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STATE OF OKLAHOMA
1st Session of the 60th Legislature (2025)
HOUSE BILL 1712 By: Bennett
AS INTRODUCED
An Act relating to elections; amending 26 O.S. 2021,
Section 1-104, which relates to closed primaries;
establishing that no political party may hold closed
primaries without paying back cost; directing
political parties to notify State Election Board of
intent to hold closed or open primaries; and
providing an effective date.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF OKLAHOMA:
SECTION 1. AMENDATORY 26 O.S. 2021, Section 1-104, is
amended to read as follows:
Section 1-104. A. No registered voter political party shall be
permitted to limit who may vote in any Primary Election or Runoff
Primary Election of any that political party except if the political
party of which his registration form shows him to be a member,
except as otherwise provided by this section has agreed to pay back
the cost of that political party's Primary Election and Runoff
Primary Election.
B. 1. A recognized political party may permit registered
voters designated as Independents pursuant to the provisions of
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Section 4-112 of this title to vote in a Primary Election or Runoff
Primary Election of the party.
2. The state chairman chairperson of the party shall, between
November 1 and 30 of every odd-numbered year, notify the Secretary
of the State Election Board as to whether or not the party intends
to permit registered voters designated as Independents to limit who
may vote in a Primary Election or Runoff Primary Election of the
party. If the state chairman chairperson notifies the Secretary of
the State Election Board of the party's intention to so permit,
registered voters designated as Independents shall be permitted to
vote in any Primary Election or Runoff Primary Election of the party
held in the following limit the party's Primary Election or Runoff
Primary Election, that party shall return to the state the total
cost of that party's closed elections held in the next two (2)
calendar years. If the state chairman chairperson of one party
notifies the Secretary of the State Election Board of the party's
intent to so permit all registered voters to participate in that
party's Primary Election and Runoff Primary Election, the
notification period specified in this paragraph shall be extended to
December 15 for the state chairman chairperson of any other party to
so notify or to change prior notification. A registered voter
designated as Independent shall not be permitted to vote in a
Primary Election or Runoff Primary Election of more than one party.
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3. Failure to so notify the Secretary of the State Election
Board shall serve to prohibit registered voters designated as
Independents or another political party from voting in a Primary
Election or Runoff Primary Election of the party.
4. A group of persons seeking to form a recognized political
party pursuant to the provisions of Section 1-108 of this title
shall, upon filing of the petitions seeking recognition of the
political party with the Secretary of the State Election Board,
notify the Secretary of the State Election Board as to whether or
not the party intends to permit registered voters designated as
Independents or another political party to vote in a Primary
Election or Runoff Primary Election of the party. If the party is
recognized and the group of persons seeking recognition of the party
notifies the Secretary of the State Election Board of such
intention, registered voters designated as Independents or another
political party shall be permitted to vote in any Primary Election
or Runoff Primary Election of the party held prior to January 1 of
the following even-numbered year.
SECTION 2. This act shall become effective November 1, 2025.
60-1-12108 MJ 01/14/25