Election board sees increase in Absentee Ballots

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‘This is twice as many applications as we normally send out’

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  • Vote Tuesday, June 30
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Custer County has seen an increase in absentee mail in voting, due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.

“We have sent out 550 applications for absentee ballots,” Custer County Election Board Secretary Ann Brown said. “This is twice as many applications as we normally send out. Most of them are applying not just for the June election, but for the rest of 2020 as well.”

Brown said these applications include Custer County residents who are in nursing homes and people in the military. She said this actually will make it easier on the board when counting the votes because there will not be as long of lines at the voting polls.

“When the county election boards meet on election night, we have to meet and open up all the ballots,” Brown said. “We have had to move our time and we normally meet around 5 p.m. This year, we will be able to meet 3 p.m. because of all the absentee ballots. Usually for a big election, we have to have our board meeting early anyways, so this makes it easier on the board.”

On Tuesday’s ballot, the registered voters will decide the next sheriff, a county commissioner for district 2, which includes Weatherford, the U.S. Senate candidates for the November General Election, State Question 802, a Hammon School board race, a Thomas sales tax, and a Caddo-Kiowa Technology board of ecucation race. A simple majority wins.

For all Weatherford voters, they will decided on four Yes Weatherford propositions.

If approved, the first proposition would be to assist the City of Weatherford. The tax would be used to fund capital projects such to benefit the city. These projects include, but are not limited to a new police station and a 911 center improvements, a new airport terminal, improvements to the city pool, a Vietnam Wall Memorial, improvements to the Ag/Rodeo arena and a new indoor soccer facility.

If approved, the second proposition would be used to assist funding for SWOSU in funding for its rural healthcare education program and facilities for Nursing, Pharmacy, Allied Health and related programs.

If approved, the third proposition would be to assist the Weatherford Regional Hospital to fund the replacement, updating, purchase and maintenance of medical equipment for diagnostic and treatment purposes.

If approved, the fourth proposition would be to assist Weatherford Public Schools to fund artificial turf and pad underneath the new field, and a new track with remaining funds spent on a HVAC system for the high school.

Voters will decide whether to approve SQ 802, which calls for an expansion of Medicaid in Oklahoma.

Registered Custer County Republican voters are the only ones who can vote for the next sheriff and District 2 county commissioner, since the only candidates running for these positions are Republicans.

For the county commissioners in district 2, the three candidates running are Bruce Walker, Chuck Frantz and Carl Bailey. Since there are three candidates running, all they need is 50 percent majority to win.

If neither candidate receives 50 percent, then there will be a special election for the top two candiates, August 25.

For the sheriff’s race, the two candidates are incumbent Sheriff Kenneth A. Tidwell and Dan Day.

Statewide races include corporation commissioner and U.S. Senate. The two candidates are Harold Spralding and Todd Hiett.

The U.S. Senate Republican Candidates are Jim Inhofe, John Tompkins, JJ Still and Neil Mavis.

The U.S. Senate Democratic candidates are R.O. Joe Cassity Jr., Elysabeth Britt, Abby Broyles and Sheila Bilyeu.

Every register in Custer County may vote for the “Yes” Weatherford, SQ 802 and congressional officers.

Custer County voters living in the Kiowa-Caddo Technology Center may vote for members for the Board of Education. For Office No.5, the candidates are Michael Trench and Bryan Walker. For Office No. 2, the candidates are Jeremy Moler and Rachel Candy.

In addition to these elections, voters in Hammon will decide a member for the Board of Education in Hammon. For Office No. 5, the candidates are Patrick Hayes and Lance Shenold.

Voters in Thomas will decide a new sales tax, which shall be used for transportation infrastructure projects for the use and benefit of the City of Thomas.