Comanche County voters who want absentee ballots mailed to them for the Aug. 25 runoff primary and special election should apply now, Comanche County Election Board Secretary Amy Sims said last Monday.
Absentee ballots are available to all registered voters, provided they are eligible to vote in the election requested. Voters are not required to provide a reason for voting absentee.
The deadline for requesting an absentee ballot is 5 p.m. Aug. 10. Voters may submit their requests through the OK Voter Portal at oklahoma.gov/elections/ovp. Request forms are also available at oklahoma.gov/elections and at the county election board office, 315 SW Fifth St., Room 206.
Voters should allow time for their absentee ballot to be received, completed and returned by mail to the election board, Sims said.
“With some exceptions, all absentee ballot affidavits must be notarized before being returned,” she said. “Voters should give themselves plenty of time to make sure all steps have been followed and that the ballot is returned correctly in order to be counted.”
Voters who are exempt from having an absentee ballot notarized include those who are physically incapacitated and those who care for physically incapacitated people who cannot be left alone. Voters requesting a “physically incapacitated” ballot must have their absentee ballot affidavit witnessed by two people.
Military personnel and residents who live overseas, along with their spouses and dependents, are also eligible for certain allowances. Service members should contact the voting services officer in their unit for an absentee ballot application.
Residents living overseas may obtain absentee ballot applications from any U.S. military installation, embassy or consulate.
Military personnel and overseas citizens who are registered to vote in Oklahoma may apply for absentee ballots using the OK Voter Portal. Those who need to complete a new voter registration application should apply through the Federal Voting Assistance Program at fvap.gov.
All completed absentee ballots must be in the election board’s hands no later than 7 p.m. the day of the election.
The election board is open from 8:30 a.m. until 5 p.m. Monday through Friday. For questions, contact the board at (580) 353-1880 or comanchecounty@elections.ok.gov.