Changing times in Oklahoma voter registration

Oklahoma continues to be a Democratic state, as least in voter registration, but just barely. And the trend line isn’t encouraging for the party of Barack Obama.

Democrats still have the most registered voters in Oklahoma, but Republicans and independents are growing at a faster rate. Since January, there has been a net increase of 45,094 Republicans; Democrats have increased their numbers only 6,940.

The Oklahoma electorate is now 47.1 percent Democrat and 41.4 percent Republican. Among active voters, the gap narrows to 45.6 percent Democrat and 44 percent Republican.

That continues a long-term decline for the Democratic Party. In 1980, three out of four Oklahoma voters were registered Democrats, and over half of voters were still Democrats as recently as 2008. Oklahomans are changing their registration to match the way they vote: Democrats have carried Oklahomain only one presidential election since 1948.