Closed Primary Elections Shuts Out Some Oklahoma Voters

The question of open primaries and whether Oklahoma should allow them. It would allow both Republicans and Democrats to vote in a primary race when only one party has candidates. <br/><br/>News on 6

Wednesday, July 26th 2006, 10:18 am

By: News On 6

The question of open primaries and whether Oklahoma should allow them. It would allow both Republicans and Democrats to vote in a primary race when only one party has candidates.

News on 6 reporter Emory Bryan says the Republican primary for Tulsa County's district attorney on Tuesday was decided by a margin of 3,000 votes.

Since no Democrat ran, those 3,000 Republicans decided the race and Democrats didn't have a voice. The Democratic Party isn't angry, just disappointed.

Emory Bryan: "Why didn't you field a Democrat in that race?" Patti Basnett, Tulsa Democratic Party Chairperson: "We worked at fielding a Democrat in that."

In the DA's race, the Democrats faced a familiar problem in party politics, a lack of candidates. Because Democrats had no one running, Democrats couldn't vote.

It's called a "closed primary" and even the Democrats don't want to see it changed. Patti Basnett: "We want people who are interested."

Some Democrats and Republicans would like to see it changed. Former Republican state Representative Larry Ferguson of Cleveland thinks the state should partially open the primaries, but not enough to make it a free for all.

Ferguson says that every time the issue came up, one party of the other would think it would hurt their chances, so it failed in the state Legislature. But he still thinks it's a good idea.