Tulsa County breaks its early voting record as federal monitors prepare to watch some Oklahoma polls

TULSA, Okla. (Nov. 2) — Tulsa County voters set an early voting record ahead of Tuesday's midterm election, county officials said.

The Tulsa County Election Board reported that 26,211 people voted during the four days of early voting, edging past the 25,954 who voted early before the 2024 presidential election, News On 6 reported. Oklahomans will choose a new governor and U.S. senator on Tuesday, along with other statewide offices and two state questions.

There is no early voting Monday. Polls are open from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. Tuesday, and anyone in line by 7 p.m. can vote. Voters must show a photo ID or a state voter identification card.

The U.S. Department of Justice also plans to send election monitors to polling places in Oklahoma, Tulsa and Muskogee counties, part of a push to send 1,000 monitors to all 50 states. State officials don't know why Oklahoma was chosen or which polling places will be watched, the Tulsa Flyer reported. State Election Board Secretary Paul Ziriax said the stated purpose is to check compliance with federal voting rights laws and that he saw "no cause for alarmism."

Under state law, the monitors must stay outside polling places and cannot carry weapons, Senate Democratic Leader Julia Kirt and Sen. Mary Boren said after speaking with Ziriax. Monitors may ask to interview voters at least 300 feet away, and voters do not have to answer. In court filings, the department said it will not send FBI or ICE agents to the polls.

Tulsa lawmakers from both parties defended the state's elections. Rep. Meloyde Blancett, a Democrat, called the monitoring "political fearmongering" and a waste of taxpayer money, while Republican Sen. Dave Rader said the monitors would find Oklahoma runs elections better than "49 other states," according to the Tulsa Flyer.

The state election board believes the last time federal monitors came to Oklahoma was in 2016, when Texas County crossed a Voting Rights Act threshold for Spanish-language voters. Voters with problems on Election Day can ask for the precinct inspector or contact their county election board.