Together Oklahoma, the grassroots advocacy arm of the Oklahoma Policy Institute, will be hosting community discussions in Ardmore and Ada about ways in which alternative voting processes can increase democratic participation while still ensuring election security.
The Make Your Vote Count events will be held:
- Ardmore: Thursday, Oct. 5 at the Conference Room B of Southern Tech (Building 100), 2610 Sam Noble Parkway,.
- Ada: Thursday, Oct. 12 in the Pontotoc County Agri-Plex (North Building) at 1710 N. Broadway.
Both events will be held from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. They are free and open to the public.
These community events will feature a panel discussion on alternative voting methods that other states and municipalities have used to increase voter turnout and strengthen confidence in the democratic process. Such voting methods include open primaries and ranked-choice voting. There will also be discussion about recent interim studies in the Oklahoma Legislature on these topics.
Panelists scheduled to participate virtually are:
- Rep. Mickey Dollens, D-Oklahoma City
- Cindy Alexander from Rank The Vote Oklahoma
- Margaret Kobos from Oklahoma United
- Aleisha Karjala from the League of Women Voters of Oklahoma
- Cole Allen from the Oklahoma Policy Institute
A question and answer session will follow.
Oklahoma has long had one of the nation’s lowest voter participation rates, meaning that major decisions are made by a relative handful of voters.
“The ballot box is the key to ensuring that the will of the people is heard. Voting statistics from the past few years show that Oklahomans are too often disenfranchised and discouraged by the process,” said Angela Monson, OK Policy’s Legislative and Outreach Director. “We’ve seen other states and local governments enact voting reforms that remove unnecessary barriers to voting, while still ensuring the integrity of the voting process. Oklahomans deserve the same opportunity to have their voices heard.”
Together Oklahoma is a nonpartisan coalition of citizens working together to secure a robust future for our state. A program of the Oklahoma Policy Institute, Together OK serves as a grassroots education and advocacy group connecting Oklahoma values to state budget priorities. For more information about this event or Together Oklahoma’s initiatives, please visit TogetherOK.org.
# # #
About Together Oklahoma
Together Oklahoma is a non-partisan organization dedicated to promoting civic engagement and advocating for policies that benefit all Oklahomans. By fostering collaboration among community members, Together Oklahoma strives to create a more inclusive and equitable society.
