This is the release from Leah Jones at the Washita County Election Board.
TEMPORARY
ABSENTEE BALLOT VERIFICATION OPTION EXPIRES
A temporary absentee ballot verification option which was
put in place by state legislators last year has expired.
The temporary verification option was part of Senate Bill
210, which was passed in the spring of 2020 in response to the pandemic. The bill gave Oklahoma voters the option to
include a copy of their valid ID in lieu of a notarized or witnessed signature
on their absentee ballot affidavit.
Certain provisions of the bill were valid for the 2020 election year
only and expired in December.
County Election Board Secretary Leah Jones said voters who
request absentee ballots in 2021 will receive updated absentee ballot
instructions with their balloting material and should read them thoroughly
before placing their ballot in the mail.
According to Jones, “standard” absentee ballot affidavits
are required to be notarized.
“Physically incapacitated” absentee ballot affidavits must have the
voter’s signature witnessed by two people.
“In other words, voters will submit their absentee ballots
the same way they did prior to Senate Bill 210.
As always, we recommend voters to allow themselves plenty of time to
receive, vote, and return their ballots.” said Jones.
Voters can request absentee ballots online using the OK
Voter Portal on the State Election Board website at https://oklahoma.gov/elections/ovp.html
or pick up an application from the County Election Board. A list of notaries can be found on the State
Election Board website at https://oklahoma.gov/elections/voter-info/absentee-voting/notary-services.html.
For more information, voters can contact the Washita County
Election Board at (580) 832-3658 or WashitaCounty@elections.ok.gov.
The Election Board is located at 111 E Main, First Floor Courthouse, Cordell,
OK 73632. Office hours are Monday through Friday 9am to
3pm.
