Early Voting Ends Ahead Of Tuesday's Election

Early voting or absentee voting in Oklahoma officially closed on Saturday with record numbers. The Oklahoma State Election Board reported nearly 200,000 Oklahomans cast or mailed ballots for early voting. Early voting started Wednesday morning and closed at 2 p.m. Saturday. State election board officials said a new law allowed one extra day for absentee and early voting this year.

Local and state-wide organizations took to city streets on Saturday morning to send hundreds of voters to the polls. Rallies like "We Are Rising" started at the Oklahoma State Board of Education and marched to the Oklahoma County Election Board building to call attention to issues impacting women and children in our state.

“On early voting, you get the opportunity for everyone within a county to literally come to one location,” said Bill Shapard, SoonerPoll.com. “So, it’s a great opportunity to come in and do some exit polling.”

Bill Shapard of SoonerPoll.com gave News 9 some insight into early voting exit polls and what it could mean after Election Day.

“We think there will be a red wave here in Oklahoma, as well,” said Shapard. “Where the exception is, is the Governor’s race because the Governor is caught up in some corruption, charges of corruption.

Shapard said the allegations are having an adverse impact on the Governor’s race.

For registered voters who did not opt for early voting, polls open on Tuesday at 7 a.m. and close at 7 p.m.