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SB1879 • 2026

Absentee ballots; prescribing qualifying justification for absentee ballot applications. Effective date.

Absentee ballots; prescribing qualifying justification for absentee ballot applications. Effective date.

Elections
Active

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

Sponsor
Standridge
Last action
2026-02-03
Official status
Second Reading referred to Judiciary
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.

Absentee ballots; prescribing qualifying justification for absentee ballot applications. Effective date.

Absentee ballots; prescribing qualifying justification for absentee ballot applications.

What This Bill Does

  • Absentee ballots; prescribing qualifying justification for absentee ballot applications.
  • Effective date.
  • Bill Summaries/Fiscal Impact for SB 1879 (Senate): Introduced (1/21/2026) Fiscal Impact Statements For SB 1879 (Senate): SB1879 INT FI.PDF (Fiscal (Senate))

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.

Bill History

  1. 2026-02-03 Senate

    Second Reading referred to Judiciary

  2. 2026-02-02 Senate

    First Reading

  3. 2026-02-02 Senate

    Authored by Senator Standridge

Official Summary Text

Absentee ballots; prescribing qualifying justification for absentee ballot applications. Effective date.
Bill Summaries/Fiscal Impact for SB 1879 (Senate): Introduced (1/21/2026)
Fiscal Impact Statements For SB 1879 (Senate): SB1879 INT FI.PDF (Fiscal (Senate))

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text
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STATE OF OKLAHOMA

2nd Session of the 60th Legislature (2026)

SENATE BILL 1879 By: Standridge

AS INTRODUCED

An Act relating to absentee ballots; amending 26 O.S.
2021, Section 14-105, as amended by Section 1,
Chapter 292, O.S.L. 2022 (26 O.S. Supp. 2025, Section
14-105), which relates to applications for absentee
ballots; limiting qualifying justifications for
absentee ballot applications; and providing an
effective date.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF OKLAHOMA:
SECTION 1. AMENDATORY 26 O.S. 2021, Section 14-105, as
amended by Section 1, Chapter 292, O.S.L. 2022 (26 O.S. Supp. 2025,
Section 14-105), is amended to read as follows:
Section 14-105. A. Any registered voter may apply for an
absentee ballot in person at the county election board, by United
States mail, by facsimile device as defined in Section 1862 of Title
21 of the Oklahoma Statutes or by a means of electronic
communication designated by the Secretary of the State Election
Board. The Secretary of the State Election Board shall prescribe a
form to be used for the application, although any application
setting forth substantially the same facts shall be valid.

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B. 1. A registered voter applying for an absentee ballot by
means of electronic communication shall provide his or her name,
birth date, an identification number, a qualifying justification for
the request as outlined in paragraph 6 of this subsection, and other
information as may be prescribed by the Secretary of the State
Election Board. The name, birth date, and identification number
provided on the application must match the name, birth date, and
identification number in the voter registration record in order to
apply for an absentee ballot pursuant to this subsection.
2. If the voter does not recall which identification number he
or she included in the voter registration record, the voter may
provide multiple identification numbers, at least one of which must
match the identification number in the voter registration record if
such record included an identification number. If the name, birth
date, or any identification number provided does not match the voter
registration record, the voter shall be informed of the failure to
match the voter registration record and shall be provided
information and instruction to contact the county election board.
3. If the voter registration record on file with the county
election board does not contain a birth date or identification
number, the voter shall not be eligible to apply for an absentee
ballot by means of electronic communication but may apply for an
absentee ballot pursuant to subsection C of this section.

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4. Identifying information such as birth date and
identification number shall not be modified online in an existing
voter registration except as provided in Section 4-109.4 of this
title.
5. No later than January 1, 2023, a registered voter applying
for an absentee ballot pursuant to this subsection who meets the
criteria provided in Section 7-115.1 of this title shall be required
to confirm his or her address prior to submitting an application for
absentee ballot by means of electronic communication.
6. Excluding in-person absentee voting pursuant to Section 14-
115.4 of this title, qualifying justifications for requesting an
absentee ballot shall be limited to the following:
a. the person is employed outside of the county or the
state, or outside of the city for municipal elections,
on election day,
b. the person has a physical illness, infirmity, or
disability which prevents his or her attendance at the
polls on election day pursuant to Sections 14-110.1,
14-115.1, and 14-115.12 of this title,
c. the person is primarily responsible for the physical
care of a person with a physical illness, infirmity,
or disability which prevents his or her attendance at
the polls on election day pursuant to Section 14-110.1
of this title,

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d. the person is a member of, or spouse or dependent of a
member of, the Armed Forces of the United States or is
similarly qualified to vote absentee pursuant to
Section 14-142 of this title and 52 U.S.C., Sections
20301 through 20311, or
e. the person is deployed as a first responder, emergency
worker, or uniformed-service member pursuant to
Section 14-115.6 of this title.
7. Failure to include a qualifying justification with an
application for an absentee ballot shall result in a denial of the
application.
C. 1. A registered voter applying for an absentee ballot in
person, by United States mail, or by facsimile device shall provide
his or her name, birth date, an identification number, a qualifying
justification for the request as outlined in paragraph 6 of
subsection B of this section, and other information as may be
prescribed by the Secretary of the State Election Board. The name,
birth date, and identification number provided on the application
must match the name, birth date, and identification number in the
voter registration record.
2. If the voter does not recall which identification number he
or she included in the voter registration record, the voter may
provide multiple identification numbers, at least one of which must
match the identification number in the voter registration record if

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such record included an identification number. If the voter
registration record does not contain a birth date or an
identification number, the absentee ballot application shall be
accepted without a match of a birth date or an identification
number.
D. For purposes of this section, “identification number” means
a number submitted on the registration application pursuant to
paragraph 3 of subsection A of Section 4-112 of this title.
SECTION 2. This act shall become effective November 1, 2026.

60-2-2274 BLB 1/15/2026 8:18:41 AM