Georgia students take to streets to protest ‘dehumanizing’ voting law that criminalizes handing out water
By Curtis Bunn  In the latest public rebuke of Georgiaâs controversial 2021 voting law, dozens of Black students and activists marched through the heart of historic Morehouse College on Saturday in an effort to push back on what they call âanti-votingâ measures in Georgia and other states. Since 2021, SB 202 â also known as the Election Integrity Act â has made it illegal in Georgia for anyone to hand a hot or thirsty person a bottle of water while standing in line to vote. Those participating at Saturdayâs rally cited SB 202 as one of many âinhumane laws that attempt
Harrisâs Candidacy Has Fired Up HBCU Students. Will the Enthusiasm Turn Into Votes?
By Sara Weissman Last week, Tevon Blair went to Yard Festâa celebratory event for freshmen at Virginia State Universityâarmed with a tent, a table, a photo booth and games like Jenga and Connect Four. He wanted to create what felt like a block party, in hopes of energizing and informing students at the historically Black university about the voting process. University cheerleaders performed. Members of the Divine Nineâhistorically Black fraternities and sororitiesâdid signature step routines. Thousands of students turned up, according to Blair, and at least 77 registered to vote. A few dozen students even stuck around for a panel
Dems see warning signs for Harris with Latino men in Pennsylvania
By Elena Schneider Latino political and business leaders in Pennsylvania have privately warned the Kamala Harris campaign that it is not doing enough to engage Latino voters and elected officials in the state, imperiling her chances of defeating Donald Trump here. At a recent reception in Philadelphia, multiple Latino leaders approached Harris staffers and campaign allies privately to deliver versions of that admonition, according to two people who attended the event and were granted anonymity to describe private conversations. And interviews with a dozen Latino Democratic elected officials and strategists in this key swing state reveal ongoing fears that Latino men,
GOP cringes over Trumpâs vow to wield military against opponents
By Alexander Bolton Former President Trumpâs incendiary comments about deploying the military and using other powers of the executive branch to pursue his political enemies, including a sitting member of Congress, is putting downballot Republican candidates on the defensive. GOP strategists have said for months that the fates of Senate and House Republican candidates are largely tied to Trumpâs performance. Republicans have grown more optimistic about their prospects of capturing Democratic-held Senate seats in Michigan, Pennsylvania and Wisconsin as Trump has gained ground on Vice President Harris in those states. But Trumpâs provocative comments about deploying the military to handle the âenemy from withinâ and
Some Black voters in Georgia see Trump as a real option
By Natalie Allison The pews were filling up inside Mount Zion Baptist Church, where former President Bill Clinton was set to launch his rural campaign swing for Vice President Kamala Harris in this Democratic stronghold bordering a sea of rural red Georgia. In the back, Joseph Parker said he was thrilled the Arkansan was coming. But it had been nearly a quarter-century since Clinton left office and, Parker said, âThings were really different then.â This year, he said heâs voting for former President Donald Trump, the first time the 72-year-old has cast a ballot for a Republican presidential candidate. âTrumpâs
VP Kamala Harris unveils extensive agenda, promises wealth-building and opportunity as election nears
By Stacy M. Brown NNPA Newswire Vice President Kamala Harris has unveiled an extensive agenda designed to dismantle systemic barriers and foster new opportunities for Black men across America. The agenda, announced on Oct. 14, spotlights wealth-building, health equity, criminal justice reform and expanded education and job training access. Her plan follows recent controversial remarks by former President Barack Obama, who addressed concerns about voter turnout among Black men and stressed the importance of participating in the election. Obamaâs comments in Pittsburgh were roundly criticized as scapegoating Black men, though he emphasized the high stakes of the 2024 election, noting
Georgia judge blocks controversial ballot hand tally rule
By Zach Montellaro A Georgia state judge on Tuesday temporarily blocked a controversial rule supported by allies of former President Donald Trump that election administrators feared would cause last-minute chaos in the election. Judge Robert McBurney granted a request from election officials in Cobb County and others to pause a rule that would require poll workers to hand-count the number of ballots soon after polls close. McBurney noted in his order that the rule was being instituted so close to Election Day that poll workers couldnât be trained for it. âShould the Hand Count Rule take effect as scheduled, it would do
Harris gives Democrats a boost, but control of House up for grabs
By Mike Lillis and Mychael Shnell Democrats have a fair shot at flipping control of the House â largely because of the boost provided by Vice President Harris at the top of the ticket â but the battle is a horse race that is too close to call heading into the final weeks of the campaign, according to a host of election forecasters following the contest closely. Anecdotally, there were early signs that replacing President Biden with Harris as the nominee over the summer had strengthened the Democratsâ chances of seizing the lower chamber. Lawmakers across the country reported a surge in fundraising, campaign
Trump claims Fox News âhas totally lost its wayâ after the network announces it will interview Harris
By Greta Reich Former President Donald Trump on Monday criticized Fox News in a series of social media posts, claiming the conservative-leaning network âhas grown weak and soft on Democratsâ after the network announced it will interview Vice President Kamala Harris. Trump posted on social media that Fox News anchor Bret Baier, who will interview Harris on Wednesday, is too soft on the left. In a separate post, Trump claimed that Harrisâ spokesperson, Ian Sams, âvirtually owns [Fox]â and took shots at several Fox News personalities, including Neil Cavuto. âLyinâ Kamala Harris has wisely chosen Bret Baier, of FoxNews, to do a much
Key issues facing voters in the 2024 general election
By Megan Sayles As election day draws near, Black voters face a pivotal moment, as candidates at national, state and local levels take distinct approaches to addressing critical issues, like health disparities, wealth gaps, reproductive rights, voter suppression and education. With a polarizing presidential race, tight races in Congress and contentious ballot measures, it becomes even more important for voters to identify the policies that enable them to thrive. The AFRO sat down with three leading, nonpartisan voter organizations that seek to empower the Black community to determine which issues are the most pressing. Hereâs what they said. Voting rights Voter roll