Students, Independents changing County's voter registration profile

The University of Oklahoma’s student population and an increasing number of voters with no political party affiliation, have conspired to change the profile of Cleveland County’s registered voters.

Documents provided by state and local election board officials show major changes in the county’s voter registration — trending away from the two main political parties and, instead, toward Independent and Republican registration over the past eight years.

And though county officials have registered more than 13,000 new voters since 2000, fewer of those voters are choosing to affiliate themselves with the Democratic party and, instead, are choosing to register Independent or Republican.

The change began several years ago.

In 2000, 124,616 voters were registered to vote in Cleveland County, with a majority of those voters squarely in the Democratic column.

Records indicate that registered Democrats outnumbered Republicans by 5,569 voters — with Democrats claiming 58,656 voters to the GOP’s 53,087 in 2000.

A total of 12,826 residents listed themselves as Independent; 26 voters registered Libertarian and seven with the Reform Party.
Then, in 2002, Democrat’s numbers began to fall.

That year, both parties registration numbers were within 225 of each other. Democratic registration fell by 3,908 to 54,748 while GOP numbers rose by 1,436 to 54,523.

Independents, too, showed large increases, rising from 12,286 in 2000 to 14,930 in 2002 — a difference of 2,104.
Libertarians remained at 26.

“It’s been the trend for sometime,” said Cleveland County Election Board Secretary Paula Roberts. “I think it’s because people say they don’t want to be associated with either party. They see something on the news and it causes them to change their registration. Plus, many of them don’t understand our voter laws.”

Two years later, in 2004, Republican numbers would overtake Democrat’s.

In January 2004, Democratic registration fell by another 1,871 voters to 52,877 while county Republicans increased to 55,208 — 685 more than in 2002.

Independent and Libertarian registration climbed to 15,354 — an increase of 464 from 2002 for Independents, and 48 for Libertarians.

Only one county voter remained registered with the Reform Party.

Roberts said she believes those numbers reflect county voter’s emotions.

“To me it shows some frustration with the parties,” she said. “And it shows confusion about how Oklahoma classifies Independent voters.”

By 2006 the frustration had increased to new levels.

With Democrats and Republicans waging a scorched Earth battle for control of the Oklahoma State Senate, and the United States continuing its emotional struggle with wars in Afghanistan and Iraq, voter registration numbers increased.

But most of those new voters chose the Republican Party.

According to election board data, the heaviest voter registration was in the Republican’s favor.

And though Democrats regained some lost ground, adding 1,735 new voters for a total of 54,612, that increase was still 136 voters short of their 2002 mark, and more than 4,000 below their high water mark of 58,656 in 2000.

Republicans numbers jumped by 6,507 — for a total of 61,715. Independent registration increased by 1,467 to 16,821.
That year, a total of 133,157 county residents were listed a registered voters.

In 2007, records show Independents and Republicans continue to reach new heights, while Democrats struggled to catch up.
During that year, Independent registration stood at 18,002 — 1,181 more than 2006 and 5,176 more than the year 2000.

Republican registrations climbed from 61,715 in 2006 to 63,785 in 2007, a difference of 2,070.

And though Democrats came close to registering almost as many voters as their GOP counterparts — Democrats added 1,907 new names to their rolls, for a total of 56,619 — they still have not reached their original 2000 registration level of 58,656.

“It’s definitely a change,” Roberts said. “But I believe some of those numbers are inflated because of the OU student population. Students move around a lot and then they leave. I think some of those precincts by campus are overstated because of the student population being so transient.”

But a shifting student population isn’t the only reason for the county’s increasing number of Independent voters.

Independent voters, Roberts said, are quick to voice their opinion and to change their party registration.

“Independents are the most vocal,” Roberts said. “And part of it is frustration. Many times they were previously a Republican or Democrat and they will come in and change because the party did something they didn’t like.”

State election board officials agree.

Mike Kilngman, secretary of the state election board, said Independent registration jumped in 2001 “during the state’s right-to-work election.”

“That election had a fairly high bump in independents,” he said. “And it’s kinda’ continued since then.”

Additionally, Klingman said he believes more younger voters are registering to vote and they “are more likely to register Independent than in the past.”

“Party affiliation seems to matter less,” he said, “Being independent sounds like a good thing. For many, political parties mean very little any more.”

Plus, many voters are taking advantage of new laws which expanded the number of cites where voters could register.

“Many of those places are online or in a facility like a tag agency,” he said. “And there’s not the same level of awareness of election laws. Back in the old days, when we had registrars, they could answer questions. We don’t have as much of that now.”

Because fewer voters are aware of the law, Klingman said new voters register Independent thinking they can vote in either the Republican or Democratic primary elections.

“That’s not the case. In Oklahoma we have a closed primary system. Republicans vote in the Republican primary and Democrats vote in the Democratic primary. Many younger voters don’t realize that. I don’t think they really understand that you can’t vote in a primary election with an Independent registration.”

And while Klingman says he does agree the state’s ballot laws are “fairly restrictive” he also said he believes voters who would choose a third party candidate are “probably going to vote for someone in either main party who better represents their views.”

“People who are interested are always going to be active,” he said. “If you are in-tune enough to know about the minor parties, I wonder whether or not you would vote anyway.”

Either way, he said, the move away from party affiliation will continue.

“I don’t have any solid data, but I believe it will probably continue,” he said. “I believe the parties, themselves, will continue to be less visible.”