September 16, 2020
By News Director Jared Atha
Voters who want to have absentee ballots mailed to them for the November 3 General Election also referred to as the Presidential Election should apply now.
Although area county election board offices can accept applications for absentee ballots until 5 p.m. on Tuesday, October 27, officials urged voters who want to vote by absentee ballot to apply early.
Voting officials say absentee ballot application forms are available in-person at local county election board offices and an online version of the form can be filled out and submitted electronically at elections.ok.gov. A print form can also be downloaded at that address.
Ballots must be in the hands of county election board officials by 7 p.m. on Election Day to be counted.
Officials said any registered voter may vote by absentee ballot in any election in which he/she is eligible to vote. It is not necessary to give a reason for voting absentee.
By stating one of the following reasons on their applications, absentee voters can activate special conditions that make it easier for them to use absentee ballots. The reasons are:
• Voters who are physically incapacitated and voters who care for physically incapacitated persons who cannot be left unattended may vote by absentee.
• Voters who are confined to nursing homes in the county may vote by absentee. An Absentee Voting Board actually goes to the nursing home a few days before the election, sets up a small polling place and allows these persons to vote under circumstances similar to those at a regular precinct polling place.
• Military personnel and residents of the county living overseas and the spouses and dependents of each group are eligible receive absentee ballots. Military personnel should contact the Voting Service Officers in their units for application forms and additional information or visit the Federal Voting Assistance Program website at fvap.gov/oklahoma for more information and instructions. Residents of Oklahoma living overseas can obtain the same materials from any United States military installation and from United States Embassies and Consulates as well as on the FVAP website.
