Voter registration deadline is set for March 12

Friday, March 12, is the last day to apply for voter registration in order to be eligible to vote in the April 6, Board of Education General Election for Timberlake, Municipal General Elections for City of Cherokee and Town of Goltry and the Special Election for the City of Cherokee, Alfalfa County Election Board Secretary Kelly Stein said.

The Board of Education General Election for the Timberlake SD I-93 is between Logan Judd and Stacia Gaff.

The City of Cherokee Municipal General Election for the Commissioner at Large-Mayor position is between Kolby Arnold and Karen Hawkins.

The Town of Goltry 4-year term Board of Trustees position is among Vernon Sanders, Jr., Jamie Ann Coulter, Matthew A. Meyer, Cam Pekrul and Maera Barney.

The Special Election for the City of Cherokee consists of 3 propositions which are as follows.

Proposition 1 – Ordinance No. 2021-01 proposes certain amendments to Article IV, Section VI of the Cherokee City Charter.  The Charter currently requires Commission meetings to be held semi-monthly and requires a meeting to be held on the first Monday following the general election. Ordinance No. 2021-01 deletes those requirements but provides that all meetings of the Commission, whether regular, special or emergency, shall be called, held and governed under the terms of the Oklahoma Open Meetings Act, as provided by Title 25, Sections 301 through 314 of the Oklahoma Statutes, or as such Act may be hereinafter amended.

Proposition 2 – Ordinance No. 2021-02 proposes certain amendments to Article XXI of the Cherokee City Charter.  The Charter currently permits up to $50,000.00 per calendar year of the principal of the Cherokee Electric System Sales Fund to be used to match state and federal grants for certain capital improvement projects.  Ordinance No. 2021-02 provides for an increase of such amount to not greater than $100,000.00 per calendar year and eliminates the requirement that such monies must be used to match a federal or state grant.  The monies may only be used to construct, repair and replace necessary street, water, sewer, drainage, airport, fire, economic development and/or park capital improvements.

Proposition 3 – Ordinance No. 2021-03 proposes certain amendments to Article VI, Section III of the Cherokee City Charter.  This charter provision requires the competitive bidding of the City’s banking depositories in a bank or banks of the city and requires such depositories to pay the City interest at not less than 3% per annum.  Ordinance No. 2021-03 deletes these requirements but provides the Commissioners have a written investment policy providing for the investment of public monies pursuant to state law and further authorizes the transfer of all or a part of these monies to the Cherokee Development Authority to be invested in accordance with a written investment policy as authorized by state law.

Stein said that persons who are United States citizens, residents of Oklahoma, and at least 18 years old may apply to become registered voters.

Those who aren’t registered or need to change their registration may apply by filling out and mailing an Oklahoma Voter Registration Application form in time for it to be postmarked no later than midnight Friday, March 12.

Stein said applications postmarked after that time will be accepted and processed, but not until after April 6.

The County Election Board responds in writing to every person who submits an application for voter registration.  The response is either a voter identification card listing the new voter’s precinct number and polling place location or a letter that explains the reason or reasons the application for voter registration was not approved.  Stein said any person who has submitted a voter registration application and who has not received a response within 30 days should contact the County Election Board office.

Oklahoma Voter Registration Application forms are available at the County Election Board office located at 602 W. 5th St., Ste 3, Cherokee, and at most post offices, tag agencies and public libraries in the county. Applications also are available at www.elections.ok.gov.