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STATE OF OKLAHOMA
1st Session of the 59th Legislature (2023)
SENATE BILL 568 By: Boren
AS INTRODUCED
An Act relating to straight-party voting; amending 26
O.S. 2021, Sections 7 -119 and 7-127, which relate to
conduct of elections; eliminati ng straight-party
voting; making language gender neutral ; updating
statutory language; and providing an effective date .
BE IT ENACTED BY THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF OKLAHOMA:
SECTION 1. AMENDATORY 26 O.S. 2021, Section 7-119, is
amended to read as follows:
Section 7-119. The voter shall vote by marking the ballot as
prescribed by the Secretary of the State Election Board for the
party of his choice or for the candidates of his or her choice or
for the answer he choice the voter desires to select on each
question.
SECTION 2. AMENDATORY 26 O.S. 2021, Section 7-127, is
amended to read as follows:
Section 7-127. The following rules shall govern th e counting
and recounting of vot es:
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1. If the name of any person is written on a ballot, the name
shall not be counted;
2. A valid vote shall be any mark prescribed by the Secretar y
of the State Election Board made by voters indicating the voter ’s
choice of party, candidate or issue on a ballot. Such marking shall
be hereinafter referred to in this section as “valid markings”.
Such valid markings located otherwise on the ballot shall not be
counted;
3. Marks used to designate the intention of the voter , other
than those herein defined as valid markings, shall not be counted;
4. Failure to properly mark a ballot as to one or m ore
candidates or questions shall not of itself invalidate the entire
ballot if the same has been properly marked as to other can didates
or questions; and
5. A valid marking marked for a political party shall b e
counted as a vote for each of the political party’s candidates on
that ballot, except that a valid marking marked for a candidate’s
name shall take precedence, for that off ice, over a valid marking
for a political party. Provided, further, that if valid markings
are marked for more than one politi cal party on a ballot, the ballot
shall not be counted for any party office s thereon; and
6. Any ballot or part of a ballot on w hich it is impossible to
determine the voter’s choice of candidate shall be void a s to the
candidate or candidates thereby affected.
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SECTION 3. This act shall become effective November 1, 2023.
59-1-1020 TEK 1/17/2023 5:50:13 PM