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2024 Primary Confirms Dallas Voter Turnout is Still Abysmal

DALLAS WEEKLY MAGAZINE — In true Texas fashion, where voter turnout has been and remains down-right abysmal, of the afore-boasted 17.9 million registered voters, only 3.2 million, or about 18% would actually turn out for what will arguably go down in history as one of the most impactful primaries of a generation.
The post 2024 Primary Confirms Dallas Voter Turnout is Still Abysmal first appeared on BlackPressUSA.

Published

2 years ago

March 26, 2024

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By Marlissa Collier | Dallas Weekly Magazine

A little less than a month before Super Tuesday 2024, Texas’s Secretary of State Jane Nelson would boast that the lone-star state had 17.9 million registered voters – an impressive count given that as of November 2023, the state was home to approximately 21.9 million eligible individuals of voting age. In fact, according to the Secretary of State, in November 2023 it was estimated that about 81% of Texas’s voting age population was registered and officially able to take part in the democratic privilege and civic duty. Understandably impressed with the state’s registration counts, the seemingly excited Ms. Nelson would go on to put out a series of stirring public memos and press releases ahead of Super Tuesday. These memos and PR drops would range in purpose from highlighting the state’s voter registration counts to the Secretary penning a list of “primary election day reminders” to the 17.9 million registered Texans. The reminders reiterated to voters the power of the primaries, election day logistics and the acceptable forms of photo ID, which, of course, include a Texas Handgun License (because this is Texas).

Things were looking great for Texas as Super Tuesday approached. With 81% of the state’s eligible voting block registered and Texas’s political climate so polarized, serving almost as the unofficial microcosm of the nation’s growing culture-war, the people seemed, at least on paper, engaged and ready to use their stylus pens and mail-in ballots to make their preferences known. Upon approach, elected officials, incumbents, hopeful challengers, political analysts and policy influencers would all use their respective platforms to engage Texans, urging them to take part in the weeding out of their party’s candidates via early voting and “on the day of” voting.

But, early voting, along with the Super Tuesday would come and go. In true Texas fashion, where voter turnout has been and remains down-right abysmal, of the afore-boasted 17.9 million registered voters, only 3.2 million, or about 18% would actually turn out for what will arguably go down in history as one of the most impactful primaries of a generation. The 2024 figure sadly meant that almost a million fewer people voted in the 2024 primary than did in 2020. Down from the 4.1 million Texans who participated in the 2020 primaries, Democratic turnout accounted entirely for the decline in civic practice. According to the Secretary of State, 2.3 million Texas Republicans participated in the primaries while Democrats didn’t come close, casting about 975,000 ballots all together.

Though this isn’t a Texas problem at all. It’s very much a United States issue. In fact, according to the Pew Research Center, even with the 2018, 2020, and 2022 elections taking their respective places on the imaginary podium for high-turnout elections, about 66% of the voting-eligible population turned out for the 2020 presidential election, while 46% turned out for the 2022 midterms and 49% voted in the 2018 midterms. Not bad for general and midterm elections. Primaries, though, are a different story. According to a report released in March 2023 by Bipartisan Policy Center, 2022 Primary Turnout: Trends and Lessons for Boosting Participation, in the 2022 primaries, only 21.3% of all eligible voters turned out. That figure was up from 19.9% in 2019 and 14.3% in 2014. This means that even in 2022’s midterm primaries, which was one of the most voted-in midterm primaries, still nearly four out of five voters did not participate in choosing the nominees for the midterm elections that year.

This American phenomenon went on to track with the overall Texas and narrowed-in Dallas primary turnouts. On Super Tuesday 2024, Dallas would go on to fall right in line with Big Tex, keeping with its historically low voter turnout. According to the Dallas County Elections Department, of Dallas County’s 1.4 million registered voters, as of January 2024, just 7.39% or 105,193 Republican voters cast ballots. Meanwhile, 125,562 or 8.82% of Democratic voters participated, for a total of 16.2% voter turnout. This means that in Dallas, just 16 out of every 100 eligible and registered voters had a say in which candidates would end up on their general election ballot in November, while across the state, less than 18 out of every 100 eligible and registered voters would show up to have a say.

For Democratic and Republican voters alike, across Dallas, Texas, and the greater U.S., the lack of voter participation in primary elections means giving the power of deciding who will end up on the November ballot over to the handful of civically engaged citizens. This year, during what is certain to be one of the most contentious elections in the history of our nation, 18 Texans decided for every 100 Texans, while 16 Dallasites made these decisions for every 100 eligible and registered voters – who went through the trouble of registration, and all that means in the state of Texas – only not to participate.

Not only does the primary election serve as the mechanism for allocating delegates to presidential nominee hopefuls, it also weeds out candidates for roles that are much closer to the everyday lives of Texans. From candidates seeking seats in the U.S. and Texas House and Senate, and the commissioners who have the power to regulate industries, to members of the State Board of Education, Texas Supreme Court justices and judges. These people have the power to impact the everyday lives of Texans, from a child’s education to penning policy that will either allow or ban a manufacturer from building an air-polluting, asthma causing plant right across the street from a residential neighborhood. For Dallas residents, it’s probably worth not only knowing who’s on the ballot, but also using your civic power to decide who makes it there come November.

The post 2024 Primary Confirms Dallas Voter Turnout is Still Abysmal first appeared on BlackPressUSA.

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Michael: The King of Pop’s Story Returns to the Big Screen

BLACKPRESSUSA NEWSWIRE — The curtain has finally lifted on one of Hollywood’s most anticipated films. Lionsgate has unveiled the official trailer and release date for “Michael,” the sweeping biopic about Michael Jackson that has been years in the making.

Published

1 day ago

November 6, 2025

Stacy M. Brown

By Stacy M. Brown
Black Press USA Senior National Correspondent

The curtain has finally lifted on one of Hollywood’s most anticipated films. Lionsgate has unveiled the official trailer and release date for “Michael,” the sweeping biopic about Michael Jackson that has been years in the making. Directed by Antoine Fuqua, the film will arrive in theaters on April 24, 2026, with the singer’s nephew, Jaafar Jackson, stepping into the spotlight to portray his legendary uncle.

The trailer wastes no time rekindling the aura of Jackson’s genius. Opening with a studio scene between Jackson and his longtime producer Quincy Jones, played by Kendrick Sampson, the clip builds from a quiet, familiar rhythm to the electrifying pulse of “Wanna Be Startin’ Somethin’.” Viewers catch glimpses of the singer’s childhood, flashes of “Thriller,” and the silhouette that redefined pop culture. Each frame reminds fans of why Jackson remains unmatched in artistry and influence. The cast surrounding the late pop king’s nephew, Jaafar Jackson, reads like a who’s who of Black entertainment and music history. Colman Domingo plays Joe Jackson, Nia Long portrays Katherine Jackson, and Larenz Tate takes on the role of Motown founder Berry Gordy. Laura Harrier portrays music executive Suzanne de Passe, while Kat Graham embodies Diana Ross. Miles Teller plays attorney John Branca, a towering entertainment lawyer and longtime Jackson confidant who later became co-executor of his estate. The film’s journey to release has been as complicated as the icon it portrays. Production wrapped in 2024, but legal hurdles over depictions of past controversies forced extensive reshoots and editing delays. Even so, Fuqua’s film now appears ready to reclaim the narrative, focusing on Jackson’s creative ambition and humanity beyond tabloid noise. IndieWire reported that the film had faced “a massive legal snafu” over a disputed storyline but was retooled to center the music and legacy that defined generations.

Maven. Photo Credit: Glen Wilson

“Michael” promises more than a chronological retelling. It aims to explore how a child star from Gary, Indiana, became the world’s most influential entertainer. The script, written by Oscar-nominated John Logan, traces Jackson’s early years with the Jackson 5 through the triumphs and isolation of global superstardom. With Fuqua’s cinematic eye and producer Graham King—who brought “Bohemian Rhapsody” to life—joining forces with estate executors Branca and John McClain, the film is positioned as both a tribute and a restoration of Jackson’s cultural truth. Branca’s work behind the scenes has long shaped Jackson’s posthumous success. After the singer died in 2009, Branca and McClain took control of the estate burdened by debt and turned it into a global powerhouse worth billions. Under their stewardship, Jackson’s projects have generated more than $3 billion in worldwide ticket sales and landmark deals, including a $600 million joint venture with Sony earlier this year. At its heart, though, “Michael” is a story about artistry that transcends scandal. It offers a reminder that, despite the noise surrounding his life, Jackson’s music still bridges continents and generations. The trailer’s closing moments capture that spirit. As the beat of “Billie Jean” swells and Jaafar Jackson moonwalks into a spotlight, audiences are left with a familiar feeling—the awe of witnessing something timeless return home.

“Michael” opens worldwide in theaters April 24, 2026. See the official trailer here.

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Donald Trump Is the Biggest Loser

BLACKPRESSUSA NEWSWIRE — The Trump Brand took a significant hit as it was swept up in the Democratic blue wave of the election last night.

Published

2 days ago

November 5, 2025

Oakland Post

By April Ryan

The Trump Brand took a significant hit as it was swept up in the Democratic blue wave of the election last night.

Chris Jones, Democratic candidate for U.S. House of Representatives (AR-02), says, “Last night was electric, and it was unquestionably a wave.” Democrats won big in what is widely considered a repudiation of Trump’s 9 months at the White House in his second term.

In the state of Virginia, which produced the first big election night win and saw the election of the first woman governor, Democrat Abigail Spanberger, 56% of Virginia’s residents disapprove of President Trump. In New Jersey, 55% of state residents disapprove of the president; in New York, 69% disapprove; and in California, 63% disapprove of the president. The Trump brand or his support for any candidates did nothing to benefit those he endorsed in this election. They actually lost in each race he publicly put his name behind. Trump endorsed former New York Democratic Governor Andrew Cuomo, who lost the New York mayor’s race in his run as an independent. And New Jersey Republican Jack Ciattarelli, who ran for governor with the presidential endorsement, also lost his prospective race.

The next question is, will the democratic momentum be sustainable? Jones further explained, “This can become a 2026 tsunami, but turning a wave into a tsunami takes energy. A lot of energy. It doesn’t just happen. The conditions are there. Now we have to work!”

Some Democrats would argue that the work is already underway. The pushback against Trump’s national redistricting efforts received a thumb in the eye from California voters. Prop 50, California Governor Gavin Newsom’s counterbalance to President Trump’s redistricting efforts, passed in California last night. Although Trump’s name was not on the ballot last night, his Republican policies were. The United States has now entered the longest government shutdown in its history. Forty-two million Americans are not getting SNAP benefits. Economists are acknowledging that the government shutdown is contributing to the rise in delinquent debt in the student loan, automotive, and credit card industries. These items are among the negatives Americans are protesting against.

Compounding Trump’s political problems is a tariff battle that’s directly impacting pocketbooks. The day after the elections, the Trump administration was arguing before the US Supreme Court in favor of the president’s tariff powers. Meanwhile, President Trump‘s poll numbers are underwater, standing at a 37% national disapproval rate

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Historic Beatdown: Democrats Sweep Virginia as Speaker Don Scott and Jay Jones Make History

BLACKPRESSUSA NEWSWIRE — In a clear rejection of the policies of President Donald Trump, history repeated itself in Virginia.

Published

2 days ago

November 5, 2025

Oakland Post

By Lauren Burke

In a clear rejection of the policies of President Donald Trump, history repeated itself in Virginia. Democrats once again swept all three statewide offices as they did in 2017 during Trump’s first term. Abigail Spanberger easily won the office of Governor, and State Senator Ghazala Hashmi won her race over John Reid to be the next Lieutenant Governor. The victories occurred against the backdrop of a historic win in Virginia by Spanberger that will give Virginia its first woman Governor.

Spanberger’s widely predicted win over Republican gubernatorial nominee Winsome Earle-Sears was called 17 minutes after the polls closed in Virginia at 7 pm. Former Delegate Jay Jones won his race against incumbent Attorney General Jason Miyares. His victory means Jones will be the first Black Attorney General in Virginia’s history. Jones’ win was particularly noteworthy since the last month of his campaign was consumed by the issue of private text messages from 2022 to Republican Delegate Carrie Coyner. Republicans ran a non-stop barrage of negative ads against Jones for a month.

Del. Coyner lost her bid for re-election to Delegate-elect Lindsey Dougherty. The Dougherty race was the number one target for House Speaker Don Scott and his campaign lieutenant, Delegate Dan Helmer. Coyner’s defeat was one of at least 13 victories for Democrats who have now added to their ranks in the Virginia House to historic margins. When the Virginia General Assembly returns to session in January, there will be at least 64 Democrats in the chamber. The widespread Republican defeat is a testament to a combination of historic fundraising, Democrats running in all 100 seats, dislike of President Trump’s policies, and an ineffective top of the ticket featuring Lt. Gov. Earle Sears.

+13: Speaker Scott and Del. Helmer Hit Historic Numbers in Fundraising and Power

As the evening ended, a glaring historic fact became clearer: The Virginia House of Delegates will expand to a historic number. The change means the largest Democratic House chamber in the modern era. There were several notable wins by Democrats running for the Virginia House. They include Virgil Thornton, Lilly Franklin, and Kim Pope Adams. Speaker Don Scott and his campaign chair, Dan Helmer, undertook a record fundraising effort never before seen in Virginia’s history. The moment of success for Virginia Democrats will be viewed as a positive signal for Democrats moving into the 2026 elections.