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Denver will allow smartphone voting for thousands of people (but probably not you)

Andrew Kenney

March 07, 2019 |

The Denver Post |

Text |

Under 800 Words

Response Location: United States, Denver, Colorado

In the hopes of making voting more accessible, the city of Denver, Colorado will allow their international voters, a population of about 4,000, to vote electronically on an app called Voatz. Already used by about 144 voters in West Virginia during the 2018 election, Voatz uses blockchain technology, which stores user votes across encrypted servers. Though some have cited security concerns, many hope the voting app will replace the current more insecure digital method.

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How North Dakota tribes countered a restrictive voting law

Art Hughes

March 07, 2019 |

Native America Calling |

Podcast |

Over 15 Minutes

Response Location: United States, North Dakota

Native American tribes, community groups, and nonprofits quickly responded to a North Dakota law requiring voter IDs with physical street addresses by holding information sessions, setting up stations to create instant tribal IDs, and placing volunteers at polling stations to assist those who wanted to vote actually be able to do so. Many tribal members rely on post office boxes and do not have an official address on their reservation. Despite some voters being turned away because of their ID, overall there was a record turnout in precincts that include reservations.

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Schools in Impoverished, Isolated Brownsville, Texas, Are Thriving: Here's Why

Bekah McNeel

March 04, 2019 |

The 74 |

Text |

1500-3000 Words

Response Location: United States, Brownsville, Texas

In 2013 and 2016, Brownsville, Texas was ranked the poorest city in the U.S. That hasn't stopped students in the border district from outperforming their wealthier Texan peers. Leaders credit data-based interventions, effective principals, family engagement, and effective use of state and federal dollars for the district's remarkable success. "People love silver-bullet stories," Seth Rau, government and community relations coordinator for San Antonio's Independent School District, said. "It's not a turnaround story. It's a story of continuous improvement."

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Mail-in votes helped make Florida's election a nightmare. A solution? More mail-in votes

David Smiley

February 28, 2019 |

Miami Herald |

Multi-Media |

1500-3000 Words

Response Location: United States, Florida

Over the past two decades, Florida has notoriously been plagued with voting complications, which have called into question the integrity of many state and national elections. In an attempt to simplify voting, Florida is now opting for three parallel systems: Election Day precincts, early voting centers, and by mail.

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Vanuatu Has One Of The World's Strictest Plastic Bans. It's About To Get Tougher.

Nick Visser

February 23, 2019 |

The Huffington Post |

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1500-3000 Words

Response Location: Vanuatu, Port Vila

What started as a Facebook campaign to ban plastic bags has become legislation in the island country of Vanuatu. The country has banned many single-use plastics, including bags, drinking straws, and containers, and hopes to ban more plastics in the future. Citing a cultural respect for the environment, such legislation has been welcomed by residents.

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Australia is building community alternatives to prisons — they work

Lorana Bartels

February 22, 2019 |

Apolitical |

Text |

800-1500 Words

Response Location: Australia

With their national imprisonment rate on the rise, Australia is pivoting to a justice reinvestment strategy that diverts money towards "early intervention, prevention and diversion." Although this has yet to be implemented on a large scale, small projects are underway in parts of the country and have delivered promising results.

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It's become much harder to rig elections in Nigeria thanks to technology

Yomi Kazeem

February 20, 2019 |

Quartz Africa |

Text |

Under 800 Words

Response Location: Nigeria

Using two-step authentication helps to increase the security of elections. Nigeria has addressed several of the problems that marred its 2007 elections by introducing card readers and permanent voter cards (PVCs) to replace paperwork that could be more easily forged. Nigeria’s electoral commission has also worked with cyber-security experts to implement the upgrades to its election systems. What remains is to ensure compliance with new regulations.

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Nigeria, Kenya and Senegal: Three African countries providing solutions in fight against FGM

Patrick Egwu

February 15, 2019 |

This is Africa |

Text |

Over 3000 Words

Response Location: Nigeria, Enugu

To combat the persistence of Female Genital Mutilation (FGM) in Africa, communities band together to spread awareness through film, religious outlets, community gatherings, and other creative means of education. While FGM is still prevalent in areas that believe it to be an important traditional practice, individuals and groups across Nigeria, Kenya, and Senegal have reduced the practice of FGM in their areas.

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Native American Rights Groups Are Targeting Six States to Fight Voter Suppression in 2020

Massoud Hayoun

February 14, 2019 |

Pacific Standard |

Text |

800-1500 Words

Response Location: United States, North Dakota

Native American voters are disproportionately impacted by restrictive voter ID laws, particularly those that require proof of address because many Native Nations do not use formal street addresses. In response, the voting rights group Four Directions helped create and implement a system that allowed tribal officials to set up at polling places and immediately generate an ID on tribal letterhead with an address based on a location that a voter pointed to on a map. The group also supported lawsuits to expand polling places, lessening the financial and travel burdens for Native American voters.

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'Choose Purpose': Cities Launch Ad Campaigns to Convince YOU to Work for Them

Graham Vyse

February 13, 2019 |

Governing |

Text |

Under 800 Words

Response Location: United States

Denver, Minneapolis, and San Francisco are a few of the cities zeroing in on the millennial desire for purpose in their careers by incorporating purposeful narratives in recruitment. Viewing government more as a brand, the cities use slogans like "Be a part of the city that you love," "Choose purpose," and "Serving community. Building careers" in their advertisements.

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