What to Expect with the General Election Ballot

Residents can apply now for absentee ballots and have the ballot mailed to them. The form is available at county elections offices or online at https://okvoterportal.okelections.us/.

The ballot received may be slightly different from those sent to other voters in the county where you live. For instance, State Representative offices may be different if the county is split, like Blaine County is. Voters may choose to vote a straight party ticket for all Republican, Libertarian or Democratic candidates, or select them individually in any party no matter what their party affiliations. This story lists candidates in the order in which they appear on the ballot. No representation of preference should be inferred by candidate order.

All ballots in this county will ask for presidential and vice presidential votes, with the choices being Donald Trump/Michael Pence, Republicans; Jo Jorgensen/Jeremy Cohen, Libertarians; Joseph Biden/Kamala Harris, Democrats; Kanye West/Michelle Tidball, Independents; and Brock Pierce/Karla Ballard, Independents.

ON the state level, voters can select between Todd Hiett, a Republican, and Todd Hagopian, a Libertarian, for a seat on the corporation commission. There is also an election for the U.S. Senate between Jim Inhofe, incumbent Republican, Robert Murphy, Libertarian, Abby Broyles, Democrat, Joan Farr, Independent and A.D. Nesbit, Independent.

The choice for U.S. Representative in District 3 is between Frank Lucas, incumbent Republican and challenger Zoe Midyett, a Democrat.

Voters in Geary and Hydro portions of Blaine County only will also decide between Anthony Moore, a Republican and Juan Garcia, a Democrat, for State Representative District 57. This race will only appear on ballots for residents of that district.

Countywide voters will decide the county clerk’s race between incumbent Jennifer Haigler, a Republican, and Tracy Walker, an Independent. There is also a race for county sheriff between Travis Daugherty, a Republican and Brian Johnson, a Democrat.

There are also multiple choices as to whether State Supreme Court justices, judges of the District Criminal Court of Appeals and the District Court of Civil Appeals should be retained. They are not running against one another and each vote is separate.

Supreme Court District 1 Justice Matthew Kane, District 6 Justice Tom Colbert, and District 9 Justice Richard Darby are all on the ballot for retention.

Likewise in the Court of Criminal Appeals, Judge Robert Hudson, District 2, and Judge Gary Lumpkin, District 3 are on the ballot for retention, as are Civil Appeals Judge Jane Wiseman, District 1, office 2, Judge Deborah Barnes, District 2, office 2, and Judge Keith Rapp, District 2, office 2.

There are two state questions to be decided as well.

The first, Question 805, would disallow a former felony conviction from adding years to a new conviction. Further, it would seek to modify the sentences of persons currently jailed on enhanced felony sentencing. For instance, if a person has a felony conviction on their record and is found guilty of a second felony, the first conviction would not figure into the sentence length for the second felony. And anyone serving a sentence with years tacked on because of a prior felony conviction could have those years shaved off through modification.

The second question is whether Tobacco Settlement Endowment Trust funds should be redirected from only preventing tobacco prevention and cancer research to helping get matching federal funds for Oklahoma’s Medicaid system. The existing split is 75% to tobacco and cancer programs and 25% to the Legislature, whereas the new split would be 25% to the tobacco and cancer programs and 75% to the Medicaid match.

In person voting for the general election is Nov. 3. Polls will be open from 7 a.m.-7 p.m. and anyone in line to vote at 7 p.m. will be allowed to do so.

Connie Burcham can be reached at Editor@WatongaRepublican.com