AUSTIN, Texas – Se reportan concurrencias récord, o cercanas al récord de votantes tempranos que se anticipan a la elección del 6 de noviembre, en algunos de los condados más grandes de Texas. Esta es la última semana para votar anticipadamente en Texas y los observadores electorales hacen su parte para garantizar que el proceso sea justo. La Secretaria de Estado alaba la conveniencia y flexibilidad que representa votar anticipadamente, pero además ve otras razones para hacerlo: la posibilidad de tener problemas para encontrar el lugar en el que le toca votara uno, o que hubiera dificultades para demostrar su identidad.

Emitir el voto con antelación significa tener un poco de tiempo extra para resolver esas cuestiones, seguramente en una oficina electoral del condado. Luis Figueroa es abogado del Mexican American Legal Defense and Education Found (Fondo México Americano de Defensa y Educación Legal - MALDEF por sus siglas en inglés), uno de los grupos que observarán y cuidarán la elección. Él dice que ya han escuchado algunas de las quejas de costumbre, como que los trabajadores electorales cierran para ir a comer, y otras.

“Hemos oído que los funcionarios electorales piden identificación que no es requisito indispensable de acuerdo a la ley vigente. Hemos tenido nuestras dudas sobre las máquinas electrónicas para votar.”

Figueroa agrega que MALDEF tiene un número sin costo para exponer dudas y problemas relacionados con la votación: es el 877-224-5476.

Con toda la controversia que hay en Texas sobre las leyes electorales de identificación, Figueroa insiste en la importancia de recordar que no es requisito tener identificación con fotografía, aunque sí puede ser útil tenerla. Los funcionarios electorales confirman tres cosas: la identidad; en la votación anticipada, que te den la boleta que corresponda a tu domicilio; o el día de la elección, que votes en el lugar indicado. Figueroa dice que la la nueva distritación significa que muchos lugares para votar han cambiado.

“Usan la identificación para cotejarte con su lista base estatal de electores y con la lista de nombres que tienen, y para estar seguros de que estás en el lugar correcto, que no estás en una de las llamadas “lista fantasma”.

Esa ‘suspense list’ incluye nombres de electores sobre quienes su condado necesita actualizar la información, o quienes están registrados pero no han votado en mucho tiempo. Figueroa recomienda llevar consigo el certificado de registro de elector (Voter Registration Certificate) al punto de voto. Si alguien no ha recibido su certificado o no tiene seguridad del estatus de su registro, este es el momento de contactar con la oficina electoral de su condado.

Hay voluntarios trabajando a marchas forzadas para recordarle a los 13 millones de electores de Texas que den todos los pasos y hagan uso de sus derechos. Lydia Camarillo, vice presidenta del Southwest Voter Education Program (Proyecto de Educación del Elector del Suroeste), dice que nadie debe ser intimidado por el proceso.

“Nos gusta ver el vaso medio lleno, en vez de medio vacío. Hemos registrado electores; detuvimos la aprobación de la ley de ID electoral. Así que ahora, en este momento, sólo espero que conforme contactamos a los votantes compartamos con ellos -especialmente con los nuevos electores- que realmente es un proceso que, cuando lo entiendes, no es tan difícil.”

Camarillo ve cada voto, según sus palabras, como “un arma para pelear por lo que es justo.”


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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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