Whether they are Democrats or Republicans, the voters have a large role in determining some of Oklahoma’s energy policies. And the latest figures from the Oklahoma Election Board showed Democrats continued to lose ground in the state while Republicans gained in their numbers.
Election Board Secretary Paul Ziriax released figures this week showing 2,090,107 Oklahomans are registered to vote heading into this Presidential election year. They also showed how the Democratic party has lost more registered voters than two years ago.
“These statistics continue a decades-long trend of growth for Independents and Republicans as a share of the Oklahoma electorate,” said State Election Board Secretary Paul Ziriax. “And although they are relatively small in overall numbers, Libertarians now have more than 11,000 voters for the first time in state history.”
The largest number of Oklahoma’s voters are Republicans, who make up more than 48.3% of registered voters. Two years ago, Republicans accounted for 46.8% of registered voters.
Democrats are the second-largest party at 35.3% of registered voters, down from 38.2% in January 2018. Democrats had long been the largest political party in Oklahoma, but were passed by Republicans in January 2015.
Independents, or “no party” voters, are now 15.9% of Oklahoma voters, up from 14.8% two years ago.
The Libertarian Party, which gained recognition in 2016, now has 11,171 registered voters, more than double the number in January 2018.
Oklahoma’s registered voters:
JAN. 15, 2020 Jan. 15, 2018
DEMOCRATS 738,256….35.3% 769,772 769,772….38.2%
REPUBLICANS 1,008,569….48.3% 942,621 942,621….46.7%
LIBERTARIANS 11,171….less than 1% 4,897….less than 1%
INDEPENDENTS 332,111….15.9% 298,867….14.8%
TOTAL 2,090,107 2,016,157
HISTORICAL VOTER REGISTRATION IN OKLAHOMA
The State Election Board began recording statewide voter registration statistics by party in 1960.
YEAR DEM REP IND OTHER
1960 82.0% 17.6% 0.4% N/A
1980 75.8% 22.8% 1.4% N/A
2000* 56.7% 35.0% 8.3% *
2020* 35.3% 48.2% 15.8% *
*Minor parties account for less than 1 percent of voters in Oklahoma.