Alabama Democrats Trying to Get Their Groove Back
Being a Democrat in Alabama wasn’t always taboo. They held a majority in state government for more than a century. But that changed in 2010 when they lost those seats to Republicans. In one of the state’s most conservative counties, Democrats are working on getting their groove back.
“We have to get Democrats to come out of the closet,” says Carole Marks, chair of the Shelby County Democratic Executive Committee. Marks and her colleagues want Alabama Democrats not to be afraid of showing their true, blue colors.
She says she often meets voters who don’t want to admit they’re Democrats. When she talks to people about voting, “I ask them what is their party affiliation and they tell me they are undecided,” she says. “So I tell them when you register to vote, you have to declare a party, and then they whisper, ‘I’m declaring Democrat.’ Why whisper?”
Other Democrats say remaining silent is more about maintaining healthy relationships.
“I’m married to a Republican,” says Democrat Liesl Harris. “I’ve just kind of learned not to talk about politics a lot. I’m not gonna change any minds and I just don’t want to be in arguments with my friends, so we just agree not to talk about it,” she says.
And that could be a good strategy, at least socially, for outnumbered Democrats. They hold just 41 of 140 total seats in the Alabama Legislature and just one at the federal level. But they are trying to change that. The key to future Democratic success starts with public engagement, they say.
“We have to start in the church,” says Pastor Kenneth Dukes at a meeting of the Shelby County Democratic Executive Committee. “We have to start in the community. We have to go to where they are. Wherever they may be. If they’re at the park, take it to the park. If they’re at the casino, take it to the casino.”
Other Democrats agree that a grass-roots effort could reignite the party. And, with the presidency and U.S. congressional seats on the line in 2016, Alabama Democrats are hanging their hopes on national candidates, too.
States and cities beef up security to prepare for potential election-related violence
Washington state's governor activated the National Guard to stand by to help local law enforcement as needed. Meanwhile, extra security is in place at locations across Washington, D.C.
When will mail-in and absentee ballots be counted?
Various state rules regarding when election officials can process and count mail ballots means it will likely take some time after Election Day before the results from these ballots are fully known.
When do polls close in every state? Here’s a timeline
The Associated Press can't call any races until polls close in their respective state. Here's a breakdown of when that will happen.
How has the Electoral College survived, despite being perennially unpopular?
Despite its substantial-sounding name, the Electoral College isn’t a permanent body: It’s more of a process. For decades, a majority of Americans have wanted it to be changed.
Thousands of Pennsylvania voters have had their mail ballot applications challenged
Thousands of last-minute challenges to voters’ mail ballot applications, along with baseless claims by former President Donald Trump, are adding pressure on Pennsylvania county officials.
No more fluoride in the water? RFK Jr. wants that and Trump says it ‘sounds OK’
Robert F. Kennedy, Jr.’s claims about fluoride in the drinking water are linked to Cold War conspiracy theories about the substance.
