| The confusion and suspicions circling around several state election boards has harmed the peace and confidence of much of our nation. A simple reform is needed to secure Oklahoma from ever becoming another Georgia or Pennsylvania. We simply call our legislature into a limited session on the Monday after every presidential election. If our courts or agencies have corrupted or compromised our election integrity, it's the supreme duty of the state legislature to protect the US Constitution. The majority opinion in the 2000 Bush v Gore SCOTUS decision asserts that the US Constitution recognizes that the legislatures of the several states are authorized to define the lawful process of choosing presidential electors for our state. But our own Oklahoma Constitution compromises that authority by requiring a massive supermajority of the legislators to invoke a special session. Without that high hurdle, the governor can subvert the authority of the legislature, in the manner that Georgia's governor has demonstrated. Sitting lawmakers face a November 15th end of their elective terms, so they must be convened prior to that date, but not so soon that the election board has not completed tabulations. It seems sensible to convene at noon on the first Monday following a presidential general election which is somewhere between the 2nd - 8th of November. |  |
The session can be limited to addressing any irregularities in voting process, whether it was imposed by a judge, or by any executive officer of a state agency, or criminal attempts to block access, submit illegal ballots, or tamper with tabulations. It can limit itself only to the factors impacting the presidential portion of the balloting, but determinations could be then applied to other ballot items which are also impacted. That would need to be initiated by a contest filed by a candidate.
The state election board secretary, who is also the Clerk of Oklahoma Senate, would present to a joint session, his agency findings. The joint session could also hear reports of the OSBI, Attorney General, or any other entity they deem helpful toward confirming the election integrity. The two chambers would then hold separate deliberations and votes, Then hold one more joint session to announce the determinations and any further potential actions. They would face a mandatory Sine Di adjournment by Nov. 15th (date of end of terms), but in all likelihood they could adjourn at the end of the first day, if all results are solidly affirmed.
The state election board secretary, who is also the Clerk of Oklahoma Senate, would present to a joint session, his agency findings. The joint session could also hear reports of the OSBI, Attorney General, or any other entity they deem helpful toward confirming the election integrity. The two chambers would then hold separate deliberations and votes, Then hold one more joint session to announce the determinations and any further potential actions. They would face a mandatory Sine Di adjournment by Nov. 15th (date of end of terms), but in all likelihood they could adjourn at the end of the first day, if all results are solidly affirmed.
This electoral special session would only occur every 4th year, and only to make certain of presidential electors. Lawmakers would only receive 'per diem' payment for expenses to attend. Support staff needs could be appropriated well ahead of time, during the previous regular session, because this is not taking anyone by surprise.
Can we afford not to do this, given the national unsettlement we are currently suffering through? I believe this is essential to the Oklahoma legislature asserting their constitutional duty and authority to secure our elections. We're just one state, but we are a state which sets good examples to the rest of the nation. Decades ago, we adopted a great process of paper ballot security with ballot scanning technology, to set a great example which other states eventually followed, especially when Florida 'Butterfly Ballots' created a constitutional crisis in 2000 (Bush v Gore). We can set a great example again, by writing into our state constitution a provision to protect our legislative oversight of election laws and whether they were properly followed.
Can we afford not to do this, given the national unsettlement we are currently suffering through? I believe this is essential to the Oklahoma legislature asserting their constitutional duty and authority to secure our elections. We're just one state, but we are a state which sets good examples to the rest of the nation. Decades ago, we adopted a great process of paper ballot security with ballot scanning technology, to set a great example which other states eventually followed, especially when Florida 'Butterfly Ballots' created a constitutional crisis in 2000 (Bush v Gore). We can set a great example again, by writing into our state constitution a provision to protect our legislative oversight of election laws and whether they were properly followed.
Side Note:
Reforms to state question contests is another matter, given the irregularities & razor-thin margin of last summer, and the Medicaid expansion vote. There was no vehicle of contesting irregularities, because currently only candidates have that privilege.
Reforms to state question contests is another matter, given the irregularities & razor-thin margin of last summer, and the Medicaid expansion vote. There was no vehicle of contesting irregularities, because currently only candidates have that privilege.
