|
Listen to this article here
|
In a move that has been years in the making, Oklahoma is officially rolling out an online voter registration portal.
The portal, which launched Tuesday, makes Oklahoma the 41st state to implement an online application process.
For the past several years, the state allowed currently registered voters to make changes online. Voters could edit their address or their party affiliation without having to complete a paper ballot. New voters, however, still had to mail in or drop off a physical form to register.
Now, any Oklahoma resident over the age of 18 with US citizenship is eligible to register online, provided they have a state drivers license or identification card on file. The board says individuals without an Oklahoma drivers license or state ID card can still register using a paper application.
The State Election Board Secretary Paul Zirax assures Oklahomans that the registration portal is secure.
“The system has undergone rigorous testing to ensure it is safe and secure,” Zirax said in a statement.
He added that citizens can now “complete and submit a Voter Registration Application electronically from a desktop or mobile device.”
Election Board officials screen and process each application.
Voters will receive their Voter ID card in the mail once processing is complete. If an application is not approved, then the applicant will receive a letter from their county election board.
Oklahoma maintains one of the lowest voter turnout rates in the nation
In 2020, Oklahoma had one of the lowest voter turnout rates in the country. Just over 54% of registered voters showed up to the polls. In the 2022 gubernatorial election, that number was just above 50%.
A recent review of voting data showed that in 2022, nearly 76% of young voters under the age of 30 stayed home. It remains to be seen if simplifying the voter registration process will ultimately increase turnout in future elections.
Click here to complete an online Oklahoma voter registration form.