Right To Vote

The announcement of 453,500 voters removed from the rolls in Oklahoma should be a wake-up call. No, not because of anything nefarious. It’s a reminder to check your voter registration status ahead of the upcoming election.

It’s not hard. Go to www.voting.democracy.works. I scrolled down to “Check Registration Status,” filled out the form, and got my assurance that I had not been removed from the rolls. However, when I entered my husband’s information, he couldn’t be found.

We called the county election board, gave them his information, and found the error. His birth date was wrong by one number. The very efficient clerk found the problem, corrected it, and made sure he was, in fact, registered to vote.

Never underestimate the importance of local election officials. They are the oil in the voting machine.

There are flaws in the system, however. Why should non-voters be removed if their location status hasn’t changed? We should be troubled that felons who have served their sentences are no longer allowed to vote, especially if a felon can still run for president. This is something Congress needs to address. Being a felon doesn’t take away your citizenship, and it shouldn’t take away your rights as a citizen.

According to local news sources, the removals took place over the past three-plus years. Why was it suddenly newsworthy? I don’t know the news organizations’ reasoning, but I’m glad they gave us a heads up before the election. People need to be sure that their voices can be heard, their vote counted.

Something to ponder: While Democrats make up only 28% of registered voters in Oklahoma, they made up 34% of voters removed for inactivity. Yes, it might feel as though your vote doesn’t matter when you are in the minority, but the small number of us in the state makes each vote that much more important.

What if every education-loving voter had cast their votes for Jena Nelson in 2022. Nelson is a lauded educator. Ryan Walters, however, instead of funding libraries and paying teachers what they’re worth, is angling to funnel money into Donald Trump’s pocket. We don’t need to spend $6 million on Bibles. We can give students a QR code for a digital copy of the Bible, and they and their parents can make the choice as to whether or not they want to read the book.

There are policies in every school district that gives parents that decision-making right. The decision should not be made by Ryan Walters or Moms for Liberty. See how important one state election can be!

Make sure you are still on the rolls. You have until Friday to register, or if you’ve been removed, to reregister. Democracy is counting on you. Every vote counts!