Election Protection Measure Sent to Governor
OKLAHOMA CITY – Rep. Eric Roberts, R-Oklahoma City, has won House approval of a measure, House Bill 2052, protecting the integrity of Oklahoma's election process. Oklahoma is currently authorized to enter into membership with a multistate voter list maintenance organization such as the Electronic Registration Information Center (ERIC) but has not done so because of serious security and privacy issues, including sharing voter list information with third parties involved in activities unrelated to voter roll maintenance. "If citizens don't have confidence in the election system, our Republic loses," Roberts said. "The goal here is to improve transparency, data privacy and voter integrity in our elections." HB2052 would require multiple protections to be in place before Oklahoma can join any multistate voter list maintenance organizations, which help states in removing voters who have moved or are deceased. The bill requirements make ERIC ineligible for Oklahoma membership because of the organization's repeated refusal to accept reforms that many member states demanded. Virginia, Ohio, Iowa, Florida, Missouri, West Virginia, Alabama and Louisiana have discontinued membership in ERIC or announced their intention to discontinue membership. The measure authorizes the Attorney General to take action against any multistate voter list maintenance organization that inappropriately shares Oklahoma data. If the Attorney General chooses not to take action, the Secretary of the State Election Board may bring civil action. Or the President Pro Tempore of the Senate and the Speaker of the House jointly may bring civil action. Roberts thanked Senator Micheal Bergstrom, the Senate principal author, for securing the passage of HB2052 in the Senate. HB2052 passed the House 79-19 and is now available for the Governor's consideration.