By Journalist Destiny A. Murphy (ORU).
It’s the final day of the 1st Session of the 54th Legislature of The Oklahoma Intercollegiate Legislature, and the momentum and exhilaration is still very much potent. The House of Representatives was off to a great start this morning with the hearing of Bill No. NWOSU-501, an amendment to the Oklahoma Constitution 26 O.S. § 4-101, and an act relating to the voting registration of felons.
Authored by Representative Gonser, “The Re-Establishment of Democracy Act” seeks to provide persons convicted of a felony the right to vote in the United States of America. As cited in “The Re-Establishment of Democracy Act” and initially written in the Constitution of Oklahoma, felons would only qualify for eligibility to vote after they would have “fully served their sentence of court-mandated calendar days, including any term of incarceration, regardless of parole, probation, or supervision status.”
The bill also provides definitions of the term “election,” defining it as “a general, special primary, or runoff election; a convention or caucus of a political party to nominate a candidate; a primary election held for the selection of delegates to a national nominating convention of a political party; or a primary election held for the nomination of a candidate for election to the office of President.” Hence, the intent of the bill is to introduce voting freedom to felons entirely.
Furthermore, Section 3’s Amendatory notes that felons would be granted the right to vote immediately upon release from incarceration, regardless of parole, probation or supervision status. Section 3 also petitions for incapacitated persons who have been adjudged to no longer
be incapacitated to receive the right to vote. Meanwhile, those maintaining an incapacitated status according to Section 1-111 of Title 30 of the Oklahoma Statutes, to remain ineligible.
After a time of questions and much caucusing, in the end, the bill passed the illustrious House of Representatives, and delegates all joined in a melodious chorale of the Oklahoma Song to raise a cheer!