Early Primary Voting Starts Thursday

Voters will go to the polls Tuesday for the June 26 primary election, but early voting will be available Thursday and Friday, said Cindy Osborne, Sequoyah County Election Board secretary.

Osborne said early voting will be available at the election board office in Sallisaw from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. June 21 and 22. Early voting will also be available on June 23, (Saturday), from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m.

On Tuesday, polls are open from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m., but anyone in line at 7 p.m. will be allowed to vote. Lines are possible at peak voting times. Wait times are usually shortest at mid-morning and mid-afternoon.

Anyone who needs to look up their polling place, verify their registration information, or view a sample ballot may do so on line. The Online Voter Tool can be accessed on the Oklahoma State Election Board website at www.elections.ok.gov. 

Those who vote by mail may also check the status of their ballot using the Online Voter Tool.

Sample ballots are also available at the county election board office.

Oklahoma law requires every voter who votes in person at the precinct polling place or during early voting at the county election board to show proof of identity before receiving a ballot. There are three ways for voters to prove their identity under the law (only one proof is required). They may show a valid photo ID issued by a federal, state or tribal government, or show the free voter identification card issued to every voter by the county election board, or sign an affidavit and vote a provisional ballot. If the information on the affidavit matches official voter registration records, the ballot will be counted after election day.

Physically disabled voters who cannot enter the polling place, need help marking their ballots, blind or visually disabled voters and illiterate voters may be assisted by a person the voter chooses. In all cases, a person providing such assistance may not be the voter’s employer or an agent of the employer or an officer or agent of the voter’s union. A person proving assistance also must swear or affirm that the voter’s ballots will be marked in accordance with the voter’s wishes. Alternatively, all blind, visually impaired, and physically disabled voters in Sequoyah County may use the audio-tactile interface (ATI), a feature offered on all Oklahoma voting devices, to vote privately and independently, either at the election board during early voting or at the polling place on election day.

Voters who have moved since the last election. But who have not transferred their voter registration to their new address, may do so on election day by going to vote at the polling place where their registration has been in the past. While voting, they may fill out a form instructing the county election board to transfer their registration to the new address before the next election.

Those who become physically incapacitated after 5 p.m. on June 19 may still request an emergency absentee ballot. Those who might qualify for an emergency absentee ballot should contact the county election board office at 918-775-2614 as soon as possible for more information.

Any violation of election law will be reported to the proper law enforcement authorities. Electioneering is not allowed within 300 feet of a ballot box. It is also unlawful to remove a ballot from the polling location, possess intoxicating liquors within half a mile of a polling place or to disclose how you voted while within the election enclosure.

For more election information visit www.elections.ok.gov.

Sally Maxwell, Senior News Director

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