OKLAHOMA CITY – The number of registered voters has surpassed 2.4 million, the largest number since the state began tracking numbers in 2000, according to the Oklahoma State Board of Elections.
“I am encouraged by the recent numbers and growth in the number of registered voters we have seen over the past several years,” said Paul Ziriax, Secretary of the Oklahoma State Board of Elections. “We hope they indicate better overall turnout for the general election.”
Oklahoma has seen a net increase of more than 141,023 voters since Jan. 14 and 29,056 since September.
Republicans make up 52.33% of registered voters, while Democrats make up 26.98%. Independents make up 19.72%, while liberals make up 0.95%.
Oklahomans go to the polls from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. Tuesday to choose House and Congress members, a corporation commissioner and president, and to decide the fate of some appellate judges and two statewide matters.
Meanwhile, Oklahoma set a record high ahead of Tuesday’s election with a record number of early voters, according to the Oklahoma State Board of Elections.
Early voting began on Wednesday and ended on Saturday.
The agency reported that nearly 293,000 people showed up early to cast their votes.
The old record was set in 2020 at about 167,000, but that was over a three-day period, said Misha Mohr, spokeswoman for the Oklahoma State Board of Elections.
“We surpassed that number, I think, by midday on Friday,” she said.
All but one county has set early voting records this cycle, she said.
“The county that didn’t do it (Muscogee County) was very, very close,” she said.
Registered Republicans outnumbered Democrats, liberals and independents, casting 182,423 early votes in person.
Registered Democrats cast 74,117 votes, followed by independents, 34,372 votes, and liberals, 1,543 votes.
Locations across the state, especially Oklahoma City, Edmond and Tulsa, reported long lines and waits.
Voters at an Edmond early voting site in Oklahoma County on Saturday said they waited more than three hours to vote. Hundreds of people were still waiting in line to cast their votes about two hours after the sites closed.
Sen. Adam Pugh, R-Edmond, handed out tacos to those waiting in line at the Edmond location.
Sen. Adam Pugh, R-Edmond, handed out tacos to voters waiting in line at an early voting site in Edmond. (Photo courtesy of Adam Pugh)
Pugh, who was not on the ballot, said that by the end of Tuesday, he will have distributed more than 1,000 tacos.
“I’m just thanking you for coming, and I’m sorry these lines are so long,” Pugh said Monday.
He said he supports adding one day of early in-person voting and additional locations.
He believes this will increase voter turnout, especially among young voters.
“People shouldn’t just have to wait four to five hours to participate,” Pugh said.
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