In a matter of days, Oklahoma voters will be heading to the polls to choose their preferred candidate in the presidential primary election.
On March 3rd, registered voters will head to their polling location to receive a ballot featuring the candidates running for president in their party. During the primary election, voters can only vote for candidates with the same party affiliation as their registration.
AGE: 73
STATE: Florida
KNOWN FOR: President Trump is known for reversing several policies of the Obama administration, including policies on health care, environmental regulations, and immigration. He is known for restricting immigration and building a wall at the Mexican border, and renegotiating or canceling international deals on trade. Under the Trump adminstration, the American economy has grown. However, his presidency has been marked with a series of legal investigations and an impeachment following allegations of misuse of power. The U.S. Senate did not find Trump guilty during his Impeahcment Trial.
AGE: 62
STATE: Connecticut
KNOWN FOR: Robert Ely is an entrepreneur and former investment banker who challenged Barack Obama in 2012, and is now running for president in 2020. He calls himself the ‘least-worst alternative for 2020.’ Although he has not held public office, Ely announced his stance on several issues on his website. Ely pushes for the Guaranteed Jobs Program to give jobs to everyone who wants to work and health insurance for all.
AGE:
STATE: California
KNOWN FOR: Matt Matern is a successful entrepreneur, attorney, and philantropist who says he wants to return the Republican Party to its core values. As part of his platform, Matern is proposing a 100% tax cut on American families making less than $100,000 a year. Matern is also in support of reduced taxes for people who make responsible choices for healthcare, and excluding sugary drinks and junk food from the SNAP program. He also pushes for reasonable environmental regulations and a tax policy that incentivizes clean technology.
AGE: 46
STATE: California
KNOWN FOR: Zoltan Istvan is an entrepreneur who regularly speaks about futurist topics and is considered one of the world’s most influential transhumanists. He believes humans can use technology to transcend physical and mental limitations. Istvan would like to amend the Constitution to introduce a fourth branch of government, a digital direct democracy. He hopes to abolish the income tax, legalize all drugs, make college free and mandatory, and fight climate change.
AGE: 65
STATE: California
KNOWN FOR: Roque De Le Fuente is an American businessman who is funding a majority of his campaign with his own wealth. De La Fuente says the government should address the increasing cost of health care. He also says he wants comprehensive reform to current and previous immigration policies, and he’s also calling for an audit of the Department of Education to find ‘the source of radical over spending.’
AGE: 77
STATE: Delaware
KNOWN FOR: Biden’s long-anticipated announcement marks his third presidential campaign after he passed on a 2016 run. His name recognition, decades of experience and ties to former President Barack Obama are seen as his greatest assets. He says he wants to build upon the Affordable Care Act, reform the criminal justice system to get rid of sentencing requirements that don’t fit the crime and create stronger labor laws and tax codes that reward the middle class.
AGE: 77
STATE: New York
KNOWN FOR: The former New York mayor officially entered the race on November 24, saying that his campaign was aimed squarely at defeating Trump. He has portrayed himself as a moderate against progressive projects such as “Medicare for All” but with extensive experience and campaign funds to put toward key Democratic issues such as climate change and gun control. Bloomberg also says he would restore the top income tax rate to 39.6% and will place a 5% surtax on incomes above $5 million a year to fund infrastructure, education, and health care improvements.
AGE: 38
STATE: Indiana
KNOWN FOR: Known locally in South Bend, Indiana, as “Mayor Pete,” Buttigieg served as a naval officer in Afghanistan. Buttigieg would be the youngest and first married gay president if elected. He would also be the first candidate to go from the mayor’s office to the presidency. Buttigieg plans to rebalance the criminal justice system and refocus resources on public health, economic opportunity and alternatives to incarceration. His affordable medicines for all plan dramatically reduces prescription drug costs, and forces pharmaceutical companies to price responsibly and pay their fair share.
AGE: 38
STATE: Hawaii
KNOWN FOR: Gabbard is the first American Samoan and the first Hindu member of Congress, and brings her experience as an Iraq War veteran to the House Armed Services Committee. Gabbard is running on a platform of criminal justice reform, and wants to reinstate Glass-Steagall to help protect Americans from risky investment behaviors of big banks. On immigration, Gabbard says she wants to balance border security, have an asylum process that reflects our values, and include a path to legal status for DREAMers.
AGE: 59
STATE: Minnesota
KNOWN FOR: Klobuchar announced her run outdoors as it snowed, which she tied to her commitment to a “homegrown” campaign with “grit.” The Minnesota moderate is looking to work across the aisle and win back fellow working-class midwesterners. Klobuchar supports universal health care for all Americans, is committed to tackling the climate crisis, increasing teacher pay and funding for public schools, and create a strong farm policy as a safety net for farmers.
AGE: 78
STATE: Vermont
KNOWN FOR: Sanders’ democratic socialist platform gained significant traction during the 2016 primaries when the independent senator who caucuses with Democrats ran against Hillary Clinton. His policy agenda includes various progressive proposals, many of which have been embraced by the Democratic Party, like expanding health care, broadening the social safety net and making higher education free.
AGE: 62
STATE: California
KNOWN FOR: Steyer, whose net worth reached $1.6 billion this year according to Forbes, has operated as a funding force in Democratic politics in recent years, bankrolling candidates and organizations that promote liberal causes, including the impeachment of Trump. The 2018 House races marked the third consecutive election cycle in which Steyer spent more than $100 million supporting Democratic candidates. Steyer wants to limit congressional terms, achieve a 100% clean energy economy, and dedicate $2 trillion to American infrastructure.
AGE: 70
STATE: Massachusetts
KNOWN FOR: Warren was appointed as assistant to President Barack Obama and special adviser to the Treasury secretary in order to launch the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau. She was also appointed to a congressional oversight panel overseeing the $700 billion Trouble Assets Relief Program that was passed in response to the 2008 financial crisis. Warren wants to cancel student loan debt, build a green economy by tackling climate change, and says she supports Medicare for all.
Although these candidates are no longer running for president, Oklahomans will still be able to see their names on the ballot.
Polls will be open from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. on March 3, which is also known as Super Tuesday.
