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General Government 

<h3><strong>Scope and Description:</strong></h3><p>Evaluate the outcomes and accuracy of absentee voting. Review Oklahoma’s process for administering absentee voting and compare to other states’ processes.&nbsp;</p><h3><strong>Evaluation Objectives:</strong></h3><p>This evaluation will be guided by four objectives within the scope set forth by the Legislative Oversight Committee:</p><ol><li>Describe the State’s administrative process for distributing, receiving, counting, and verifying mail-in absentee ballots.&nbsp;</li><li>Evaluate State Election Board and County Election Board compliance with statutory provisions regarding absentee voting.&nbsp;</li><li>Compare Oklahoma’s absentee voting procedures to other states.&nbsp;</li><li>Assess procedural controls in place to verify security and accuracy of absentee ballots.&nbsp;</li></ol>

Scoping & Objectives

Absentee Voting

Executive Summary

Report & Resources

Report and Resources

<h3>Summary of Policy Considerations</h3><h4>Policy Considerations</h4><p>The Legislature may consider the following policy changes:</p><ul><li>Requiring that any future changes to Oklahoma’s election processes or voting equipment maintain the statewide uniformity of the election system.</li><li>Requiring post-election audits by the State Election Board. Current statutes permit the audits, but do not require them.</li><li>Requiring risk limiting audits to be conducted by the State Election Board, contingent upon the purchase of updated voting technology.</li><li>Exempt voting equipment from approval requirements under Title 74, Section 85.5.</li><li>Expand the use of Nursing Home Absentee Boards to include residents at Assisted Living and Residential Care Facilities who have limited mobility.</li><li>Requiring county election boards to count absentee ballots in a single room that is accessible to the public.</li><li>Changing the name of the State Election Board agency to the State Election Agency or Bureau to avoid confusion with the State Election Board.</li><li>Changing the statutory term of “in-person absentee” voting to “early voting” to clarify the types of voting available to the electorate.</li></ul><h3>Summary of Agency Recommendations</h3><h4>Agency Considerations</h4><p>The Agency should:</p><ul><li>Indicate the postage required on the upper right-hand corner of the outer mailing envelope for mail in ballots.</li><li>Clarify for county election boards:</li></ul><ol><li class="ql-indent-1">Whether two properly notarized ballots may be mailed in a single outer envelope.</li><li class="ql-indent-1">Whether a signed and notarized ballot must also include the date signed.</li></ol><ul><li>Clarify the voter instructions provided with the absentee ballot to describe the steps needed to notarize a ballot. Include a link to the State Election Board website for a list of free notary publics in their area.</li><li>Require two staff or board members be physically present with the ballots at all times when transporting unlocked ballots between rooms, such as what occurs in large counties.</li><li>Clarify that each lock on the absentee storage boxes must use a unique key.</li><li>Modify absentee ballot rejection categories to distinguish between incorrect notarization or lack of notarization.&nbsp;</li></ul>

Recommendations

Presentation 

March 2023

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