Tulsans share thoughts on absentee ballots, early voting ahead of election

TULSA, Okla. — Early voting began in Oklahoma last week, and there’s still time to vote with an absentee ballot.

FOX23 spoke with some Tulsans who are fans of absentee voting.

“I used to strictly do absentee ballot voting, because I like Googling and knowing what I’m voting for. But now, I just want to make sure I get it done,” said voter Cori Savage.

Another person said he’s adamant about voting in person.

“I’m standing here with neuropathy, and my feet really hurts,” said Ben. “But that shows that I’m committed, and I’m going to do it in person, no matter what.”

Not all voters feel that way. Absentee voting jumped 500% during the pandemic. FOX23 spoke with Tulsa County Election Board Secretary Gwen Freeman about the growth.

“A lot of folks realize, this is kind of easy,” said Freeman. “I like being able to fill out my ballots at my kitchen table, or I’m going to be out of town. And this is a really great way for me to be able to vote.”

15% of all votes cast during the pandemic were by absentee ballot. That number jumped to 22% in 2020.

It’s too late to request an absentee ballot for Tuesday’s election, but if you already have one, you can still submit it.

You’ll need to fill it out, sign it, and get it notarized. The envelope needs two stamps.

The election board must receive your ballot by Nov. 8. If you are worried about your ballot making it through the mail, you can deliver it personally to the election board.