To the Editor:
Today I was invited to observe “live ballot testing” of the upcoming Presidential Preferential Primary Election at my McClain County Election Board. I was invited because I am an officer of one of the three political parties. I learned a few things that I want to share with you.
• Every voting machine in the state of Oklahoma is the same.
• The voting machines are stored in locked, secure areas of each county.
• The machines are checked out and returned by an appointed official of each precinct on the day of the election.
• There is absolutely no connection to the internet with the machines
• Each precinct runs a tape first thing in the morning to zero out all activity from that machine.
• When registered voters come to vote, they check in with a poll worker who makes sure they are registered and listed in the polling book.
• The voter signs a form and is given the ballot or ballots they are eligible to vote that day.
• Each ballot has a bar code that is unique, so it could never be cast twice.
• Once the voter has marked his/her ballot, he/she scans it into the voting machine. The ballot can be put in either direction since the machine reads both sides.
• If the voter marks the ballot incorrectly, the machine rejects it, and the voter can spoil that ballot and receive another ballot to vote.
• When voting is finished at the end of the day, another tape is run which shows the exact count of ballots for that precinct for the day.
• The voting machine is returned to the County Election Board where the votes are tallied.
• Absentee ballots are counted by the voting machines in the same way.
• Absentee ballots must be received by the County Election Board by 7pm on election day
• Absentee ballot Affidavits must be carefully and completely filled out. On the Standard Affidavits, the voter’s signature must be notarized. There must be two witnesses on the Physically incapacitated Affidavits.
• The Notary cannot charge for notarizing an absentee ballot in Oklahoma
• The Election Board will meet on Wednesday, February 28, at 10:00 a.m. to open the ballots they receive up to that date. They will meet again on Tuesday, March 5, at 10 a.m. to open any who come in after the 28th.
So, to answer my questions. Yes, Oklahoma elections are fair and they are free.
You can check your Voter’s Registration online at https://okvoterportal. okelections.us/.
The deadline to request an Absentee Ballot for the March 5th election was February 19th, but you can apply for Absentee Ballots for the rest of 2024 at the website listed above. All requests must be received by the Election Board no later than 15 days prior to the election.
For further information and answers to questions go to Oklahoma State Election Board.
Remember to vote March 5th in the Presidential Preferential Primary Election.
Sherrie McNall
McClain County Democratic Party chair Newcastle
