World: State Democrats Losing Power

By Randy Krehbiel/Tulsa World ~ Republicans are gaining control of Oklahoma's fastest-growing districts.

Republicans control most of the state's largest and fastest-growing legislative districts, a trend that could magnify recent Democratic losses in the Oklahoma House and Senate if it continues through redistricting following the 2010 census.

"If it stays the way it is, it's going to hit us hard and we know it," said Ivan Holmes, state Democratic Party chairman.

University of Oklahoma political science professor Keith Gaddie said, "It's going to be hard to draw districts without carving out some new Republican seats. Southeastern Oklahoma is going to lose one Senate district and maybe two."

Read the entire story at http://www.tulsaworld.com/news/article.aspx?subjectID=12&articleID=20080907_16_A17_hRepub497748.

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NY Times: Oklahoma One Of Just Three States Where GOP Voter Registration Is Up

The New York Times reports that a study of voter registration in the 50 states shows that Oklahoma is one of only three states in the last three years where Republican registration continues to increase.

Republican registration numbers rose and Democratic registration numbers fell in only three states: Kentucky, Louisiana and Oklahoma, but The Times notes the GOP increase was less than a percentage point in Kentucky and Oklahoma.

Louisiana was the only state to register a gain of more than one percentage point for Republicans as Democratic numbers declined.

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Voter Registration Increases By 44,000-Plus

Voter registration in Oklahoma has increased, a possible reflection of interest in the presidential campaign, a state official says.

More than 44,000 new voters have been added statewide since the end of 2007, said Election Board Assistant Secretary Fran Roach.

At the end of 2007, there were 2,013,942 registered voters in Oklahoma, records show. By April 1, the number was 2,058,091.

"These are pretty high numbers," said Roach, who believes registration numbers are rising because of the presidential campaign. "There's so much interest in the races," she said.

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