Early voting begins Thursday, Feb. 6, for voters in Okmulgee County. The February election is a multi-district election, with five entities. Voters who cannot make it to the polls on Election Day, Feb. 11, have the option of voting early at the Okmulgee County Election Board. According to Okmulgee County Election Board Secretary Ashley Carnes, early voting is open to all voters. “You do not need to provide an excuse to vote early,” Carnes said. “Oklahoma allows early voting for all elections conducted by the County Election Board or State Election Board – from school board and municipal elections to state and federal elections. This is a great option for those who will be out of town on Election Day or who want to avoid long lines.”

Voters registered with an address in the County Commissioner District 1 and registered republican are eligible to vote in the Special Primary Election. As a reminder, the County Commissioner race is a partisan election, meaning a Party Primary. Oklahoma’s Primary elections are closed. Voters must be registered with the party to be eligible to vote in that party’s primary elections. The candidate with the highest number of votes from the February election will advance to the General Election scheduled for April 1.

Registered voters with an address registered in the city limits of Okmulgee are eligible to vote for the City of Okmulgee Councilmember at Large.

Three school districts will also be on the ballot for the February election. Registered voters with an address in either the Beggs Public School District, Preston Public School District or Wilson Public School District are eligible to vote on the school ballot.

Early voting is available Thursday, Feb. 6, and Friday, Feb. 7, from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. at the Okmulgee County Election Board office, located in the Okmulgee County Courthouse at 314 W. 7th Street, Room 102 in Okmulgee. Carnes reminds voters that early voting is not available at polling locations.

Some voters may need assistance to vote because they are blind or visually disabled, physically disabled or infirmed or illiterate. Such individuals may request to have an assistant or vote privately and independently using the ATI device attached to the voting device. Those who require assistance should talk to their precinct official or contact the County Election Board directly for instructions.

For questions, please contact the election board office at 918-756-2365 or OkmulgeeCounty@elections. ok.gov.