An Act
ENROLLED SENATE
BILL NO. 375 By: Howard of the Senate
and
Newton of the House
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.
SUBJECT: Elections
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:
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 follows:
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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;
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
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
ENR. S. B. NO. 375 Page 3
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 holid ay, the election shall be scheduled for
the next following Tuesday. In the event that any day of a
candidate filing period 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, a ny 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 fede ral 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
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
ENR. S. B. NO. 375 Page 4
transmitted by United States mail, but in no event shall the
secretary of any elec tion 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 a ct shall take effect and
be in full force from and after its passage and approval.
ENR. S. B. NO. 375 Page 5
Passed the Senate the 23rd day of May, 2023.
Presiding Officer of the Senate
Passed the House of Representatives the 26th day of April, 2023.
Presiding Officer of the House
of Representatives
OFFICE OF THE GOVERNOR
Received by the Office of the Governor this _______ _____________
day of _________________ __, 20_______, at _______ o'clock _______ M.
By: _______________________________ __
Approved by the Governor of the State of Oklahoma this _____ ____
day of _________________ __, 20_______, at _______ o'clock _______ M.
_________________________________
Governor of the State of Oklahoma
OFFICE OF THE SECRETARY OF STATE
Received by the Office of the Secretary of State this __________
day of __________________, 20 _______, at _______ o'clock _______ M.
By: _______________________________ __