Osages have until Friday, April 22 to request an absentee ballot to vote remotely ahead of the June 6 Osage Nation General Election.
During an April 14 candidate workshop for the ON Congressional candidates, Election Supervisor Alexis Rencountre said those requesting absentee ballots have until 4:30 p.m. CST that day to submit absentee ballot request forms to her office.
The absentee ballot request forms can be downloaded for print from the Wahzhazhe Elections Office website at: https://www.osagenation-nsn.gov/services/elections/voter-information
Completed absentee ballot request forms will only be accepted. Completed requests include a completed form with a legible photocopy of a government-issued identification card, which include driver’s licenses, passports, tribal ID cards and military ID cards. Those with further questions on submitting requests should contact the Election Office
Voters can visit the Election Office at 608 Kihekah Ave. in Pawhuska to obtain voter forms, email office staff at electionoffice@osagenation-nsn.gov or call toll-free (877) 560-5286 for also receiving forms through fax or mail.
The Election Office website also includes a YouTube instructional video on submitting an absentee ballot once it arrives for voters to mark. Absentee ballots will arrive with an instruction sheet to follow, as well as a signature receipt, business reply envelope (with paid postage) and separate envelope for only the absentee ballot.
The Osage election code allows eligible voters who received absentee ballots in the mail, but instead wish to vote in-person to do so, but the absentee ballot must be surrendered on Election Day or the voter must sign an affidavit stating they requested an absentee ballot but did not vote it. Voters must mail the absentee ballot to the Pawhuska P.O. box address provided on the business reply envelope to be counted. Absentee ballots mailed to any address other than the address designated by the Election Board shall be considered void, according to the election code.
Rencountre said the staff and board members are responsible for stuffing and mailing out the absentee ballots to voters who request them by the April 22 deadline. In December 2021, the Wahzhazhe Elections Board voted to hire Broken Arrow-based printing company Target Marketing Print and Mail Solutions to print election information, including absentee ballots and mailing materials.
Following an April 14 board meeting to approve the June 6 General Election ballot language and order of candidates’ names, the absentee ballot bundles were delivered to the Election Office. Starting April 22, Rencountre said her office will start mailing out the absentee ballots.
Voters expecting absentee ballots who do not receive them within 5-7 days should contact the Election Office to request another ballot. All absentee ballots must arrive in the Pawhuska Post Office by 10 a.m. on June 6 to be counted.
In-person voting for the General Election is:
- Early Voting Day 1 is June 3 (noon to 7 p.m.) and Early Voting Day 2 is June 4 (10 a.m. to 4 p.m.).
- June 6 Election Day voting is from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m.
- All in-person voting will be at the ON Civic Center at 1449 W. Main St. in Pawhuska.
