesting.
Farewell to Another College Football Season | Matt Mitchell
The Legend of the Wiener Schnitzel | Tasting History with Max Miller
Ranking 14 Frozen Pizzas | Babish Culinary Universe
Good Friend, Bad Master | Mary Spender
Goodbye Internet | The Game Theorists
Feedback Welcome
If you have any comments or questions, please feel free to leave a comment on Substrack, email me at blogoklahoma@blogoklahoma.net, or connect with me at Mastodon at @blogoklahoma@social.tulsa.ok.us or Threads at @blogoklahoma@threads.net.
Have a great week.
– K.