1 STATE OF OKLAHOMA
2 1st Session of the 58th Legislature (2021)
3 HOUSE BILL 2705 By: Bell
4
5
6 AS INTRODUCED
7 An Act relating to elections; amending 26 O.S. 2011,
Section 4-109.3, as last amended by Section 1,
8 Chapter 242, O.S.L. 2017 (26 O.S. Supp. 2020, Section
4-109.3), which relates to voter registration;
9 authorizing State Election Board to develop certain
system; authorizing Secretary of the Board to provide
10 certain information to county election board;
providing for automatic voter registration;
11 prohibiting sending of ballots to certain persons;
and providing an effective date.
12
13
14 BE IT ENACTED BY THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF OKLAHOMA:
15 SECTION 1. AMENDATORY 26 O.S. 2011, Section 4-109.3, as
16 last amended by Section 1, Chapter 242, O.S.L. 2017 (26 O.S. Supp.
17 2020, Section 4-109.3), is amended to read as follows:
18 Section 4-109.3 A. When a qualified elector applies for
19 issuance or renewal of an Oklahoma driver license, or issuance of a
20 state identification card issued pursuant to Section 6-105 6-105.3
21 of Title 47 of the Oklahoma Statutes, he or she shall be provided
22 voter registration services as required by the National Voter
23 Registration Act. All completed paper voter registration
24 applications shall be transmitted by the agency accepting the
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1 application at the close of business each week to the State Election
2 Board in preaddressed, postage prepaid envelopes provided by the
3 State Election Board. If a person registers or declines to register
4 to vote, the office at which the person submits the voter
5 registration application or the fact that the person declined to
6 register shall remain confidential and will be used only for voter
7 registration purposes.
8 B. A change of address for an Oklahoma driver license or state
9 identification card submitted by a registered voter shall also serve
10 as a change of address for voter registration purposes if the new
11 address is within the same county where the voter is registered to
12 vote. If the new address is outside the county where the voter is
13 currently registered to vote, the voter shall be sent a notice and
14 application with instructions for registering to vote at the new
15 address. A change of address for an Oklahoma driver license or
16 state identification card shall not be used to update a voter
17 registration address if the registrant states in writing that the
18 change of address is not for voter registration purposes.
19 C. Motor license agents shall receive fifty cents ($0.50) per
20 valid paper voter registration application or application for change
21 in voter registration taken by themselves and employees of the motor
22 license agent's office taken at the agent's office, payable by the
23 State Election Board.
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1 D. The Oklahoma Tax Commission shall notify the Secretary of
2 the State Election Board of motor license agent appointments. The
3 Oklahoma Department of Public Safety shall notify the Secretary of
4 the State Election Board of motor license agents qualified to issue
5 driver licenses.
6 E. The Secretary of the State Election Board is authorized to
7 develop with the Department of Public Safety a system to
8 electronically transmit voter registration applications from motor
9 license agencies to the State Election Board or county election
10 boards. Such system shall be consistent with the requirements for
11 electronic submission of voter registration applications provided in
12 Section 4-109.4 of this title.
13 F. The Secretary of the State Election Board shall develop a
14 system by which the Department of Public Safety and motor license
15 agents shall provide to the Secretary electronic records containing
16 the legal name, age, residence, citizenship information and the
17 electronic signature of each person who is a qualified elector or
18 will be a qualified elector within the next two (2) years.
19 G. Upon receiving the electronic record for and electronic
20 signature of a qualified elector or a person who will become a
21 qualified elector within the next two (2) years, the Secretary shall
22 provide the information to the county election board of the county
23 in which the person may be registered or preregistered as a
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1 qualified elector. The Secretary or county election board shall
2 notify each person of the process to:
3 1. Decline being registered as a qualified elector; or
4 2. Adopt a political party affiliation.
5 H. If a person notified under subsection G of this section does
6 not decline to be registered as an elector within twenty-one (21)
7 calendar days after the Secretary of State or county clerk issues
8 the notification, the person's electronic record and electronic
9 signature submitted pursuant to subsection F of this section shall
10 constitute a completed registration card for the person for purposes
11 of this section. The person shall be registered to vote if the
12 county election board determines that the person is a qualified
13 elector and the person is not already registered to vote.
14 I. A county election board shall not send a ballot to, or add
15 to an elector registration list, a person who meets eligibility
16 requirements until at least twenty-one (21) calendar days after the
17 Secretary or county election board provides notification to the
18 person as described in subsection G of this section.
19 J. The Secretary of the State Election Board shall promulgate
20 rules and procedures to implement the requirements of this section.
21 SECTION 2. This act shall become effective November 1, 2021.
22
23 58-1-6428 LRB 12/16/20
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