In just over a week on Nov. 29, state lawmakers will return to Atlanta to decide on Georgia's new congressional voting district maps. Grassroots organizations focused on voting access are stressing the importance of the process.
In October, a federal judge ruled the state's 2021 maps diluted the voting power of Black residents and violate Section 2 of the Voting Rights Act.
April Albright, national legal director for Black Voters Matter, emphasized the decision is crucial in promoting equity for often overlooked communities.
"Our communities don't get that infrastructure," Albright observed. "We see it in our education and we see it in our roads, and we see it in economic opportunities in the form of opportunity districts, where the state makes a decision about how much money they're going to provide as subsidy to invite industries to come and create businesses."
The judge's ruling called for lawmakers to create an extra congressional district in west-metro Atlanta with a majority-Black population. It also calls for two new majority-Black Senate districts in south-metro Atlanta, two majority-Black House districts in south-metro Atlanta, and two in and around Macon-Bibb.
Albright pointed out the significant population shifts in the South over the past decade, which highlight the need for people to have the option to vote for candidates who truly represent their beliefs. As voting districts are being updated and challenged throughout the South, she stressed the importance of safeguarding democracy.
"We've got to keep our eyes on the prize," Albright urged. "We've got to understand the power of the 'drip, drip,' organizing all year around issues that matter to us. And if we do that, then it doesn't matter what the courts will do. We know that we can still bring the changes that we want."
Census figures show Georgia's population has surged by more than 1 million since 2010, with significant increases in Black, Hispanic, and Asian residents, particularly in Cobb, DeKalb, Fulton and Gwinnett counties.
The ruling in Georgia comes after a historic decision in Alabama to create two majority and near-majority Black voting districts.
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More than 2,400 delegates gathered in Milwaukee this week for the Republican National Convention and delegates from around the country, including Arizona, showed support for former President Donald Trump and his selection of Sen. JD Vance, R-Ohio, for vice president.
While other key swing states like Wisconsin and Pennsylvania were seemingly given preferential seating close to the main stage, Arizona was not so lucky as earlier this summer it was discovered some Arizona delegates were planning to challenge a Trump nomination.
Rep. Alexander Kolodin, R-Ariz., was there and said it is not what happened.
"Arizona Republicans are 100% unified behind Donald J. Trump and JD Vance and we are going to take them home to victory in November," Kolodin stated.
A new YouGov poll showed in seven battleground states, one of which is Arizona, Trump is leading over President Joe Biden with fewer than four months until Election Day. And while the poll might be welcome news for Trump and his supporters, it also showed Democratic Senate candidates are leading in every swing-state race, posing a potential challenge to another Trump administration.
Like many other conservatives around the country, Kolodin does not support further U.S. involvement in Ukraine and contends it does not benefit the national interests of the United States. Democrats see it differently and argued the U.S. must assist Ukraine in its war with Russia to maintain international order. Kolodin countered it is costing American taxpayers too much.
"The money we are spending is driving inflation, it is empowering our military industrial complex and giving the Biden administration every excuse to strip us of our civil liberties," Kolodin contended. "Because war is the best excuse that was ever invented for that."
Kolodin suggested instead of the U.S. helping foreign countries and funding wars abroad, it needs to get a handle on the issues at home, affecting the country and Arizona, such as the economy and border security.
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The ACLU of Alabama launches a campaign to boost voter engagement. Alabama is grappling with one of the lowest voter turnouts in the country. In the 2024 presidential primary election in March, only about 25% of registered voters went to the polls.
The ACLU of Alabama aims to change this through a multiyear strategy called "Project MOVE," which stands for "Making Our Voices Echo."
JaTaune Bosby Gilchrist, executive director of the ACLU of Alabama, said they want to address barriers to voting, educate potential voters and provide essential community resources.
"We really are focusing on ensuring that we're not just protecting the right to vote, but ensuring that people have the tools that they need to know that, hey, my vote counts, and making it to the ballot box is going to impact my day-to-day. We're talking about clean water and your power bill," Bosby Gilchrist said.
She emphasized that Alabama is one of the few states without early voting, highlighting the need for a community-based approach to reach people at a local level, and added that their goal is to increase voter turnout by 5% by 2026.
Bosby Gilchrist said Project MOVE will include a three-pronged approach of surveying communities to understand their needs, actively reaching out to voters through events and canvassing, and providing critical voting information. She said by partnering with grassroots organizations, the ACLU of Alabama plans to sustain these efforts beyond the 2024 elections.
"We've got to look at those issues," she continued. "We've got to understand that what's at stake is quite honestly our ability to make sure that our voices are heard because the decisions that are made impact us."
She added that many of their efforts will be focused in Districts Two, Five and Seven, and the ACLU of Alabama has posted more information about Project MOVE and events on its website.
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The nonprofit Este Poder has a goal of helping more young people of color in rural east Texas exercise their right to vote.
The organization holds voter registration drives in Cherokee, Gregg, Nacogdoches, Smith and Wood Counties and partners with other organizations to inform people about ballot issues locally and nationally.
Arely Cruz, communications associate for the group, said they recently created student chapters at Stephen F. Austin State University and the University of Texas in Tyler.
"They promote civic engagement and do outreach into the community," Cruz explained. "We do conduct workshops in the classroom, attend community events and we are often on social media explaining the importance of voting, how to register and the steps involved in casting a ballot."
According to the Rural Democracy Initiative, people under the age of 35 are the most undecided voters and are among the least contacted by both nonpartisan and political efforts. Cruz noted while at events, volunteers also discuss issues important to students. Most said they are concerned about the environment, access to higher education and safety at schools.
In addition to in-person events, Este Poder uses social media to distribute digital campaigns, interviews with students and skits about the voting process to first time voters. Cruz added once young people are registered to vote they still need some guidance.
"They need that reminder, that there are other elections, not just the general presidential election in November, but there's also elections happening around them," Cruz emphasized. "That's where we get a lot of the questions like, why is it important for me to vote? And you get to talk about like, what precinct they live in, or the district that they live in and like who represents them."
Este Poder translates into "this power" or "east power." Cruz stressed they want to give people of color in rural east Texas the power they need to enhance their quality of life.
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