NORTHEAST OKLAHOMA – Early voting numbers show a strong turnout for Oklahoma.

Oklahoma voters top 2.4 million ahead of Tuesday’s general election. Official pre-election voter registration statistics from the State Board of Elections show the total number of registered voters is the highest before a presidential election since Oklahoma began tracking pre-election voter registration statistics in 2000.

Oklahoma voter registration statistics show that registered Republicans make up 52.33% of Oklahoma’s registered voters, while Democrats make up 26.98% of the state’s registration. Independents are the third largest group of registered voters in the state, accounting for 19.72% of total voter registrations. Libertarians comprise less than one percent of the state’s registration at 0.95%, but the number continues to grow steadily each year.

In Delaware County, 3,404 registered voters, 2,379 voters in Ottawa and 1,272 voters in Craig County chose to vote early.

Polling stations will be open on Tuesday from 7:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m.

Voters will decide on two statewide questions in addition to the presidential, state and county offices.

State question 834 would amend Section 1 of Article III of the Oklahoma Constitution to clarify that only United States citizens are qualified to vote in the state.

State Question 833 is a legislatively mentioned constitutional amendment. The constitutional amendment was introduced as Senate Joint Resolution 16.

Click here to read the resolution.

In simpler terms, the state issue allows municipalities to finance new infrastructure for public use.

According to Okpolicy.org, a nonpartisan political research group, proponents of the state question believe it gives greater flexibility to both property owners and municipal leaders to fund solutions to a community’s most pressing problems, including housing. This includes upgrading roads, water and wastewater systems, utilities, public transportation and parks.

Opponents of the state bill believe that private groups would be able to levy new taxes on public investment in some areas, leaving other areas without viable options for similar improvements.

The language of the vote

This measure adds a new section, section 9E, to Article 10 of the Oklahoma Constitution. Section 9E will allow for the creation of public infrastructure districts to provide support, organization, operation and maintenance of services. To create such a district, supporters of the creation of the district must submit a petition to the municipality. The petition must include the signatures of one hundred percent of all acreage property owners within the district’s proposed boundaries. The municipality has the right to impose limitations on the powers of the district before the approval of the district. Once approved, the district will be governed by a board of trustees.

Through the board, the district may issue bonds to pay for all or part of all public improvements implemented by and for the public infrastructure district. The district shall be limited to the issuance of bonds issued for such improvements not exceeding ten (10) mills. For the repayment of the bonds, the district, acting through its board of trustees, shall levy and assess a special assessment on all properties benefiting from the improvements in the district. Section 9E also authorizes the Legislature to make laws necessary to implement public infrastructure districts.

Will the proposal be approved?

For proposal – YES; Against the proposal – NO

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