As has been previously reported, this year the Oklahoma legislature finally passed some improvements in ballot access for newly-qualifying parties, and Governor Mary Fallin signed it the day after she received it.

The legislative session ended last month, and the ballot access bill, HB 2181, is one of only six bills on election law that passed this year. Furthermore, three of them are still on the Governor’s desk for her action.

Besides ballot access, the two bills that have been signed are SB 313, letting voters register on-line; and SB 173, which lets notaries public notarize up to 100 absentee ballot requests. All three of the election law bills that have already been signed were recommended by the Oklahoma Policy Institute.

The other three election law bills that passed, but which the Governor hasn’t acted on, are: SB 312, consolidating local election dates to just four per year; SB 114, which helps election officials keep the voter registration list up-to-date; and SB 849, which exempts some employees of the State Election Board from civil service.

The only election law bill that the Oklahoma Policy Institute recommended, but which did not pass, is SB 315, to set up a roster of permanent absentee voters.