The Duncan Banner

Local News

April 6, 2009

Holland pleased with SB 718

Bill to protect returning military voting rights

By The Banner Staff

OKLAHOMA CITY – The last thing a returning military serviceman or woman might be thinking about when they come home is rushing to their local election board office to make sure they can vote.

Senate Bill 718 will change the law, extending the voter registration deadline so military servicemen and women’s votes will still count when they return from overseas deployment.

The Oklahoma House of Representatives approved a Senate bill sponsored by state Rep. Corey Holland, R-Marlow, this week that would protect the voting rights of military personnel by authorizing that they be allowed a provisional ballot.

Even though the bill was approved in both the House and Senate, Holland had amended it to remove some language and it returns to the Senate for a final approval. Holland said it must pass by both sides in the exact language in order for it to be put in front of Gov. Brad Henry. He doesn’t see any issues that will halt the final approval.

“The amendment author was pleased with that amendment,” he said Friday.

Holland said the original bill was authored by Sen. Don Barrington.

“He and I’ve been working on it together,” Holland said. He said believes the idea actually came from the state election board after a research conducted revealed Oklahoma is listed as one of the states with the narrowest window (timeline) for troops returning home to get to vote.

“That’s what initiated it. The state election board wanted to broaden it that so they (military) could get to vote.”

“No one deserves the right to vote more than those men and women who risk their lives in service to their country,” Holland said. “Yet these military men and women run into too many problems trying to vote when they return home from service. This legislation would help protect the voting rights of these military personnel. By extending the grace period from 25 days to 90 days this will allow them a better opportunity to exercise their right to vote by provisional ballot.”

A second portion of Senate Bill 718 deals with another timeline in which political parties have to replace their party’s candidate in the event of his or her death.

“It gives the people respecting the time for the family to grieve. This bill is one of those examples where the republicans and democrats are truly working together,” Holland said.

The bill would extend the deadline a political party’s central committee had to offer an alternate candidate’s name from five to 15 days. The bill would make the deadline five days if the death occurred within 30 days of the general election.

“The voters deserve to have a candidate from their party on the ballot if the candidate they chose in the primary election dies,” Holland said. “That right is given narrow protection under current Oklahoma law. This legislation simply strengthens that protection. The previous 5 day standard was found to tie the replacement of the candidate process too closely to the funeral services. This will better respect the family’s time of grief and sorrow. Representative Buck deserves all the credit for pointing out this problem to the House.”

State Rep. Samson Buck, D-Ardmore, recently replaced former state Rep. Terry Hyman after his tragic death prior to the last election.

Senate Bill 718 passed 99-1 and now returns to the Senate for a vote on House amendments that struck out portions of the bill dealing with the secretaries of election boards and added notification statements regarding it being illegal to charge for notarization of an absentee ballot.

Text Only
Local News
  • Jack Braught 2013 Crossman winner.jpg Duncan's Jack Braught named 2013 Crossman Award winner

    Jack Braught was named the 2013 Crossman Award winner during an awards assembly Friday at the Duncan High School.

    May 17, 2013 1 Photo

  • 3-28 Crossman Nominees.jpg Crossman Award presentation today

    Today, one of five nominated senior students at Duncan High School will be named the Crossman recipient. The awards event is scheduled for 12:45 at the DHS auditorium.

    May 17, 2013 1 Photo

  • 5-17 Farm to You5230.jpg Farm to You visits area schools

    In Farm to You program’s fourth year to come to Stephens County, it made an appearance at Marlow and Plato elementary schools.
    A collaborative effort of the Oklahoma Cooperative Extension Service, OSU Department of Nutritional Sciences, Oklahoma State Department of Health, and Southwest Dairy Farmers, the primary focus is to teach children where their food comes from and how to eat healthy.
    “We were excited about this program coming,” said Cathy Duke, Plato teacher.

    May 17, 2013 1 Photo

  • Vote reflects community’s attitude

    Disappointment.
    That’s the sentiment of city leaders following the defeated streets and road election Tuesday that only pulled in 1,507 registered voters in a city with 16,098 active voters.

    May 17, 2013

  • Agritourism bill provides protection

    Much recent state legislature has been focusing on helping out family-owned small businesses and the agritourism industry is in the process of being included in these measures.

    May 17, 2013

  • 5-17 Maple Crossing.jpg Maple RR crossing to stay closed

    The closed railroad crossing at Maple Avenue was a point of contention with two Duncan residents, when they spoke to the Duncan City Council on Tuesday.
    Norma and Marian Lennox discussed their concerns during the council’s regular meeting, and expressed their desire to reopen the railroad crossing.
    “We need that street back open,” Norma Lennox said.

    May 17, 2013 1 Photo

  • Senator Inhofe key speaker at GOP Fish Fry

    Republicans from throughout Oklahoma will gather Saturday at the Stephens County Fair & Expo Center in Duncan, for the 9th annual GOP Fish Fry. This year, they will get a chance to hear U.S. Senator Jim Inhofe, as he is the keynote speaker and is expected to arrive just before 5 p.m. for the event.
    Inhofe, R-Tulsa, is a senior member of the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee, and has been instrumental in the passing of the Water Resources Development Act of 2013, or S. 601. The measure passed 83-14 in the Senate on Wednesday and authorizes new projects for water infrastructure for the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers.

    May 17, 2013

  • Veterans hope to reach out to homeless peers

    Local veterans will be heading to Lawton Friday in hopes of connecting and helping homeless veterans.

    May 16, 2013

  • Tornado hits Granbury, Texas Tornadoes tear through East Texas; 6 people killed

    A pack of tornadoes killed at least six people and injured dozens more in East Texas Wednesday night.

    May 16, 2013 2 Photos

  • 5-16 FAME Art Show1.jpg FAME Academy students host art show

    Creative minds are at work at FAME Academy.
    And Wednesday’s art show was a display of those creative minds in action, as the students showed off the masterpieces they had created throughout the school year. The various art media ranged from fabric art to pottery to crochet.

    May 16, 2013 3 Photos