Voters in Kingfisher County who want absentee ballots mailed to them for elections in 2022 should apply now, County Election Board Secretary Shawna Butts announced.

The next election locally is Feb. 8.

It will include school board primaries in Dover, Cashion, Cimarron and Piedmont as well as a special municipal election in Hennessey.

The deadline for requesting an absentee ballot is 5 p.m. Monday, Jan. 24.

Any registered voter may request absentee ballots for a specific election or for a full calendar year.

No excuse is needed to vote by absentee ballot and Butts said there are many ways to apply.

“For many voters, the easiest way to apply is online through the State Election Board’s OK Voter Portal,” Butts said. “Voters can also fill out an application at the County Election Board or simply write us a letter.”

If you choose to write a letter, it must contain the following information:

• Your name, resident address, and signature

• Name of the school district in which you reside

• Name of your city (if you reside in city limits)

• Address where you want your ballots mailed

• Type of election

• List of elections for which you are requesting absentee ballots (you may only request ballots for elections in which you are eligible to vote).

Butts said voters who are in nursing homes, voters who are physically incapacitated and voters who care for persons who cannot be left unattended should mention these restrictions in their request.

“This information activates special procedures that make voting and returning absentee ballots easier,” she said.

Butts reminds voters to allow time for an absentee ballot to be received, completed and returned by mail to the County Election Board.

“With some exceptions, all absentee ballots must be notarized before being returned. Voters should give themselves plenty of time to make sure all steps have been followed and that the ballot is returned correctly in order to be counted,” Butts said.

Voters exempt from having an absentee ballot affidavit notarized include those who are physically incapacitated and those who care for physically incapacitated individuals that cannot be left alone. Those voters must have their absentee ballot affidavit witnessed by two people.

Military personnel and residents living overseas, along with their spouses and dependents are also eligible for certain allowances.

Military personnel should contact Voting Service Officers in their units for absentee application forms.

Residents living overseas may obtain absentee voting applications from any United States military installation or United States Embassy or Consulate.

Voters can request absentee ballots electronically using the OK Voter Portal at oklahoma.gov/elections/ ovp.

To download a paper application, visit the State Election Board website at oklahoma.gov/elections. For more information on

For more information on absentee voting, contact the Kingfisher County Election Board at 405-375-3895 or KingfisherCounty@elections.ok.gov.