§26-2-117. Secretary's duties - Assistant secretary - Compensation.
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/ok/title-26-elections/26-2-117A research copy — for the controlling text, always check the official state or federal source. Not legal advice.
A. The secretary of the county election board shall be the administrative officer of the county election board and shall have general supervisory authority over all precinct officials and absentee voting board members within the county.
B. The secretary shall employ an assistant secretary and such other employees as are necessary to perform the duties of the county election board. In the event a vacancy exists in the office of the secretary of the county election board, the Secretary of the State Election Board shall have the authority to stand in the place of the secretary of the county election board for the purpose of employing necessary county election board personnel.
C. The secretary of the county election board shall be charged with the operational responsibilities of the board including, but not limited to:
1. The supervision, defining job positions and responsibilities, and discharge of the employees of the county election board;
2. The preparation of the annual budget;
3. The preparation and filing of all reports; and
4. The implementation of policy, findings, and actions required by law or lawfully prescribed or determined by the county election board.
D. The minimum salary of the assistant secretary shall be equal to ninety percent (90%) of the scheduled salary of the secretary in the same county but shall not exceed the salary of the highest salaried first or chief deputy or assistant to any county officer, excluding the under sheriff, in the same county. Provided, the minimum salary may be prorated if a county election board office is open to the public for fewer hours per day than the average of the regular public office hours of other county offices. The salary
limitation contained in this section shall not operate to reduce the salary of any person employed as an assistant secretary or chief clerk on October 31, 2019.
E. Salaries of additional personnel, including personnel employed temporarily, shall not exceed the salary of the assistant secretary and shall be comparable to salaries paid for the same positions in other offices within the county.
F. The salaries of the assistant secretary and other personnel shall be paid from county funds on a monthly basis. In the event that the secretary, assistant secretary or any other essential county election board employee must be away from work for a period of time due to personal illness, family illness, or family emergency, the county shall be required to fund compensation of appropriate temporary personnel during the employee’s absence.
G. 1. The secretary of the county election board shall notify the Secretary of the State Election Board of the person employed pursuant to subsection B of this section as the assistant secretary of the county election board. The assistant secretary shall be subject to the direction of the secretary of the county election board.
2. The assistant secretary shall execute the duties of the secretary during the absence of the secretary due to illness, disqualification, recusal, or any other reason approved in writing by the Secretary of the State Election Board.
3. In the event of a vacancy in the office of the secretary of the county election board due to the death, removal, or resignation of the secretary, the assistant secretary shall execute the duties of the secretary until a successor is appointed as prescribed by law.
4. In the event of an absence or vacancy described in this subsection, the assistant secretary may stand in the place of the secretary of the county election board as a voting member of the county election board at public meetings of the board with the written authority of the Secretary of the State Election Board. Added by Laws 1974, c. 153, § 2-117, operative Jan. 1, 1975. Amended by Laws 2003, c. 485, § 3; Laws 2004, c. 307, § 1, emerg. eff. May 17, 2004; Laws 2019, c. 491, § 1, eff. Nov. 1, 2019; Laws 2025, c. 201, § 1, eff. Nov. 1, 2025.