Voting Tips Offered by Election Board Secretary

Polls will be open from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. on Nov. 4 (Tuesday) for the general election. Cindy Osburn, Sequoyah County Election Board Secretary, offered voters tips on how to make their votes count.

Osburn said that a valid ballot marking-a filled-in box (in either blue or black ballpoint ink) is important. If voters make mistakes marking their ballots, Osburn said they should not try to correct those errors. Instead, a voter should return the spoiled ballot to precinct officials, who will destroy it and issue a new ballot to the voter.

Osburn also urged voters to take their voter identification cards with them to the polls. She said, "Your voter ID card (issued by the election board)  can help precinct officials find their name in the Precinct Registry, and it may help them resolve the problem if you are not listed in the Registry for some reason." Alternatively, voters can bring an unexpired photo ID card issued by the U.S. government. Voters without ID, or whose names are not found in the Precinct Registry, or voters who disagree with the information shown in the registry, may always cast a provisional ballot. A provisional ballot is sealed in a special envelope and counted after election day if the voter's information can be verified by the election board.

Osburn said that voters who want to get through the line quickly should vote at mid-morning or mid-afternoon, because those usually are the two slowest periods. She said, "Anyone who is eligible and in line at the polling place at 7 p.m. on Tuesday will be entitled to vote." By Sally Maxwell, Senior News Editor

For more news stories stay tuned to The MIX 105.1 or visit www.kxmx.com