Republicans make historic gains and Democrats continue a half-century of decline in latest voter registration report

(Oklahoma City)- Oklahoma Republican Party Chairman Matt Pinnell today responded to the news that Republican voter registration in Oklahoma is at its highest level in history. The Oklahoman's Michael McNutt reports that Republicans now comprise 41.4% of registered voters in Oklahoma. Democrats have fallen to their lowest level on record at 47.2%.

"It is encouraging - but not surprising - that more and more Oklahomans are finding a home in the Republican Party," said Chairman Pinnell. "Though this has been a long-term trend, the sharp left turn of the Democrat Party and this administration has only accelerated the process. Last week's decision on the Keystone XL pipeline (a decision that Oklahoma Democratic Party Chairman Wallace Collins defended) is just the latest example of a Democrat Party that is wholly antithetical to the values and priorities of most Oklahomans."

Voter registration in Oklahoma has long favored Democrats. In 1964 - the last time Oklahoma voted for a Democrat candidate for President - registered Democrats made up over 80% of Oklahoma voters. In the past 10 years, Oklahoma Democrats have had a net decrease of over 136,000 voters and have fallen from nearly 54% of all registered voters to only 47%. In that same time frame, Republicans have had a net increase of 98,864 voters and have gone from 36% of all registered voters to 41.4%. In the past year alone, Republicans narrowed the registration gap by over 35,000 voters.

"You can see from the data that our County GOP activists are doing the work, day by day, of registering Republican voters. Without them, our gains would not be possible," continued Pinnell. "This election cycle is probably the best opportunity the Republican Party has ever had to register Republicans and re-register Democrats as Republicans, and our activists from all across this state are the ones making this happen."

"This is no longer your granddaddy's Democrat Party. Democrats are pursuing an agenda that favors far left environmentalists over middle-class American jobs, an agenda that seeks to divide Americans along class lines, and an agenda that promotes an ever-increasing federal role in all facets of life. While they pursue that agenda, we are waiting in the wings with voter registration forms....lots and lots of voter registration forms."

Michael McNutt: "In Oklahoma, Republicans continue 50-year gains in voter registration" (Oklahoman, 1/26/2012)

Oklahoma State Election Board: Registration by Party as of January 15, 2012

Tags: Matt Pinnell, voter registration