Elections; tie votes; selection of nominee or electee; effective date.

Public drawings settle tied Oklahoma candidate elections

Beginning November 1, 2025, Oklahoma uses public drawings to settle certified ties in covered primary, runoff primary, and general elections. State officer elections covered by Article VI, Section 5 of the Oklahoma Constitution are excluded. When three or more candidates tie for first in a primary with a runoff, their names go on the runoff ballot. For drawings, the election board secretary must notify tied candidates by the tenth day after the election. Notice must go by registered or certified mail, postmarked at least five days before the meeting. Each candidate may name one witness in writing. The public meeting must occur on a weekday, excluding holidays, between 7:00 a.m. and 7:00 p.m. Candidate names go on separate papers of equal size and the same color, inside separate matching small opaque containers. Those containers go inside a larger transparent container, which is shaken or tumbled to mix them. The secretary may designate a drawer who is not a candidate, witness, or anyone directly interested in the election. The first container drawn names the winner, and the remaining names are shown to witnesses.