Pam Pollard, Chairman of the Oklahoma Republican Party, informed Election Board Secretary Paul Ziriax today by official letter that the Oklahoma Republican Party will not allow voters registered as Independents to cast ballots in the party’s primary elections.
In the letter Pollard explained, “The Oklahoma Republican Party believes only registered Republicans should select the Republican candidate in the primary election process.”
“Since 1995 the Oklahoma Republican Party has grown by nearly 300,000 registered voters while the Oklahoma Democrat Party has lost more than 200,000. It is clear Oklahoma voters increasingly identify more closely with Republican candidates, therefore we see no need to open our primary process to non-Republicans,” continued Pollard.
According to the Election Board, the increased costs for printing additional primary ballots to include Independents is nearly $150,000.
“What’s more, given the current budget crisis in our state, it would be irresponsible for the Republican Party to expect taxpayers to pay these additional costs,” detailed Pollard.
Oklahoma’s Presidential Preference Primary will be held on March 1 of next year as part of the “Southern Super Tuesday.” The Party nominee will be selected by delegates elected to the Republican National Convention to be held in Cleveland, Ohio, on July 18-21.
