Voters May Need ID On Election Day

Some voters will be required to show identification at the polling place on November 4, because it is a federal election, according to Patty Bryant, Secretary of the Tulsa County Election Board.  Voters who registered to vote by mail and did not provide identification with the mailed voter registration application will be asked for identification when they vote in a federal election the first time. 

"This is required by a federal law called the Help America Vote Act," she added.     

Several forms of identification are acceptable and include:

• A current photo identification
• A voter identification card issued by the Tulsa County Election Board
• A government document showing the voter's name and address
•  A utility bill, bank statement, or paycheck showing the voter's name and address

Voters who registered to vote by mail withou providing identification and have not voted in a federal election will need to have some form of identification with them prior to going to the poll. After showing identification, the voter will be issued a regular ballot, just as voters who are not required to show identification. 

She said if a voter is required to show identification there will be a message stating so in the signature line by the voter's name in the precinct registry, which will say "IDENTIFICATION REQUIRED."

After the voter shows the identification, they will simply sign their name over this message.  If a person being asked for "IDENTIFICATION REQUIRED" does not have any identification with them, they will then be issued a provisional ballot.  Once verified, at the County Election Board office, the ballot will be counted and included in the final election results, Bryant said. 

Any voter who registers by mail may include a copy of one of the acceptable forms of identification with their mailed Oklahoma Voter Registration Application.  She said voters who provide a copy of acceptable identification when registering will avoid showing the identification at the poll.

Still need to register? Click on NewsOn6.com's Nov. 4th General Election Guide!