logo
Login Subscribe
Google Play App Store
  • News
    • Obituaries
    • Lifestyle
    • Opinions
  • Sports
  • E-edition
  • Calendar
  • Archives
  • Contact
    • Contact Us
    • Advertisers
    • Form Submission
    • About Us
    • News
      • Obituaries
      • Lifestyle
      • Opinions
    • Sports
    • E-edition
    • Calendar
    • Archives
    • Contact
      • Contact Us
      • Advertisers
      • Form Submission
      • About Us
news, The Eufaula Indian Journal#A04
June 14, 2023
Trio of bills signed to further strengthen state elections

OKLAHOMA CITY – Legislation was signed into law this week to further secure Oklahoma elections and protect legitimate voters, including military personnel serving overseas. The three bills were authored by Sen. Brent Howard, R-Altus, and Rep. Carl Newton, RCherokee.

“The Legislature passed these measures overwhelmingly to further strengthen our election and voting processes by providing more time for our military heroes to get their absentee ballots in, clarify how physically incapacitated citizens are to fill out their absentee ballots, and ensure illegals are not able to vote in our elections,” Howard said. “These are commonsense but necessary reforms, and with many important elections coming up next year, I’m glad to have them on the books to protect the integrity of our Oklahoma elections and ensure the votes of all Oklahoma citizens are properly counted.”

SB 375 specifies that primary elections will occur on the third Tuesday of June instead of the last Tuesday of June. Additionally, it moves the starting date of the candidate filing period from the second Wednesday in April to the first Wednesday. This ensures election officials have sufficient time during the 45-day window between the last primary election and the runoff to meet the federal and state deadlines to get absentee ballots to servicemen and women deployed overseas. The new law became effective upon being signed by the governor.

SB 376 clarifies that if someone signs on behalf of a physically incapacitated voter on an absentee ballot affidavit, the assistant must sign the voter’s name. There is another section on the affidavit for the assistant to sign his or her personal name. Confusion over current law wording resulted in what should have been valid ballots being discarded because they could not be traced back to the registered voter. This will go into effect Nov. 1, 2023.

SB 377, which will also become effective Nov. 1, will require the cancellation of voter registration of anyone excused from jury duty for not being a U.S. citizen. County court clerks will prepare a list each month of these individuals and submit it to their county election board secretary, who will cancel the registrations and report them to the district attorney and the U.S. attorney for that county.

The bill will also allow county election boards to re-send returned voter I.D. cards to the mailing address on file if the card has been returned to the board due to “no mail receptacle,” which occurs especially in rural areas where voters cannot or choose not to receive mail at their physical address. Voters will also now be allowed to get their voter I.D. card in person at the county election board with proof of identity.

“These measures will improve our elections, ensuring members of the military receive primary and general ballots on time and that those who are physically incapacitated have their votes counted while protecting our voter rolls from people not eligible to vote,” Newton said. “I’m glad to see these signed into law and thank Senator Howard for asking me to be the House author of this important legislation.”

The bills were requested by Oklahoma State Election Board Secretary Paul Ziriax.

“These laws will help protect the rights of military voters, enhance the integrity of our elections, and improve service to our state’s voters. We are very appreciative of the authors’ leadership in shepherding these bills through the Senate and the House of Representatives,” Ziriax said.

The annual 4th of July Fireworks show
A: Main, news
The annual 4th of July Fireworks show
July 9, 2025
Eufaula’s population was swollen over the weekend as thousands of out-of-towners joined locals to watch the annual 4th of July Fireworks show, held Friday, July 4. The display took place over the Eufa...
A: Main, news
City gets more attorneys; OKs growth plan
By JERRY FINK MANAGING EDITOR 
July 9, 2025
New-and-former City Manager Jacob Foos continues to make changes at city hall. Shortly after being re-hired for the position he left in September, 2021, Foos issued a statement that he was establishin...
Local resident stars in U.S. Cellular ad
A: Main, news
Local resident stars in U.S. Cellular ad
By JERRY FINK MANAGING EDITOR 
July 9, 2025
In all of her 58 years Louana Christie, EHS Class of ’85, never thought she would appear before a camera. Movie making was for her older sister, Selina Jayne Dornan, former Eufaula mayor and who once ...
A: Main, news
Eufaula school feels the chill from Trump’s funding freeze
By JERRY FINK MANAGING EDITOR 
July 9, 2025
When the Trump administration announced this week it was freezing over $70 million in education funding earmarked for Oklahoma, it surprised a lot of administrators. Eufaula School Superintendent Mont...
A: Main, news
Trump freezes over $70 million in state’s education funds
July 9, 2025
States won’t receive funds from six federal programs, including after-school care and English learner support, until further notice. NURIA MARTINEZ-KEEL OKLAHOMA VOICE OKLAHOMA CITY — The Trump admini...
Noah Alexander trades football uniform for West Point uniform
A: Main, news
Noah Alexander trades football uniform for West Point uniform
By JERRY FINK MANAGING EDITOR 
July 9, 2025
Noah Alexander will begin his senior year at the United States Military Academy at West Point, N.Y., this fall. It seems like only yesterday he was a stand-out running back for the Eufaula Ironheads, ...
ePaper
google_play
app_store
Editor Picks
Bud McCombs to speak to Friends of Library
news
Bud McCombs to speak to Friends of Library
By LENORE BECHTEL 
July 9, 2025
How Eufaula happened to exist will be Friend’s speaker’s topic at the Eufaula Memorial Library at 1 p.m. Friday, July 18, When Eufaula was only an intersection, the city’s founding fathers lived in a ...
news
Annual Memorial Service planned at Honey Springs Battlefield
July 9, 2025
CHECOTAH — Honey Springs Battlefield will hold its annual memorial service on Saturday, July 19, at 10:30 a.m. to honor the 162nd anniversary of the Battle of Honey Springs near Checotah. The service ...
Calls needed to protect National Weather Service operations
commentary
Calls needed to protect National Weather Service operations
By JOE DORMAN OICA CEO 
July 9, 2025
OKLAHOMA CITY – We at the Oklahoma Institute for Child Advocacy (OICA) extend our deepest condolences to families tragically impacted by the recent flooding in Texas. Flooding along the Guadalupe Rive...
news
Jeff Starling launches campaign for attorney general
July 9, 2025
TULSA ––Jeff Starling, Oklahoma’s Secretary of Energy and Environment, has officially announced his candidacy for Attorney General of Oklahoma. Starling is a conservative, attorney, businessman, and d...
Warriors of God, ready yourselves
commentary
Warriors of God, ready yourselves
July 9, 2025
Of my 56 years of being in this world, 50 of those years I have been filled with the Holy Spirit with the evidence of speaking in tongues. I was only six years old when I attended my first Tiger Mount...
Facebook

THE EUFAULA INDIAN JOURNAL
100 N. 2nd Street
Eufaula, OK 74432

(918) 689-2191

This site complies with ADA requirements

© 2023 THE EUFAULA INDIAN JOURNAL

  • Contact
  • Privacy
  • Accessibility Policy