Representative Daniel Pae

R

District 62

Hi, I’m Daniel Pae and I represent the people of Oklahoma’s 62nd District.


representative

News & Announcements

Aug 29, 2024
Recent Posts

Lawton Lawmakers Call for Investigative Audit into Comanche County Sheriff Runoff Election

Reps. Trey Caldwell, R-Lawton, Daniel Pae, R-Lawton, Rande Worthen, R-Lawton, Toni Hasenbeck, R-Elgin, and Sen. Dusty Deevers, R-Elgin, today sent an urgent letter to Secretary Paul Ziriax formally requesting an investigative audit into the August 27 runoff election for Comanche County sheriff. The legislators expressed serious concerns following reports that multiple ineligible voters received a ballot for the Republican runoff election for Comanche County sheriff. The legislators said this clear breach of electoral protocol occurred despite at least one voter contacting the Comanche County Election Board regarding the incorrect ballot, with the issue not realized until after the ballot had been cast. According to an August 29 report by KSWO-TV 7News, the secretary of the Comanche County Election Board acknowledged the distribution of an incorrect ballot on election day. She also allegedly said that once a ballot enters the system, there’s nothing they can do about it.  In the letter, the legislators emphasized, "Given the importance of ensuring free and fair elections, we are deeply concerned that other ineligible voters may have received an incorrect ballot. A transparent investigation is crucial to maintaining public trust in our electoral process. "We have been advised that State Election Board Secretary Paul Ziriax has dispatched members of the State Election Board staff to the county election board to assess the situation. We ask the secretary to step in and ensure that a thorough review and audit is made of the situation and that appropriate action is taken if these allegations prove to be true." Citing Okla. Stat. tit. 26 § 1-104, the legislators reiterated that voters may only vote using the primary ballot under the party in which they are registered, stating, "no registered voter shall be permitted to vote in any Primary Election or Runoff Primary Election of any political party except the political party of which his registration form shows him to be a member…" The legislators said, “The right to vote is a fundamental expression of our American freedoms, and it must be fiercely protected to ensure the integrity of the November 5 presidential election. We must guarantee that each voter's voice is safeguarded and that every aspect of our electoral process remains secure and trustworthy." Read the letter here .

Aug 7, 2024
Recent Posts

Pae Elected Vice Chair of CSG South Fiscal Affairs & Government Operations Committee

OKLAHOMA CITY – Rep. Daniel Pae, R-Lawton, was unanimously elected vice chair of the Fiscal Affairs & Government Operations Committee for The Council of State Governments Southern Office (CSG South). “As an alum of CSG South’s leadership development program, I appreciate the opportunity to share and learn best practices and policies from leaders across the region," Pae said. "Fiscal and government operations policies directly impact every aspect of state government, and I am honored to serve as the incoming vice chair and work with our chair, CSG South and the 15 Southern states." The CSG South Fiscal Affairs & Government Operations Committee is comprised of state legislators and legislative staff from the 15 CSG South member states. The committee develops policies and programs on a wide array of fiscal issues impacting state budgets and finances, as well as governmental operations topics such as artificial intelligence and regulatory oversight. As vice chair, Pae will assist in forming the committee’s policy focus and projects, including programming for the 79th Annual Southern Legislative Conference next July in Alabama. Pae has served House District 62 since 2018, where he represents west Lawton. He is chair of the House Rural Development Committee and vice chair of the House Appropriations & Budget Subcommittee on General Government. In 2020, he served as co-vice chair of the House State and Federal Redistricting Committee following the decennial U.S. census. Before being elected to the House, he worked in municipal government in Lawton. Pae graduated from the University of Oklahoma in 2017 and holds a master’s degree in public administration, as well as undergraduate degrees in economics and political science. A long-time appointee to CSG South's Fiscal Affairs & Government Operations Committee, Pae is a graduate of the Center for the Advancement of Leadership Skills (CALS) Class of 2019. He also was a 2022 Henry Toll Fellow and received CSG's 20 Under 40 Leadership Award that same year. In 2019, he was awarded the Rising Star Award by the International Leadership Foundation (ILF) for his professional achievements and dedication to the improvement of the Asian Pacific American community. CSG South is a nonprofit, nonpartisan organization, established in 1947, that exists to support members in all three branches of state government.

May 23, 2024
Recent Posts

Pae Comments on Governor Signing Restorative Workforce Bill

OKLAHOMA CITY – Rep. Daniel Pae, R-Lawton, on Thursday, expressed his gratitude toward Gov. Kevin Stitt for signing a bill that will encourage incarcerated individuals to learn a new skill or trade before they complete their sentence and reenter society. Pae is the House author of Senate Bill 11, a restorative workforce bill requested by Prison Fellowship. "This gives incarcerated individuals an opportunity to apply for tuition aid assistance if they enroll in a degree program," Pae said. "Research shows us that these individuals are 40 percent less likely to recidivate with this type of education and training, and every one dollar invested in correctional education leads to five dollars in cost savings to taxpayers." Sen. Dave Rader, R-Tulsa, is the principal author of the bill.  “By giving incarcerated Oklahomans the ability to apply for financial assistance to obtain a college degree, Senate Bill 11 will significantly reduce the chances that offenders return to a life of crime,” Rader said. “Many people are not able to afford college without scholarships or other financial aid. Before being released from prison, offenders will now have more resources than ever to chart a course to earn a degree that will help them reenter the workforce and start over.” SB11 allows an incarcerated individual who is within five years of being released to be eligible for a state tuition aid grant. The act takes effect July 1.