Title: Gentges v. Oklahoma State Election Board
Citation: 2014 OK 8
Docket Number: 
State: Oklahoma
Issuer: Oklahoma Supreme Court
Date: February 11, 2014

Gentges v. Oklahoma State Election Board Annotate this Case Justia Opinion Summary Registered Voter Delilah Gentges sued the Oklahoma State Election Board in the district court of Tulsa County to prevent implementation of SB 692, commonly known as the Voter ID Act. Gentges alleged she had standing as a taxpayer and as a registered voter in Tulsa County. The State Election Board specially appeared in the district court of Tulsa County and asked the court to dismiss this suit. The State Election Board contended Gentges lacked standing and Tulsa County was not the proper venue for a suit against a State agency. The district court of Tulsa County rejected these challenges and the State Election Board asked the Supreme Court to assume original jurisdiction to prohibit the district court of Tulsa County from proceeding further. The Supreme Court granted partial relief by ordering the district court of Tulsa County to transfer the case to the district court of Oklahoma County. Gentges contended the Legislature violated the Oklahoma Constitution by submitting the Voter ID Act to a popular vote without first presenting it to the Governor for veto consideration. She also contended that requiring voters to present certain forms of identification in order to vote would "interfere to prevent the free exercise of the right of suffrage." After review of the parties' summary judgment paperwork, the trial court ruled: (1) the Oklahoma Constitution does not require presentment of a legislative referendum to the Governor before the referendum is placed on the ballot for a vote; and (2) Gentges lacked standing. Gentges appealed. The Supreme Court concluded after its review that the trial court was correct in ruling the Voter ID Act was validly enacted, but reversed the trial court on the issue of Gentges' standing. The case was remanded for further proceedings. Read more Want to stay in the know about new opinions from the Oklahoma Supreme Court? Sign up for free summaries delivered directly to your inbox. Learn More › You already receive new opinion summaries from Oklahoma Supreme Court. Did you know we offer summary newsletters for even more practice areas and jurisdictions? Explore them here . GENTGES v. OKLAHOMA STATE ELECTION BOARD 2014 OK 8 Case Number: 111290 Decided: 02/11/2014 THE SUPREME COURT OF THE STATE OF OKLAHOMA NOTICE: THIS OPINION HAS NOT BEEN RELEASED FOR PUBLICATION. UNTIL RELEASED, IT IS SUBJECT TO REVISION OR WITHDRAWAL. DELILAH CHRISTINE GENTGES, an individual, Plaintiff/Appellant, v. OKLAHOMA STATE ELECTION BOARD, Defendant/Appellee, and SENATOR BRIAN BINGMAN, in his official capacity as President Pro Tempore of the OKLAHOMA STATE SENATE, REPRESENTATIVE KRIS STEELE in his official capacity as the Speaker of the OKLAHOMA HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, Intervenor Defendants/Appellees. APPEAL FROM THE DISTRICT COURT OF OKLAHOMA COUNTY HONORABLE LISA TIPPING DAVIS, TRIAL JUDGE ¶0 Registered Voter brought an action against the State Election Board to prevent implementation of SB 692, commonly known as the Voter ID Act. Registered Voter contended the Legislature violated the Oklahoma Constitution by submitting the Voter ID Act to a popular vote without first presenting it to the Governor for veto consideration. Registered Voter also contended that requiring voters to present certain forms of identification in order to vote would "interfere to prevent the free exercise of the right of suffrage." Such interference is forbidden by Article 2, section 4 and Article 3, section 5 of the Oklahoma Constitution. After review of the parties' summary judgment paperwork, the trial court ruled (1) the Oklahoma Constitution does not require presentment of a legislative referendum to the Governor before the referendum is placed on the ballot for a vote, and (2) Registered Voter lacked standing. Upon appeal by Registered Voter, this Court retained the appeal. AFFIRMED IN PART; REVERSED IN PART. James C. Thomas, William D. Thomas, THOMAS LAW FIRM PLLC, Tulsa, Oklahoma for Plaintiff/Appellant, M. Daniel Weitman, Assistant Attorney General, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma for Oklahoma State Election Board, Defendant/Appellee, Lee Slater, James A. Williamson, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma for Brian Bingman, in his capacity as President Pro Tempore of the Oklahoma State Senate, Intervenor Defendant/Appellee, Ashley D. Kemp, General Counsel, Oklahoma House of Representatives, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma for Kris Steele in his capacity as Speaker of the Oklahoma House of Representative, Intervenor Defendant/Appellee, and Andrew W. Lester, Carrie L. Vaughn, Lester, Loving & Davies, P.C., Edmond, Oklahoma for Kris Steele in his capacity as Speaker of the Oklahoma House of Representatives, Intervenor Defendant/Appellee. REIF, V.C.J.: ¶1 Delilah Christine Gentges sued the Oklahoma State Election Board in the district court of Tulsa County to prevent implementation of SB 692, commonly known as the Voter ID Act.1 Ms. Gentges alleged she had standing as a taxpayer and as a registered voter in Tulsa County. The State Election Board specially appeared in the district court of Tulsa County and asked the court to dismiss this suit. The State Election Board contended Ms. Gentges lacked standing and Tulsa County was not the proper venue for a suit against a State agency. The district court of Tulsa County rejected these challenges and the State Election Board asked this Court to assume original jurisdiction to prohibit the district court of Tulsa County from proceeding further. This Court granted partial relief by ordering the district court of Tulsa County to transfer the case to the district court of Oklahoma County. ¶2 Following the transfer of the case to Oklahoma County, Ms. Gentges filed a motion for summary judgment. She asked the court to declare the Voter ID Act unconstitutional on the grounds that (1) the Legislature violated Article 6, Section 112 of the Oklahoma Constitution by not presenting the referendum designated SB 692 to the Governor for veto consideration prior to submitting it for a popular vote, and (2) the identification requirements "interfere to prevent the free exercise of the right of suffrage" that is prohibited by Article 2, Section 43 and Article 3, Section 54 of the Oklahoma Constitution. After review of the parties' summary judgment paperwork, the trial court ruled (1) the Oklahoma Constitution did not require presentment of a legislative referendum to the Governor before the referendum is placed on the election ballot for a vote and (2) Ms. Gentges "lacks standing." Upon review, we hold that Ms. Gentges does have standing to challenge the constitutionality of the Voter ID Act but find the Act was properly submitted for a popular vote. We remand for the trial court to determine whether the identification requirements "interfere to prevent the free exercise of the right of suffrage" and to decide Ms. Gentges' constitutional challenge to the venue requirement in 12 O.S.2011, § 133. ¶3 The parties agree that there are no material issues of fact in dispute on the issues of standing and the referendum. They further agree that only questions of law are presented for resolution. The issue of Ms. Gentges' standing is the first question of law to be determined. ¶4 The trial court's summary judgment order specifically decided one of the issues raised by Ms. Gentges' motion for summary judgment - whether the Oklahoma Constitution requires the Legislature to present a referendum, like SB 692, to the Governor for veto consideration prior to submitting the measure for a popular vote. The trial court ruled that "the Constitution does not require presentment of a legislative referendum to the Governor before the referendum is placed on the election ballot for a vote." In granting this declaratory relief the trial court must have necessarily concluded that Ms. Gentges had standing to litigate the issue of whether the Voter ID Act was validly enacted. In other words, she was not totally without standing. ¶5 The part of the trial court's summary judgment order that ruled Ms. Gentges "lacks standing" can only be read to apply to her complaint that the Voter ID Act would "interfere to prevent the free exercise of the right of suffrage." In challenging Ms. Gentges' standing to litigate this issue, the State Election Board argued that Ms. Gentges cannot rely on her status as a taxpayer to challenge the Voter ID Act, because the Voter ID Act involves no expenditure of public funds. In the absence of such a circumstance to support standing, the State Election Board has maintained that Ms. Gentges must show that she suffers injury from having to present a photo ID to vote. The State Election Board's summary judgment evidentiary material established that Ms. Gentges possesses a valid photo Oklahoma drivers license. The State Election Board insists that this undisputed fact demonstrates Ms. Gentges can easily comply with the Act without any additional burden upon, or injury to, either her right to vote or her act of voting. ¶6 The State Election Board is correct that Ms. Gentges' status as a taxpayer is not sufficient to support standing to challenge the Voter ID Act. However, her possession of a valid photo Oklahoma drivers license is no more relevant to her standing to challenge the constitutionality of the Voter ID Act than her financial means to pay a poll tax would be relevant to challenge a burden of that nature. ¶7 In cases where "[n]o government expenditure is challenged," this Court has recognized judicial discretion "[to] grant standing to private parties to vindicate the public interest in cases presenting issues of great public importance." State ex rel. Howard v. Oklahoma Corporation Commission, 1980 OK 96, ¶ 29, ¶ 31, 614 P.2d 45 , 51 (citation omitted). This discretion is properly exercised to grant standing where there are "competing policy considerations" and "lively conflict between antagonistic demands." Id. at ¶¶ 37-38, 614 P.2d at 52 (citations omitted). ¶8 In addition, this Court has said "a suit may be brought [by a private party] challenging the legality of government action . . . if the plaintiff is the object of the action at issue." Oklahoma Public Employees Association v. Oklahoma Department of Central Services, 2002 OK 71, ¶ 16, 55 P.3d 1072 , 1079. In such cases, "there is ordinarily little question that the action . . . has caused . . . injury, and that a judgment preventing or requiring the action will redress it." Id. ¶9 In the case at hand, the requirement that voters present certain types of identification at the time of voting is a new condition upon the exercise of the right of suffrage. The question of whether this new condition would "interfere to prevent the free exercise of the right of suffrage" is a matter of "great public importance" given the fact that "free exercise of the right of suffrage" is guaranteed by two provisions in the Oklahoma Constitution. The first provision - Article 2, § 4 - appears in the Bill of Rights and is a guarantee extended to "those entitled to such right." This Court has said the right to vote conferred upon a qualified elector by this constitutional provision is "a basic constitutional right." Sparks v. State Election Board, 1964 OK 114, ¶ 9, 392 P.2d 711 , 713. The second provision - Article 3, § 5 - expresses a limitation on governmental power. The importance of this limitation is underscored by the observation in Sparks that: "To deprive a qualified elector of his [or her] right to vote, by law, would be contrary to the spirit of both Federal . . . and State Constitutions." Id., 392 P.2d at 713-714. ¶10 There can be no doubt that Ms. Gentges, as a registered voter, is within the class of "those entitled" to exercise the right of suffrage and has a basic constitutional right protected by Article 2, § 4. Members of this class (i.e., registered voters) are likewise the most logical parties to contest any conditions on the right to vote imposed by action of the Legislature, because registered voters are "the object of the action at issue." ¶11 Review of the summary judgment record also reveals this case involves "competing policy considerations" (i.e., preservation of the integrity of the election process by verifying the identity of those voting vs. the free exercise of the right of suffrage). Furthermore, the arguments advanced by Ms. Gentges and the State Election Board demonstrate "lively conflict between antagonistic demands." ¶12 The foregoing considerations lead this Court to conclude that Ms. Gentges has standing to vindicate both her personal interest and the public interest by challenging legislative action that may arguably "interfere to prevent the free exercise of the right of suffrage." Accordingly, we reverse the trial court ruling that Ms. Gentges "lacks standing" to challenge the Voter ID Act on the ground it would "interfere to prevent the free exercise of the right of suffrage." ¶13 We do not agree, however, with Ms. Gentges' contention that the provisions of SB 692 were not properly enacted as a referendum. Ms. Gentges insists that the fatal defect in the enactment of SB 692 lies in the Legislature's failure to present the measure to the Governor for veto consideration prior to its submission to a vote of the people. While she acknowledges that the Governor has no power to veto a referendum after it is approved by a vote of the people, she maintains that a bill proposing a referendum must be presented to the Governor for veto consideration prior to its submission for a popular vote. ¶14 Ms. Gentges relies on language in Article 5, § 2 of the Oklahoma Constitution that authorizes the Legislature to order a referendum "as other bills are enacted." Ms. Gentges further notes that Article 6, § 11 of the Oklahoma Constitution requires the Legislature's presentment and the Governor's veto consideration of "Every bill which shall have passed the Senate and House of Representatives." She points out that this Court has recently interpreted the "every bill" language in Article 6, § 12 (a related veto provision) to mean "any" and "all" bills. Coffey v. Henry, 2010 OK 4, ¶ 3, 240 P.3d 1056, 1057. ¶15 Despite the logical appeal of this analysis, its chief problem lies in giving literal meaning to the single word "every" and ignoring important qualifying language in Article 6, § 11. The complete text of the presentment clause in Article 6, § 11 reads: "Every bill which shall have passed the Senate and House of Representatives, and every resolution requiring the assent of both branches of the Legislature, shall, before it becomes a law, be presented to the Governor." The important qualifying language in question is "before it becomes a law." The complete text clearly indicates that presentment and veto consideration is required for "every bill" that "becomes law" through the Legislature's exercise of its granted sovereign power. This is not the only sovereign power by which law is made, however. ¶16 The first two sections of Article 55 of the Oklahoma Constitution reserve sovereign power to the people to make law by a process that is different from, and in addition to, the exercise of sovereign power granted to the Legislature. That process is by initiative and referendum. Sections 3 through 8 of Article 5 specify how this process is to be fulfilled. Section 3 of Article 56 prescribes a very different role for the Governor to play in this law making process than the role played by the Governor in the Legislature's law making process. In particular, section 3 commands that the Governor "shall submit [petitions and orders for initiatives and referendums] to the people" and expressly provides that "The veto power of the Governor shall not extend to measures voted on by the people." ¶17 As previously noted, Ms. Gentges acknowledges this limitation on the Governor's veto power, but contends it should be interpreted to apply only after a measure has been approved by the people. To support this interpretation, Ms. Gentges basically argues that the enactment of law without the check and balance of a veto violates the guarantee of a republican form of government set forth in Article IV, § 47 of the United States Constitution. Ms. Gentges believes that presentment and veto consideration prior to submitting a referendum to a vote of the people is the only way for the people to enact law consistent with a republican form of government. ¶18 Again, despite the logical appeal of this argument, settled law dictates that the check and balance of the veto is very much a part of a referendum ordered by the Legislature. In the case of In re Initiative Petition No. 348, State Question No. 640, 1991 OK 110, ¶ 29, 820 P.2d 772 , 780, this Court cited approvingly Kadderly v. City of Portland, 44 Or. 118, 145-46, 74 P. 710, 720, for the principle that the power of the people "[to] veto or defeat bills passed and approved by the Legislature" is part of the republican form of government. This is particularly true of a referendum by Legislative order in which the Legislature merely recommends the people enact a particular measure. In such cases, the check and balance of the veto is preserved; it is simply exercised by the electorate, not the Governor. ¶19 The state of the record does not permit this Court to decide whether the identification requirements of SB 692 "interfere to prevent the free exercise of the right of suffrage." We note that Ms. Gentges' motion for summary judgment reserves this issue as a "factual question." Also, in their response to Ms. Gentges' motion for this Court to retain this appeal, the State Election Board and the Intervenors have argued that this reservation by Ms. Gentges prevents the "the substantive constitutionality of the Voter ID Act . . . from being reviewed for the first time in this accelerated appeal." ¶20 In remanding this issue to the trial court, however, we believe it provident to provide guidance to the trial court in resolving this controversy. We do so to ensure a complete record is made and because the decision resolving an alleged constitutional violation is reviewed de novo. See Fields v. Saunders, 2012 OK 17, ¶ 1, 278 P.3d 577, 579. ¶21 "When considering the constitutionality of an act of the legislature, all pertinent constitutional provisions must be considered together." Fent v. State ex rel. Office of State Finance, 2008 OK 2, ¶ 21, n.11, 184 P.3d 467 , 476 (citing Tate v. Logan, 1961 OK 136, ¶ 5, 362 P.2d 670 , 672). The free exercise protections of Article 2, § 4 and Article 3, § 5 must be considered with the Legislature's constitutional power to provide laws for conducting elections and to detect fraud in such elections set forth in Article 3, § 4 of the Oklahoma Constitution. This provision expressly provides that: "The Legislature shall prescribe the time and manner of holding and conducting all elections, and enact such laws as may be necessary to detect and punish fraud in such elections." (emphasis added). While the people have made it clear by constitutional command that they do not want the civil or military power of the State to interfere to prevent the free exercise of the right of suffrage, the people have made it equally clear by a coordinate constitutional command that they want the right of suffrage protected from fraud. Any assessment of the impact of statutory law on the exercise of the right of suffrage must accommodate both of these policies. ¶22 Also, laws governing the right to vote must "be reasonable and not destructive to some constitutional right." Swindall v. State Election Board, 1934 OK 259, ¶ 0, 32 P.2d 691 (syllabus 1). One test is whether the voting law "was designed to protect the purity of the ballot and not as a tool or instrument to impair constitutional rights." Sparks, 1964 OK 114, ¶ 13, 392 P.2d at 714. ¶23 This guidance in no way limits the issues nor precludes the trial court from considering other law or matters that may bear on the constitutionality of the Voter ID Act. It simply represents the baseline scrutiny the trial court must give to resolve this constitutional controversy. ¶24 Based on the foregoing consideration, we affirm the trial court's ruling that the Voter ID Act was validly enacted, but reverse the trial court's ruling that Ms. Gentges lacks standing to challenge the Voter ID Act on the ground that it violates the free exercise of suffrage provisions in the Oklahoma Constitution. We remand this case to the trial court to decide Ms. Gentges' constitutional challenges to the Voter ID Act and to the venue provision in 12 O.S.2011, § 133. AFFIRMED IN PART; REVERSED IN PART. ¶25 COLBERT, C.J., REIF, V.C.J., WATT, WINCHESTER, EDMONDSON, TAYLOR, and GURICH, JJ., concur. ¶26 KAUGER and COMBS (by separate writing), JJ., concur in result. FOOT