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ENGROSSED HOUSE
BILL NO. 3852 By: Roberts of the House
and
Bergstrom of the Senate
An Act relating to elections; amending 26 O.S. 2021,
Section 2-124, which relates to appointment of
inspector, judge, and clerk of election precincts;
directing the secretary of the county election board
to make appointments every two years; requiring
submission of nominees list with two times the number
of county precincts; modifying procedure in case of
insufficient nominees; limiting appointment of
nominees outside list provided by county central
committee; directing the Secretary of the State
Election Board to provide certain written
notification; amending 26 O.S. 2021, Section 2-131,
which relates to eligibility for membership on county
election board to serve as precinct official;
requiring precinct officials to swear and affirm oath
to follow the laws and procedures governing the
conduct of elections; directing the State Election
Board to prescribe oath; establishing that lawfully
removed precinct officials may not serve for period
of ten years; and providing an effective date.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF OKLAHOMA:
SECTION 1. AMENDATORY 26 O.S. 2021, Section 2-124, is
amended to read as follows:
Section 2-124. A. The secretary of the county election board
shall appoint the inspector, judge and clerk of each precinct, to
serve terms of four (4) two (2) years each. The secretary's
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appointments shall be made from the ranks of registered voters
within the county pursuant to the requirements of Section 2-123 of
this title.
B. 1. No later than June 15 of the year following a General
Election for Governor or President, the county central committees of
the two political parties with the highest number of registered
voters in the state, based on the latest January 15 registration
report, shall submit a list of nominees equal to three two times the
number of precincts in the county to the secretary of the county
election board.
2. a. The secretary of the county election board shall
utilize the list of nominees submitted by each party
to appoint one precinct official for each precinct
from each party no later than July 1 of the year
following a General Election for a Governor or
President. If no list is submitted by a county
central committee by the specified date, or if the
nominees are unable or unwilling to serve, or if the
nominees do not meet the eligibility requirements
described in Section 2-131 of this title, then the
secretary of the county election board shall appoint
from the ranks of said party within the county.
b. Provided, if the county central committee for a
political party submits a list by the specified date,
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but fails to include the number of nominees required
by paragraph 1 of this subsection, then the secretary
of the county election board shall still utilize the
list of nominees for the appointment of precinct
officials if the nominees meet the eligibility
requirements described in Section 2-131 of this title.
3. No later than thirty (30) business days following the
deadline for a county central committee to submit the list of
nominees described in paragraph 1 of this subsection, the Secretary
of the State Election Board shall provide a written notification to
the state central committee of each political party about which of
that party's county central committees failed to submit the number
of nominees required by law, and cause the letter to be published on
the State Election Board website.
C. Terms shall begin July 1 of the year following a General
Election for Governor or President.
D. In the event of a vacancy, the secretary of the county
election board shall fill the unexpired term from within the ranks
of registered voters within the county in the manner described in
Section 2-123 of this title.
E. The secretary of the county election board shall maintain a
current list of all precinct officials, by their registered names
and which shall be available for precinct inspection by the public,
or provided by electronic means.
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SECTION 2. AMENDATORY 26 O.S. 2021, Section 2-131, is
amended to read as follows:
Section 2-131. A. 1. To be eligible for membership on a
county election board or to serve as a precinct official, one must
be a registered voter of the county in which he or she will serve
and demonstrate competence to perform his or her duties.
2. No person shall be eligible for membership on a county
election board or to serve as a precinct official unless he or she
has sworn or affirmed an oath that the person will follow the laws
and procedures governing the conduct of elections. Said oath shall
be prescribed by the Secretary of the State Election Board.
3. No member or alternate member of a county election board, or
any precinct official, who has been removed from that office in the
manner provided by law, shall be eligible for membership on a county
election board, or to serve as a precinct official, for a period of
three (3) years from the date of the removal.
4. Persons thus qualified and appointed shall be trained in
their duties in a manner prescribed by the Secretary of the State
Election Board.
B. Notwithstanding the provisions of Section 481 of Title 21 of
the Oklahoma Statutes or any other provision of law, a secretary of
a county election board may temporarily appoint as a precinct
official, counter or absentee voting board member, an otherwise
qualified person who is related to the secretary within the second
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or third degree by consanguinity or affinity. Provided, the
secretary of the county election board must receive written
permission from the Secretary of the State Election Board in order
to make such an appointment.
SECTION 3. This act shall become effective November 1, 2026.
Passed the House of Representatives the 24th day of March, 2026.
Presiding Officer of the House
of Representatives
Passed the Senate the ___ day of __________, 2026.
Presiding Officer of the Senate