Early voting and the drop off.

[NightShade]

So my wife decided she didn't want to have to try and get out to vote on the 6th. She has two doctor's appointments already that day and with being in a power chair it is a pure pain to get her in there. Not to mention that if it is raining it's a lot harder on me to load and unload the power chair and the risk I get hurt is a ton higher.

Anyway she filled out her voting form, signed the affidavit, got the witness signatures signed and everything ready to go. Said, "Hey, I need to run to the store anyway and will be a couple blocks from there I will just drop it off." Seems reasonable to me.

Showed up to drop it off. Was asked if it was mine. Long story short even with a signed affidavit they can't accept it unless the person dropping off is the person who is early voting...... So I drove the three blocks to the post office and paid the fifty cents for a stamp for it to be delivered back at the office three blocks away. And I will say this getting into the offices for someone in a power chair is likely not going to be feasible at all with the layout they have.

Was told that the only way to change it is to start contacting state representatives which I will be doing soon. If you plan to drop off for a friend or family member even with the signed affidavit you may as well just plan on telling them to tape 50 cents to the envelope and stick it in the mail instead.

The only thing I can figure out is they want a charge of mail fraud on top of voter fraud for early voting not that they would prosecute both charges anyway.

 

[dennishoddy]

I've never early voted under the new rules, only voted absentee when out of the country on duty.
So what are the requirements, and how can the vote be verified to be sure it's not a person that is not eligible to vote actually getting a vote into the system?

 

[NightShade]

Most of the information can be found here: https://www.ok.gov/elections/Voter_Info/Absentee_Voting/index.html

Below is the section about the special conditions though you don't have to use actually use one.

Special Conditions
Although any voter can vote an absentee ballot without giving a reason, the law still contains some "excuses" for voting absentee. Some voters benefit by using one of those excuses when they apply for absentee ballots. These excuses activate special conditions that make absentee voting even easier.

Physically incapacitated voters and voters who care for physically incapacitated persons who cannot be left alone may vote by absentee ballot. These voters may submit their applications only by mail, fax, or by an agent. If these voters choose to have their applications submitted to the County Election Board by an agent, the agent must be at least 16 years old and may not be employed by or related within the third degree by blood or marriage to a candidate whose name is on the ballot.The agent may act for only one voter per election.The agent will be asked to sign a form at the County Election Board office providing his or her name and attesting to these facts.

Physically incapacitated voters and voters who care for physically incapacitated persons who cannot be left alone are not required to have their signatures on the absentee affidavits notarized. They are required to have their signatures witnessed by two people.

Voters in nursing homes in the same county where they are registered voters may vote absentee. They may submit their applications only by mail or fax, or telegraph. An Absentee Voting Board will go to the nursing home a few days before the election to allow these voters to cast their ballots

As far as making sure that it is counted this page: https://services.okelections.us/voterSearch.aspx When you put in your info it will show your registration and absentee status so that should update when the information is submitted.