Oklahoma Emergency Interim Executive and Judicial Succession Act - Succession To The Office of Governor

Succession To The Office of Governor

Under normal circumstance, in the event of a vacancy in the office Governor of Oklahoma, the Lieutenant Governor of Oklahoma would become the Governor, as provided by the Oklahoma Constitution. The Constitution also provides that if the Lieutenant Governor is unable to become Governor, then the duty falls to the President pro tempore of the Oklahoma Senate and then to the Speaker of the Oklahoma House of Representatives.

However, during a state of emergency, should the Governor be unable to exercise his powers or the Governorship is vacant and the Lieutenant Governor, President pro tempore, and Speaker of the House are unable to act as Governor or succeed to the Governorship, it is the duty of the Emergency Interim Successor to the Governor to exercise the powers of the Governor until the Governor returns, a higher officers can act as Governor, or until new Governor is elected. Such Successor only acts as Governor, however, and such Successor may not succeed to the Governorship.

The order of Emergency Interim Successor to the Governorship is as follows:

• the Oklahoma State Auditor and Inspector
• the Attorney General of Oklahoma
• the State Treasurer of Oklahoma
• the Oklahoma Superintendent of Public Instruction
• the Oklahoma Commissioner of Labor
• the members of the Oklahoma Corporation Commission (in the order of their election)