Oklahoma voters who want to cast a ballot before Election Day will have just four days to do it.
Early voting for the Nov. 3 general election runs Wednesday, Oct. 28, through Saturday, Oct. 31. Sites are open 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. Wednesday through Friday and 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday. No excuse is needed to vote early.
That window ranks among the shortest in the nation. Early voting periods range from three to 46 days across the states, with an average of 20 days, according to the National Conference of State Legislatures. In Minnesota and South Dakota, voters could begin casting ballots around Sept. 18.
Where Oklahoma Ranks
Only a handful of states offer less time. Kentucky gives voters three days, Oct. 29 through Oct. 31. Utah lets local officials set a window as short as four days.
Alabama, Mississippi and New Hampshire offer no standard early voting at all. Voters there need an approved excuse to cast an absentee ballot in person.
Most of the states with the tightest windows are in the South. They include Mississippi and Alabama, home to two of the largest Black population shares in the country.
Georgia offers a contrast. The state requires 17 days of early voting, including two mandatory Saturdays.
A State That Already Struggles at the Polls
Oklahoma’s short early voting window comes in a state with some of the lowest turnout in the nation. Oklahoma gives voters just 4 Days to vote early.
In the 2020 general election, 55% of eligible Oklahomans voted, the lowest rate among all 50 states and Washington, D.C., according to Oklahoma Watch. In the 2022 midterms, turnout fell to 40% of the voting-eligible population, the sixth-lowest in the country.
A shorter window leaves fewer options for voters who work hourly shifts, care for children or rely on others for a ride. For them, a four-day stretch can mean one realistic chance to vote early, or none.
The squeeze comes as voting rights groups nationwide push turnout after the U.S. Supreme Court weakened the Voting Rights Act in Louisiana v. Callais in April.
Key Dates for Oklahoma Voters
- Oct. 19, 5 p.m.: Deadline to request an absentee ballot
- Oct. 28-31: Early voting at county sites
- Nov. 2: Hand-delivered absentee ballots due by close of business
- Nov. 3: Election Day, polls open 7 a.m. to 7 p.m.; mailed absentee ballots must arrive by 7 p.m.
Tulsa County will have four early voting sites for the Nov. 3 election, open Oct. 28–30 from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. and Oct. 31 from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m.:
- Tulsa County Election Board headquarters: 12000 E. Skelly Drive
- Tulsa Technology Center, Broken Arrow campus: 4000 W. Florence Street
- O’Brien Park Community Center: 6149 N. Lewis Avenue. This is the site for North Tulsa, Turley, Sperry, Skiatook, Collinsville and Owasso.
- Chandler Park Community Center: 6500 W. 21st Street. This one is closer to Sand Springs, Berryhill, West Tulsa and Mannford.
In Oklahoma County, early voting will be held at the County Election Board in northeast Oklahoma City, The Rock Church in southeast Oklahoma City and The MAC at Mitch Park in Edmond. Voters in other counties should check with their county election board for locations.
The ballot includes races for governor, lieutenant governor, attorney general, state superintendent and Congress, along with judicial retention votes. With only four days to vote early, voters should make a plan now.
