Rep. Eric Roberts’ Election Bills Become Law

Oklahoma Representative Eric Roberts

OKLAHOMA CITY – Two bills by Rep. Eric Roberts, R-Oklahoma City, to make absentee ballot requests more secure and facilitate earlier identification of voters who have moved or died were signed into law on Friday.

“Both of these bills will help further secure our elections, which are already among the safest, most reliable elections in the country,” Roberts said. “I’m glad the Legislature saw the need for these measures and they were swiftly signed into law by the Governor.”

Effective July 1, 2022, House Bill 3364 requires online absentee ballot requests to include identification in addition to a voter’s name and birth date. Identification may include their driver’s license number, state identification number or the last four digits of their Social Security number.  Effective January 1, 2023,  a registered voter submitting an online absentee ballot request will be required to confirm their address prior to submitting the request form.

Under the bill, voters who registered prior to the requirement for additional identification information may submit a paper absentee ballot request or reregister to vote with the additional identification.

Sen. John Haste, R-Broken Arrow, was the Senate primary author of HB3364 and House Bill 3365.

“Oklahoma has always been dedicated to ensuring the integrity of our election system,” Haste said. “These measures will further that effort, modernizing and strengthening our statutes.  It was a pleasure to work with Representative Roberts on these bills, and I thank our fellow members and the governor for their support.”

HB3365 would add identifying information to the certified list of resident deaths sent from the State Dept. of Health to the State Election Board. The bill adds the drivers license or state identification card number if the information was present on the death certificate.

HB3365 also requires voter registration cards be mailed to the physical registration address if the address is valid for mail delivery. If the physical address is not valid for mail delivery, then the designated mailing address will continue to be used. If voter registration cards are returned as undeliverable, then the voter will be required to complete an address confirmation before receiving a ballot in the next eligible election in which they vote.

Additionally, HB3365 requires the cancellation of the voter registration if the associated driver’s license was surrendered to the Oklahoma Dept. of Public Safety upon the voter being issued a driver’s license in another state.

Sections 1, 3, 4, 5, 6 and 7 of HB3365 go into effect on Jan. 1, 2023, and Section 2 of HB3365 goes into effect July 1, 2023.