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David Harris, the managing director of the Charles Hamilton Houston Institute for Race and Justice at Harvard Law School, commenting on changing names of buildings, monuments, streets and other public spaces to remove terms that are perceived to be offensive to Black people, Native Americans and other minorities. (PEW — October 23, 2020)
The proportion of Americans who had already voted, either by in-person or vote-by-mail, despite there still being more than a week left before the election.
The state’s Employment Security Department reported a 24.3 percent drop in new claims last week. But workers are still filing new claims at nearly three times the rate of a year ago as doubts rise over federal help.
Election officials are assuring voters that this year is no different: Their ballots will be counted and the election results will be fair. Roughly half of the state’s registered voters have requested absentee ballots.
California Gov. Gavin Newsom signed a law last month that will make it easier, quicker and cheaper for refugees, asylum seekers and those with special immigrant visas to get professional licensing.
Absent any federal financial help, Gov. Charlie Baker has patched together a multi-million dollar package from COVID relief funds and the state budget that will help assist housing, small business owners and job seekers.
The number of gay and trans candidates has increased more than 40 percent from 2018. Legislative candidates among them include an unusual number of women.
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According to our new research with the Center for Digital Government, citizen satisfaction has dropped by 13 percent even as their need for government support and help rose substantially.
Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden, commenting on his views on court packing and establishing a national commission that would make recommendations on court system reformation. (NPR — October 22, 2020)
The number of viewers who watched Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez’s livestream of her playing the online game “Among Us” this week, making it the third-most views for a single Twitch stream. Ocasio-Cortez used the event to urge people to make a voting plan and to discuss the importance of voting.
After COVID-19 caused ridership to plummet, the city has revealed plans for reopening the Metropolitan Transit that include sneeze barriers, better air circulation, regular sanitization and reduced rider capacity.
Gov. Cuomo claims NY COVID Alert will be a great tool in the state’s fight against the spread of the coronavirus. But the administration won’t reveal the detailed data that would show the app’s effectiveness.
The Trump Administration continues to fight the courts about the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program, leaving many first-time applicants caught in the middle. The elections could decide the program’s future.
Government officials have confirmed that Iran and Russia have obtained some voter registration information and that the threatening emails sent to voters in Florida and other states may have come from Iran.
Portland, Ore., and Richmond, Va., have been rocked by racial justice violence for much of the summer. Both Mayors Ted Wheeler and Levar Stoney face heavy competition as they try to hold on to top office.
More structures are at risk than ever before, and there's a lot that could be done to protect them and improve community resilience. The benefits far outweigh the costs.
A bill celebrating the late actor Chadwick Boseman is one of many efforts states have undertaken to turn calls for racial change into legislative action. The BLM protests have turned into the country’s largest movement.
Democrats are playing offense, looking at recapturing chambers in states where Biden has a good chance of winning. There aren't enough opportunities, however, for them to erase the GOP's national advantage.
Chris Krebs, the head of the U.S. Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency, speaking in response to emails that were sent to voters in Pennsylvania, Arizona, Alaska and Florida that threatened the voter to vote for Trump “or we will come after you.” (The Hill — October 21, 2020)
The proportion of eligible Americans that usually do not vote in the U.S. presidential election. But this year may be different as 7.3 million infrequent and first-time voters have cast their ballots as of this week, which is more than 2.5 times the number of ballots cast at this time in 2016.
While many employers do allow workers to take time to go vote, there is no state law that requires the allowance. For some, keeping politics out of the workplace is, legally, the simplest choice.
While many who can are working from home, those that have returned to an office space have found it difficult to stay six feet apart. Some companies find sensors and plexiglass aren’t strong enough to overcome human nature.
Voting by mail can make it easier for people of color to cast their ballots. But there are still language barriers, a lack of community outreach and government distrust that discourage many from feeling safe enough to vote.
Several county health departments have not received enough or any funding to assist in the battle against the pandemic. As the state’s case count keeps rising, extra funding is critical, according to public officials.
There isn't enough money there to significantly redress urban inequalities. The best way forward is to rethink law enforcement budgets for better policing and to de-fang unions that shield bad cops.
Transit officials are monitoring voter enthusiasm for a host of ballot measures they see as essential to economic recovery, supporting essential workers, social equity, climate goals and preventing traffic nightmares.
Iowa State Auditor Rob Sand, writing in a letter about Gov. Kim Reynolds’ decision to use $20 million of COVID-19 relief aid on a new computer system which was later deemed “not allowable” by the CARES Act restrictions. (The Gazette — October 19, 2020)
The amount that the U.S. Nokia unit will receive to build a 4G communications system for NASA’s Artemis moon landing program. The program is scheduled to land on the moon’s surface in 2022.
While the average Internet speed is around 100 megabits per second, some of the state’s Black Belt communities have only 0.16 mbs. As the pandemic forces life online for work and school, the poor neighborhoods get left behind.
Many rideshare drivers were relying on their gig work as their primary source of income, and then the pandemic forced many to stop working. As COVID continues, many worry how much longer they can survive.
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