Party Affiliation Change Deadline Approaches

Party Affiliation Change Deadline Approaches

(Oklahoma City) – The deadline for registered voters to change their party affiliation for the upcoming statewide primary and runoff primary elections is March 31, State Election Board Secretary Paul Ziriax said today.

By statute, changing party affiliation is not allowed from April 1 through August 31. All requests to change party affiliation submitted after March 31 will be processed September 1.

Voters can change their party affiliation online using the OK Voter Portal at elections.ok.gov or by completing a new Oklahoma Voter Registration Application and mailing it to their County Election Board. Applications can be downloaded at elections.ok.gov. Applications are also available at County Election Boards, most tag agencies, post offices, and libraries.

Oklahoma has a modified closed primary system. In order to vote in a party’s primary or runoff primary, you must be a registered voter of that party. However, the law allows parties to open its primaries and runoff primaries to Independents every two years, by notifying the Secretary of the State Election Board. The Democratic Party is currently allowing Independent voters to participate in its primaries and runoff primaries in 2020 and 2021. Republican and Libertarian primaries and runoff primaries will remain closed.

For questions, contact your County Election Board or the State Election Board at (405) 521-2391 or info@elections.ok.gov.