Voting in-person for the 2024 Osage Nation General Election will take place at the new Pawhuska Osage Casino & Hotel, according to the Wahzhazhe Elections Office.
The casino’s special event amenities will serve as the polling place venue for Osages wishing to vote in-person on June 3 Election Day or during the two designated early voting days on May 31 and June 1. Election Office staff announced the new venue location during the Election Board’s March 20 meeting as it appears on a forthcoming election notice to be publicized for election information awareness.
Opened in October 2023, the Pawhuska casino is located at the three-way intersection of U.S. 60 and State Highway 99 on the city’s east side.
In-person voting days/ times are:
- Early voting Day 1: Friday May 31, noon to 7 p.m.
- Early voting Day 2: Saturday June 1, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.
- Monday June 3 Election Day: 8 a.m. to 8 p.m.
Election Supervisor Alexis Rencountre said she and Assistant Election Supervisor Courtney Piearcy toured the casino and “we really like for the voting to take place out there due to the amount of security they have and the secure wifi and all of the amenities that they have to go along with it and the building being ADA accessible, which will help with our elders. And the parking lot to the south, we’ve already discussed using some of those handicap spots for our curbside voting so that we can bring ballots to voters outside like we did in previous years.”
As required by the Nation’s election code, the election notice lists the polling place location and days/ times to vote and information on voter assistance and updating voter contact information especially for absentee voters.
The deadline to request an absentee ballot to vote in the June 3, 2024 General Election is Friday April 19 by 4:30 p.m. CST.
The election notice includes a scan QR code that voters can use to download an absentee ballot request form, in addition to downloading one and viewing other election information on the Election Office website at: https://www.osagenation-nsn.gov/services/elections
Election Board Chair Shannon Lockett said she is excited about the new polling place location at the casino, noting past election polling places have been at different locations “and I’m really hoping this will be our forever home because it makes so much sense with the ADA accessibility, the security, it will be a much better suited venue than any we’ve ever had.”
In the past 10-plus years, the various Osage tribal election polling place locations included the Nation’s Civic Center on the west side of Pawhuska, the ON Museum and the Chambers Building where the Osage Minerals Council currently meets.
Election Board alternate member Fred Byers agreed with the new polling location stating “I think it’s a good idea to put it over there because I always had people saying (to me) ‘I don’t know where it’s at’” with past locations.
Rencountre said a postcard with election information is also being mailed to voters’ current mailing addresses in addition to the election notice being discussed.
Following discussion, the board unanimously approved the election notice, which will be circulated on Election Office social media platforms and throughout the Nation’s government in addition to being mailed to Osage voters’ current mailing addresses.
Osage voters who need to check or update their mailing addresses – especially if planning to vote by absentee ballot – can contact the Wahzhazhe Elections Office at (877) 560-5286 or email electionoffice@osagenation-nsn.gov
