National Voter Registration Day is Sept. 24, 2019, and the Ardmore Chamber of Commerce is encouraging residents to celebrate democracy by registering to vote.
Today more than ever, we need to engage in efforts to improve our community, state and nation. While network television focuses on the appearance of tremendous involvement in the political process, statistics produce a much different picture. Voter registration, especially among Oklahomans ages 18-24 has dropped by 30 percent from 2005, according to an analysis by the Tulsa World in 2015. Registering is the first step in exercising your right to vote, but it’s up to each individual to make sure they are registered and to keep their registration up to date.
Every eligible American voter should exercise his or her right to be heard at the ballot box this year and next, and National Voter Registration Day is a great reminder that in a representative democracy, we all have a responsibility to register and vote.
To register to vote in Oklahoma:
• You must be 18 years old on or before an election in which you are eligible to vote.
• You must be a citizen of the United States and a resident of the state of Oklahoma.
• You must affirm you have not been convicted of a felony or if you have been convicted, you have fully served your sentence of court-mandated calendar days, including any term of incarceration, parole or supervision, or completed a period of probation ordered by any court.
• You must affirm that you are not under judgment as an incapacitated person.
More than two million Americans have registered to vote on this day since the inaugural National Voter Registration Day, but don’t feel like you need to wait! While Sept. 24 is National Voter Registration Day, every day is voter registration day in Oklahoma and applications can be submitted at any time.
Those who are unable to make it to the election board can downloaded a voter registration application from the Oklahoma State Election Board website at elections.ok.gov. Current voters are encouraged to verify or update their registration using the election board’s online voter tool at elections.ok.gov.
For more information on registering to vote or updating your voter information, contact your local County Election Board or visit https://www.ok.gov/elections/Voter_Info/Register_to_Vote/index.html
