Getting Ready To Cast Ballots

Before you head to the polls, make sure you're armed with the facts.

Wednesday, October 29th 2008, 9:41 pm

By: News On 6

By Latoya Silmon, The News On 6

TULSA, OK -- Early voting starts Friday in Oklahoma. But, before you head to the polls, make sure you're armed with the facts.

Some say it's the most exciting election of our time and Tulsans are signing up in record numbers to be a part of it.

"We are now up to 362,000 registered voters. The only other year that has surpassed that was 1992," said Shelly Boggs with the Tulsa County Election Board.

The elections office is working overtime to get ready for the traffic, and some voters are showing up early to do their research.

"This is for myself because I want to be informed," said voter Andre Ramsey.

But, not everyone does their homework and despite instructions like the ones inside the voting booth, they say some people will make a mistake.

The News On 6 decided to put some common misperceptions to the test with true or false questions.

Is it okay to write in a candidate? Many would say true. But, it's actually false.

Doing so could mean getting your vote thrown out all together.

Also, could what you choose to wear get you kicked out of a polling site?

The answer would be true, if you're wearing clothing that in some way endorses a candidate. Technically that's electioneering because you are within 300 feet of a ballot box. The law says there will be no electioneering which would be a name of candidate, picture of a candidate or a button.

Can felons vote?

The answer is half true. Convicted felons can vote in Oklahoma after they've served their original sentence.

And, there's something else voters may not know. If you're voting along party lines, pay close attention to the ballot.

"A lot of times voters think that when they mark first area for straight party voting that takes care of the entire ballot and that's not so," said Shelly Boggs with the Tulsa County Election Board.

In Oklahoma, there are four categories on the ballot, and you must mark each one.

You can vote early this Friday, Saturday and next Monday. Election Day is Tuesday November 4th.