Seminole County voters will take to the polls Tuesday, Aug. 10 to decide on the extension of a quarter-cent sales tax to fund emergency services in the county.

The election was called May 24 by the Seminole County Board of County Commissioners (BOCC). Earlier this year, the BOCC set the election date for June 8, but that election was canceled due to a clerical error, as the Seminole Fire Department was omitted from the ballot.

Three propositions appear on Tuesday’s ballot: Proposition One calls for dividing 40 percent of the revenue equally between the eight fire departments in Seminole County. Under Proposition Two, 30 percent of the revenue will be split equally among the Konawa, Seminole and Wewoka ambulance services. Proposition Three states that the remaining 30 percent of the revenue will go to the county’s 911 system.

The tax has been in place for 15 years, and historically, the Seminole Ambulance Service has received a larger portion than the Konawa and Wewoka services, because the distribution has been based on the number of ambulance runs made by each department and Seminole has out-paced the others. Seminole’s share will be cut in half under the new proposal.

If approved by voters, the tax extension will take effect Jan. 1, 2022 and expire on Dec. 31, 2026.

Polls will open at 7 a.m. Tuesday and close at 7 p.m. Voters should check their voter registration card for their precinct location or call the Seminole County Election Board at (405) 257-2786.