As Oklahoma’s primary election approaches, data from the Oklahoma State Election Board reveals that almost 9,000 Independent voters have changed their party affiliation since the start of the year. This shift comes ahead of a closed primary election, where Independents will not be allowed to vote in either the Democratic or Republican primaries.

Party Affiliation Changes

According to the Oklahoma State Election Board, 5,319 Independent voters have switched to the Democratic party, while 3,529 have switched to the Republican party. Another 158 Independents have changed their affiliation to Libertarian. The reasons behind these changes are not specified, but they occur in the context of a primary election that is closed to Independents.

The Oklahoma State Election Board announced that primary elections would be closed due to a missed deadline. This decision was made after no political party opted in to allow Independent voters to participate. Paul Ziriax, the secretary of the Oklahoma State Election Board, stated that the law requires Independents to be excluded from Democratic, Libertarian, and Republican primaries.

Upcoming Primary Election

The Oklahoma primary election is scheduled to take place on June 16, with early voting already underway. Key races include the Republican and Democratic primaries for governor, U.S. Senate, lieutenant governor, attorney general, and more. Additionally, Oklahoma voters will decide on a State Question that proposes raising the minimum wage to $15 per hour by 2029.

Original reporting: Oklahoma City News Feed (HLL/CB) — read the source article.