Thousands Of Oklahomans Cast Ballots For General Election Early
Wednesday was the first day of early voting in Oklahoma.
The State Election Board reported that by 3 p.m. more than 52,000 people statewide cast their ballots for the general election, and nearly 85,000 mail absentee ballots were returned to their county election board.
Canadian County Election Board secretary Allen Arnold said the high turnout doesn’t surprise him.
“A general election for a presidential year is always going to bring out people, but it seems that it's especially busy this year,” Arnold said.
Oklahoma has four early voting days this year — that's two more than in the 2020 Presidential general election.
Arnold said early voting is gaining popularity across the country.
“A lot of times, they're just excited. They're ready to vote for the person they want to vote for. And also, a lot of people are trying to avoid the long lines that are inevitable on election day at their precinct,” Arnold sai.d
A limited number of polling locations are open through Saturday for early voting.
You can find more information on the OK Voter Portal or by calling your county election office.
State Superintendent Wants $475 Million Reimbursement From Federal Government
State Superintendent Ryan Walters is demanding Vice President Kamala Harris reimburse Oklahoma for the cost of educating undocumented children.
Walters calculated the cost to be nearly half a billion dollars.
In August, Walters said at a State Board of Education meeting the state department would be working with districts to review the financial impact for the education of undocumented children.
Now, in a letter to Harris, he says that estimated cost is about $475 million, and expects to be reimbursed.
The accuracy of that number is in question, and the administration is under no obligation to comply with this demand.
Walters said the state department can’t effectively budget or allocate resources without knowing the cost of illegal immigration on schools.
The letter came on the same day a report from Oklahoma’s Legislative Office of Fiscal Transparency was released. The report takes the state department of education to task for poor communication with districts and administrative mishaps related to allocating federal funds to Oklahoma Schools.
Walters called the report a waste of time for the people of Oklahoma.
Financial Help Available For Farmers, Ranchers Impacted By Drought
A new drought assistance program is opening in November for farmers and ranchers.
Nearly 80 percent of the state has drought conditions. Oklahoma is in the middle of the driest October in state history.
For the entire month, Oklahoma State Climatologist Gary McManus said the total average rainfall is less than one-tenth of an inch.
As a result, the Emergency Drought Committee approved a new program to open emergency drought assistance to Oklahoma producers.
Farmers and ranchers in an area where a quarter of the county is in a moderate drought are eligible to apply. A list of counties will be released later this week.
On Nov. 12., the application will be available at local conservation districts and on the Oklahoma Conservation Commission’s website.
Trout Fishing Is Changing This Year
Oklahoma trout fishing will be smaller and later than usual this year thanks to a one-two punch from the weather and the economy.
Normally, the Department of Wildlife Conservation starts stocking trout on Nov. 1. But trout thrive in water between 45 and 60 degrees Fahrenheit and can die in water over 70.
To avoid losing trout to this year’s unseasonably warm weather, the fisheries program is delayed until Dec. 1, according to reporting from the Oklahoma Ecology Project.
The trout program has also hit economic snags. Trout aren’t native to Oklahoma, so the Department of Wildlife Conservation buys its stock from out-of-state.
Because of rising costs, this year’s stock will be about 30% smaller than last year’s, and the Department expects less trout for at least the next three years.
These issues only affect the state’s six seasonal trout fisheries, not the two year-round fishing areas.
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