The effects of charged clay platelets on the frequency dependent electrical properties of shaly materials are analyzed using simplified models for the electrolytic polarization around charged spheres. The polarization is defined through 2 possible mechanisms: i) a surface conductivity related with a modified Stern double-layer model according to Schurr-Schwarz theory; ii) a composite drift-diffusion occurring in a Guoy-Chapman double-layer using Fixman's approach. In the first case, the electrical behavior of a sphere is described by a complex conductivity exhibiting a simple Debye characteristic. In the second one, both the conductivity and the dielectric permittivity are complex properties, showing similar but much wider dispersion than that of a Debye substance. The functional relationships for the models are compared and their fit to experimental data are discussed. An extension of the results to rocks containing clays can be accomplished using generalized mixture theories.