Responsive Gov’s Grade TL;DR

During this past session, the Oklahoma Legislature passed a few small pro-voter pieces of legislation. Therefore, Oklahoma received a B+ on this year’s progress report.

Looking Back

Where Oklahoma Started at the Beginning of 2024

• Automatic Voter Registration: No
• Online Voter Registration: DMV ID
• Same-Day Registration: No
• Restoration of Rights: Parole and/or Probation Disenfranchisement
• Vote by Mail: No-Excuse
• Electronic Registration Information Center Member: No
• Early Voting Opportunities: In-Person Absentee
• ID Requirements: ID Requested, but not Required

Relying on the Cost of Voting Index for Oklahoma as of 2024, we considered the state a bottom tier state for pre-existing voting policy and compared its 2024 activity against other bottom tier states.

How Our Tier Compares

• COVI (2024): 35th
• EPI Score (2022): 41st
• CLC State Scorecard (2022): 3/10
• MAP Democracy Rating (2024): LOW

2024: This Past Year

Legislative Action

This past year, the Oklahoma Legislature made a few small changes aimed at clarifying the state’s existing election laws — one to ensure eligible citizens can have their voting rights restored and one aimed at ensuring the state’s existing ban on non-citizen voting is maintained. The Legislature also passed a minor bill to increase poll worker recruitment.

• HB 1629 revised the existing restoration of voting rights law to clarify that individuals that receive pardons or have their sentence commuted, discharged, or reclassified down to a misdemeanor are eligible to vote.
• SB 1452 allows employees that receive paid leave while serving as poll workers to have their income exempted from income tax for up to $100/day.
• SJR 23 is a constitutional amendment that clarifies the state’s existing constitutional requirement that only U.S. citizens may vote in Oklahoma elections by changing the voter qualification language from “all citizens of the United States” to “only citizens of the United States.” Voters approved the change during the 2024 general election.