Enterprise: Politics

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Enterprise

Doug Emhoff, husband of Kamala Harris, makes campaign stop in The Villages

By Morgan Vanderlaan | Sep. 14, 2024

Before Emhoff spoke, leaders across the state spoke on behalf of the Harris campaign. Yvonne Hayes Hinson, D-Gainesville, expressed concerns to the crowd over Project 2025 and a potential second Trump term. Hayes Hinson emphasized that social security and Medicare, two issues important to the older residents of The Villages, would be threatened under Project 2025.

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Enterprise

Presidential debate sparks watch parties across Gainesville

By Morgan Vanderlaan | Sep. 11, 2024

From border concerns to “the opportunity economy,” both Trump and Harris did not shy away from tough topics on the Philadelphia stage. In a 90-minute period, both candidates were tasked with presenting their own policy points while also defending themselves from opposing attacks. 

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Enterprise

C.B. Parker Elementary community struggles with transportation

By Sara-James Ranta | Sep. 11, 2024

Without courtesy buses, some elementary school students inside of the two-mile radius have to walk across dangerous roads or rely on neighbors for transportation to school.

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Enterprise

In case you missed it: Alachua County primary election results

By Morgan Vanderlaan , Nicole Beltran and Vivienne Serret | Aug. 20, 2024

A little over 35,000 voters participated in the election with mail-in ballots being the most popular voting method. This year’s election cycle saw 33% less voter turnout than the 2022 primary election, which had over 50,000 votes cast. 

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Enterprise

Protestors unite at Depot Park in solidarity with Venezuela

By Delia Rose Sauer | Aug. 18, 2024

While those protests continue to erupt in Venezuela, community members in Gainesville are showing their solidarity from afar.

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Enterprise

The trials and tribulations of local voter registration during a heated election season

By Morgan Vanderlaan | Aug. 14, 2024

Florida constituents can only vote in person on Election Day at an assigned precinct correlated with their registered address, which new college students often forget to update.

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Enterprise

‘Unite our nation’: Biden steps down, endorses Harris as Democratic presidential nominee

By Morgan Vanderlaan and Rylan DiGiacomo-Rapp | July 22, 2024

Biden withdrew from the race July 21 following criticism from party allies concerning his turbulent second campaign for the presidency. Though Biden will carry out the remainder of his current term, he endorsed Vice President Kamala Harris for the Democratic nomination. 

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Enterprise

DeSantis vetoes all state arts and culture funding, leaving local organizations with uncertain futures

By Morgan Vanderlaan | July 1, 2024

Over 600 state organizations apply for the grants annually. Alachua County organizations requested over $1 million, and though some applications were initially approved, all funds were later denied. 

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Enterprise

‘It has turned back the clock’: Florida Democrats fear approaching six-week abortion ban

By Rylan DiGiacomo-Rapp | Apr. 22, 2024

The Florida Supreme Court upheld the state’s 15-week abortion ban April 1, concluding the years-long legal challenge and instituting a new six-week ban. On the same day, the court also approved an opposing state constitutional amendment to appear on the November general election ballot, leaving the fate of abortion access in the hands of Florida voters. 

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Enterprise

Approval of Florida recreational marijuana ballot initiative draws mixed opinions from state residents

By Rylan DiGiacomo-Rapp | Apr. 8, 2024

The Florida Supreme Court approved Amendment 3 to appear on the November general election ballot April 1, an initiative that would authorize recreational marijuana for adults 21 years of age and over if approved by 60% of Florida voters. Statewide advocacy groups along with local residents, students and businesses expressed varying opinions on the potential amendment to the Florida constitution. 

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Enterprise

Campaign efforts for Florida House of Representatives District 22 gear up

By Kairi Lowery | Apr. 8, 2024

This election will determine Rep. Chuck Clemons’ (R-22) replacement after his eight-year run in the Florida House of Representatives. 

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Enterprise

Gainesville groups gather downtown to fight against Florida’s six-week ban

By Nicole Beltran | Apr. 7, 2024

In the midst of downtown traffic and an afternoon sun, around 50 community members gathered together in Gainesville City Hall Plaza on East University Avenue April 6 at 1:00 p.m. to protest against Florida Supreme Court’s six-week abortion ban taking effect May 1. 

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Enterprise

Florida Supreme Court upholds 15-week abortion ban, gives voters a chance to oppose it

By Rylan DiGiacomo-Rapp | Apr. 1, 2024

The Florida Supreme Court upheld the current 15-week abortion ban Monday, providing a conclusion to the years-long legal challenge. In contrast, the court also approved the inclusion of a constitutional amendment protecting abortion access on the 2024 general election ballot, giving voters a chance to oppose the legislation. 

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Enterprise

Alachua County primary election season reflects low voter turnout, lack of faith among Republicans

By Rylan DiGiacomo-Rapp and Diego Perdomo | Mar. 25, 2024

Alachua County Republican presidential preference primary voter turnout displays an overall decline since 2004, falling below the 2024 state average turnout of approximately 21.2%.  As state ballot counts are finalized, the 17 remaining presidential preference primaries will take place nationally spanning the end of March through the beginning of August. The chosen Democratic and Republican candidates will be finalized prior to the November general presidential election.

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Enterprise

Alachua County residents prepare for presidential primaries, discuss low turnout rates

By Nicole Beltran | Mar. 18, 2024

This election season reminds Alachua County residents to inform themselves about new legislation and be mindful of deadlines. Turnout for primaries tends to be lower because citizens may not participate as often as the general elections due to a lack of knowledge on the candidacy, policies and importance of their vote. The process can also be overwhelming, eliciting fear rather than advocacy. 

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Enterprise

Biden v. Trump: A local examination of the presidential ‘lesser of two evils’ debate

By Rylan DiGiacomo-Rapp | Mar. 18, 2024

In light of the quickly approaching election season, UF students, professors and Gainesville residents have begun examining the impacts of political polarization and weighing the most likely presidential candidates to emerge from the primaries: President Joe Biden and former President Donald Trump.  Florida’s primary election is slated for March 19, with 22 others remaining nationwide before the finalization of which Republican and Democrat candidates will advance to the November general election. 

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Enterprise

Florida bill could hold local governments liable for removing Confederate monuments

By Rylan DiGiacomo-Rapp | Feb. 23, 2024

Senate Bill 1122 — cited as the “Historic Florida Monuments and Memorials Protection Act” — was filed by Sen. Jonathan Martin, R-Fort Myers, in December 2023. If enacted, it would protect historic monuments and memorials from removal, holding local governments legally liable for enforcing ordinances or rules around those withdrawals. 

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Enterprise

Florida education reform initiatives limit African American studies, DEI funds

By Rylan DiGiacomo-Rapp | Feb. 12, 2024

Various education reform bills have altered curriculum and cut funding to certain programs in public K-12 schools and universities since the beginning of Gov. Ron DeSantis’ administration. The initiatives have targeted a wide variety of subject matter including diversity, equity and inclusion programs as well as all critical theory, a blanket term that encompasses the idea of critical race theory.  The passage of new legislation, both in support and opposition of past initiatives, faces the state legislature in 2024. 

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Enterprise

Florida bill could lower the bar for defamation lawsuits against media organizations

By Rylan DiGiacomo-Rapp | Feb. 5, 2024

House Bill 757 titled “Defamation, False Light, and Unauthorized Publication of Name or Likeness” seeks to lower the bar for public figures filing these lawsuits. Proposed by Rep. Alex Andrade, R-Pensacola, the initiative would widen the scope of actual malice, work to discredit anonymous sources, limit the use of artificial intelligence, establish 60-day veracity hearings and authorize venue expansion. 

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Enterprise

‘What happens in the homeland hurts you deeply’: Gainesville’s Ecuadorian community weighs in on the nation’s crisis

By Nicole Beltran | Jan. 29, 2024

The country’s outbreak of gang violence has escalated since an attack at a television network in Guayaquil Jan. 9 spiraled the nation into fear. After the country’s powerful drug lord, José Adolfo Macías Villamar, known as “Fito,” escaped prison Jan. 8, Ecuador’s president, Daniel Noboa, declared a 60-day state of emergency for what he’s coined an “internal armed conflict.”  For Gainesville’s Ecuadorian community, the violence back home has left a lingering pain.