Oklahomans with felony convictions will get clearer rules on when they can register to vote under a new state law taking effect Sunday, Nov. 1.

House Bill 4113, authored by state Rep. Tammy West, an Oklahoma City Republican, amends the state statute on voter eligibility for people with felony convictions. The Oklahoma Eagle first reported on the law and its implications for the Nov. 3 election.

A person convicted of a felony generally becomes eligible to register after completing the incarceration, parole, supervision or probation ordered for that conviction. The law also addresses people who receive commutations or pardons, allowing them to vote so long as they are not incarcerated or serving parole, supervision or probation for another felony conviction.

Existing law generally ties eligibility to completion or discharge of the court-mandated sentence and contains specific rules for commutations and pardons. HB 4113 rewrites those provisions to clarify when people with felony convictions—including people who receive commutations or pardons—become eligible.

People who received a commutation or pardon are also eligible, as long as they have no outstanding sentence for another felony conviction.

The previous law required people to complete their full, court-mandated sentence before their voting rights were restored. That language left people whose sentences were commuted, including hundreds who received commutations in 2019, unable to vote, the Oklahoma Eagle reported.

An estimated 240,000 people in Oklahoma have a felony conviction, according to a research project cited by the Oklahoma Eagle.

State Sen. Dave Rader, a Tulsa Republican who supported the bill, told the Oklahoma Eagle the old rules created unnecessary confusion for people trying to re-enter civic life. "They've done that … So they're trying to get back on track and want to participate in the political process, which is a fundamental right," Rader said.

Tammy Franklin, a Prison Fellowship staff member who was incarcerated on and off for more than 18 years, pushed for the change. Franklin said she found the previous law so confusing that she avoided registering to vote. When a friend called the election board on her behalf, the agency advised her to consult with an attorney, the Oklahoma Eagle reported.

The law takes effect two days before the Tuesday, Nov. 3 general election. That election includes a runoff for Tulsa City Council District 1 between incumbent Vanessa Hall-Harper and challenger Corinice Wilson. Hall-Harper received about 46% of the vote in the Aug. 25 general election, and Wilson received about 36%, according to the Oklahoma Eagle.

The voter registration deadline for the Nov. 3 election is Friday, Oct. 9, according to the Tulsa County Election Board. Applications postmarked by midnight on that date will be accepted. Eligible residents can register online through the OK Voter Portal, by mail, or in person at the county election board, a tag agency or select public assistance agencies.

Early voting runs Wednesday, Oct. 28 through Friday, Oct. 30 from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. and Saturday, Oct. 31 from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. at four locations: the Tulsa County Election Board at 12000 E. Skelly Drive, Tulsa Tech Center at 4000 W. Florence in Broken Arrow, Chandler Park at 6500 W. 21st Street and O'Brien Park at 6149 N. Lewis Avenue.

The timing creates a potential gap for the Nov. 3 election. HB 4113 does not take effect until Nov. 1, while Oklahoma’s registration deadline for the election is Oct. 9. State election rules say applications submitted after the deadline will be processed after the election. The legislation does not contain a special registration period for people who become eligible under the new law.