ENGR. H. A. to ENGR. S. B. NO. 375 Page 1 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 ENGROSSED HOUSE AMENDME NT TO ENGROSSED SENATE BILL NO . 375 By: Howard of the Senate and Newton of the House [ elections - filing period - date declarations of candidacy - emergency ] AMENDMENT NO. 1. Strike the title, enacting clause, and entire bill and insert: "An Act relating to elections; amendin g 26 O.S. 2021, Sections 1-102, 3-101, and 5-110, which relate to primary, regular, and special elections and filin g period; modifying date for primary elections; modifying date for r egular or special elections; modifying filing period for declarations of candidacy; and declaring an emergency. BE IT ENACTED BY THE PEOPLE OF THE STA TE OF OKLAHOMA: SECTION 1. AMENDATORY 26 O.S. 2021, Section 1 -102, is amended to read as follows: ENGR. H. A. to ENGR. S. B. NO. 375 Page 2 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 Section 1-102. A Primary Election shall be held on the last third Tuesday in June of each even-numbered year, at which time each political party recognized by the laws of Oklahoma this state shall nominate its candidates for the off ices to be filled at the next succeeding General E lection, unless otherwise provided by law. No candidate’s name shall be printed upon the General Election ballot unless such candidate shall have been nominated as herein provided, unless otherwise provide d by law; provided further that this provision shall not exclude the right of a nonpartisan candidate to have his or her name printed upon the General Election ballo ts. No county, municipality or school district shall schedule an election on any date during the twenty (20) days immediately preceding the date of any such primary election. SECTION 2. AMENDATORY 26 O.S. 2021, Section 3-101, is amended to read as fo llows: Section 3-101. A. No election required to be conducted by any county election board shall be scheduled for a day other than Tuesday. B. Except as otherwise provided by law, no regular or special election to fill an elective office shall be held by any county, school district, technology center school district, munici pality, fire protection district or other politica l subdivision authorized to call elections except as follows: 1. The second Tuesday of February in any year; ENGR. H. A. to ENGR. S. B. NO. 375 Page 3 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 2. The first Tuesday of April in any year; 3. The date of any regularly scheduled statewide st ate or federal election in an even-numbered year; 4. The second Tuesday of September in an odd-numbered year; 5. The second Tuesday of November in an odd-numbered year; and 6. The second Tuesday of June of an odd-numbered year for a special election to fill a vacancy. C. Except as otherwise provided b y law or by Section 1 of this act, no election for any purpose o ther than to fill an elective office shall be held b y any county, school district, technology center school district, municipality, fire protection district or other political subdivision auth orized to call elections except on: 1. The second Tuesday of Ja nuary, February, May, June, July, August, September, October and November and the first Tuesday in March and April in odd-numbered years; provided, a municipality with a population in excess o f two hundred fifty thous and (250,000) persons, according to the most recent Federal Decennial Census, may also hold an election on the second Tuesday of December in odd- numbered years; and 2. The second Tuesday of January and February, the first Tuesday in March and April, the last third Tuesday in June, the fourth Tuesday in August, and the first Tuesday after the first Monday in November of any even-numbered year. ENGR. H. A. to ENGR. S. B. NO. 375 Page 4 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 D. In the event that a regular or speci al election date occurs on an official state holid ay, the election shall be scheduled for the next following Tuesday. In the event that any day of a candidate filing perio d occurs on a Saturday, Sunday or any official state holiday, that day of the filing period shall be scheduled for the next business day. E. Notwithstanding a ny other provision of law or any provision of a municipal charter, any municipality, school distr ict, technology center district, county, rural fire protection district, or any other entity seeking to hold a regular or special elec tion to be conducted by a county election board on the same date as a regular or special federal or state election, shall file the resolution calling for the election with the county election board secretary no later than seventy-five (75) days prior to th e election date. A candidate filing period of three (3) days, if so required by the resolution, shall begin no later than ten (10) days following the deadline to file the resolution with the secretary of t he county election board; provided, the filing per iod for such municipal office may be scheduled on the same dates as the filing period for state or federal office to be fi lled at such election. F. Any school district, technology center district, municipality, including any municipality governed by chart er, rural fire protection district or any other entity seeking to hold a special election for the purpose of filling a vac ancy shall schedule ENGR. H. A. to ENGR. S. B. NO. 375 Page 5 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 a candidate filing period of three (3) days to begin not more th an twenty (20) days following the date the resolut ion calling the election is required to be filed with the secretary of the county election board. SECTION 3. AMENDATORY 26 O.S. 2021, Section 5-110, is amended to read as follows: Section 5-110. Declarations of Candidacy provided herein must be filed with the secretary of the appropriate elec tion board no earlier than 8:00 a.m. on the second first Wednesday of April of any even-numbered year and no later than 5:00 p.m. on the next succeeding Friday. Such Declarations of Candidacy may be transmitted by United States mail, but in no event shall the secretary of any election board accept such Declaratio ns after the time prescribed by law. SECTION 4. It being immediately necessary for the preservation of the public peace, health or safety, an emergency is hereby declared to exist, by reason whereof this act shall take effect and be in full force from and after its passage and approval." ENGR. H. A. to ENGR. S. B. NO. 375 Page 6 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 Passed the House of Representat ives the 26th day of April, 2023. Presiding Officer of the House of Representatives Passed the Senate the ____ day of _______ ___, 2023. Presiding Officer of the Senate ENGR. S. B. NO. 375 Page 1 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 ENGROSSED SENATE BILL NO. 375 By: Howard of the Senate and Newton of the House [ elections - filing period - date declarations of candidacy - emergency ] BE IT ENACTED BY THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF OKLA HOMA: SECTION 5. AMENDATORY 26 O.S. 2021, Section 1 -102, is amended to read as fo llows: Section 1-102. A Primary Election shall be held on the last third Tuesday in June of each even-numbered year, at which time each political party recognized by the laws of Oklahoma this state shall nominate its candidates for the offices to be fille d at the next succeeding General Election , unless otherwise provided by law. N o candidate’s name shall be printed upon the General Election ballot unless such candidate shall have been nominated as herein provided, unless otherwise provided by law; provid ed further that this provision shall not exclude the right of a nonpartisan can didate to have his or her name printed upon the General Election ballo ts. No county, municipality or school district shall schedule an election ENGR. S. B. NO. 375 Page 2 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 on any date during the twenty (2 0) days immediately preceding the date of any such primary election. SECTION 6. AMENDATORY 26 O.S. 2021, Section 3-101, is amended to read as fo llows: Section 3-101. A. No election required to be conducted by any county election board shall be scheduled for a day other than Tuesday. B. Except as otherwise provided by law, no regular or special election to fill an elective office shall be held by any county, school district, technology center school district, municipality, fire protection district or other political subdivision autho rized to call elections except as follows: 1. The second Tuesday of February in any year; 2. The first Tuesday of April in any year; 3. The date of any regularly scheduled statewide state or federal election in an even-numbered year; 4. The second Tuesday of September in an odd-numbered year; 5. The second Tuesday of November in an odd-numbered year; and 6. The second Tuesday of June of an odd-numbered year for a special election to fill a vacancy . C. Except as otherwise provided by law or by Section 1 of this act, no election for any purpose o ther than to fill an elective office shall be held b y any county, school district, technology ENGR. S. B. NO. 375 Page 3 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 center school district, municipality, fire protection district or other political subdivision authorized to call elections except on: 1. The second Tuesday of Ja nuary, February, May, June, July, August, September, October and November and the first Tuesday in March and April in odd-numbered years; provided, a municipality with a population in excess of two hundred fifty thousand (250,000) persons, according to the most recent federal decennial census, may also hold an election on the second Tuesday of December in odd- numbered years; and 2. The second Tuesday of January and February, the first Tuesday in March and April, the last third Tuesday in June, the fourth Tuesday in August, and the first Tuesday after the first Monday in November of any even-numbered year. D. In the event that a regular or speci al election date occurs on an official state holiday, the election shall be scheduled fo r the next following Tuesday. In the event that any day of a candidate filing perio d occurs on a Saturday, Sunday or any official state holiday, that day of the filing period shall be scheduled for the next business day. E. Notwithstanding any other prov ision of law or any provision of a municipal charter, any municipality, school distr ict, technology center district, county, rural fire protection district, or any other entity seeking to hold a regular or special election to be conducted by a county elect ion board on the same date as a ENGR. S. B. NO. 375 Page 4 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 regular or special federal or state election, shall file the resolution calling for the election with the county election board secretary no later than seventy-five (75) days prior to the election date. A candidate filing p eriod of three (3) days, if so required by the resolution, shall begin no later than ten (10) days following the deadline to file the resolution with the secretary of t he county election board; provided, the filing period for such municipal office may be scheduled on the same dates as the filing period for state or federal office to be fi lled at such election. F. Any school district, technology center district, municipality, including any municipality governed by charter, rural fire protection district or any other entity seeking to hold a special election for the purpose of filling a vac ancy shall schedule a candidate filing period of three (3) days to begin not more th an twenty (20) days following the date the resolution calling the election is required t o be filed with the secretary of the county election board. SECTION 7. AMENDATORY 26 O.S. 2021, Section 5-110, is amended to read as follows: Section 5-110. Declarations of Candidacy provided herein must be filed with the secretary of the appropriate elec tion board no earlier than 8:00 a.m. on the second Wednesday Monday of April of any even-numbered year and no later than 5:00 p.m. on the next succeeding Friday Wednesday. Such Declarations of Candidacy may be ENGR. S. B. NO. 375 Page 5 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 transmitted by United States mail, but in no event shall the secretary of any election board accept such Declaratio ns after the time prescribed by law. SECTION 8. It being immediately ne cessary for the preservation of the public peace, health or safety, an emergency is hereby declared to exist, by reason whereof this act shall take effect and be in full force from and after its passage an d approval. Passed the Senate the 9th day of March, 2023. Presiding Officer of the Senate Passed the House of Representatives the ____ day of __________, 2023. Presiding Officer of the House of Representatives