Deadline For Voter Registration Drawing Near

Many Oklahomans are signing up to vote and stacks of registrations are coming in to the election board.

Despite the numbers, there is no backlog since the election board hired extra help to process new voter registrations.

At the Tulsa County Election Board, people come in to register one or two at a time, but by mail, it’s by the hundreds.

“If you’re mailing it, you need to have it postmarked by midnight tomorrow night,” said Board Secretary Gwen Freeman.

Freeman says the surge was first attributed to interest in medical marijuana, but the pace has continued.

“It’s hard to tell when it actually started,” said Freeman.  “Obviously, we had an increase for the June election.”

The ballots those voters need are just back from the printer and they’re being rolled back into the vault for safekeeping.

The November 6th election will determine the makeup of the U.S. Congress and the state legislature, as well as the gubernatorial race.

After many moves for the military, registering to vote at each stop, Sergeant First Class Rodney Moses registered in Tulsa on Thursday.

“Very important,” said Moses.  “Being in Memphis, voting there, and now voting here.  I think everyone should vote.”

Even with the surge in registrations, the Tulsa County Election Board says it will get everyone assigned to a precinct – as long as the form is either handed in or mailed by the Friday deadline.

“We have the staff available and the hours available to get them in.  That’s why the deadline is set that way by law,” stated Freeman.  “It allows us to take these voters who register at the last minute.  It allows us to get them into the system so they can vote on November 6th.”

While the forms are available online, you cannot register online.  The forms have to be turned in at the election board or mailed.