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An Act
ENROLLED SENATE
BILL NO. 536 By: Howard of the Senate
and
Kendrix of the House
An Act relating to county election boards; amending
26 O.S. 2021, Section 2-117, which relates to
secretary’s duties and assistant secretary; requiring
certain notice from county election board to
Secretary of the State Election Board; providing for
execution of duties under certain circumstances;
authorizing certain actions by assistant secretary
under specified circumstances; and providing an
effective date.
SUBJECT: County election boards
BE IT ENACTED BY THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF OKLAHOMA:
SECTION 1. AMENDATORY 26 O.S. 2021, Section 2-117, is
amended to read as follows:
Section 2-117. A. The secretary of the county election board
shall be the administrative officer of the county election board and
shall have general supervisory authority over all precinct officials
and absentee voting board members within the county.
B. The secretary shall employ an assistant secretary and such
other employees as are necessary to perform the duties of the county
election board. In the event a vacancy exists in the office of the
secretary of the county election board, the Secretary of the State
Election Board shall have the authority to stand in the place of the
secretary of the county election board for the purpose of employing
necessary county election board personnel.
ENR. S. B. NO. 536 Page 2
C. The secretary of the county election board shall be charged
with the operational responsibilities of the board, including, but
not limited to:
1. The supervision, defining job positions and
responsibilities, and discharge of the employees of the county
election board;
2. The preparation of the annual budget;
3. The preparation and filing of all reports; and
4. The implementation of policy, findings, and actions required
by law or lawfully prescribed or determined by the county election
board.
D. The minimum salary of the assistant secretary shall be equal
to ninety percent (90%) of the scheduled salary of the secretary in
the same county, but shall not exceed the salary of the highest
salaried first or chief deputy or assistant to any county officer,
excluding the under sheriff, in the same county. Provided, the
minimum salary may be prorated if a county election board office is
open to the public for fewer hours per day than the average of the
regular public office hours of other county offices. The salary
limitation contained in this section shall not operate to reduce the
salary of any person employed as an assistant secretary or chief
clerk on October 31, 2019.
E. Salaries of additional personnel, including personnel
employed temporarily, shall not exceed the salary of the assistant
secretary and shall be comparable to salaries paid for the same
positions in other offices within the county.
F. The salaries of the assistant secretary and other personnel
shall be paid from county funds on a monthly basis. In the event
that the secretary, assistant secretary or any other essential
county election board employee must be away from work for a period
of time due to personal illness, family illness, or family
emergency, the county shall be required to fund compensation of
appropriate temporary personnel during the employee’s absence.
ENR. S. B. NO. 536 Page 3
G. 1. The secretary of the county election board shall notify
the Secretary of the State Election Board of the person employed
pursuant to subsection B of this section as the assistant secretary
of the county election board. The assistant secretary shall be
subject to the direction of the secretary of the county election
board.
2. The assistant secretary shall execute the duties of the
secretary during the absence of the secretary due to illness,
disqualification, recusal, or any other reason approved in writing
by the Secretary of the State Election Board.
3. In the event of a vacancy in the office of the secretary of
the county election board due to the death, removal, or resignation
of the secretary, the assistant secretary shall execute the duties
of the secretary until a successor is appointed as prescribed by
law.
4. In the event of an absence or vacancy described in this
subsection, the assistant secretary may stand in the place of the
secretary of the county election board as a voting member of the
county election board at public meetings of the board with the
written authority of the Secretary of the State Election Board.
SECTION 2. This act shall become effective November 1, 2025.
ENR. S. B. NO. 536 Page 4
Passed the Senate the 5th day of March, 2025.
Presiding Officer of the Senate
Passed the House of Representatives the 6th day of May, 2025.
Presiding Officer of the House
of Representatives
OFFICE OF THE GOVERNOR
Received by the Office of the Governor this ____________________
day of ___________________, 20_______, at _______ o'clock _______ M.
By: _________________________________
Approved by the Governor of the State of Oklahoma this _________
day of ___________________, 20_______, at _______ o'clock _______ M.
_________________________________
Governor of the State of Oklahoma
OFFICE OF THE SECRETARY OF STATE
Received by the Office of the Secretary of State this __________
day of __________________, 20 _______, at _______ o'clock _______ M.
By: _________________________________