Paul Ziriax
OKLAHOMA CITY — The Oklahoma State Election Board launched its new Online Voter Registration System recently, State Election Board Secretary Paul Ziriax announced.
Oklahoma joins 41 other states, Washington, D.C., and the territory of Guam that offer online voter registration, according to the National Conference of State Legislatures.
Online voter registration was implemented in Arizona and Pennsylvania two decades ago, in 2002; in Kansas and Louisiana in 2009; Colorado, 2009-10; Missouri, 2014; and New Mexico, 2015-16, NCSL records reflect.
The new online system allows individuals to complete and submit a voter registration application electronically after a match of data from the applicant’s Oklahoma driver’s license or state identification card.
“Oklahoma’s new online voter registration system allows citizens to securely complete and submit a voter registration application electronically from a desktop or mobile device,” said Ziriax. “The system has undergone rigorous testing to ensure it is safe and secure,” he added.
To register to vote online, state law requires that an eligible applicant must:
• Be a citizen of the United States, a resident of Oklahoma, and 18 years or older by Election Day.
• Have a valid Oklahoma driver’s license or state identification card issued by Service Oklahoma (Oklahoma’s driver license agency); and
• Have a digital signature on file with Service Oklahoma.
Individuals who have no Oklahoma driver’s license, state identification card or a digital signature on file cannot submit a voter registration application online, but may fill out an application using the OK Voter Portal “voter registration wizard” and submit the application by mail or in person to the applicant’s county election board.
All voter registration applications – including those submitted online – are reviewed and manually processed by the County Election Board Secretary prior to approval. After processing and approval of a voter registration application, the voter will receive a Voter ID card by mail confirming the registration.
If an application is unable to be approved, the county election board will notify the applicant by mail.