GOP Makes Big Voter Gains Before 2014 Elections
Oklahoma Republicans net biggest gains from voter registration changes
by Chris Casteel
WASHINGTON — More than 4,000 Democrats and independents in Oklahoma switched their registrations to Republican from mid-January to mid-April, according to the state Election Board. Far fewer voters switched to the Democratic Party or to independent status.
According to the state election board:
•3,634 people switched from Democrat to Republican;
•515 switched from independent to Republican;
•321 switched from Republican to Democrat;
•243 switched from independent to Democrat;
•326 switched from Democrat to independent; and
•342 switched from Republican to independent.
The registration changes represent a small fraction of the total voters in Oklahoma.
On April 14, there were 882,624 Democrats, 861,377 Republicans and 242,205 independents.
And those voters — particularly young ones — have a chance this year to improve upon the state’s very low ranking in a new U.S. Census Bureau report on youth voting in 2012.
According to the report, only 27 percent of Oklahoma voters between the ages 18 and 29 voted in 2012. That’s well below the national average of 45 percent; only West Virginia had a lower rate.