A solo cinco semanas de las elecciones primarias del 3 de mayo, y la debacle legislativa de redistribución de distritos en Ohio que aún no se ha resuelto, los grupos de derechos electorales dicen que es hora de cambiar la fecha de las primarias. Hoy es la fecha límite para que los cartógrafos independientes contratados por la Comisión de Redistribución de Distritos de Ohio creen un nuevo mapa legislativo estatal, después de que la Corte Suprema de Ohio descartara a otros tres como inconstitucionales.

El Secretario de Estado dice que es demasiado tarde para que las contiendas legislativas estatales aparezcan en la boleta electoral primaria, y algunos republicanos sugieren realizar una segunda elección. Pero Deidra Reese, de la Coalición de Ohio para la Participación Cívica Negra y la Coalición de Unidad de Ohio, dice que eso supondría una carga extraordinaria para los funcionarios electorales locales.

"Es muy difícil llevar a cabo elecciones, es muy laborioso; ha sido muy difícil reclutar trabajadores electorales. Hemos tenido algunas elecciones bastante buenas, a pesar de algunos desafíos, por no queremos terminar retrocediendo", agregó Reese.

Los legisladores de Ohio tienen la autoridad para reprogramar las primarias. El Proyecto de Ley del Senado 316, presentado la semana pasada por los demócratas, lo trasladaría del 3 de mayo al 28 de junio.

Meryl Neiman de Líderes de Acción Progresista en Ohio dice que dos elecciones primarias podrían costar a los contribuyentes más de $20 millones. Ella agrega que sería confuso y posiblemente privaría a miles de votantes.

"No hay nada sacrosanto en el 3 de mayo. Y ya han reconocido que no podrán celebrar la primaria completa en ese momento. Por lo tanto, tiene mucho más sentido, desde el punto de vista financiero y equitativo, tener solo una primaria, y en una fecha posterior", comentó también Neiman

Mientras tanto, en una demanda federal, los votantes republicanos solicitan que el tercer conjunto de mapas rechazados se use en las primarias del 3 de mayo. Reese sostiene que todo el dilema podría haberse evitado si la Comisión de Redistribución de Distritos hubiera entregado distritos justos como lo exige la Constitución estatal.

"Es enloquecedor que todavía estemos aquí y que ahora estemos, literalmente, en una crisis constitucional porque no han hecho lo que deberían haber hecho. Simplemente se clavaron en sus talones para decir: "Tendremos dos elecciones, incluso si se confunde la gente". Y eso simplemente no sirve a los intereses de los ciudadanos del estado", mencionó además Reese.

Al final del día de hoy (lunes), el Secretario de Estado de Ohio debe responder a la solicitud de información de un tribunal federal sobre los plazos para las boletas suplementarias y la celebración de las primarias de mayo, así como los detalles de la celebración de una segunda primaria para las contiendas legislativas.

Esta historia fue producida con el apoyo de Carnegie Corporation of New York.


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North Dakota's June 11 primary is inching closer and those running for legislative seats are trying to win over voters, including Native American candidates who are part of a movement energized by newly drawn political boundaries.

The organization North Dakota Native Vote said there are seven candidates with Indigenous roots seeking spots in the Legislature. Most are running in District 9, which was recently updated to reflect representation needs for two Native American tribes.

Natasha Gourd, a board member of North Dakota Native Vote, described them as a good mixture of candidates coming from both reservations in the area, with some running as Democrats and others as Republicans.

"We've seen an upturn in participation and just getting leadership development through Native candidates," Gourd observed.

The election wave comes after the state saw 10 Native candidates in legislative races two years ago. For her group, Gourd acknowledged the boost can be tricky because they cannot endorse everyone running. But she noted having greater assurances the areas will be represented by people from their community -- no matter if they have a different stance on certain issues -- is still a positive.

Gourd added trying to build on the momentum is also important for off-reservation districts.

"What they do at the state level, regardless of Native American people in North Dakota (being part of) federally recognized tribes, it does affect us," Gourd pointed out. "Most Natives in North Dakota do live off the reservation, so it does affect our populations."

Gourd stressed they need more Native voices at the state level speaking out about priorities within education, the housing crisis, energy issues and health care. She hopes the positive trends they're seeing inspire more civic participation among other racial and ethnic groups trying to get a seat at the policy table in North Dakota.

A new poll finds a near 20-year low in the number of voters who say they have a high interest in the 2024 election, with a majority saying they hold negative views of both President Joe Biden and former President Donald Trump. A group of Arizona elections officials and experts recently gathered to discuss the growing discontent with the state's current electoral landscape.

Stephen Richer, Maricopa County Recorder, said that if politicians are what he calls "single-minded seekers of re-election," he contends the state should change the political incentive structure.

"And if those incentives will change, then maybe we will be talking about more things in the Arizona Voter's Agenda and less things that are currently right now incentivized by what I still believe to be a minority, but a very passionate, very loud, and a minority that is definitely committed to acting on those issues," he said.

Richer added it is important to remember that despite Independent and unaffiliated voters being able to participate in the July 30th statewide primary, they were excluded from the state's March Presidential Preference Election, and that has caught the eye of some in the state. The bipartisan group Make Elections Fair Arizona is pushing for open primaries, but proponents of closed primaries believe they're crucial to maintaining the integrity of party ideals.

Amanda Burke, executive vice president with the non-partisan, nonprofit organization Center for the Future of Arizona, said more than half of unaffiliated voters do not feel they have leaders or candidates running who speak to the issues and causes they care about. She contends that then translates to who decides to show up at the ballot box and vote, and encourages Arizonans to imagine a different primary system if they want different outcomes.

"Otherwise we are going to continue to have some more outcomes in terms of people who are incentivized to speak to a small percentage of their base on either side who are really not representative of the larger views," she explained.

The Grand Canyon State allows voter-initiated amendments to the state constitution, but the Arizona Require Partisan Primary Elections Amendment would add the state's current primary practice to the state constitution, prohibiting future changes without another constitutional amendment. Make Elections Fair Arizona is still collecting signatures to get its measure on the November ballot.


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Wisconsin women have made progress in closing gaps when it comes to being elected to public office.

But some voices worry the movement might slow down as candidates see increasing levels of threats and harassment.

The Brennan Center for Justice recently issued findings that detail the threatening behavior those in the political arena are experiencing now.

Women were three to four times as likely as men to experience abuse targeting their gender.

Erin Vilardi, CEO and founder of the advocacy and assistance group Vote Run Lead, said this creates more unfairness in areas such as resource planning for a campaign.

"We see women candidates and incumbents right now having to pay for security," said Vilardi, "having to put in their budgets, in their campaign funds, in their line-items for their campaigns a security detail."

And Vilardi said because of the worsening climate, the threats are extending to almost all other candidates, including conservative white men.

She and other researchers called on party leaders to strongly condemn political violence. They also recommend that each state implement stronger protection for officeholders.

Vilardi said it's not just women candidates and incumbents having to deal with this behavior. Women working as top aides and political journalists are subject to more hateful rhetoric these days.

"This is something that permeates women in politics," said Vilardi, "not just for the folks that are stepping up to lead but for the ecosystem of women around them."

And if more women decide not to run or seek re-election as a result, Vilardi said this means there will be fewer opportunities for gender equality in leadership positions in state legislatures and Congress.

She urged constituents to send messages of support to women officeholders as they weigh these challenges and their political futures.

Support for this reporting was provided by the Carnegie Corporation of New York.



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