More Oklahomans – 1,564,573 – cast a vote for President on Nov. 5 this year than in any previous general election, State Election Board Secretary Paul Ziriax announced the next day.
In addition, Oklahomans set a new record for in-person early voting, by more than 120,000, Ziriax said.
Nearly 293,100 Oklahomans cast in-person absentee ballots prior to Election Day, records reflect.
“Heading into this election we also had the largest number of registered voters – 2,442,211 – since we began tracking this statistic in 2000,” he added. A little over 64% of them voted on Nov. 5.
“I am deeply grateful for the poll workers, county election officials, and State Election Board employees who worked so hard to make this election possible even with heavy turnout and despite the storms that ravaged parts of our state in the days before the election,” Ziriax said. “Our election officials are thankful to local, state and federal law enforcement officials for their efforts to keep everyone safe during the General Election.”
Comanche County marched in lockstep with the rest of the state and the nation.
For example, the Donal Trump/J.D. Vance ticket was preferred by 66.17% of Oklahoma voters, and 60.75% of the Comanche County voters.
U.S. Rep. Tom Cole (R-Moore) captured 65.25% of the 306,201 votes cast in the 4th Congressional District, and 61.78% of the 34,270 votes cast in Comanche County in that race.
Lawton’s three state representatives won reelection.
• Republican Daniel Pae received almost 57% of the vote in House District 62, while Democrat Allison Offield received a little over 43%.
• Republican Rande Worthen was preferred in 53.82% of the 10,042 votes cast in House District 64. Democrat Tom Sutherlin received 46.18% of the vote.
• Republican Trey Caldwell received 81.18% of the 12,348 total votes cast in House District 63, and Democrat Shykira Smith got the other 18.82%. That district encompasses portions of Comanche, Tillman, Cotton and Kiowa counties.
Allowing alcoholic beverages to be sold in Comanche County on Sundays was endorsed in 21,100 (62.09%) of the 33,981 votes tabulated in that issue. Opponents of the measure numbered 12,881 (37.91%).
State Question 833, a proposed constitutional amendment that would have authorized municipalities to create public infrastructure districts, was rejected statewide by 61.61% of the voters on that issue. SQ 833 was spurned in Comanche County, too: 53.13% no to 46.87% yes.
State Question 834 – clarifying state law to decree that “only” U.S. citizens, not “all” U.S. citizens, are allowed to vote in Oklahoma elections – was approved in 80.73% of the votes cast across the state on that proposal. It passed 83.93% yes to 16.07% no in Comanche County.
And in Lawton’s Ward 2, R.L. Smith defeated Shelli Fox in the contest to replace City Councilman Kelly Harris, who is stepping down after one term.
Smith is slated to receive the oath of off ice on Jan. 14 from municipal judge Nathan Johnson and will serve a three-year term.
Republicans constitute 52.33% of Oklahoma’s registered voters, while Democrats make up 26.98%. Independents represent the third largest group of registered voters in the state: 19.72% of voter registrations. Libertarians constitute less than 1% of the state’s registration.
Oklahoma had a net increase of a little more than 141,000 registered voters since Jan. 15, Ziriax reported. Nearly 62% of them registered Republican, Independents accounted for 32.46% of the registrants, 4.57% registered as Democrats, and Libertarians accounted for just under 1% of the new voters.