'An awakening': the George Floyd protests spur surge in Black voter registration

Megan Botel Isaiah Murtaugh

August 07, 2020 |

The Guardian |

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800-1500 Words

Response Location: United States

Advocacy organizations conducted voter outreach and registered new voters at Black Lives Matters protests on a scale not seen since the civil rights era. HeadCount, a voter-registration organization, created QR codes that anyone with a printer could put on protest signs. Other attendees could scan the codes with their smartphones to immediately register to vote. The group registered 14,898 new voters in June 2020, compared with 1,204 in June 2016. Political organizing at the summer’s protest events contributed to higher turnout in local and national elections, particularly among Black and Latino voters.

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The world has shown it's possible to avert Covid-caused election meltdowns. But the U.S. is unique.

Ryan Heath

August 06, 2020 |

Politico |

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1500-3000 Words

Response Location: United States

Several countries successfully held elections during the Covid-19 pandemic and can offer insights for how the U.S. can hold a safe presidential election. These include providing more funding for additional polling places and poll workers, expanding ways for people to vote so that it is easier, requiring protective equipment and social distancing at the polls, allowing officials to process mail-in ballots before election day, and informing the public about any changes to contradict misinformation campaigns. It could be harder in the U.S. due to its size and the complexity of electoral laws across the states.

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The growing global movement to end outdoor advertising

Steve Rushton

August 03, 2020 |

Equal Times |

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1500-3000 Words

Response Location: France

There are 29 Resistance to Advertising Aggression (RAP) groups working in France to ban outdoor advertising such as billboards. The groups worked with the mayor in the city of Grenoble to cancel a contract for 326 outdoor ads. While not all contracts can be changed, RAPs are particularly focused on stopping digital signs because the energy required to run them is harmful to the environment. Groups in the United Kingdom, São Paulo, New Delhi, and Tehran have won campaigns to remove billboards and other outdoor ads, which research shows reinforce sexist and capitalist ideologies.

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Why the Botched N.Y.C. Primary Has Become the November Nightmare

Jesse McKinley

August 03, 2020 |

The New York Times |

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1500-3000 Words

Response Location: United States, New York, New York

New York City received ten-times the average number of mail-in ballots in the June 2020 primary, which caused problems and highlighted changes needed in the general election. The postal service had to hand sort the pre-paid envelopes to postmark them because pre-paid postage doesn’t normally get post-marked. Some envelopes were missed and those ballots were rejected. There were also delays tallying the votes, with some contests remaining undecided for weeks after the election. Ballots were also rejected due to minor errors. Better voter education and increased city and postal service staff is needed.

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The birth of the Black is Beautiful movement

Precious Adesina

August 03, 2020 |

BBC |

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1500-3000 Words

Response Location: United States, New York, New York

The African Jazz-Art Society & Studios (AJASS) kickstarted the Black is Beautiful movement with 1960s fashion shows elevating Black models with dark skin and full bodies, who agreed to keep their hair natural year-round. As events increased and photographs spread, and famous Black women adopted their style, natural hair became more normalized. The founders recently released a song called We Will Breath to empower black people to “take back control of the narrative surrounding their lives.” The group continues to inspire Black entrepreneurs, such as Rihanna, and encourages people to support Black businesses.

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19th Amendment: The six-week 'brawl' that won women the vote

Elaine Weiss

August 03, 2020 |

The Christian Science Monitor |

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Over 3000 Words

Response Location: United States, Tennessee

Three generations of activists marched, protested, lobbied, and campaigned for more than seven decades to win the right to vote for American women. In 1920, national and local activists worked to convince Tennessee legislators to support the 19th amendment and become the 36th and final state needed to ratify it. Local suffragists were the most visible forces, lobbying their representatives to support the amendment, while national activists built alliances, identified legislators known to take bribes, and exerted political pressure at all levels of government, including among presidential candidates.

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How Hawaii's New Voting System Could Help Disabled Voters

Blaze Lovell

August 03, 2020 |

Honolulu Civil Beat |

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800-1500 Words

Response Location: United States, Hawaii

Voters with disabilities in Hawaii have more options for voting than in most other states. Electronic ballots in particular, which can be paired with assistive technology, allow voters more freedom and independence. Any voter with a disability can request a ballot be emailed to them as an HTML file. Voters must sign a privacy waiver and ballots have to be printed and signed. Hawaii is one of the few states that allows voters to scan their signed ballots and return them by email, as well as by mail or dropped in an official ballot box. More voter outreach is needed to make people aware of this option.

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In Staten Island, A Burgeoning Youth-Led Movement For Social Justice Is Afoot

Chad Small

August 01, 2020 |

Gothamist |

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800-1500 Words

Response Location: United States, Staten Island, New York

The Young Leaders of Staten Island (YSLI) was created in Staten Island to fight for social justice after young residents of the borough felt the local response to George Floyd's murder was not enough. YSLI mobilized hundreds of protesters to march in Staten Island's largest public protest of 1,800 people. The group has demanded justice through police reform and beyond, hosting voter registration and census completion drives. Their efforts have resulted in 125 people registering for the census and 85 people to vote.

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While President Trump and national GOP sound alarm on voting by mail, red Utah embraces it

Lee Davidson

August 01, 2020 |

The Salt Lake Tribune |

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1500-3000 Words

Response Location: United States, Utah

Voting by mail in Utah has led to high turnout, even for Republicans who party officials feared would not vote, because it removes obstacles such as missing work, bad weather, and long wait times. It is also safer for public health. Republican turnout nearly doubled, as did the overall turnout, since transitioning to the system. Some criticize the delayed results caused by accepting ballots postmarked the day before election day, and 18 counties don't pay return postage, which can disenfranchise voters. Native American tribal nations don't have formal street addresses, which can also disenfranchise voters.

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States eye vote by mail, Oregon officials say it's safe and secure

John Hendricks

July 31, 2020 |

KPTV-TV |

Multi-Media |

Under 800 Words

Response Location: United States, Oregon

Officials in Oregon, where voters have voted by mail in statewide elections for decades, point to their successful system to counter Donald Trump’s claim that voting by mail is “rigged” and results could take “years.” Several precautions prevent voter fraud, including a signature verification system, unique tracking barcodes on every ballot, and voters can get alerts when their ballot is received and counted. Officials and academics who have studied the system say that fraud is exceedingly rare with current security measures, though states implementing the system for the first time could experience delays.

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