FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: March 1, 2022
CONTACT: Misha Mohr, State Election Board PIO, (405) 522-6624, mmohr@elections.ok.gov
(Oklahoma City) – The deadline for registered voters to change their party affiliation for the upcoming statewide primary and runoff primary elections is March 31, State Election Board Secretary Paul Ziriax said today.
By statute, changing party affiliation is not allowed from April 1 through August 31. (See 26 O.S. § 4-119.) All requests to change party affiliation received or postmarked after March 31 will be processed after August 31.
Voters can change their party affiliation online using the OK Voter Portal or by completing a new Voter Registration Application and mailing it to their County Election Board. Voters can fill out an application using the OK Voter Portal registration “wizard,” but must print, sign, and mail or hand-deliver the application to their County Election Board to complete the process. Voter Registration Applications can also be downloaded from the State Election Board website and are available at County Election Boards, most tag agencies, post offices, and libraries.
Oklahoma has a modified, closed primary system. In order to vote in a party’s primary or runoff primary, you must be a registered voter of that party. However, the law allows recognized parties the opportunity to open its primaries and runoff primaries to Independents every two years by notifying the Secretary of the State Election Board. For the 2022-2023 election years, the Democratic Party will allow Independent voters to participate in its primaries and runoff primaries. Republican and Libertarian primaries and runoff primaries will remain closed.
For questions, contact your county election board or the State Election Board at (405) 521-2391 or info@elections.ok.gov.
URL GUIDE:
26 O.S. § 4-119: https://www.oscn.net/applications/oscn/DeliverDocument.asp?CiteID=78472
OK Voter Portal: https://okvoterportal.okelections.us/
County Election Boards: https://oklahoma.gov/elections/about-us/county-election-boards.html
OK Voter Portal “wizard”: https://okvoterportal.okelections.us/Home/RegWizard
Voter Registration Application (download): https://oklahoma.gov/content/dam/ok/en/elections/forms/voter-registration-application.pdf
