HB3543 • 2026

Elections; primary elections; presidential election years; candidate filing periods; statewide elected positions; effective date.

Elections

Active

The official status still shows this bill as active or still awaiting another formal step.

Sponsor: Hays
Last action: 2026-02-03
Official status: Second Reading referred to Rules
Effective date: Not listed

Plain English Breakdown

Using official source text because the generated explanation was unavailable or could not be confirmed against the official bill text.

Elections; primary elections; presidential election years; candidate filing periods; statewide elected positions; effective date.

What This Bill Does

Elections; primary elections; presidential election years; candidate filing periods; statewide elected positions; effective date.

Limits and Unknowns

This entry is temporarily using official source text because the generated explanation could not be confirmed against the official bill text during the last sync.

Amendments

These notes stay tied to the official amendment files and metadata from the legislature.

Proposed Policy Committee Substitute 1

None

Filed

Plain English: HB3543 POLPCS1 Neil Hays-MJ 2/6/2026 11:47:55 am AMEND TITLE TO CONFORM TO AMENDMENTS Amendment submitted by: Neil Hays Adopted: _____________________________ ______________________________________ Reading Clerk COMMITTEE AMENDMENT HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES State of Oklahoma SPEAKER: CHAIR: I move to amend HB3543 Of the printed Bill Page Section Lines Of the Engrossed Bill By deleting the content of the entire measure, and by inserting in lieu thereof the following language: Req.

HB3543 POLPCS1 Neil Hays-MJ 2/6/2026 11:47:55 am AMEND TITLE TO CONFORM TO AMENDMENTS Amendment submitted by: Neil Hays Adopted: _____________________________ ______________________________________ Reading Clerk COMMITTEE AMENDMENT HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES State of Oklahoma SPEAKER: CHAIR: I move to amend HB3543 Of the printed Bill Page Section Lines Of the Engrossed Bill By deleting the content of the entire measure, and by inserting in lieu thereof the following language: Req.
No.
16022 Page 1 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 STATE OF OKLAHOMA 2nd Session of the 60th Legislature (2026) PROPOSED POLICY COMMITTEE SUBSTITUTE FOR HOUSE BILL NO.
3543 By: Hays PROPOSED POLICY COMMITTEE SUBSTITUTE An Act relating to elections; amending 26 O.S.

Bill History

2026-02-03 House
Second Reading referred to Rules
2026-02-02 House
First Reading
2026-02-02 House
Authored by Representative Hays

Official Summary Text

Elections; primary elections; presidential election years; candidate filing periods; statewide elected positions; effective date.

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text

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STATE OF OKLAHOMA

2nd Session of the 60th Legislature (2026)

HOUSE BILL 3543 By: Hays

AS INTRODUCED

An Act relating to elections; 26 O.S. 2021, Section
1-102, as amended by Section 1, Chapter 329, O.S.L.
2023 (26 O.S. Supp. 2025, Section 1-102), which
relates to primary elections; modifying primary
election date on presidential election years;
amending 26 O.S. 2021, Section 5-110, as amended by
Section 3, Chapter 329, O.S.L. 2023 (26 O.S. Supp.
2025, Section 5-110), which relates to candidate
filing periods; establishing a December filing period
for statewide elected positions; and providing an
effective date.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF OKLAHOMA:
SECTION 1. AMENDATORY 26 O.S. 2021, Section 1-102, as
amended by Section 1, Chapter 329, O.S.L. 2023 (26 O.S. Supp. 2025,
Section 1-102), is amended to read as follows:
Section 1-102. A Primary Election shall be held on the third
Tuesday in June of each even-numbered nonpresidential election year,
and the third Tuesday in March of each even-numbered presidential
election year, at which time each political party recognized by the

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laws of this state shall nominate its candidates for the offices to
be filled at the next succeeding General Election unless otherwise
provided by law. No candidate's name shall be printed upon the
General Election ballot unless such candidate shall have been
nominated as herein provided, unless otherwise provided by law;
provided further that this provision shall not exclude the right of
a nonpartisan candidate to have his or her name printed upon the
General Election ballots. No county, municipality or school
district shall schedule an election on any date during the twenty
(20) days immediately preceding the date of any such primary
election.
SECTION 2. AMENDATORY 26 O.S. 2021, Section 5-110, as
amended by Section 3, Chapter 329, O.S.L. 2023 (26 O.S. Supp. 2025,
Section 5-110), is amended to read as follows:
Section 5-110. Declarations of Candidacy provided herein must
be filed with the secretary of the appropriate election board no
earlier than 8:00 a.m. on the first Wednesday of December of any
year and no later than 5:00 p.m. on the next succeeding Friday no
earlier than 8:00 a.m. on the first Wednesday of April of any even-
numbered year and no later than 5:00 p.m. on the next succeeding
Friday.
Such Declarations of Candidacy may be transmitted by United
States mail, but in no event shall the secretary of any election
board accept such Declarations after the time prescribed by law.

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SECTION 3. This act shall become effective November 1, 2026.

60-2-14159 MJ 01/13/26