Capitol Connections: Your vote powers our future

On Nov. 3, Oklahomans will make decisions that reach beyond the ballot box.

Lawmakers consider issues that influence how your cooperative plans for growth, invests in its system and delivers safe, affordable and reliable electricity. Their decisions can affect energy costs, infrastructure, regulations and the resources available to rural communities. That is why we encourage you to be a co-op voter.

Being a co-op voter is not about supporting a political party or a particular candidate. It is about understanding the issues, learning where candidates stand and voting with the needs of your family, cooperative and community in mind.

Electric cooperatives were built by people who understood the strength of working together. That same principle applies at the polls. One vote may feel small, but when rural Oklahomans participate, our collective voice carries weight. We remind policymakers that the people at the ends of the power lines deserve a seat at the table.

Before Election Day, take time to prepare. Confirm your registration, review your polling place and learn about absentee and early voting options through the OK Voter Portal. Study the candidates on your ballot and consider the energy policies they support. Ask how their decisions could affect electric reliability, affordability and the future of rural Oklahoma.

Then, make a plan to vote Tuesday, Nov. 3.

Your cooperative belongs to you. Your voice matters in the cooperative boardroom, at the state Capitol and in Washington. By becoming an informed co-op voter, you help protect the reliable electricity and strong communities we all depend on. When co-op members vote, rural Oklahoma is heard.