Published: September 24, 2008 11:38 pm         

Voter registration ends Oct. 10

The deadline is coming up to register to vote in the Nov. 4 general election.

Lue Ann Root, secretary of Garfield County Election Board, said registration is open until Oct. 10.

Forms to register to vote can be picked up at the Garfield County Election Board, post office, tag agency or Garfield County Court House.

As of Jan. 15, according to Oklahoma State Election Board numbers, there were 29,474 registered voters in Garfield County. The majority, 16,949, are Republicans. There are 10,113 registered Democrats and 2,412 independents.

In the state, there are 2,022,537 registered voters. Of those, 1,012,594 are Democrats, 790,713 are Republicans and 219,230 are independents.

Twenty of Oklahoma’s 77 counties have more registered Republicans than Democrats, and many of those are in northwest Oklahoma. Counties with more Republicans than Democrats are Alfalfa, Beaver, Canadian, Cimarron, Cleveland, Ellis, Garfield, Grant, Harper, Kay, Kingfisher, Logan, Major, Noble, Oklahoma, Payne, Tulsa, Washington, Woods and Woodward.

People are offered several different options to vote.

“They can vote in the polls or they can come to our office for absentee in-person or they can do absentee by mail,” Root said. “This offers alternatives to the very busy lifestyles we all have.”

Polls will be open 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. Nov. 4 for those who want to vote the traditional way.

To vote absentee by mail an extra form must be filled out.

“They need to contact us at our office to get an absentee by mail form,” Root said.

Absentee in-person does not require extra paperwork.

“Just walk in, vote and you’re done,” Root said.

She encouraged people to register and vote.

For more information or questions, call Garfield County Election Board and 237-6016. The board is located at 903 Failing.