1| STATE OF OKLAHOMA | | | 2| 1st Session of the 59th Legislature (2023) | | | 3|HOUSE BILL 1917 By: Fugate | | | 4| | | | 5| | | | 6| AS INTRODUCED | | | 7| An Act relating to elections; amending 26 O.S. 2021, | | Section 6-102, which relates to unopposed candidates; | 8| providing for retention ballots for certain | | legislative candidates; providing for special | 9| election; and providing an effective date. | | | 10| | | | 11| | | | 12|BE IT ENACTED BY THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF OKLAHOMA: | | | 13| SECTION 1. AMENDATORY 26 O.S. 2021, Section 6-102, is | | | 14|amended to read as follows: | | | 15| Section 6-102. A. Any candidate who is unopposed in any | | | 16|election shall be deemed to have been nominated or elected, as the | | | 17|case may be, and his or her name will not appear on the ballot at | | | 18|any election in which he or she is so unopposed. | | | 19| B. If an incumbent candidate for legislative office remains | | | 20|unopposed at the succeeding General Election, the candidate's name | | | 21|shall be placed on a retention ballot. Ballots for retention of | | | 22|legislators shall be printed in the same manner as other ballots for | | | 23|the General Election, except as hereinafter provided. Near the top | | | 24|of the ballot shall be printed the following words: "NOTICE TO | | | Req. No. 5499 Page 1 ___________________________________________________________________________
1|VOTER: Vote separately on each legislator; they are not running | | | 2|against each other." Below said words shall appear the legislative | | | 3|district number, as reflected by the numbers of the districts from | | | 4|which said legislators were elected, and this question: "Shall | | | 5|(Here insert name of legislator) be retained in Office?" Said | | | 6|question shall be followed by the words "YES" and "NO", one above | | | 7|the other. If the candidate receives a fifty-one percent (51%) | | | 8|majority of votes in the affirmative, he or she shall retain the | | | 9|legislative office. If the candidate fails to receive a fifty-one | | | 10|percent (51%) majority of votes in the affirmative, a Special | | | 11|Election shall be called pursuant to Section 12-106 of this title to | | | 12|fill the vacancy. The incumbent candidate shall continue to serve | | | 13|until a successor has been elected. | | | 14| SECTION 2. This act shall become effective January 1, 2025. | | | 15| | | | 16| 59-1-5499 LRB 12/28/22 | | | 17| | | | 18| | | | 19| | | | 20| | | | 21| | | | 22| | | | 23| | | | 24| | | | Req. No. 5499 Page 2