Oklahoma Lawmakers Want To Make Absentee Voting More Difficult

10:35 AM EDT on May 7, 2020

Earlier this week, Democrats, liberals and dead voters in rural counties cheered when the Oklahoma Supreme Court tossed out an Oklahoma Election Board ruling that required most absentee ballots to be notarized. Unfortunately for them, that joy lasted about 72 hours.

Just three days after the Court's ruling, Oklahoma GOP lawmakers – a.k.a. the other virus that haunts Oklahoma – passed a bill that will make the notary requirement part of state law:

Mere days after the Oklahoma Supreme Court struck down a requirement that absentee ballots be notarized, House Republicans moved Wednesday to reverse the ruling.

Despite fierce opposition from House Democrats, Republicans passed an amended bill that seeks to reinstate the notary requirement.

The amendment’s author, Rep. Chris Kannady, R-Oklahoma City, said the legislation was born out of recommendations from State Election Board Secretary Paul Ziriax, Oklahoma’s top elections official.

Senate Bill 210, which passed the House on a near-party-line vote, would require absentee ballots to be notarized, which was the procedure in place until the Oklahoma Supreme Court ordered otherwise on Monday.

That's absurd. I don't care if you're a Republican or Democrat. We are never going to achieve progress in this country until we free ourselves from the evil grips of big notary! These tag agents, bank tellers and other signature sticklers weasel themselves into all aspects of American life, and make millions doing it. We can apply for a mortgage on our phone, but we still need someone to stamp and sign a document, and then write something in a little book, just to vote? It's absurd.

Here's how the State GOP henchman Chris Kannady justified the bill:

The amendment’s author, Rep. Chris Kannady, R-Oklahoma City, said the legislation was born out of recommendations from State Election Board Secretary Paul Ziriax, Oklahoma’s top elections official...
The Supreme Court’s ruling was an indicator state law on absentee voting needs to be updated, Kannady said. The court did not strike down Oklahoma’s voting practices, it simply indicated state law needs clarity, he said.

Kannady also suggested voter fraud would increase without the legislation, citing the sheer number of people who have requested absentee ballots since the court’s ruling as an example of voter fraud. He did not make a clear link between why more requests for absentee ballots indicates voter fraud is occurring.

That's hysterical. During a time when our state's seniors (a.k.a. voters) are encouraged to avoid doing things like getting out in public to vote, this freedom loving nitwit sees in uptick in absentee ballot requests and automatically assumes it's voter fraud. Here's a quote he gave to The Oklahoman:

“I’ve had people tell me that it is absolutely ridiculous that I go and serve my country… and now I want to curtail voting,” Kannady said. “The worst thing you can do is fraudulently vote. To me, it is akin to stolen valor. And this is the way we can prevent that from happening.”

Well, at least people are telling Chris the truth.

Anyway, as a guy who doesn't trust either of our political parties, I don't have a big of a problem with reasonable voter ID requirements. Like most Americans citizens, I want my elections to be rigged by wealthy donors, special interests and political elites – not some dude casting multiple ballots so his buddy will be elected County Commissioner.

That being said, much like someone in their 20s actually voting, voter fraud is a rare activity. Requiring someone to get their absentee ballot notarized seems more like a restrictive measure designed to keep certain people from voting than it does to prevent certain people from voting multiple times. Considering Oklahoma lawmakers are behind the bill, that's probably the case.

Patrick @okcpatrick

Patrick is the founder, editor and publisher of The Lost Ogle.