OKLAHOMA CITY (Free Press) — Eager Oklahoma County voters formed an eight-block line of cars and then stood in long lines in the parking lots at the Oklahoma County Board of Elections Wednesday.

It was the first day of early voting in Oklahoma, with only two early voting locations in Oklahoma County, one at the Election Board office on N. Lincoln Blvd north of the Oklahoma Capitol and one in Edmond.

Eric Dixon was standing in line about 25 people inside before entering the Oklahoma County Board of Elections polling room when we spoke with him around 8:50 a.m. The site opened at 8am.

He proudly wore his US Navy (retired) cap as he patiently stood in line, occasionally leaning on a cane and then alternately leaning toward the wall for support.

Dixon and some others near him said they started waiting in line together around 7:30 a.m. to get a good spot in line before the campground opened. Everyone in line was patient, although they looked tired as they got closer to the entrance.

While Edmond has its own early voting spot, the rest of the Oklahoma City metro in Oklahoma County only has one at the Board of Elections on Lincoln.

In the far suburbs of Oklahoma City, voters in Canadian, Cleveland and Pottawatomie counties went to early voting locations there. Yet Oklahoma City’s population in Oklahoma County makes up the majority and is many times larger than Edmond’s.

The US Census Bureau estimates that the population of Edmond, Oklahoma as of July 1, 2023 was 98,103, compared to Oklahoma City at 702,767.

Early voting lasts through Saturday afternoon. Election day is Tuesday, November 5, when you can vote at your regular polling station. Check out our previous coverage with information on how to vote.

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Founder, publisher and editor of Oklahoma City Free Press. Brett continues to contribute reporting and photography to this site as he runs the company.