Practice & Voice

Absentee Ballot How-To




Steps for Submitting Your Absentee Ballot

STEP 1: Mark both sides of the ballot with blue or black pen. Be sure to fill in the entire box by your choice. Be sure to make no stray marks. Do not mark more than one selection per contest.

Tip: If you spoil or make a mistake on your ballot, call the Election Board for instructions. The number for the Tulsa County Election Board is
918-596-5000.



STEP 2: Place the ballot inside the white Ballots envelope and seal.



STEP 3: Seal the white Ballot envelope inside the yellow Affidavit envelope.



STEP 4: Validate your Ballot

Due to OK being in a State of Pandemic Emergency, you have two options for validating your ballot: Attach a copy of your ID OR have it notarized

Attach Your ID

Print your name as it appears on your voter registration and sign the Affidavit. (The Election Board will accept minor discrepancies such as middle initial vs full middle name. If there are other issues such as change of name you are best to go in person to the Polls or early voting.) When in doubt, call the Election Board.

Obtain a photo copy of the front and back of your Oklahoma ID, your military ID, or your voter registration card and attach with tape or paper clip to the outside of the yellow envelope.

NOTE: The drive through teller at your bank is glad to make a copy of your ID if you want a way to get this done while maintaining COVID precautions.

IS YOUR ID EXPIRED? If it will expire before Election Day, you will need to go to a Tag Office and renew before casting your ballot. But remember, your Voter Registration Card never expires.



OR

Have your Ballot Notarized

Print your name on the envelope as it appears on your voter registration, but DO NOT SIGN the Affidavit. Bring an unexpired, state-issued ID to the notary. You may not use a voter registration card as proof of identity for a notary.

The notary will witness you sign the Affidavit envelope, then sign and stamp it with their seal. All Souls ACTION will be notarizing ballots at the church the following times:

Sat Oct 10, 10am-2pm

Sun, Oct 18, 1-3pm

Wed, Oct 21, 4-6pm

Sat, Oct 24, 10am-2pm

Many banks also provide notary services. It is always FREE to have a ballot notarized.

Return Your Ballot

STEP 5: Return your ballot by mail OR deliver in person to the Election Board.

If you mail it, make sure to place TWO STAMPS on the envelope.
The Election Board urges voters to mail the ballot at least a week prior to election, because it must arrive at the Election Board by 7:00 pm on Election Day in order to be counted.

Some people have concerns about what might happen in the mail. In my case, I always take my outgoing mail to the mail drop at the local Post Office, as mailbox vandalism has been a problem in my neighborhood.

If you are running close to the deadline to mail and can drive, there is a collection box at the USPS Processing plant at 2132 S 91st East Ave, Tulsa – Near Golden Corral and Camping World. By mailing there, you save an extra day.

OR, you can deliver in person to the Tulsa County Election Board at 555 N Denver Ave (for Tulsa County voters).

REMEMBER, no one else is allowed to deliver your absentee ballot for you. Sorry folks!



DISCLAIMER: This is just me doing my ballot. There are official instructions online at the Tulsa County Election Board website and the Oklahoma State Election Board website. You can also call them on the phone. Even though I have been a precinct worker for two years now, and have done this before, I still had one nagging question. They picked up on the second ring and I got my answer. The number for the Tulsa County Election Board is 918-596-5000.

Voting 101 in 2020 presented by All Souls #UUtheVOTE 

Sunday, October 11 | 4 p.m. Central |  Register: bit.ly/asucvote101 
Learn/Review some basics of the Oklahoma voting process and get your questions answered by a panel of experts and our UU the Vote team!

When is early voting? What do I need to take with me to vote? How do I know if I’m registered?  What if I spill coffee all over my absentee ballot?  Whether you are a first time voter or have been voting for decades, please join and get the most up to date information for making sure your vote counts this fall. #UUtheVote at All Souls is powered by our Voting Is Power justice team.

UU the Vote | Join the movement with All Souls!

Tuesdays, October 13 & 27 | 4 – 5:30 p.m. | Register: bit.ly/voteuu
All Souls UU the Vote is a nonpartisan team taking action to ensure that our democracy reflects our UU values of justice, equity, and compassion. Current projects include spreading understanding of Oklahoma’s voting process in 2020 and phone banking/texting/sending postcards to voters traditionally targeted by voter suppression efforts nationwide. New faces are always welcome.  


Lynn Bootes is a member of All Souls and has been a Precinct Worker at the Tulsa County Election Board since 2018. She has assisted All Souls members and others by providing information about voter registration and about voting procedures. Lynn came into the world on Election Day in 1952 – “I came in with Ike” – her mother voted by absentee ballot. She has voted in every presidential election since 1972, but as a child she recalls “voting” in the 1960 election – the children in her neighborhood would line up with their trikes and bikes and place different colored stones in the mailbox. 

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *