HB 1678: Elections; tie votes; selection of nominee or electee; effective date. - Oklahoma

Floor (House) → Floor (Senate) · 4 edits

MODERATE

The bill was revised from the House to Senate floor version, updating the title to reflect election certifications rather than just tie votes. The Senate version adds a new exception for state officer elections and reorganizes the tie-breaking procedures into clearer subsections.

Scope change

The bill now explicitly excludes elections for state officers from the tie-breaking procedures, narrowing its applicability to certain elections only.

SCOPE

The act title was changed from relating to elections and tie votes to relating to election certifications, reflecting a broader procedural focus.

ELIGIBILITY

A new subsection (D) was added to Section 1, exempting elections for state officers from the tie-breaking procedures outlined in the bill.

REQUIREMENT

The tie-breaking procedures were reorganized into clearer subsections (A, B, C, D) with more specific instructions on candidate notification and witness designation.

TECHNICAL

Formatting and committee reporting information were updated to reflect Senate floor processing, including a change in the committee from Rules to Judiciary.

Senate Committee Substitute for House Bill → Floor (House) · 5 edits

MODERATE

This bill updates the procedures for resolving tie votes in Oklahoma elections by clarifying when a second election must be held and modifying the selection process for candidates. It adds specific requirements for notifying tied candidates and designating witnesses to the tie-breaking selection meeting. The changes aim to ensure transparency and fairness when no candidate receives a majority vote in primary or general elections.

Scope change

The bill expands the scope of tie vote resolution procedures to explicitly include Runoff Primary elections and clarifies the timing requirements for holding second elections after tie votes are certified.

REQUIREMENT

Changed the timing for holding tie vote resolution meetings from 'following the election' to 'following the second election' when applicable, ensuring proper sequencing of election procedures.

Added explicit language requiring election boards to hold public meetings with candidates present (or their designees) when selecting nominees or electees by lot after tie votes.

Added new subsections clarifying procedures for handling tie votes when three or more candidates tie for first place in Primary Elections.

SCOPE

Expanded tie vote resolution procedures to explicitly cover Runoff Primary elections in addition to General and Primary elections.

TECHNICAL

Updated document formatting and page numbering from Committee Substitute version to Floor version, with page numbers and header information modified for final legislative version.

House Committee Substitute → Senate Committee Substitute for House Bill · 6 edits

MODERATE

The bill was amended from a House Committee Substitute to a Senate Committee Substitute, updating the bill title to reflect 'engrossed' status and expanding the legislative description to include additional provisions about candidate selection procedures. The substantive policy changes include clarifying that any election board authorized to issue certified lists must conduct tie vote selections, adding specific requirements for witness designations, and including an exemption for state officer elections. The effective date remains November 1, 2025.

Scope change

The bill now explicitly applies to any election board authorized to issue certified lists or certificates of election, and includes an exemption for state officer elections under the Oklahoma Constitution.

REQUIREMENT

Updated the bill title to reflect 'engrossed' status and Senate committee involvement

Expanded the legislative description to include additional procedures for candidate selection and statutory language updates

Added specific requirement that notice must be sent to tying candidates for tie vote selections

Added provision allowing candidates to designate witnesses to attend tie vote selection meetings

Added exemption for elections of state officers pursuant to Section 5 of Article VI of the Oklahoma Constitution

TECHNICAL

Updated page numbering and reference numbers from House to Senate format

Proposed Committee Substitute (full committee) 1 → House Committee Substitute · 3 edits

MINOR

The bill was amended to replace the original policy committee substitute with a House Committee Substitute version. The substantive legislative text regarding tie vote procedures remains unchanged, but the document metadata and page numbering were updated to reflect the committee's final version before moving to the full House.

Scope change

The scope of the bill's substantive policy remains unchanged; only the document formatting and committee designation were modified.

TECHNICAL

The document title was changed from 'PROPOSED POLICY COMMITTEE SUBSTITUTE' to 'COMMITTEE SUBSTITUTE FOR HOUSE BILL NO. 1678' to indicate the bill has passed the committee stage.

Page numbering and request numbers were updated from 'Req. No. 12437' to 'Req. No. 12939' to reflect the new committee version.

The effective date reference in the footer was updated from '02/06/25' to '02/25/25' to match the current committee action date.

Enrolled (final version) → Proposed Committee Substitute (full committee) 1 · 3 edits

MINOR

The bill was amended to change the tie vote resolution process from a single lot drawing to requiring a second election when a tie occurs. The committee substitute also added new language directing that if a second vote results in another tie, the same lot drawing process would then apply. This significantly alters how tied election results are handled in Oklahoma.

Scope change

The bill's scope expanded by adding a new provision for handling second tie votes that occur after an initial tie vote resolution attempt.

REQUIREMENT

Changed the tie vote resolution process from a single lot drawing to requiring a second election to be held first when a tie occurs.

Added new language directing that if a second vote results in another tie, the lot drawing procedure would then be used to resolve the tie.

TIMELINE

Updated the notice timing requirement to be calculated from the second election date rather than the original election date.

Engrossed → Enrolled (final version) · 3 edits · May 22, 2025

MINOR

The bill was finalized and renamed from 'Engrossed' to 'Enrolled' to indicate it has passed both legislative chambers and is ready for the Governor's signature. The substantive text of the bill remains largely the same, with minor formatting adjustments and a slight expansion of the bill's title to better reflect its content regarding election certification procedures.

Scope change

The bill's scope remains focused on tie vote resolution procedures in Oklahoma elections, with no changes to its applicability or exemptions.

TECHNICAL

The bill title was expanded to include 'election certifications' and 'modifying procedures for selection of nominee or electee' to better describe the bill's content.

Minor formatting changes were made to the header and footer sections to reflect the final enrolled version of the bill.

TIMELINE

The effective date of November 1, 2025, was retained in the final version.

Amended And Engrossed → Engrossed · 4 edits · May 1, 2025

MODERATE

The bill was amended to change its title from focusing on tie votes to also covering election certifications and modifying procedures for selecting nominees or electees in certain elections. The amendment updates the statutory language and adds new procedures for handling tie votes, including specific requirements for conducting lotteries to select winners when votes are tied. The effective date remains November 1, 2025.

Scope change

The bill's scope was expanded to include election certifications and modified procedures for selecting nominees or electees in certain elections, in addition to tie vote resolution.

REQUIREMENT

Added detailed procedures for conducting lotteries to select nominees or electees when tie votes occur, including requirements for written notices, witness designations, and specific lottery mechanics.

Changed the number of tied candidates that trigger runoff primaries from three or more to two or more in certain election scenarios.

TECHNICAL

Updated the bill title and enacting clause to reflect the expanded scope of the legislation.

TIMELINE

Maintained the effective date of November 1, 2025, but adjusted the passage dates between House and Senate versions.

Introduced → Amended And Engrossed · 5 edits · May 1, 2025

MODERATE

The bill was amended to expand its scope from only tie votes to include election certifications and tie vote procedures more broadly. The amendment adds new provisions for handling situations with three or more tied candidates and creates exceptions for state officer elections. It also modifies when second votes must be scheduled and adds new effective date provisions.

Scope change

The bill's scope expanded from solely addressing tie votes to also covering election certification procedures and adding exceptions for state officer elections under the Oklahoma Constitution.

REQUIREMENT

Changed the timing requirement for second elections from a fixed 20-day period to the next practicable election date listed in Section 3-101 of the title.

Added new subsection D creating an exception that exempts elections of state officers from the tie vote procedures, pursuant to Section 5 of Article VI of the Oklahoma Constitution.

Added new provision for handling ties among three or more candidates, requiring their names to be placed on the Runoff Primary ballot.

Added new subsection C requiring that when a second vote has occurred for a Primary or Runoff Primary election, the General Election for that office must also move to the next practicable election date.

TIMELINE

Added Section 2 establishing November 1, 2025 as the effective date for the amended provisions.

Elections; tie votes; selection of nominee or electee; effective date.

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