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Democratic chairman: Primary dates 'unworkable'
By Dan Eakin, deakin@acnpapers.com
Both the Democratic and Republican primaries have been scheduled for March 6, but a dispute over recently drawn electoral district maps has resulted in proposals by both the governor of Texas and the Texas attorney general which might create two separate dates for the spring's primaries.
Shawn Stevens, chairman of the Democratic Party of Collin County, called a proposal by Texas Attorney General Greg Abbott to have separate primaries for Texas legislative and congressional candidates "extremely unworkable."
Stevens said the proposal is for the presidential, U.S. Senate, county and local primaries to take place as scheduled on March 6, with legislative and congressional primaries to take place May 22.
"It seems to me that the attorney general doesn't have a clue as to how primary elections are administered in Texas," Stevens said, adding that the plan would turn the entire process into turmoil and would be an unnecessary added expense.
On Tuesday, Texas Gov. Rick Perry asked the U.S. Supreme Court to delay the state's primary elections for congressional candidates until the dispute is settled.
The Texas Legislature, during its regular session earlier this year, approved new district maps that resulted in lawsuits being filed.
According to the Texas Tribune, there is a question as to whether proposed district maps are legal.
The state gained four new congressional seats on population growth outlined in the 2010 census, according to the Bloomberg news site. Texas' population increased by 4.3 million, and about 65 percent of the new residents are Hispanic.
Hispanics have historically voted as Democrats, but there is a growing number being elected to offices as Republicans.
Spokespersons for organizations supporting the rights of Hispanics claim that a Republican-controlled legislature gerrymandered districts in order to prevent the election of Hispanics, since the majority of Hispanics still vote as Democrats.
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