1| STATE OF OKLAHOMA |
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2| 1st Session of the 59th Legislature (2023) |
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3|HOUSE BILL 2012 By: Ranson |
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5| |
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6| AS INTRODUCED |
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7| An Act relating to elections; amending 26 O.S. 2021, |
| Sections 7-119 and 7-127, which relate to conduct of |
8| elections; eliminating straight-party voting; and |
| providing an effective date. |
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11|BE IT ENACTED BY THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF OKLAHOMA: |
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12| SECTION 1. AMENDATORY 26 O.S. 2021, Section 7-119, is |
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13|amended to read as follows: |
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14| Section 7-119. The voter shall vote by marking the ballot as |
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15|prescribed by the Secretary of the State Election Board for the |
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16|party of his choice or for the voter's choice of candidates of his |
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17|choice or for the answer he choice the voter desires to select on |
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18|each question. |
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19| SECTION 2. AMENDATORY 26 O.S. 2021, Section 7-127, is |
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20|amended to read as follows: |
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21| Section 7-127. The following rules shall govern the counting |
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22|and recounting of votes: |
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23| 1. If the name of any person is written on a ballot, the name |
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24|shall not be counted; |
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1| 2. A valid vote shall be any mark prescribed by the Secretary |
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2|of the State Election Board made by voters indicating the voter's |
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3|choice of party, candidate or issue on a ballot. Such marking shall |
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4|be hereinafter referred to as "valid markings". Such valid markings |
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5|located otherwise on the ballot shall not be counted; |
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6| 3. Marks used to designate the intention of the voter, other |
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7|than those herein defined as valid markings, shall not be counted; |
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8| 4. Failure to properly mark a ballot as to one or more |
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9|candidates or questions shall not of itself invalidate the entire |
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10|ballot if the same has been properly marked as to other candidates |
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11|or questions; and |
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12| 5. A valid marking marked for a political party shall be |
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13|counted as a vote for each of the political party's candidates on |
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14|that ballot, except that a valid marking marked for a candidate's |
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15|name shall take precedence, for that office, over a valid marking |
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16|for a political party. Provided, further, that if valid markings |
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17|are marked for more than one political party on a ballot, the ballot |
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18|shall not be counted for any party offices thereon; and |
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19| 6. Any ballot or part of a ballot on which it is impossible to |
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20|determine the voter's choice of candidate shall be void as to the |
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21|candidate or candidates thereby affected. |
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22| SECTION 3. This act shall become effective November 1, 2023. |
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23| |
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24| 59-1-5444 LRB 12/06/22 |
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