From staff reports LAWTON – Comanche County voters who want absentee ballots mailed to them for the Sept. 9 special election should apply now, Comanche County Election Board Secretary Amy Sims said in a news release.
Absentee ballots are available to all voters, as long as they are eligible to vote in that election. They do not have to supply a reason for voting by absentee ballot.
The deadline for requesting an absentee ballot for the Sept. 9 election is 5 p.m. Aug. 25, according to the news release. Voters may submit requests using the OK Voter Portal at oklahoma. gov/elections/ovp.
Request forms are also available at oklahoma.gov/elections and in the election board office, 315 SW Fifth St., Room 206.
Voters must allow time for receiving their absentee ballot, completing it and returning it by mail to the election board office, Sims said.
“With some exceptions, all absentee ballots 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 on time in order to be counted.”
Voters who are exempt from the notarization requirement include people who are physically incapacitated and the caregivers for physically incapacitated voters who cannot be left alone. Voters who request a “physically incapacitated” ballot must have the signature on their absentee ballot affidavit witnessed by two people.
Military personnel and voters who live overseas, along with their spouses and dependents, are eligible for certain allowances, according to the news release. Service men and women should contact the voting services officer in their unit for an absentee ballot application.
Voters who live overseas may obtain applications from any U.S. military installation, embassy or consulate. Military personnel and people living overseas who are already registered voters in Oklahoma may apply for absentee ballots through the OK Voter Portal.
People 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 returned to the election board no later than 7 p.m. the day of the election.
The election board office is open from 8:30 a.m. until 5 p.m. Monday through Friday. For more information, contact the election board at (580) 353-1880 or comanchecounty@elections.ok.gov.