OK
Oklahoma Senate Bill SB962

Oklahoma 2025 Regular Session

Oklahoma Senate Bill SB962 Compare Versions

Only one version of the bill is available at this time.
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5353 STATE OF OKLAHOMA
5454
5555 1st Session of the 60th Legislature (2025)
5656
5757 SENATE BILL 962 By: Haste
5858
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6363 AS INTRODUCED
6464
6565 An Act relating to elections; amending 26 O.S. 2021,
6666 Sections 8-111 and 8-120, which relate to petition
6767 for recount and petition relating irregularities;
6868 increasing certain amounts required for certain
6969 recounts; stating requirements for certain petition;
7070 requiring reimbursement of certain costs; modifying
7171 provisions related to certain petition; establishing
7272 provisions for certain refund; upd ating statutory
7373 language; making language gender neutral; and
7474 providing an effective date.
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8181 BE IT ENACTED BY THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF OKLAHOMA:
8282 SECTION 1. AMENDATORY 26 O.S. 2021, Section 8 -111, is
8383 amended to read as follows:
8484 Section 8-111. A. 1. In the event a candidate or individual
8585 authorized to request a recount requests a recount of the ballots
8686 cast in an election, it must set forth in the petition the precincts
8787 and absentee ballots which are to be recounted.
8888 2. The petition must be accompanied by either a cashier ’s check
8989 or certified check for each county affected by the petition.
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141141 3. The candidate or individual may indicate in the petition
142142 requesting the recount that the candidate or individual desires to
143143 have the ballots recounted manually or by electronic voting devices.
144144 Failure by the candidate or individual to state such preference for
145145 a manual recount in the petition shall result in a recount by
146146 electronic voting devices.
147147 4. a. If the candidate or indi vidual requests that the
148148 ballots be recounted manually, the petition must be
149149 accompanied by a cashier ’s check or certified check in
150150 the amount of Six Hundred Dollars ($600.00) One
151151 Thousand Dollars ($1,000.00) for each three thousand
152152 (3,000) ballots or frac tion thereof, to be recounted
153153 for each county affected.
154154 b. If the candidate or individual requests that the
155155 ballots be recounted by electronic device, the
156156 petition must be accompanied by a cashier ’s check or
157157 certified check in the amount of Six Hundred Dollars
158158 ($600.00) Eight Hundred Dollars ($800.00) for the
159159 first three thousand (3 ,000) ballots or fraction
160160 thereof and Three Hundred Dollars ($300.00) Five
161161 Hundred Dollars ($500.00) for each additional five
162162 thousand (5,000) ballots or fraction thereof, to be
163163 recounted for each affected county.
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215215 5. If the petition for a recount is filed with the State
216216 Election Board, the petition must be accompanied by a cashier ’s
217217 check in the amount of Three Hundred Dollars ($300.00) in addition
218218 to the amounts required in para graph 4 of this subsection.
219219 6. In elections involving candidates, an addition al frivolous
220220 recount deposit equal to the total of the deposits required by
221221 paragraphs 2, 4 and 5 of this subsection shall be required if the
222222 margin between the first -place candidate and second-place candidate
223223 is ten percent (10%) or greater. Provided, in a Primary Election
224224 involving three or more candidates where a Runoff Primary may be
225225 required, and where the margin between the second -place candidate
226226 and third-place candidate is less than one percent (1%), or where
227227 the first-place candidate is one percen t (1%) above or below a
228228 majority, then no additional deposit shall be required.
229229 7. For an election involving candidates, the petition shall be
230230 filed with the secretary of the el ection board with whom the
231231 candidate filed the candidate ’s declaration of candidacy, unless
232232 otherwise provided for by law. The petition may only be filed by a
233233 candidate whose name was printed on the ballot for that office in
234234 that election.
235235 8. When such petition is properly filed, it shall be the duty
236236 of the secretary of the approp riate election board to order the
237237 recount to begin not less than three (3) nor more than ten (10) days
238238 from the date of filing of the petition.
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290290 9. a. In elections involving candi dates, it shall be the
291291 duty of such contestant to cause to be served upon the
292292 opposing candidate or candidates, and directly
293293 affected by the contest, a true copy of the petition
294294 and a true copy of the order.
295295 b. Service shall be made in person where possibl e, within
296296 twenty-four (24) hours after the filing of the
297297 original petition of contest. Service shall be made
298298 by the sheriff of the county as to all offices, except
299299 that of sheriff, in which case the same shall be
300300 served by the county clerk and the certifi cate of
301301 returns of such sheriff or county clerk, showing the
302302 inability to make such service within the above -
303303 mentioned time, shall be deemed sufficient proof of
304304 the absence of such candidate, or candidates, or the
305305 inability to serve such notice upon the ca ndidate, and
306306 to justify the constructive service hereafter
307307 provided.
308308 c. Where personal service is impossible, within the time,
309309 it is hereby made the duty of the contestant to serve
310310 true copies upon the secretary of the appropriate
311311 election board. Provided that for the purpose of such
312312 constructive service, the secretaries of the county
313313 election boards are hereby made and constituted the
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365365 service agents for all contests of elections filed in
366366 accordance herewith. By filing declaration of
367367 candidacy for electio n, a candidate shall thereby be
368368 conclusively presumed to have accepted the ter ms and
369369 provisions hereof and specifically the aforesaid
370370 constructive service. When constructive service
371371 becomes necessary, constructive service shall be made
372372 at the date, time and place of the hearing.
373373 B. For elections on issues or questions when no candidate is
374374 involved and a majority is required for approval, recounts shall be
375375 authorized only when:
376376 1. The margin of votes between those for and those against the
377377 issue is one hundred fifty (150) or less when fifteen thousand
378378 (15,000) or more total votes a re counted for and against the issue
379379 or question; or
380380 2. The margin of votes between those for and those against the
381381 issue is one percent (1%) or less of the total number of vote s cast
382382 on the issue when fourteen thousand nine hundred ninety -nine
383383 (14,999) or fewer total votes are cast for and against the issue or
384384 question.
385385 Provided, furthermore, that a recount is authorized only after an
386386 individual, who is a registered voter and wh o participated in the
387387 election, presents to the appropriate county election bo ard a
388388 petition signed by one hundred fifty (150) registered voters who
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440440 participated in the election when fifteen thousand (15,000) or more
441441 total votes are counted for and against the question, or if fourteen
442442 thousand nine hundred ninety -nine (14,999) or fewer votes are cast
443443 for and against the issue, by a number of registered voters who
444444 participated in the election equal to one percent (1%) or more of
445445 the total votes cast for and against the issue.
446446 C. For elections on issues or questions when no candidate is
447447 involved and more than a majority is required for approval, recounts
448448 shall be authorized only when:
449449 1. The margin of votes between those for the issue and the
450450 number required for approval is one hundred fifty (150) or less when
451451 fifteen thousand (15,000) or more total votes are counted for and
452452 against the issue or question; or
453453 2. The margin of votes between those for the issue and the
454454 number required for approval is one percen t (1%) or less of the
455455 total number of votes cast on the issue when fourteen th ousand nine
456456 hundred ninety-nine (14,999) or fewer total votes are cast for and
457457 against the issue or question.
458458 Provided, furthermore, that a recount is authorized only after an
459459 individual, who is a registered voter and who participated in the
460460 election, presents to the appropriate county election board a
461461 petition signed by one hundred fifty (150) registered voters who
462462 participated in the election when fifteen thousand (15,000) or mo re
463463 total votes are counted for and against the question, or if fourteen
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515515 thousand nine hundred ninety -nine (14,999) or fewer votes are cast
516516 for and against the issue, by a number of registered voters who
517517 participated in the election equal to one percent (1% ) or more of
518518 the total votes cast for and against the issue.
519519 D. Within twenty-four (24) hours after a petition required in
520520 subsections B and C of this section is filed, not counting Saturday,
521521 Sunday or legal holidays, the secretary of the county election board
522522 who received the petition shall determine, pursuant to rules
523523 promulgated by the Secretary of the State Election Board, if the
524524 petition contains a sufficient number of valid signatures of
525525 registered voters who participated in the election.
526526 E. Recounts of issue or question elections shall not be
527527 permitted of any statewide election, except as follows:
528528 1. The Governor or the Attorney General may request a recount
529529 of any state question. The request shall be in the form of a
530530 petition prescribed by the Se cretary of the State Election Board.
531531 The petition shall be filed with the Sec retary of the State Election
532532 Board no later than the deadline provided in Section 8 -109 of this
533533 title, and the petition shall be accompanied by a cashier ’s check or
534534 certified check in the amount required by subsection A of this
535535 section.
536536 2. Subject to available funding, the Secretary of the State
537537 Election Board shall order an automatic recount of a state question
538538 if:
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590590 a. the margin of votes required for approval is one -half
591591 of one percent (1/2 of 1%) or less of the total number
592592 of votes cast for and against a state question
593593 involving a statutory issue or question, and
594594 b. the margin of votes required for approval is one
595595 percent (1%) or less of the total number of votes cast
596596 for and against a state question involving a
597597 constitutional issue or question.
598598 For the purposes of this paragraph, “available funding” shall mean a
599599 balance of Two Hundred Fifty Thousand Dollars ($250,000.00) or more
600600 in the State Question Recount Revolving Fund as o f the date of the
601601 election.
602602 3. Unless otherwise provided in this subsection, the general
603603 laws governing recounts shall be applicable to such recounts.
604604 4. The Secretary of the State Election Board shall determine
605605 the dates and times each county election b oard shall begin a recount
606606 pursuant to this subsection. Provided, such a recount shall be
607607 concluded no later than forty -five (45) days after the date of the
608608 election.
609609 5. The Secretary of the State Election Board may prescribe such
610610 rules and procedures as may be necessary to implement the provisions
611611 of this subsection.
612612 F. There is hereby created in the State Treasury a revolving
613613 fund for the State Election Board to be designated the “State
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665665 Question Recount Revolving Fund ”. The fund shall consist of monie s
666666 appropriated by the Legislature.
667667 1. The revolving fund shall be a continuing fund, not subject
668668 to fiscal year limitations, provided that at no point shall the
669669 balance in the fund exceed Five Hundred Thousand Dollars
670670 ($500,000.00) and shall be under the administrative direction of the
671671 Secretary of the State Election Board. Fees c ollected each fiscal
672672 year in excess of the Five Hundred Thousand Dollars ($500,000.00)
673673 balance limitation shall be placed to the credit of the State
674674 Election Board Revolving Fund .
675675 2. Expenditures from the fund shall be limited to:
676676 a. the costs of the State Election Board directly related
677677 to conducting a recount of a state question pursuant
678678 to paragraph 2 of subsection E of this section, and
679679 b. reimbursements to county election bo ards for costs
680680 directly related to conducting a recount of a state
681681 question pursuant to paragraph 2 of subsection E of
682682 this section.
683683 3. Warrants for expenditures from said fund shall be drawn by
684684 the State Treasurer, based on claims signed by employees aut horized
685685 by the Secretary of the State Election Board and approved for
686686 payment by the Director of the Office of Management and Enterprise
687687 Services.
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739739 4. All interest earned on the balance of funds in the State
740740 Question Recount Revolving Fund shall be deposit ed by the State
741741 Treasurer into the fund on a monthly basis.
742742 SECTION 2. AMENDATORY 26 O.S. 2021, Section 8 -120, is
743743 amended to read as follows:
744744 Section 8-120. A. When a petition alleging irregularities
745745 other than fraud is filed, said such petition must allege a
746746 sufficient number of irregularities and of such nature as to:
747747 1. Prove that the contestant is lawfully entitled to be
748748 certified the party’s nominee or to be issued a certificate of
749749 election, or to have his or her name appear on the Runoff Primary
750750 Election ballot; or
751751 2. Prove that it is impossible to determine with mathematical
752752 certainty which candidate is entitled to be certified as the party ’s
753753 nominee or to be issued a certificate of election, or to have his or
754754 her name appear on the Runoff Primary Election ballot.
755755 B. 1. The petition shall set forth specific allegations of
756756 actual irregularities in certain precincts or in the casting of
757757 absentee ballots. The petition shall not contain speculation as to
758758 mere possibilities that irregularities may have occurred or claims
759759 of mere statutory informalitie s. Additional irregularities may be
760760 presented at the hearing if not known to the contestant at the time
761761 the petition is filed.
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813813 2. If such allegations are not made or are not supported by the
814814 evidence provided, the petition shall be deemed frivolous by the
815815 presiding judge and shall be dismissed. Upon such a dismissal, the
816816 presiding judge shall require the petitioner to reimburse the court
817817 for all reasonable costs associated with the hearing and to pay
818818 reasonable attorney fees to the attorneys of the conte stee, the
819819 county election board, and the State Election Board.
820820 Said C. The petition must be accompanied by either a cashier ’s
821821 check or certified check in the amount of Two Hundr ed Fifty Dollars
822822 ($250.00) for each county affected by the petition. Said petition
823823 must set forth specific allegations of irregularities in certain
824824 precincts or in the casting of absentee ballots. The deposit shall
825825 be refunded to the petitioner only if t he petition is successful and
826826 a new election is ordered by the judge.
827827 D. If said the petition is filed in the manner herein provided,
828828 the district judge of the county or such other judge as may be
829829 assigned by the Supreme Court shall hear and determine said the
830830 issue in the same manner as provided for a petition alleging fraud.
831831 E. On the day of the hearing, the contestee may file an answer
832832 to the petition or may file a cross petition setting forth in
833833 detail, as required of petitioner herein, such claim of
834834 irregularities. A cross petition must be accompanied by either a
835835 cashier’s check or certified check in the amount of Two Hundred
836836 Fifty Dollars ($250.00) for each county affected by the cross
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888888 petition. Deposits shall be used to defray actual costs as prov ided
889889 for recounts.
890890 SECTION 3. This act shall become effective November 1, 2025.
891891
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