The Pottawatomie County Election Board has released updated information pertaining to school board elections for voters in the Dale and Konawa school districts.
Dale
Potential voters who have not yet registered to participate in the Dale I-2 special school board elections may apply for registration through Friday, Feb. 5, as long as those individuals are U.S. citizens, Oklahoma residents and at least 18 years old.
In addition, those who have never registered or aren’t currently registered in their counties of residence, as well as those who are registered but need to change their registration information — include name, address or political affiliation changes — may complete and mail an Oklahoma Voter Registration Application form to the election board prior to the deadline. The deadline for such applications stipulates that they must be postmarked no later than midnight Friday, Feb. 5.
Applications that are not postmarked prior to the Feb. 5 deadline will still be accepted and processed but will not be approved until after March 2, Diana Knight, election board secretary, said.
The county election board responds in writing to each person who submits an application for voter registration. Responses include voter identification cards, including a new voter’s precinct number and polling place, or a letter explaining the reason the application was not approved.
Any person who does not receive a written response within 30 days after submitting a registration application should call the election board, Knight said.
Forms are available at the election board office, 325 N. Broadway, Room 105, Shawnee, and at all post offices, tag offices and public libraries within the county.
For additional voting information, call the election board office at 273-8376.
Konawa
The application period has ended for registered voters who would like to cast absentee ballots by mail for the Feb. 9 Konawa annual school and special school bond elections.
“They aren’t out of luck, however,” Knight said of those who want to vote absentee. “In-person absentee voters fill out an application form when they get to the office. They are not required to give a reason for voting absentee. They are required to swear that they have not voted a regular mail absentee ballot and that they will not vote at their polling places on election day.”
Absentee ballots must be cast between 8 a.m. and 6 p.m. Friday, Feb. 5 or Monday, Feb. 8 at the county election board office. A two-member bipartisan absentee voting board will be available during those times to assist absentee voters.
Voter’s registration information is verified by the absentee voting board before a ballot is issued, Knight said. Then, the voter marks the ballots in a voting booth and puts the ballots into the voting device, she said.
“It is very much like voting at a precinct polling place,” Knight said.
“Physical incapacitation” exception
Registered voters in Pottawatomie County who became physically incapacitated after 5 p.m. Feb. 2 do not have to miss voting in the Feb. 9 elections, Knight said.
State law permits registered voters who will be unable to go to the polls because they became incapacitated after that time to vote on an emergency basis, she said.
“Physical incapacitation” includes a variety of conditions, such as injury, illness or childbirth, that prevent a person from voting in-person at the polls on election day, she said.
“If you think that you or someone you know fits into the category, contact the county election board office as soon as possible for more information,” Knight said.
Tips for making votes count
• Knight said that a valid marking — a filled-in arrow — is shown on posters at the polling place and inside the voting booths to assist voters with understanding proper marking techniques. If a mistake is made when a voter is marking his or her ballots, the voter should not try to correct the error but instead, should returned the ballot to the precinct officials, who will then destroy it and issue a new ballot to the voter.
• Knight also said voters should have their voter identification cards with them when headed to the polls.
“Your voter identification card can help precinct officials find your name in the precinct registry and it may also help them resolve the problem if you are not listed in the precinct,” she said.
• A provisional ballot might need to be cast if a voter is not found in the precinct registry or if a voter disagrees with information shown in the registry. A provisional ballot is sealed in a special envelope and counted after election day if the voter’s information can be verified by the county election board.
• Timing also is key when voting, Knight said. Voters who want to go quickly through the line should vote at mid-morning or mid-afternoon, as those times usually represent the two slowest periods for voting during the day, she said.
• Another issue involving timing is consideration of the closing time for polls, which is 7 p.m.
“Anyone who is eligible and in line at the polling place at 7 p.m. on Tuesday will be entitled to vote,” Knight said.
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Information provided by Pottawatomie County Election Board and compiled by staff writer Johnna Ray.
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The Pottawatomie County Election Board has released updated information pertaining to school board elections for voters in the Dale and Konawa school districts.
Dale
Potential voters who have not yet registered to participate in the Dale I-2 special school board elections may apply for registration through Friday, Feb. 5, as long as those individuals are U.S. citizens, Oklahoma residents and at least 18 years old.
In addition, those who have never registered or aren’t currently registered in their counties of residence, as well as those who are registered but need to change their registration information — include name, address or political affiliation changes — may complete and mail an Oklahoma Voter Registration Application form to the election board prior to the deadline. The deadline for such applications stipulates that they must be postmarked no later than midnight Friday, Feb. 5.
Applications that are not postmarked prior to the Feb. 5 deadline will still be accepted and processed but will not be approved until after March 2, Diana Knight, election board secretary, said.
The county election board responds in writing to each person who submits an application for voter registration. Responses include voter identification cards, including a new voter’s precinct number and polling place, or a letter explaining the reason the application was not approved.
Any person who does not receive a written response within 30 days after submitting a registration application should call the election board, Knight said.
Forms are available at the election board office, 325 N. Broadway, Room 105, Shawnee, and at all post offices, tag offices and public libraries within the county.
For additional voting information, call the election board office at 273-8376.
Konawa
The application period has ended for registered voters who would like to cast absentee ballots by mail for the Feb. 9 Konawa annual school and special school bond elections.
“They aren’t out of luck, however,” Knight said of those who want to vote absentee. “In-person absentee voters fill out an application form when they get to the office. They are not required to give a reason for voting absentee. They are required to swear that they have not voted a regular mail absentee ballot and that they will not vote at their polling places on election day.”
Absentee ballots must be cast between 8 a.m. and 6 p.m. Friday, Feb. 5 or Monday, Feb. 8 at the county election board office. A two-member bipartisan absentee voting board will be available during those times to assist absentee voters.
Voter’s registration information is verified by the absentee voting board before a ballot is issued, Knight said. Then, the voter marks the ballots in a voting booth and puts the ballots into the voting device, she said.
“It is very much like voting at a precinct polling place,” Knight said.
“Physical incapacitation” exception
Registered voters in Pottawatomie County who became physically incapacitated after 5 p.m. Feb. 2 do not have to miss voting in the Feb. 9 elections, Knight said.
State law permits registered voters who will be unable to go to the polls because they became incapacitated after that time to vote on an emergency basis, she said.
“Physical incapacitation” includes a variety of conditions, such as injury, illness or childbirth, that prevent a person from voting in-person at the polls on election day, she said.
“If you think that you or someone you know fits into the category, contact the county election board office as soon as possible for more information,” Knight said.
Tips for making votes count
• Knight said that a valid marking — a filled-in arrow — is shown on posters at the polling place and inside the voting booths to assist voters with understanding proper marking techniques. If a mistake is made when a voter is marking his or her ballots, the voter should not try to correct the error but instead, should returned the ballot to the precinct officials, who will then destroy it and issue a new ballot to the voter.
• Knight also said voters should have their voter identification cards with them when headed to the polls.
“Your voter identification card can help precinct officials find your name in the precinct registry and it may also help them resolve the problem if you are not listed in the precinct,” she said.
• A provisional ballot might need to be cast if a voter is not found in the precinct registry or if a voter disagrees with information shown in the registry. A provisional ballot is sealed in a special envelope and counted after election day if the voter’s information can be verified by the county election board.
• Timing also is key when voting, Knight said. Voters who want to go quickly through the line should vote at mid-morning or mid-afternoon, as those times usually represent the two slowest periods for voting during the day, she said.
• Another issue involving timing is consideration of the closing time for polls, which is 7 p.m.
“Anyone who is eligible and in line at the polling place at 7 p.m. on Tuesday will be entitled to vote,” Knight said.
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Information provided by Pottawatomie County Election Board and compiled by staff writer Johnna Ray.
