The removal of more than 453,000 inactive or ineligible Oklahoma voter registrations has prompted concerns over citizen disillusionment and calls for state residents to make sure they can vote in nearing elections.
State officials said the deletions have taken place since Jan. 1, 2021, and are part of routine maintenance that ensures voter rolls are up-to-date. Gov. Kevin Stitt announced the removals recently, saying they are part of a necessary process to ensure secure elections.
Some community leaders, though, responded to the announcement by urging the state to do more to register new voters and to better support Oklahomans who feel left out of the political process.
More than 2.38 million residents of the state are registered to vote, according to Oklahoma State Election Board data.
More: Oklahoma voters will decide 12 state Senate races in November
The state could engage more voters by automatically registering Oklahomans when they turn 18, become U.S. citizens or when they interact with a state agency, said Andy Moore, the CEO of Let’s Fix This, a local organization focused on boosting civic participation.