Rep. Jim Olsen, R-Roland, commented on the consistently high performance of the state of Oklahoma in election integrity. "Oklahomans are very concerned with the issue of election integrity," Olsen said. "They want election results to be accurate, and not fraudulent. I am happy to report that for a number of years, Oklahoma has had an excellent system. I am especially happy to report that our performance is steadily improving. "The Heritage Foundation rates every state in the country on their election integrity. Last year, Oklahoma had a very good rating of 13th in the country. This year we are rated as #5 in the country. So we are deliberately moving closer to perfection." Olsen also remarked that the Oklahoma State Election Board has been very helpful to work with the Legislature in the goal of continuous improvement toward perfection in election integrity. The Oklahoma State Election Board released audit findings Monday confirming 100% accuracy of June's primary election results. Olsen said Oklahoma’s rise in the rankings can be attributed to recently enacted legislation that strengthened voter ID requirements, improved the accuracy of voter registration lists, prohibited the private funding of elections, and banned the use of ranked-choice voting.
Reps. Trey Caldwell, R-Lawton, Daniel Pae, R-Lawton, Rande Worthen, R-Lawton, Toni Hasenbeck, R-Elgin, and Sen. Dusty Deevers, R-Elgin, today sent an urgent letter to Secretary Paul Ziriax formally requesting an investigative audit into the August 27 runoff election for Comanche County sheriff. The legislators expressed serious concerns following reports that multiple ineligible voters received a ballot for the Republican runoff election for Comanche County sheriff. The legislators said this clear breach of electoral protocol occurred despite at least one voter contacting the Comanche County Election Board regarding the incorrect ballot, with the issue not realized until after the ballot had been cast. According to an August 29 report by KSWO-TV 7News, the secretary of the Comanche County Election Board acknowledged the distribution of an incorrect ballot on election day. She also allegedly said that once a ballot enters the system, there’s nothing they can do about it. In the letter, the legislators emphasized, "Given the importance of ensuring free and fair elections, we are deeply concerned that other ineligible voters may have received an incorrect ballot. A transparent investigation is crucial to maintaining public trust in our electoral process. "We have been advised that State Election Board Secretary Paul Ziriax has dispatched members of the State Election Board staff to the county election board to assess the situation. We ask the secretary to step in and ensure that a thorough review and audit is made of the situation and that appropriate action is taken if these allegations prove to be true." Citing Okla. Stat. tit. 26 § 1-104, the legislators reiterated that voters may only vote using the primary ballot under the party in which they are registered, stating, "no registered voter shall be permitted to vote in any Primary Election or Runoff Primary Election of any political party except the political party of which his registration form shows him to be a member…" The legislators said, “The right to vote is a fundamental expression of our American freedoms, and it must be fiercely protected to ensure the integrity of the November 5 presidential election. We must guarantee that each voter's voice is safeguarded and that every aspect of our electoral process remains secure and trustworthy." Read the letter here .
OKLAHOMA CITY – Rep. Sherrie Conley, R-Newcastle, today commented on new training released by the Oklahoma State Department of Education (OSDE) that gives schools guidance regarding communications between school employees and students who are relatives that attend schools in the districts where they work. Conley said earlier this month she'd been contacted by numerous people after House Bill 3958, which she authored, took effect in July. The legislation requires school personnel engaging in electronic or digital communication with an individual student to include the student's parents or guardians. She was told districts were informing employees that were family members of students that they must communicate through a school-approved platform and include parents or guardians even in personal messages. The new OSDE guidance reads, "If school personnel have a familial relationship with the student, the statute does not require that the communication include a parent/guardian. The focus of the statute is not communications between family members." Conley said she's relieved. "This legislation was intended to curb the number of instances where school faculty is inappropriate with a non-relative student through text messaging or other electronic communications," Conley said. "It was never intended to stop a grandmother, aunt or other family member from reaching out to a student to whom they are related to share a personal message." Under the new law, the State Department of Education was required to develop and provide training for school personnel on the communication requirements of the act. Conley said she's pleased with the department's interpretation of legislative intent and the guidance that is now available to school districts throughout the state. Conley said she'll explore whether clarification in the law still is needed through an interim study she'll hold this fall. The study was requested to examine additional ways to keep students safe at school. The study is tentatively set for 1 to 2:30 p.m. Oct 1.