(Update, 4:30pm: Please see below for an update on Cornel West campaign.)
Democratic Presidential nominee Kamala Harris graduated from an HBCU. Now, word comes out that Arizona Democrats have put the historically first all-female Electoral College slate onto November's General Election ballot.
In the other major party slot, the Arizona Republicans have gone with an all-new slate since 2020.
The Chairwomen of each party have complete discretion in determining which 11 Arizonans will cast the state's Electoral College votes for the winning Presidential and Vice-Presidential candidates. In recent years, both parties choose about half men and half women.
Arizona Democratic Party Chair Yolanda Bejarano went bold, choosing 11 women. This is believed to be the first time any state has done that. Arizona's Politics asked for an explanation:
"There is so much on the line this election-- including a woman's right to choose what she does with her own body without government interference. Each of these women have been stewards of democratic values in Arizona and have been a part of the fight to move our state forward. We are all incredibly excited to vote for the first woman President who will restore and protect women's rights."
Here are the lists for both parties:
Democrats:
Adelita Grijalva
Amelia Flores
Constance DeLarge
Coral Evans
Dora Lisa Vasquez
Doreen Garlid
Maria Valdez
Marisol Garcia
Molly McGovern
Priya Sundareshan
Yolanda Bejarano
Republicans:
Abegal Gonzalez
Belinda Rodriguez
Dottie Lizer
Gina Swoboda
Lisa Green
Myron Lizer
Nathan C. Jackson
Robert L. Swoboda
Steven R. McEwen
Thomas W. Lewis
Trevor Smith
This is the 2nd Presidential cycle in a row that the AZGOP Chair has designated herself and her husband as Electors. Bejarano also put herself on the slate.
*****
In other news on how the top of Arizonans' ballot will look, Saturday is the deadline for independent candidates to file at least 42,303 valid petition signatures to get a ballot slot. As of this morning, no candidates' campaigns have set up an appointment with the Secretary of State's Office, as that office requests.
However, Arizona's Politics has viewed correspondence from the campaign for Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. with the Secretary of State's. It is widely believed that they collected the necessary signatures early in 2024 and have been waiting until the deadline to turn them in. One or both major parties are likely to consider filing legal challenges to the petitions. An "independent" Super PAC made for most or all of the paid circulators.
Potential independent candidate Cornel West also had paid circulators in Arizona, although it is unclear exactly who was the original source of the money for those. There has been no correspondence from either West or the paid circulating company and the Secretary of State's.
The Libertarian and Green parties already have their candidates on Arizona's ballot.
(Update, 4:30pm: Within minutes of publishing this article, Arizona's Politics received an update from the Secretary of State's Office. Independent candidate Cornel West has JUST set up an 11am, tomorrow, to turn in their petition signatures. It appears that West's ballot access counsel was in occasional contact with Lisa Marra, Arizona State Election Director, and the appointment was set up this afternoon. While it is not clear who may challenge Kennedy petitions, it is very clear that Democrats are likely to challenge West's. )
Disclosure: This article was reported by co-founder Paul Weich. In his private time, Mr. Weich is a Democratic activist.
We welcome your comments about this post. Or, if you have something unrelated on your mind, please e-mail to info-at-arizonaspolitics-dot-com or call 602-799-7025. Thanks.
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