Voter Turnout In Oklahoma Declines
Voter turnout in Oklahoma continues to decline.
On Super Tuesday, President Joe Biden and former President Donald Trump won their respective party primaries as expected. However, Democratic voter turnout dropped sharply by nearly 70%, while Republican turnout increased slightly compared to 2020.
Overall, in Oklahoma, voter turnout was down about 30% from four years ago.
Experts say a lack of awareness about voting procedures and schedules is a major factor contributing to the decline.
According to data by the U.S. Census Bureau, the No. 1 reason people say they don’t vote is because they’re too busy. The second most common reason: they simply missed the deadline to register.
Officials with the State Election Board stress the importance of staying informed.
Voters can find resources such as sample ballots and signing up for state-provided reminders by using the OK Voter Portal.
Proposed Changes To Criminal Justice Reform
Oklahoma's House of Representatives voted to roll back the will of the people Wednesday.
State Question 780 made several criminal justice reforms. Among them, it raised the dollar amount for a theft to be classified as a felony from $500 to $1,000.
House Bill 3694 rolls that dollar figure back down.
The state question was designed to reduce the state's prison population, which at times has been among the highest per capita in the nation.
But potential criminal justice impacts don't bother the author of the bill, John George of Newalla.
“I'm not that concerned with the prison population. We have to lock up the people that need to be locked up. That's part of our responsibility. And again, if you don't commit the crime you're not going to get locked up,” George said.
The measure passed along party lines and can now move on for consideration by the state Senate.
Oklahoma To Receive Federal Funding For More EV Chargers
More fast charging stations for electric vehicles could be coming to Oklahoma as the state Department of Transportation considers sites for federally-funded chargers.
The goal is to offer multiple fast chargers every 50 miles along heavily traveled roads, like I-35, I-40 and I-44.
The National Electric Vehicle Infrastructure Program has set aside $5 billion in federal funds to help develop charging stations that meet those requirements. That includes $66 million for Oklahoma.
The state is already home to 29 fast charging stations that fit the bill, but it still has some gaps to fill.
ODOT engineers have identified 13 sites to receive funding for new fast chargers.
If approved, that money will be part of a public-private partnership where the companies installing and operating the charging stations would provide matching funds.
The sites would be operated by Love’s Travel Stops, Tesla and Francis Energy.
OU, OSU Women’s Basketball Begin Big 12 Tournament Play
The Big 12 Women’s Basketball Tournament tips off this evening.
The 8th-seeded Oklahoma State Cowgirls are 14 and 15 on the season - they’ll take on the T-C-U Horned Frogs at 1:30 Friday afternoon at the T-Mobile Center in Kansas City.
The winner of that game will face number-one seed and Big 12 regular season champs, the Oklahoma Sooners, on Saturday afternoon.
OU is led by newly named Big 12 Coach of the Year Jennie Baranczyk and Big 12 co-Player of the Year, Skylar Vann.
This will be the Sooners’ final Big 12 basketball tournament, ahead of their move to the SEC next season.
Meanwhile, The University of Tulsa women's basketball team will play in the American Athletic Conference tournament starting Monday.
They’re looking to add a conference tournament championship to their regular season conference championship.
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