2015 Oklahoma Statutes
Title 19. Counties and County Officers
§19-8.3. Designation of charter commission members - Filing of names - Submission of formation question to voters - Organizational meeting - Time for completion of work - Publication of proposed charter or amendment - Submission to voters.

A. Upon a resolution approved by a majority of the members of the board of county commissioners of the county or upon a petition signed by registered voters of the county equal in number to ten percent (10%) of the total number of votes cast in the county for Governor at the immediately preceding gubernatorial election, the members of the proposed charter commission shall be designated as follows:

1. Fifteen (15) members shall be designated by the board of county commissioners. Five members shall be designated by each county commissioner, at least two of which shall be residents of an unincorporated portion of the county, or residents of a municipality other than the largest municipality located within said county. The members designated by each county commissioner must reside in that county commissioner's district;

2. Two members shall be designated by the county court clerk, at least one of which shall be a resident of an unincorporated portion of the county or a resident of a municipality other than the largest municipality located within the county;

3. Two members shall be designated by the county clerk, at least one of which shall be a resident of an unincorporated portion of the county or a resident of a municipality other than the largest municipality located within the county;

4. Two members shall be designated by the county treasurer, at least one of which shall be a resident of an unincorporated portion of the county or a resident of a municipality other than the largest municipality located within the county;

5. Two members shall be designated by the county assessor, at least one of which shall be a resident of an unincorporated portion of the county or a resident of a municipality other than the largest municipality located within the county; and

6. Two members shall be designated by the county sheriff, at least one of which shall be a resident of an unincorporated portion of the county or a resident of a municipality other than the largest municipality located within the county.

The members shall be designated and their names filed with the county election board within thirty (30) days from the date the resolution was adopted by the board of county commissioners or the date the petition was filed with the board.

Upon the designation of the members of the proposed charter commission as provided in this subsection, the county election board shall submit to the voters of the county at the next November general election not less than ninety (90) days thereafter, or at a special election called for such purpose, the question:

"Shall a charter commission, to be composed of the following members: ________________________________ be authorized to frame a proposed charter or amend an existing charter for the County of ____________?

/ /YES

/ /NO"

Nothing in the County Home Rule Charter Act shall be construed to prevent any officer of any municipality located within the county from serving as a member of the charter commission.

B. If the proposition receives approval by a majority of the votes cast thereon, the chairman of the board of county commissioners of the county shall, within sixty (60) days, call an organizational meeting of said charter commission. Such commission is hereby authorized to select a chairman and other officers as may be necessary, to adopt rules of procedure, and to draft a proposed County Home Rule Charter or amendments to an existing charter. Such commission shall complete its work on a proposed charter or amendments to an existing charter within six (6) months from the time said organizational meeting of such commission was convened. Any proposed charter or amendments to an existing charter shall be published by the commission in a newspaper of general circulation in the county on at least two occasions. At least seven (7) days shall elapse between the first and last day of publication. The first day of such publication shall be within forty-five (45) days from the date the commission submits its proposed charter or amendments to an existing charter. Copies of the proposed charter or amendments to the existing charter shall be made available for distribution to the qualified voters of the county at the place where meetings of the board of county commissioners of the county are usually held.

C. Within ninety (90) days after the commission submits its proposed charter or amendments to an existing charter to the board of county commissioners of the county, the officer or agency responsible for certifying public questions shall submit to the voters of the county at the next regular countywide election or at a special election which may be called for said purpose by the board of county commissioners, the question:

"Shall the proposed charter (or amendments) for _________ County be adopted?

/ /YES

/ /NO"

Said charter or said amendments shall become effective if approved by a majority of the registered voters voting thereon, subject to provisions of the Oklahoma Constitution and laws of this state.

Added by Laws 1992, c. 220, § 3, eff. Sept. 1, 1992.