Oklahoma Takes Dramatic Steps to Clean Up Voter Rolls

Voter registration table with forms, pens, and information.

Oklahoma has taken significant steps to enhance election integrity by purging over 450,000 ineligible voters from its rolls.

At a Glance

  • Oklahoma has removed over 450,000 voter registrations since 2021
  • The purge includes deceased voters, people who moved out-of-state, felons, duplicate registrations, and inactive voters
  • Governor Kevin Stitt highlighted the effort as part of broader election security measures
  • Voters purged from the rolls have until Oct. 11 to re-register for the November elections

Comprehensive Voter Purge

Oklahoma Governor Kevin Stitt recently announced the removal of more than 450,000 ineligible voters from the state’s voter rolls since January 2021. This action, aimed at enhancing election integrity, focused on categories such as deceased individuals, duplicate registrations, people who have moved out of state, convicted felons, and inactive voters.

This significant number includes 97,065 deceased voters, 143,682 individuals who moved out-of-state, 5,607 convicted felons, 14,993 duplicate registrations, and 194,962 inactive voters. The process has been a collaborative effort involving Secretary of State Josh Cockroft and other state officials to ensure robust security measures are in place against evolving threats, including those posed by artificial intelligence.

Ensuring Election Integrity

Governor Stitt emphasized the importance of maintaining accurate voter rolls to enhance public confidence in the electoral process. He stated, “Voting is our most sacred duty as Americans, and every Oklahoman wants to know their vote is securely cast and properly counted.” The initiative aligns with the state’s routine voter list maintenance and stringent election security measures.

“Voting is our most sacred duty as Americans and every Oklahoman wants to know their vote is securely cast and properly counted,” Stitt said in a statement. “The State Election Board and the Secretary of State’s office continue to go above and beyond in their responsibility to ensure only eligible Oklahomans can vote in our elections. Their progress reassures me we will continue to lead the nation in election integrity efforts.”

Secretary of State Josh Cockroft reiterated the state’s commitment to election integrity, remarking on the collaboration between state agencies to protect the electoral process from emerging threats. “Through close collaboration with the Governor’s Office, the State Election Board, and our colleagues in the Legislature, Oklahoma has fortified our electoral process,” Cockroft stated.

Ongoing and Future Measures

The state’s voting system includes hand-marked paper ballots counted by e-scan tabulators that are not connected to the internet, and requires proof of identity for all voters. These measures were designed to prevent election fraud and ensure every eligible vote counts accurately. Individuals removed from the voter rolls will have the opportunity to re-register by October 11 to participate in the upcoming November elections.

“Through close collaboration with the Governor’s Office, the State Election Board, and our colleagues in the Legislature, Oklahoma has fortified our electoral process,” Secretary of State Josh Cockroft said in a statement. “We’ve aggressively pursued policies to ensure voting is secure and accurate, and we’re innovating to protect our elections from emerging technology like AI. In Oklahoma, every eligible citizen will have their vote counted and their voice heard.” –

Governor Stitt and Secretary Cockroft emphasized the importance of ongoing efforts to secure the electoral process, including collaborations with agencies like the Oklahoma Cyber Command. The state also adheres to recommendations from the Campaign Finance and Election Threats Task Force regarding post-election audits and banning ranked-choice voting.

“Oklahoma has a long tradition of doing elections right,” Secretary of the State Election Board Paul Ziriax said. “Recounts and post-election audits have consistently proven the accuracy of Oklahoma’s voting system, and our laws and procedures are designed to ensure the integrity and security of our elections.”

Sources:

  1. State purges more than 450,000 from voter rolls
  1. Oklahoma Governor highlights recent voter purge as latest in ongoing election integrity efforts
  1. Oklahoma Removes 450,000 Ineligible Voters from Rolls in Ongoing Maintenance Effort
  1. Governor Stitt, State Election Officials Provide Update on Election Integrity Efforts, Remove Ineligible Voters from Rolls
  1. How secure are Oklahoma’s elections?
  1. Oklahoma governor announces state has dropped 450,000 voters from voter rolls since 2021
  1. Oklahoma Has Removed Over 450,000 Ineligible Voters From Rolls: Governor
  1. 453,000 Purged from Oklahoma voter registration rolls
  1. Oklahoma heightens civic engagement worries with removal of over 453,000 from voter rolls
  1. Stitt touts voter integrity efforts in Oklahoma update