This editorial was written by Rep. Mike Osburn, R-Edmond. We thank Rep. Osburn for allowing it to be published in Oklahoma Business Voice.
Oklahoma’s election system is due for an upgrade. While we rightfully pride ourselves on efficient, secure elections, the current patchwork of election dates, which span up to a dozen possibilities in odd-numbered years and up to eight in even-numbered years, creates confusion, decreases turnout and strains our election workers.
That’s why I’m proud that the Legislature passed Senate Bill 652, a commonsense, bipartisan measure. This bill consolidates Oklahoma’s many election dates into five standard days each year: February, April, June, August and November. With these streamlined dates, we can modernize our election calendar, make it easier for residents to participate and better steward taxpayer resources.
Ask any election official or poll worker, and they’ll tell you: Frequent, low-profile elections lead to low turnout. When elections happen every few weeks or months, often with little public awareness, voter fatigue sets in. People stop paying attention. They miss key races. Democracy suffers.
By standardizing our election calendar, SB 652 reduces the number of obscure, low-turnout election days and ensures that the races that do happen are easier to track, easier to staff, and more likely to attract robust public participation. When election dates are predictable, we empower voters to plan ahead and make their voices heard.
Under the current system, our poll workers and county election boards are expected to gear up for elections throughout the year with little rest in between. Many counties are forced to divert time, money and manpower toward planning elections that draw only a fraction of registered voters.
SB 652 provides relief by creating a more predictable, efficient schedule that will help counties save time and resources. It will also make the job more sustainable for the poll workers and volunteers who show up, rain or shine, to run our elections with integrity.
It’s important to bear in mind what SB 652 does not do. It doesn’t limit voter access, shorten early voting windows or change how absentee ballots are cast. In fact, it does the opposite: by bringing predictability to our election calendar, it empowers voters and gives them more clarity and control.
The bill retains key exceptions, like the governor’s authority to call a special election outside of the regular calendar when needed. These carveouts preserve needed flexibility while still giving voters a clearer road map of when to expect an election.
Oklahoma isn’t alone in reevaluating the frequency of our elections. States across the country are considering when elections are held, and the trend is clear: smarter scheduling leads to better turnout, reduced administrative costs and greater voter confidence.
Senate Bill 652 values clarity over clutter and participation over confusion. With its June 1 effective date, we can create a more engaged electorate, a more efficient system and a democracy that works better for all Oklahomans.
Let’s make every vote count and every election day matter.
