Oklahoma’s Political Lineup
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Redistricting Deadline Both congressional and state legislative maps were passed on May 25, 2001. Public Access Legislative committees will hold public hearings before receiving the census data. Maps of the new state House districts are available for the online, and the Senate has its own redistricting page. | Who’s in Charge of Redistricting? The legislature is responsible for both plans. If the Oklahoma Legislature fails to redistrict its state legislative districts, statute requires the attorney general, state treasurer and superintendent of public instruction to form an apportionment board to complete the task. The governor has veto power over both plans. | ||||||||||||||||||
Political Landscape The 1991 redistricting plan was passed by a nearly unanimous vote in what was recognized as a bipartisan plan to protect congressional incumbents. Nevertheless, Democrats lost all four of their U.S. House seats by 1996, and all current congressional districts tilt either slightly or strongly to Republicans.The state will lose a congressional seat in 2001. Since Democrats won a seat in November 2000, they will likely seek to shore up their incumbent in 2001. The legislature remains strongly Democratic, but is more conservative than most federal Democrats. The governor is Republican. | Irregularly Shaped District · Northeast; foothills of the Ozarks; poor and rural · Traditionally Democratic, but now swing district which Republicans can win due in part to influence of Christian conservatives · 77% white; 5% black; 17% Native American; 1% Hispanic | ||||||||||||||||||
Irregularly Shaped District · North Central—part of Oklahoma City · The most Republican district in the state, although a plurality of voters are registered Democrats · 87% white; 6% black; 2% Asian; 5% Native American; 3% Hispanic | Contact Information Lexa Shafer Shirley Russell |