Activate 48 Coalition members at the launch of their “Together We Will” campaign event. (Photo by Shi Bradley/Cronkite News)
PHOENIX – Arizona’s advocacy groups are working on empowering women, youths, people of color and other underrepresented voices to vote, advocate and access factual information about the upcoming election.
Several Phoenix-based nonprofits announced the Together We Will campaign, which aims to knock on over 3.25 million doors and train close to 400 organizers to increase engagement among historically marginalized voters in the state.
The campaign is backed by Activate 48, a coalition formed three years ago between LUCHA, Mi Familia Vota, Chispa Arizona and Our Voice, Our Vote, to inform Black, Indigenous and Latino Arizonans on electoral issues such as immigration, health care and inflation.
At Activate 48’s media roundtable event on Sep. 5 in downtown Phoenix, the group endorsed the Harris-Walz campaign and released a ballot guide explaining, among other things, reproductive rights, environmental justice and Proposition 314 that would classify crossing the border illegally as a state crime.
“In 2022, the attorney general’s race was decided by less than 300 votes, and in 2020, Biden won the state of Arizona by less than 11,000 votes,” said Reginald Bolding, the coalition director of Activate 48. “So when you talk about young people and communities of color, they have an enormous impact on the outcome of these elections. Arizona is going to always be in the margins, and these groups have the ability to decide elections.”
Sena Mohammed, executive director of Our Voice Our Vote, a Black-led organization dedicated to creating fair access to ballots for people of color, wants to mobilize over 1 million Arizona voters, including young people, single women and people of color.
“We have to draw the space between what Harris and Gallego believe is possible and what Trump and Lake will do to stop any of that progress,” Mohammed said during a speech at the event. “Democracy itself is on the ballot.”
Outside of the broader Together We Will goals, the nonprofit leads multiple initiatives, including launched The Power of Us campaign, which launched in June and involves listening sessions and door-knocking in Pima, Pinal and Maricopa counties.
“If we don’t ensure that we elect the person that actually cares about our communities, we will have a lot of consequences,” Mohammed said. “So that’s sort of the reason why it’s important that this year we’re turning out to vote, and we are ensuring that we are being seen and heard.”
The Together We Will campaign will also simplify the ballot process for underengaged voters, particularly Latinos, through Spanish-speaking outreach and resources.
“These are working families,” Vianey Olivarría, executive director of Chispa Arizona, said. “They work three, four jobs a day. They are trying to pay for groceries, pay bills, and our task is to make sure that our communities are as well informed as possible, and they are engaged, and that’s how we’re going to be talking to them.”
On the opposite side of the political spectrum, organizations such as the Arizona Latino Republican Association are encouraging members of the community to run for local office.
“Arizona’s Latino population has grown quite substantially to now over 30% of the population of the state, and at the same time, we’ve seen the slow but sure degradation of our Republican representation in the state Legislature,” said Rey Torres, president of the Arizona Latino Republican Association. “So we’ve been trying to recruit candidates that are Latino to run as Republicans.”
The organization shifted its focus from mobilizing voters to increasing Latino representation in local politics. In spite of these efforts, Torres said Latino Republicans remain an underrepresented group in both state and national politics, while white Republicans remain overall indifferent to issues that affect Latino and Mexican Republicans.
Arizona Teenage Republicans provides opportunities for teens 13-18 to get involved with political outreach. The group has worked with Turning Point Action, Chase the Vote and local candidates, including Kari Lake, Justin Heap and Shelli Boggs. The group also hosts its own events for Republican campaigns and monthly socials.
Troy Holderby, 18, founded the West Valley Chapter of Arizona Teenage Republicans and was later elected state chairman.
“I was drawn to conservative principles because they support the values that helped my parents climb out of poverty,” Holderby said. “Kari Lake’s campaign for governor fueled my passion for politics, and now I’m focused on growing our organization.”
Gabby Ehmann, center, with Sue Davis, left, and Sue Tatar at the Republican Women of Prescott Conference. (Photo courtesy of Republican Women of Prescott)
Holderby’s goals for the group include launching a women’s and faith caucuses, and establishing chapters in high schools across Arizona.
Arizona Teenage Republican’s chairwoman Gabby Ehmann, 14, initially found the organization on Instagram and went to an event, which was a social gathering with snacks and activities. Quickly, Ehmann found herself drawn to the debate tactics, and political speeches, especially by former President Donald Trump and his running mate, Sen. JD Vance.
“I think it’s really cool how JD Vance is young,” Ehmann said. “He isn’t used to being bossed around by people. He has a fresh mindset. So he’s actually going to try and do what’s right for the American people. As for Donald Trump, he knows how to run the country better than a lot of our presidents have.”
Ehmann has volunteered with local political groups and given speeches at numerous events, including at a Republican Women of Prescott event, where she spoke to nearly 900 people, stressing on the importance of politically engaged youths and the difference they can make, even before voting age.
“My dream is to be a politician,” said Ehmann. “It’s been my main passion my entire life, and I think that this is going to give me the experience, social skills, everything I need.”
From grassroots outreach efforts and pushing for greater representation in local politics for BIPOC politicians to young people spreading awareness of policies, Democratic and Republican organizations and groups encourage underrepresented communities to be involved and vocal in state and national politics.
“We want to make sure that young voters, people of color and women, single women, have their voices heard at the polls,” Bolding said during the launch of the Together We Will campaign. “We know that we will absolutely continue to make changes to create the Arizona that we want.”
