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October 3, 2012

Registration changes still on the rise

Salesha Wilken Staff Reporter

CLAREMORE — Rogers County Election Board reports that voter registration changes continue as the Oct. 12 registration deadline approaches.

“During this election year, I have seen a number of people that have come in and changed their affiliation, starting before April,” said Julie Dermody, election board secretary.
Dermody reports that more than 4,000 voters have changed their status this year in Rogers County and 163 changed in September alone.
The changes are in line with a recent report from the Oklahoma GOP.
The Republican Party released a statement earlier this week announcing that since Jan. 1, Republicans have added 45,094 voters while Democrats have added just 6,940 voters.
Rogers County voters represent a piece of that pie with 24,335 Republicans, 17,646 Democrats and 4,951 Independents, currently registered to the county.
Only 9 percent of Rogers County voters decided to change their registration this year, but the continuing trend is interesting,  according to Dermody.
“I don’t ask questions when they come in to change their affiliation,” Dermody said. “In the General Election, people can vote for anyone and a lot of times people still get that confused.”
Dermody is not sure why people continue to change their registration, since it no longer effects the choices on the ballot.
“The changes that people are making today will not effect who they are able to vote for, it only makes a difference in the primaries and those are over,” Dermody said.
She did explain that there is a connection between the changes and publicized appearances by the candidates.
After previous appearances by the President, many people came in and changed their registrations, she said.
“I fully expect to see people come in after the upcoming debate,” said Dermody.
The Oklahoma GOP’s statement represents the Republican Party.
“More and more Oklahomans are awaking to the fact that there is no longer a place for them in today’s Democratic Party. As that happens, we will be waiting with voter registration forms for any Oklahoman who wishes to join us in our push for a smaller, less-intrusive government,” said Matt Pinnell, chairman for the Republican Party.
Democratic and Independent parties in Oklahoma have not issued a response to the statement at this time.

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