OKLAHOMA CITY – Rep. Denise Crosswhite Hader, R-Piedmont, on Tuesday won passage of a bill in the House that would allow Oklahoma to maintain authority over its elections should federal election law substantially change.
House Bill 3232 is described as a trigger bill that would only take effect should federal election laws be changed in a way that conflict with state laws. If that happened, Oklahoma elections would be decoupled from federal elections, and federal laws would be be followed only during separately held federal elections.
“When it comes to the integrity of our elections, which sets up the framework for our whole society, we need to make sure we have the sovereignty over our own elections,” Crosswhite Hader said. “We pride ourselves with a very secure election process in Oklahoma. In the case that Congress substantially changes federal election law, which is their prerogative, we need to be prepared to maintain authority over state elections. This bill allows that.”
Under the provisions of this bill, the Oklahoma attorney general would make the determination over whether federal law is at odds with state election laws. The secretary of the State Election Board would temporarily alter rules so that no other elections are held on the same day as a federal election.
The bill passed the House with a party-line vote of 78-15. It now moves to the state Senate where it is authored by Sen. Lonnie Paxton, R-Tuttle.
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