An act relating to elections, the official text

1                            STATE OF OKLAHOMA

2   1st Session of the 60th Legislature (2025)

3 HOUSE BILL 1985                 By: Ranson

4

5

6                               AS INTRODUCED

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.

9

10

11 BE IT ENACTED BY THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF OKLAHOMA:

12  SECTION 1.      AMENDATORY  26 O.S. 2021, Section 7-119, is

13 amended to read as follows:

14  Section 7-119. The voter shall vote by marking the ballot as

15 prescribed by the Secretary of the State Election Board for the

16 party of his choice or for the voter's choice of candidates of his

17 choice or for the answer he choice the voter desires to select on

18 each question.

19  SECTION 2.      AMENDATORY  26 O.S. 2021, Section 7-127, is

20 amended to read as follows:

21  Section 7-127. The following rules shall govern the counting

22 and recounting of votes:

23  1. If the name of any person is written on a ballot, the name

24 shall not be counted;

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1   2. A valid vote shall be any mark prescribed by the Secretary

2 of the State Election Board made by voters indicating the voter's

3 choice of party, candidate or issue on a ballot. Such marking shall

4 be hereinafter referred to as "valid markings". Such valid markings

5 located otherwise on the ballot shall not be counted;

6   3. Marks used to designate the intention of the voter, other

7 than those herein defined as valid markings, shall not be counted;

8   4. Failure to properly mark a ballot as to one or more

9 candidates or questions shall not of itself invalidate the entire

10 ballot if the same has been properly marked as to other candidates

11 or questions; and

12  5. A valid marking marked for a political party shall be

13 counted as a vote for each of the political party's candidates on

14 that ballot, except that a valid marking marked for a candidate's

15 name shall take precedence, for that office, over a valid marking

16 for a political party. Provided, further, that if valid markings

17 are marked for more than one political party on a ballot, the ballot

18 shall not be counted for any party offices thereon; and

19  6. Any ballot or part of a ballot on which it is impossible to

20 determine the voter's choice of candidate shall be void as to the

21 candidate or candidates thereby affected.

22  SECTION 3. This act shall become effective November 1, 2025.

23

24  60-1-11165        MJ  12/11/24

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