Damage, Injuries Reported as Tornadoes Tear Through Oklahoma
Oklahomans are picking up the pieces after tornadoes damaged structures, flipped vehicles and brought down power poles in the overnight hours of Sunday morning.
The areas hit the hardest were around Choctaw and Harrah, as well as southeast Oklahoma City. That’s where Gov. Kevin Stitt addressed the media before touring the damage Sunday afternoon.
"I’ll just give you a quick update. So, I’ve declared an emergency declaration for six of the counties affected. We, so far, have 100 homes that have been damaged statewide," Stitt said.
Eleven people had to be transported to local hospitals, but authorities say their injuries are not life-threatening. No fatalities were reported.
The National Weather Service rated the tornadoes near Sooner Road and I-240, and the twister near Harrah as EF3s among the multiple tornadoes that touched down early Sunday. Damage assessments continue.
Newcastle Elementary was damaged from Sunday's storms. Classes there will be held virtually Monday and Tuesday.
The threat for more severe weather continues today. Visit the National Weather Service website for the latest information.
How Many People Voted Early in Oklahoma?
Oklahoma voters took advantage of early voting in record numbers ahead of Tuesday’s general election, and now the final numbers from the state election board are in.
Nearly 300,000 in-person early votes were cast from Wednesday through Saturday, in the first general election since the state expanded early voting to four days.
That easily surpasses early voting numbers from previous elections, including during the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020.
A deeper look at the numbers show Republicans with the early vote advantage, with about 182,000 ballots cast. Democrats notched about 74,000 votes, and Independents about 34,000.
When absentee voting by mail statistics are included, the total number of people who have already voted in Oklahoma approaches 400,000.
Tribal Nations Work to Boost Indigenous Voter Turnout
Native American voter turnout has long lagged in Oklahoma and across the country. But tribal nations are working to change that.
Cherokee Nation Principal Chief Chuck Hoskin Jr. puts it simply.
“Sovereignty is uniquely on the ballot in Oklahoma. So there's lots of reasons that we should move natives to the polls, both locally in Oklahoma and across the country," said Hoskin.
Native voters are often ignored by political campaigns. US Census Bureau data of voters by race leaves them out of their racial profile data.
Here in Oklahoma, Indigenous voters are especially important. In the 2023 legislative session, a handful of bills involved tribal sovereignty, with many landing in the Oklahoma Supreme Court.
This year's ballot asks Oklahomans if they want to keep the same Supreme Court justices who voted favorably on these bills.
Other initiatives, such as Rock The Native Vote and Warrior Up to Vote, have toured across the state to increase Indigenous voter turnout.
Transit Services Offer Free Rides To Polls Tuesday
For some voters in tomorrow’s general election, transportation to the polls may be a barrier, but transits are offering free rides to the polls.
In Oklahoma City, EMBARK has declared election day a fare-free day. Its fixed-route bus, zone 1 ADA paratransit services, rapid line, and streetcar will come at no cost Tuesday.
Embark’s services span all across Oklahoma City, as well as a route in Norman.
In Tulsa, MetroLink will offer free rides on election day as well. The services without fares will include its fixed-route transit, paratransit and MicroLink commuter-car transit.
Transit riders in Tulsa will not need a ticket or sticker to be eligible for free rides.
MetroLink offers transit across the city of Tulsa and its surrounding regions.
To prepare for election day, voters using free transit can plan their rides ahead of time online at embarkOK.com or metrolinkOK.org.
In Oklahoma, employers must allow their employees who are registered to vote two hours to go to the polls. For more information about how this law applies, visit the Oklahoma State Election Board website.
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