Voter Registration
Every detail from eligibility to explicit instructions for registering to vote, changing registration, and schedules get much needed basics easily into the hands of every potential voter.
Eligibility
A person who is eligible to register to vote must be:
- at least 18 years old
- a United States citizen
- a resident of Oklahoma
However, a person who has been:
- convicted of a felony may not register until a period of time equal to the
original judgment and sentence has expired.
- adjudged to be an incapacitated person may not register.
- adjudged to be a partially incapacitated person prohibited from voting may
not register.
How to Register
You must fill out a voter registration application form.
Voter registration applications are available at your County Election Board,
post offices, tag agencies, libraries and many other public locations. You will
be offered a voter registration application when you get your driver's license
and when you apply for assistance at some government agencies. You also may
download an application
form or send a request to
receive a form by U.S.
Mail.
The application form asks for:
- your name and address
- your political affiliation
- your birth date
- the last four digits of your Social Security number
- your driver's license number (optional)
You must sign and date the
oath printed on the form. When you sign the voter registration application form,
you swear that you are eligible to register to vote.
Changing Your Registration
You may need to change your voter
registration.
Changes you may need to make are:
- your address
- your name
- your political affiliation
You must fill out another voter
registration application form to change your voter registration. You may change
your registration at any time with one exception. You may not change your
political affiliation during the period from June 1 through August 31,
inclusive, in any even-numbered year. The last day on which you may change your
political affiliation before the closed period is May 31; the first day on which
you may change your political affiliation after the closed period is September 1.
Submitting Your Application
You may mail your voter registration
application to the State Election Board. The card is already addressed, but you
must add a first-class postage stamp. If you fill out your voter registration
application form at a tag agency when you get your driver's license or when you
apply for assistance at a government agency, the agency will mail the form to
the State Election Board for you.
Voter Identification Card
You do not become a registered voter until
the county election board in the county where you reside has approved your
application. When your application is approved, the county election board will
mail a voter identification card to you. Your voter identification card lists
your name, address, political affiliation and the polling place for your voting
precinct. When you receive your voter identification card, look at it carefully
and report any errors to the county election board immediately. Keep your voter
identification card in a safe place and always take it with you when you go to
vote.
If your voter registration application cannot be approved, you will receive a
letter from the county election board. The letter will tell you why your
application was not approved and explain the steps you need to take to become
registered. You may be able to return the letter with some additional
information, or you may need to fill out and send in another voter registration
application form.
Closed Primary System
Oklahoma has a closed primary system. Only voters
who are registered members of a recognized political party may vote for the
party's candidates in primary and runoff primary elections. Registered
Independent voters may be eligible to vote in party's primaries and runoff
primaries if authorized by the party.
However, nonpartisan judicial offices, state questions and county questions
often are included in primary elections. All registered voters, including
Independents, are entitled to receive those ballots. At general elections, all
voters receive the same ballot and may vote for any candidate or question on the
ballot.
Cancelled Registration
In most cases, voter registration is permanent.
However, some voter registrations are canceled.
The county election board may cancel a registration:
- if the voter dies
- if the voter is convicted of a felony
- If the voter is adjudged to be an incapacitated person
- if the voter moves and registers again in another county or in another
state
- if the voter asks the county election board in a written, notarized
statement to cancel the registration
- if the voter does not respond to correspondence from the county election
board and does not vote for more than four years
When to Register
You may submit your voter registration application form
at any time. However, voter identification cards cannot be issued during the 24
days prior to an election. If your registration application is received by the
county election board during the 24 days before an election, you will not
receive your voter identification card until after the election.
If you will become 18 during the 60 days before an election, you may apply
for voter registration between 25 and 60 days before the election.
Additional Information
For additional information about voting in
Oklahoma, contact your local county election board or the State Election Board.
Oklahoma State Election Board
PO Box 53156
Oklahoma City, OK
73152
(405) 521-2391
Download Voter
Registration Application Form
Request Voter
Registration Application Form by Mail