Will Oklahoma voters see big changes in 2025? Lawmakers push for reform

State lawmakers are working to make elections safer and more transparent in the 2025 legislative session, with proposals aimed at protecting voters, expanding early voting, and updating voter registration processes.

Sen. Ally Seifried, (R-Claremore), has introduced a bill requiring political candidates to disclose the use of artificial intelligence (AI) in campaign materials.

"I think we can all agree that in elections when we're presented information on candidates on who we're voting for that we want it to be portrayed accurately and truthfully so I felt like this was a good first step," Seifried said.

The bill mandates disclaimers on any AI-generated images used in official campaign content.

"This bill simply states that if you use AI-generated images as an official campaign that you have to have a disclaimer sharing that this image was created using AI and it's not real," Seifried said.

Seifried emphasized the need for transparency in elections.

"I think they deserve the right to have the facts presented truthfully and so that's what this bill does," she said.

Senate Minority Leader Julia Kirt, (D-Oklahoma City), has filed two election-related bills. Senate Bill 129 would increase early voting days, while Senate Bill 143 proposes automatic voter registration.

Sen. Mary Boren, (D-Norman), has also introduced a bill to expand early voting days. Sen. Regina Goodwin, (D-Tulsa), is pushing for legislation to establish a deadline for the governor to place state questions on the ballot.

"Your voice, your vote is being diminished so when democracy is being damaged that's up to us to try to hold the line," Goodwin said.

The deadline to file bills for the 2025 legislative session was Thursday. Lawmakers will reconvene at the Capitol on Feb. 3 to begin their work.