Around the Districts Podcast

Building a Grassroots Shield in the East Valley

National campaigns waste millions on late-stage television ads. They ignore the physical labor of the precinct. In part one of our series with Legislative District 12 Chair Melissa Galarza, we examine how local organization wins elections. Melissa built a powerful team of precinct committeepersons in the East Valley. Volunteers distributed over one hundred thousand physical voter guides. They knocked on doors. They did the hard work. They won every single seat on the ballot. We discuss the need for a succession plan for young voters. We expose why voter registration is not enough. Communities must organize to survive systemic neglect. Listen to learn how LD12 built the strongest grassroots shield in Arizona. Check us out on Substack: https://aroundthedistricts.substack.com/p/grassroots-melissa-galarza-part-1 [https://aroundthedistricts.substack.com/p/grassroots-melissa-galarza-part-1] == Get Involved with Your LD: == * Voter Status: Confirm your registration status at https://BeBallotReady.vote [https://BeBallotReady.vote] and find out what Legislative District you’re in. * Newsletter: Visit their website. Sign up for the local newsletter to track upcoming meetings. * Volunteer: Join a local canvass or help draft the next voter guide. * Learn More about LD12: https://azld12dems.org/ [https://azld12dems.org/]

The Constitutional Guardrail: Maritza Saenz on the Fight for Arizona’s Ballot

The state legislature counts on your exhaustion. They believe that if they make the act of the vote difficult, you will stay home. In this episode, we sit down with Maritza Saenz of Protect the Vote. Arizona has a thirty-year history of secure mail-in ballots. Now, that history is under siege. This is not just an attack on a few—it is a systemic attempt to control every single voter, regardless of party, background, or geography. If they can suppress the vote of one, they can control the outcome for all. We discuss why a constitutional amendment is the last barrier against systemic suppression. Learn how to join the front lines to protect the ballot. Check us out on Substack: https://aroundthedistricts.substack.com/p/maritza-saenz-protect-vote-part-1 [https://aroundthedistricts.substack.com/p/maritza-saenz-protect-vote-part-1] == Learn more about Protect the Vote Arizona == Website: https://protectthevoteaz.com/ [https://protectthevoteaz.com/] Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61578510954989 [https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61578510954989] Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/protectthevoteaz/ [https://www.instagram.com/protectthevoteaz/] TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@protect_the_vote_az [https://www.tiktok.com/@protect_the_vote_az]

Representation Requires Reality: Claudia Kline on LD8 and Systemic Neglect

The 2026 election cycle demands leaders who live the reality of their districts. Legislative District 8 faces a choice between community service as a hobby and representation as a necessity. Claudia Kline joins the show to expose the systemic neglect that poisons our air and drains our public funds. We discuss the environmental toll on the Yavapai-Apache and Pascua Yaqui communities. We examine the failure of the state budget to reach the people. We ask why a utility bill in an apartment hits five hundred dollars while many corporations avoid paying fair share. Lived experience is the only path to accountability. Check us out on Substack: https://aroundthedistricts.substack.com/p/claudia-kline-ld8-part-1 [https://aroundthedistricts.substack.com/p/claudia-kline-ld8-part-1] == Learn more about Claudia Kline == - Website: https://www.claudiaforaz.com/ [https://www.claudiaforaz.com/] - Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/claudia4az/ [https://www.instagram.com/claudia4az/]

No Kings 3: The 3.5% Rule and the Promising Turnout in Gilbert

The math of dissent is precise. AJ Kurdoglu knows this math. In part two of our conversation, we expose the tactical storm of this administration. We reveal the human cost of state-sanctioned kidnapping. Gilbert was once a fortress for silence. Now, it is a site of resistance. We discuss the 3.5% rule. This is the threshold where a disciplined minority breaks a failing system. We also confront the reality of ICE deportations. The parents of a mother of two and military veteran. A US citizen with a US passport. Seized and removed to a country she never knew. This is on purpose. It is a part of their plan. Listen to hear how No Kings is converting protest momentum into midterm votes. Resistance has a style. It moves strategically. Check us out on Substack: https://aroundthedistricts.substack.com/p/no-kings-3-aj-kurdoglu-part-2 [https://aroundthedistricts.substack.com/p/no-kings-3-aj-kurdoglu-part-2] == Learn more about Chandler Gilbert Indivisible == Website: https://chandlergilbertindivisible.com/ [https://chandlergilbertindivisible.com/] Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/groups/chandlergilbertindivisible [https://www.facebook.com/groups/chandlergilbertindivisible] Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/chandlergilbertindivisible [https://www.instagram.com/chandlergilbertindivisible] YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@ChanGilIndivisible [https://www.youtube.com/@ChanGilIndivisible]

Don’t Give up on Hope: Reclaiming Our Power and Future in Arizona

The powerful use hopelessness as a tool for control. They want silence. We refuse. In this episode, we prove the tide can turn. We look at promising data. From the Salt River Project election to national flips in red districts across the nation, the working class is waking up. Voters in Arizona stood in line for four hours to protect their power. The costs of survival continue to rise while the market shrivels in the face of global instability. These are facts that cannot be ignored. Democracy requires action. It requires you. Check us out on Substack: https://aroundthedistricts.substack.com/p/hope-dont-give-up