Remember to vote in marijuana election
Early voting begins this Thursday, March 2, 2023, for the March 7, 2023, State Special Election for voters in Osage County. Voters who will not be able to make it to the polls on Election Day have the option of voting early at the Osage County Fairgrounds, 320 Skyline Drive, Pawhuska.
There is just one thing on the ballot for this election -- State Question 820, which asks if the recreational use of marijuana shall be legal for persons aged 21 years and older. A "yes" vote is a vote in favor of legalizing the recreational use of marijuana. A "no" vote is a vote against legalizing the recreational use of marijuana. This election has nothing to do with the medical use of marijuana in Oklahoma, which is legal and will remain legal regardless of how the State Question 820 election is decided.
Osage County Election Board Secretary Kelly Chouteau said early voting is open to all voters.
“You do not need to provide an excuse to vote early. Oklahoma allows early voting for all elections conducted through the 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,” Chouteau said.
Early voting is available Thursday, March 2, and Friday, March 3, 2023, from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. at the Osage County Fairgrounds, 320 Skyline Drive, Pawhuska. Chouteau reminds voters that early voting is NOT available at the polling locations.
The Osage County Election Board is located at 630 Kihekah Ave, Pawhuska, and is open from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., Monday through Friday. For questions, please contact the Election Board at 918-287-3036 or Osagecounty@elections.ok.gov.
SAMPLE BALLOTS
Sample ballots are now available for the March 7, 2023, State Special Election. Voters can download a sample ballot using the State Election Board’s OK Voter Portal at oklahoma.gov/elections/ovp or pick up a copy at the Osage County Election Board during normal business hours.
Kelly Chouteau, County Election Board Secretary, reminds voters that sample ballots are specific to each person.
“If the OK Voter Portal indicates that you have no sample ballots available, it means you are not eligible to vote in an upcoming election. We recommend checking the OK Voter Portal to make sure you have an election before heading to the polls,” Chouteau said.
Chouteau said sample ballots will also be posted outside every precinct polling place on Election Day, so voters can review them before casting their votes.
The Osage County Election Board is located at 630 Kihekah Ave, Pawhuska, and is open from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., Monday through Friday. For questions, please contact the Election Board at 918-287-3036 or Osagecounty@elections.ok.gov.
VOTING TIPS OFFERED BY ELECTION BOARD SECRETARY
Polls will be open from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. on Tuesday, March 7, 2023, State Special Election, Osage County Election Board Secretary Kelly Chouteau offered voters tips on how to make their votes count.
Chouteau said that a valid ballot marking a filled-in box (in either blue or black ballpoint ink) is important. If voters make mistakes marking their ballots, they should not try to correct those errors. Instead, a voter should return the spoiled ballot to precinct officials, who will destroy it and issue a new ballot to the voter.
Chouteau also urged voters to take their voter identification cards with them to the polls. “Your voter ID card (issued by the County Election Board) can help precinct officials find your name in the Precinct Registry, and it may help them resolve the problem if you are not listed in the Registry for some reason,” she said. Alternatively, voters can bring an unexpired photo ID card issued by the U.S. government, the state of Oklahoma, or a federally recognized tribal government.
Voters without ID, or whose names are not found in the Precinct Registry, or voters who disagree with the information shown in the Registry, may always cast a provisional ballot. A provisional ballot is sealed in a special envelope and counted after election day if the voter’s information can be verified by the County Election Board.
Chouteau said that voters who want to get through the line quickly should vote at mid-morning or mid-afternoon, because those usually are the two slowest periods.
"Anyone who is eligible and in line at the polling place at 7 p.m. on Tuesday, March 7, 2023, will be entitled to vote," the Osage County Election Board Secretary added.