Oklahoma Politics, Volume 7 (October 1998)

Focht, Will, Michael W. Hirlinger, and James J. Lawler “A Political Participation Model of Citizen Nimby Opposition”, pp. 1-24.

Why citizens choose to oppose sitings of noxious facilities in their communities is examined in a 1991 survey of Oklahoma adults’ risk judgements.  Regression models of both actual and hypothetical NIMBY-motivated political participation are tested.  The composite risk-judgment component proves significantly related to NIMBY participation in both actual and hypothetical siting scenarios, but not in the same way.  An important finding is that the existence of hypothetical bias in greenfield communities can invalidate survey findings conducted as part of community relations planning.

Schrems, Suzanne H. “Capitalizing on the Woman Question: Organizing Oklahoma Women into the Socialist Party in the Early Twentieth Century”, pp. 25-38.

In Oklahoma, three women, Winnie Branstetter, Kate Richards O’Hare and Caroline Lowe stand out as strong Socialist party organizers who capitalized on the women suffrage question to gain recruits to the party and, therefore, a new voting strength with which to initiate social change in turn-of-the-century Oklahoma.

Rausch, David “Legislative Term Limits and Electoral Competition in Oklahoma: A Preliminary Assessment”, pp. 39-58.

This paper examines the consequences of term limits on competition in primary and general elections for the Oklahoma House of Representatives.  Term limits appear to have had little effect on competition.  In fact, term limits may have a negative effect on competition in primary and general elections.  Increased competition may only occur when incumbents are prohibited from seeking reelection.

Kirksey, Jason F., et al., “Interest Groups in Oklahoma, 1986 and 1997”, pp. 59-90.

The interest group universe continues to expand in Oklahoma.  While education, labor, oil, and agriculture persist, church influence and the newspapers are declining.  Service, professional, business, banking, telecommunications and utility lobbies are growing in power.  Interest group influence in Oklahoma is becoming more diversified as the state continues to mature and develop economically.