Senate Bill 1921, by former Senate President Pro Tem Glenn Coffee, takes effect today.
Coffee, R-Oklahoma City, said SB 1921 was requested by state Election Board Secretary Paul Ziriax.
The measure passed 91-7 in the House of Representatives and 33-10 in the Senate, both controlled by Republicans, Democratic Gov. Brad Henry signed the bill into law.
The measure increases the maximum punishment for felony violations of election laws from a fine of $5,000 to $50,000 and from two years in prison to five years.
It also increases the penalty for misdemeanor violations of the election code from a fine of $1,000 to $10,000.
The law also makes it a felony to vote with and submit an absentee ballot issued to another person, make false application for an absentee ballot, cause the cancellation of a qualified voter’s registration, cause the submission of voter registration forms with false information, and conspire to commit election fraud.
"We had not increased our fines in a number of years," Coffee said. "They were not conforming with other states for similar crimes."
"Although there are not very many problems with voter registration fraud or election fraud in Oklahoma, our state is not totally immune to such allegations." Ziriax said. "As secretary of the state Election Board, I believe Oklahoma has the best election system in the nation. By deterring fraud through tougher criminal penalties, SB 1921 improves the public's faith and confidence that our elections in Oklahoma are fair, honest and accurate."
An Adair County man who had previously been investigated for voting irregularities was charged in July with falsifying ballots.
Court proceedings are pending against Darryl Cates, of Westville, who is charged with two counts of false affidavit in voting registration and two counts of false notarization of an absentee ballot.
He is accused of signing the names of Sherri Eagle and Michael Cooksey in absentee voting for the Cave Springs school election in February 2009.
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