Get out the vote!

If you’ve been in seclusion for the last few months, you may not realize that the 2022 General Election is coming up. Tuesday, Nov. 8, to be exact. If you’re a registered Oklahoma voter, make sure you set aside a little time that day to get to the polls if you haven't already submitted your absentee ballot.

Polls will be open from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. on election day. To find your polling place and view a sample ballot for your precinct, or to request an absentee ballot, use the OK Voter Portal. It’s a great, easy-to-use site that offers a wealth of information and probably has answers to your questions.

In-person absentee voting, more commonly referred to as “early voting” in Oklahoma, is available to all voters. No excuse is needed. You can vote early in your county at your designated early voting location from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. on the Thursday and Friday preceding any election. For this General Election, early voting is also available from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. on the Saturday immediately preceding the election and from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. on the Wednesday preceding the General Election. You must vote in the county where you are registered. To find your early voting location, click here.

Every voter who votes in person at the precinct polling place or during early voting at the County Election Board must show proof of identity before receiving a ballot. There are three ways to prove who you are: (1) photo identification; (2) County Election Board voter identification card; (3) affidavit with a provisional ballot.

What’s on the ballot? Some big stuff. Offices like governor, lieutenant governor, other state officials, US Senate and House, state senate and house, judges, school boards, and, depending on your community, municipal government officials and local ballot measures. A good place to see a list of candidates in the election for your community is Ballotpedia. Along with sample ballots, you can find candidate information on many of the people running for office -- to help you make informed decisions.

If, for some reason, you’re not registered yet, you can still register but won’t be eligible to vote in this General Election; you will be able to vote in the January elections if you register by Dec. 9.

Participate in your community and government by exercising your right to vote. Your vote makes a difference. Do your part to make Oklahoma the ideal place to call home!