A twister of fate
Weather trends that set records are sometimes cited to advance political causes such as anti-climate change initiatives. The word “record” is relative because recorded weather data only go back so far. Thus, the 113-degree day in August was a record high for Oklahoma Citybut not necessarily the hottest it’s ever been here and not necessarily an indication that people are making things hotter.
Here’s a “record” you may not be aware of: No tornadoes touched down in Oklahoma from June 1 through the end of September. That’s happened only once before, in 2003. But then the records date only to 1950. Before that, who knows?
Amid all the bad news about the weather this year, we can at least be thankful that the tail end of the spring tornado season wasn’t all that newsworthy.
Changing times in Oklahoma voter registration
Oklahoma continues to be a Democratic state, as least in voter registration, but just barely. And the trend line isn’t encouraging for the party of Barack Obama.
Democrats still have the most registered voters in Oklahoma, but Republicans and independents are growing at a faster rate. Since January, there has been a net increase of 45,094 Republicans; Democrats have increased their numbers only 6,940.
The Oklahoma electorate is now 47.1 percent Democrat and 41.4 percent Republican. Among active voters, the gap narrows to 45.6 percent Democrat and 44 percent Republican.
That continues a long-term decline for the Democratic Party. In 1980, three out of four Oklahoma voters were registered Democrats, and over half of voters were still Democrats as recently as 2008. Oklahomans are changing their registration to match the way they vote: Democrats have carried Oklahomain only one presidential election since 1948.
