Bill would `cure' defective mail-in ballots

Oklahoma lawmakers next session may get a chance to vote on legislation that would allow those who mailed in defective ballots to fix them and have their votes counted.

Rep. Regina Goodwin, D-Tulsa, said she would carry the legislation but has not decided on the language it will contain.

She said voters who cast ballots in person and spoil their ballot are given an opportunity to fix it.

“I think the same should be true for people doing absentee ballots,” she said.

About 1% of mail-in ballots received were rejected, said Tulsa County Election Board Secretary Gwen Freeman.

Oklahoma Democratic Party Chairwoman Alicia Andrews said other states have a process to address this issue, which is called “curing” the ballot.

“What happens now is if someone fails to sign the affidavit or their driver's license is expired, they are given a credit for attempting to vote but their ballot does not actually count,” she said.

Tulsa County Election Board member Bruce Niemi supports a route for those who have defective mailin ballots to correct the errors and have the ballot counted.

“There are a lot of hoops to jump through in order to have a correct affidavit and identification or notarization before that ballot is counted,” he said.

The state has the computer technology now to identify and notify voters who sent in defective mailin ballots, he said.

Tulsa County Election Board Chairman George W ila nd said he would not support this kind of legislation.

“Because there are ample instructions in the ballots mailed out to the voter that should clearly identify what is required,” he said.