Oklahoma's Own In Focus: A Close-Up Look At The State's Political Makeup In The 2024 Election Season

The Oklahoma election board shows the Republican party has grown by around 400,000 registered voters in the last eight years.

The Democratic party has lost registered voters, and the number of Independents registered has increased some.

The Republican party continues to grow in Oklahoma, a trend many don't find surprising.

Tulsa County Republican Chair Ronda Vuillemont-Smith says one reason its growing is because the Democratic party is seen as too liberal.

"I think a lot of it has to do with the economy," Vuillemont-Smith said. "I think with where we stand on a number of issues such as economy, immigration, I think too because the left has become a little more radicalized."

The Chair of the Tulsa County Democratic Party says losing about 200,000 registered voters over the last eight years is disheartening. Bruce Niemi says the perception of the radical left in Oklahoma is not the reality.

"We're trying to bring things to the people that people need like education, healthcare, like workers rights, like reproductive freedom. That is not some sort of woke agenda; that is what ordinary Americans are looking for," said Niemi.

Niemi says there is a reason Oklahomans are ignoring the Democratic party’s mission.

"Unfortunately, Oklahoma is slow to catch on, and we're working on that," said Niemi.

Because Oklahoma is a majority red state, Vuillemont-Smith says the power is in the primaries.

"Democrats will change their parties so they can affect our primaries, so we have closed primaries. Republicans have closed primaries, so to be able to vote in our primaries, you have to be a registered Republican," said Vuillemont-Smith.

News On 6's political analyst, Scott Mitchell, says he expects the number of voters registered as Independent to grow stronger over the next few years.

"Independents are going to be snapping at the heels of Democrats. I would say in the next four or five years, you're going to see Independents outnumber Democrats in the states with the way trends are going right now," he said.

News On 6 spoke with one voter who is switching their voter status to Independent because she believes both the Democrat and Republican parties have become too extreme.