THE OKLAHOMAN | OKLAHOMAN.
COM Friday, April 24, 2020
Group seeks easier path for absentee voting
By Carmen Forman
Staff writer
cforman@oklahoman.com
Ahead of Oklahoma’s June
30 primary election, the
League of Women voters is
asking the state Supreme
Court to intervene in state
election procedures to make
it easier for residents to vote
absentee.
The group, represented by
attorneys from Crowe and
Dunlevy, filed Thursday a writ
of mandamus brief asking the
state’s highest court to allow
absentee voters to include on
their ballot a signed statement
swearing they are qualified to
vote and marked their own
ballot in lieu of getting the
ballot notarized.
State law requires absentee
ballots be signed and notarized
by a notary public, and is one
of just a few states with such a
requirement.
The brief filed Thursday fol-
lows a request from more than
20 Oklahoma health care asso-
ciations and civic engagement
and voting rights groups asking
Election Board Secretary Paul
Ziriax to relax the state’s
notary requirements in light
of the COVID-19 situation.
Absentee voting and ballot
Guarding against hunger
Senior Airman Drake Katter packages food at the Regional Food
Bank in Oklahoma City on Thursday. Katter is with the 137th Special
Operations Wing of the Oklahoma Air National Guard. The Guardsmen
packaged emergency food boxes that contained more than 30 pounds
of shelf-stable food. [SARAH PHIPPS/THE OKLAHOMAN]
Some elective surgeries
may resume Friday
By Carmen Forman
Staff writer
cforman@oklahoman.com
Hospitals and surgery
centers will be asked to take
additional precautions due to
COVID-19 when some elec-
tive surgeries resume Friday.
Health care providers are
being asked to test all patients
for the virus prior to surgery.
Gov. Kevin Stitt clarified
that surgical procedures for
non-life-threatening condi-
tions can resume Friday if the
patient would be at a higher
risk of death if the procedure
is not provided.
All minor medical proce-
dures, including outpatient
surgeries and non-emergency
dental procedures, can resume
starting April 30.
Guidance issued this week
by the State Department of
Health recommends patients
are tested and receive a nega-
tive test result within 48 hours
of the scheduled surgery.
Providers are advised not to
perform surgery on a patient
who has had COVID-19 until
the person twice tests nega-
tive for the virus.
“Oklahomans across the
state have delayed criti-
cal procedures to allow our
medical system to prepare
for new demands as a result
of the COVID-19 pandemic,”
said Commissioner of Health
Gary Cox. “As we begin to
reintegrate core health care
services, OSDH is asking
elective surgery centers and
hospitals to establish part-
nerships with private labs to
process COVID-19 tests on all
A7
access is always an important
issue, but it's a whole different
ball game during this global
pandemic, said Andy Moore,
the founder of Let's Fix This.
The grassroots group was
among many to join the Let
the People Vote coalition that
inquired about changing the
absentee ballot process.
"There's so much uncer-
tainty about what the world's
going to look like come June,"
he said.
The coalition interpreted
Oklahoma law to mean the
state’s top election official
has the power to change the
absentee ballot process, an
assertion Ziriax disputed in a
letter dated Wednesday.
Ziriax said last-minute
changes to the state’s elec-
tion process would disrupt
the absentee voting process
and confuse voters and elec-
tion officials. He also said he
doesn’t have the power to
change the absentee voting
process.
“Removing such statutorily
mandated election security
features is beyond the scope of
the Secretary's authority under
the Oklahoma Election Code,"
he wrote "As Oklahoma's chief
election official, I have a duty
to follow our election laws as
Minor medical procedures,
including outpatient surgeries
and nonemergency dental
procedures, will be allowed
to resume starting April 30.
The Canadian Valley Hospital
Emergency Room entrance
in Yukon is shown. [CHRIS
LANDSBERGER/THE OKLAHOMAN]
patients prior to performing a
procedure and to assist us in
increasing overall COVID-19
testing across the state."
All hospital and elective
surgery center employees,
including reception and
non-medical support staff,
are asked to wear cloth face
masks.
Providers offering elective
surgeries will be required
to procure their own per-
sonal protective equipment.
Protective gear in the state’s
Strategic National Stockpile
is being prioritized for health
care workers on the frontlines
of fighting COVID-19.
The Oklahoma Hospital
Association has said even
though some surgeries will
be allowed, they may be
delayed as hospitals decide
on a case-by-case basis what
procedures are safe. Also fac-
toring into those decisions is
a limited supply of protective
equipment for health care
workers.
written."
Asked this week about
changing the absentee ballot
requirements, Gov. Kevin Stitt
said that was an issue he would
have to discuss with state leg-
islators. For now, there are no
plans to move the election, he
said.  Medicaid, will be on the June
"We looked at moving the
election, but we think, at this
time, we're safe to have that
June election," he said.
Senate Pro Tem Greg Treat,
R-Oklahoma City, said law-
makers are having discussions
about altering the notary
requirements. But with leg-
islators away from the state
Capitol due to COVID-19, it's
unclear whether the idea is
widely supported in the state's
GOP-controlled Legislature
and whether lawmakers could
pass legislation in time to
affect the June primary.
The League of Women
voters is also asking the court
to prohibit Ziriax and the State
Election Board from send-
ing out absentee ballot forms
that suggest notarization is
required for the ballot to be
counted. They are asking
instead that Ziriax be directed
to send out absentee ballot
forms that instruct voters
how to, under the penalty
AC T S O F K I N D N E S S
Donations given; donations needed
By Ken Raymond
Staff writer
kraymond@oklahoman.com
There's plenty of bad news
out there about the novel coro-
navirus. But there's good, too.
We just have to look for it.
A generous donation
CompSource Mutual
Insurance Co. is donat-
ing $250,000, which will be
split among three funds in
Oklahoma City and Tulsa.
The Oklahoma-based
business provides workers’
compensation coverage to
about a third of the companies
in the state.
The OU Health Sciences
Center and OU Medicine Fund
will receive $100,000, which
is intended to assist medical
personnel.
The Tulsa Area COVID-19
Response Fund, formed by the
Tulsa Area United Way and the
Tulsa Community Foundation,
will receive $100,000.
The remaining $50,000 will
go the United Way of Central
Oklahoma’s COVID-19
Response Fund.
“Our policyholders include
many Oklahoma businesses
that are currently experienc-
ing the emotional, physical
and financial tolls of this pan-
demic,” said Jason Clark,
CompSource Mutual president
and CEO, in a news release.
Earlier this month,
CompSource enacted mea-
sures to help policyholders
who are struggling to pay
their premiums. Clark called
the $250,000 donation “the
next step.”
Making masks
Francis Tuttle instructor
Clint Drabek is among people
sewing masks for friends,
family and others.
Since the crisis began,
Drabek, who teaches in the
automotive collision repair
technology program, has made
more than 75 masks, drawing
on skills he learned in a Francis
Tuttle lifelong learning sewing
class a few years ago.
“With all of the COVID-19
issues going on, the call for
those who can sew is huge,”
Drabek said in a news release.
“People are scrambling to
make homemade masks for
personal protection, as well as
offering assistance to health
professionals. Thanks to the
training I received at Francis
Tuttle, I'm able to make masks
for family, friends and my
community.”
Betty Gresham, who has
been a sewing instructor at
Francis Tuttle for about 25
of perjury, include a signed
statement verifying they are
qualified to vote and marked
their own ballot.
This request comes just
days after Stitt announced
State Question 802, which
asks Oklahomans to expand
30 ballot.
Calling the June 30 elec-
tion “highly consequential,”
the petitioners ask the court
quickly resolve the issue.
“(I)n addition to the numer-
ous state and federal primary
contests and local matters that
will appear on the June ballot,
the Governor also recently set
this date for a special state-
wide election regarding State
Question 802, the initiative
petition to expand Medicaid
in Oklahoma,” according
to the filing. “With surging
demand for absentee ballots
and deadlines looming, resolu-
tion of this question is needed
urgently.”
Senate Minority Leader Kay
Floyd, D-Oklahoma City, said
she thinks Stitt put SQ 802 on
the June ballot because it will
be politically advantageous for
him and others who oppose the
question.
There will be Oklahomans
who are fearful of going to the
years, taught Drabek this
skill, and he is thankful for
her hard work and dedication,
the release notes. He plans to
donate any remaining masks
he has made.
Boys & Girls Clubs
donation
U.S. Cellular has announced
a $5,000 donation to COVID-
19 relief funds for Oklahoma
City Boys & Girls Clubs.
The company’s donations to
clubs in Tulsa and Oklahoma
City total more than $15,000.
“Boys & Girls Clubs have
always been a pillar in the
neighborhoods they serve,
but this pandemic has shined a
light on just how much impact
their programming and ser-
vices have on kids, families and
communities,” said Deirdre
Drake, executive vice president
and chief human resources
officer for U.S. Cellular, in a
news release.
“As local club leaders are
doing whatever it takes to
care for our youth, we want to
do our part to ensure that they
have the resources to provide
these critical services while
staying safe and healthy.”
The funds will help the clubs
distribute food and water; stay
open later to provide child care
for essential workers and first
responders; offer virtual learn-
ing for kids and help children
recover from the emotional
trauma of the current crisis.
Goodwill seeks
donations
Goodwill Industries of
Central Oklahoma is seek-
ing donations to maintain
employment programs for
disadvantaged adults.
The programs are par-
ticularly important as
unemployment numbers con-
tinue to climb.
Goodwill, which is more
than 100 years old, is strug-
gling for funds, too.
“We’ve had to close our
polls because of the virus, she
said.
"This is an issue many people
in the state have been watch-
ing," she said. "I think this is
an issue that many people in
the state want to vote on, and
I guess, I'm a little concerned
that by putting it on the June
ballot, when we're still trying
to deal with the pandemic, was
maybe not in the best interest
of Oklahomans who want to
exercise their constitutional
right to vote."
Absentee voting materi-
als and supplies already have
been purchased and printed,
Ziriax said.
“This eleventh-hour
demand for changes to
Oklahoma's absentee voting
procedures comes barely three
weeks before the federally-
mandated deadline to send
Primary Election absentee
ballots to uniformed services
voters,” he wrote. “The ballot
preparation and printing pro-
cess is already underway.”
June 5 is the last day to
register to vote in the pri-
mary election. The deadline
to request an absentee ballot
is 5 p.m. on June 25. Request
an absentee ballot at ok.gov/
elections/Voter_Info/
Absentee_Voting.
Francis Tuttle
instructor
Clint Drabek
has made
these masks
using skills
he learned
in a lifelong
learning
class at the
institution.
Drabek is
among people
sewing masks
for friends,
family and
others.
[PROVIDED]
stores and donation centers due
to the pandemic and furlough
over 650 of our employees,”
said Jim Priest, president and
CEO of Goodwill Industries of
Central Oklahoma, in a news
release.
“The revenue from our
stores supplies 85% of the
income we need to fund our
mission. That mission —
helping people overcome
challenges to employment —
is more critical now than ever.
We need help so we can help
others.”
Goodwill’s employees with
developmental disabilities or
challenging life circumstances
learn job skills, gain indepen-
dence and earn money from
work at Goodwill’s 25 stores
and 20 attended donation cen-
ters, the release notes.
“The presence of those
centers in Oklahoma City and
Norman and other areas of the
state, including Stillwater,
Shawnee, Ardmore and Ada,
is vital for seniors, veterans
and single parents,” the release
notes.
Goodwill helps jobseek-
ers train for careers, get
apprenticeships and “provide
janitorial and unarmed secu-
rity services to businesses
and 26 state-owned buildings
through state-use contracts,”
the release notes.
Last year, Goodwill
worked with more than 1,800
Oklahomans and helped 312
people find jobs. Its retail
stores will reopen as soon as
possible, but Goodwill needs
financial help now.
Donations can be made at
www.okgoodwill.org/donate.
Money donated in Oklahoma
stays in Oklahoma.
Help us out
We're looking for feel-good
stories in the midst of the
pandemic. If you have any
verifiable tales of kindness,
we want to hear about them.
Simply email kraymond@
oklahoman.com.