Oklahoma 2024 2024 Regular Session

Oklahoma House Bill HB3511 Engrossed / Bill

Filed 03/13/2024

                     
 
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ENGROSSED HOUSE 
BILL NO. 3511 	By: Johns, Pae, and Roberts of 
the House 
 
   and 
 
  Jech of the Senate 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
[ elections and special elections - timelines for 
elections - special runoff primary for elections - 
deadlines - effective date ] 
 
 
 
 
BE IT ENACTED BY THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF OKLAHOMA: 
SECTION 1.    AMENDATORY     26 O.S. 2021, Section 12 -108, is 
amended to read as follows: 
Section 12-108. A. Such proclamation shall contain the 
following facts: 
1.  A filing period of three (3) days, on a Monday, Tuesday and 
Wednesday not less than ten (10) days from the date of such 
proclamation; 
2.  The date of the Special Primary Election, not less than 
twenty (20) thirty (30) days after the close of the filing period; 
and   
 
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3.  The date of the Special Runoff Primary Election, not less 
than twenty (20) days after the date of the Special Primary 
Election; 
4. The date of the Special General Election, n ot less than 
twenty (20) days after the date of the Special Runoff Primary 
Election; and 
5. a. In the event a Special Primary Election is not 
necessary, the Special General Election shall be moved 
to the date of the Special Primary Election. 
b. In the event a Special Primary Election is held, but a 
Special Runoff Primary Election is not necessary, the 
Special General Election shall be m oved to the date of 
the Special Runoff Primary Election . 
B.  The election dates contained in the proclamation shall be 
limited to the election dates provided in Section 3 -101 of this 
title. 
C. Should such a vacancy occ ur in an even-numbered year, when a 
special election is r equired, the proclamation must contain dates 
that are the same as are required by law for the regular f iling 
period, Primary Election, Runoff Primary Election and General 
Election, if practicable. 
SECTION 2.     AMENDATORY     26 O.S. 2021, Section 12-109, is 
amended to read as follows:   
 
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Section 12-109. Said elections shall be conducted un der the 
laws applicable to regular Primary , Runoff Primary, and General 
Elections, except that the candidate receiving the highest number of 
votes in said Primary Election shall be deemed the nominee of his 
political party, provided that the dates of the e lections do not 
coincide with the dates for the regular Primary, Runoff Primary and 
General Elections.  If the nominee of a political party is unopposed 
in the Special Election, he shall be issued a certificate of 
election after the expiration of the conte st period following the 
Primary or Runoff Primary Election, if no contest is file d, and.  
Unless otherwise provided by law, the candidate elected to the 
office shall immediately assume the duties of said office upon the 
certification of the election by the State Election Board. 
SECTION 3.     AMENDATORY     26 O.S. 2021, Section 14 -118, is 
amended to read as follows: 
Section 14-118. A.  1.  When an application for an absentee 
ballot from a uniformed-service voter or an overseas voter pursuant 
to Section 14-142 of this title is received by the secretary of a 
county election board, it shall be the duty of the secretary to 
transmit by United States mail, by facsimile device as defined in 
Section 1862 of Title 21 of the Oklahoma Statutes, or a s provided in 
subsection B of this section the ballots which the elector has 
requested and is entitled to receive.   
 
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2. When an application f or an absentee ballot is received at 
least forty-five (45) days before an a regular election involving 
state offices or a regular or special election involving federal 
offices, the absentee ballot shall be transm itted by mail, by 
electronic mail, or by oth er means of electronic communication, as 
provided in this section, or by facsimile device as provided in 
Section 14-118.1 of this title, not less than forty -five (45) days 
preceding the election. 
3. When an application for an absentee ballot for an a regular 
election involving state offices or a regular or special election 
involving federal offices is received less tha n forty-five (45) days 
preceding the election, the absentee ballot shall be transmitted by 
mail, by electronic mail, or by other means of electronic 
communication, as provided in this section, or by facsimile device 
as provided in Section 14 -118.1 of this title, within forty-eight 
(48) hours of receipt of the application. 
4.  When an application for an absentee ballot is received for a 
special election involving state offices, the absentee ballot shall 
be transmitted by mail, by electronic mail, or by other means of 
electronic communication, as provided in this section, or by 
facsimile device as provi ded in Section 14-118.1 of this title, as 
soon as practicable preceding the date of the election. 
   
 
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B.  The secretary of the county election board may transmit 
balloting materials for any state or federal election, or for any 
other election as designated by the Secretary of the State Election 
Board as provided in subsection D of this section, by electronic 
mail or by other means of electronic communication in a fo rm and 
manner prescribed by the Secretary of the State Election Board, if 
the voter: 
1.  Is a Federal Post Card Application registrant and is 
eligible to receive an absentee ballot as provided by law; 
2.  Provides an electronic mail address; and 
3.  Requests that balloting materials be sent by electronic 
mail. 
If the secretary of the county election board transmits a ballot 
to a voter by electronic mail or by other means of electronic 
communication as provided in this subsection, the secretary shall 
amend the voter's federal postcard application for future elections 
to include the voter 's electronic mail address. 
C.  An electronic mail address provided under this section is 
confidential and does no t constitute public information for purposes 
of the Oklahoma Open Records Act.  The secretary of the county 
election board shall ensure that an electronic ma il address provided 
under this section is excluded from disclosure. 
D.  The Secretary of the State Election Board shall determine if 
balloting materials for any election other than a state or federal   
 
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election may be produced in a form which would allow the m to be 
transmitted by electronic mail or b y other means of electronic 
communication.  If so, the S ecretary shall so designate them.  If 
such designation is not made, the balloting materials may be 
transmitted to the voter as provided in subsection A of th is 
section. 
E.  All other provisions of this title that would normally apply 
to a ballot voted under this title apply to a ballot provided 
pursuant to the provi sions of subsection B of this section. 
F.  The Secretary of the State Election Board may suspend the 
provisions of subsection B of this sec tion if the Secretary 
determines that electronic transmi ssion of balloting materials is 
not in the best interest of t he people of this state due to a 
potential problem with the security of the balloting materials. 
SECTION 4.  This act shall become effecti ve November 1, 2024. 
Passed the House of Representatives the 12th day of March, 2024. 
 
 
 
  
 	Presiding Officer of the House 
 	of Representatives 
 
 
 
Passed the Senate the ___ day of __________, 2024. 
 
 
 
  
 	Presiding Officer of the Senate