csmonitor--2020-08-20--One calming constant in a chaotic year: How chess soldiers on

“ Chess can survive these rather unpleasant circumstances , ” says Ms. Krush .
“ It can survive and it can even thrive.
” Yet most important to Ms. Krush and millions of other players is that chess , unlike so much else this year , never left .
As play and instruction go virtual , the game itself is changing .
Gone are perceptions of stodgy intellectualism that once surrounded the sport .
Chess in 2020 is younger , faster , more adventurous , and more diverse , welcoming large numbers of women to a sport that has long @ @ @ @ @ @ @ fortunate because Ms. Krush is the country ’ s top women ’ s chess player , and even represented the United States this May in the Nations Cup , in which her team placed second .
Her story embodies the downs and ups of chess in 2020 .
Traditional over-the-board play has suffered since the start of the pandemic .
But the sport has grown online – ushering in a generational renaissance in play and interest .
When Irina Krush was diagnosed with COVID-19 in early March , she faced a monthslong recovery @ @ @ @ @ @ @ she could do .
Her one constant in a chaotic year : chess .
When Irina Krush ’ s symptoms began in early March , she didn ’ t know what was wrong .
A trip to an urgent care clinic sent her to the emergency room , where doctors took a CT scan and diagnosed her with double-lung pneumonia and tested her for COVID-19 .
Ms. Krush tested positive .
In the months since , Ms. Krush hasn ’ t fully recovered .
She still has trouble breathing .
Despite treatment , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ Recovery is a dream , ” she says .
“ It just goes on and on.
” But in her long haul with COVID-19 , Ms. Krush has felt especially grateful for the game of chess , one of her only constants in a chaotic year .
Ms. Krush is the country ’ s top women ’ s chess player , and even represented the United States this May in the Nations Cup – in which her team placed second .
Her story embodies the downs and ups of chess in 2020 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the start of the pandemic .
But the sport has grown online – ushering in a generational renaissance in play and interest .
Online platforms like Chess.com and Chess24 report surging activity .
Chess-themed streamers , who play live on the video-sharing website Twitch , have tripled and quadrupled their followers .
With the world ’ s best players just a click away , grandmasters are more accessible than ever – hosting events that have broken viewership records .
As play and instruction go virtual , the game itself is changing .
Gone @ @ @ @ @ @ @ surrounded the sport .
Chess in 2020 is younger , faster , more adventurous , and more diverse .
Yet most important to Ms. Krush and millions of other players is that chess , unlike so much else this year , never left .
“ If I was an athlete … I would have not been able to participate in my sport , ” says Ms. Krush .
“ Chess definitely has that advantage .
Even under pretty extreme circumstances like this , and even when your health goes down , you ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ just 32 pieces and 64 squares , chess has a gift for complexity through simplicity that has helped it survive for centuries – even remotely .
Since the early 1900s , correspondence chess players living worlds apart have mailed each other their moves via postcard , playing games that lasted for months , says Tony Rich , executive director of the Saint Louis Chess Club .
But the last time chess experienced a renewal like this year ’ s came in the 1990s , when computers began to challenge the game ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that way , the boom in online play is now just accelerating the decadeslong marriage of chess and advanced technology .
“ Chess and the internet , it just works really well together , ” says Jennifer Shahade , the women ’ s program director at the U.S .
Chess Federation .
“ You don ’ t have to reset the pieces ; you start a new game right away .
… It can sometimes be enhanced online , which is often not the case for other subjects.
” What ’ s different @ @ @ @ @ @ @ says Nick Barton , director of business development at Chess.com .
The website added 650,000 or so users in each of the first two months of 2020 , says Mr. Barton .
Since March , those numbers have entered the millions – with more than 1.6 million joining in June .
This growth involves enormous demographic change .
Chess has long been heavily male , but Chess.com ’ s users include a disproportionately high number of women and girls , says Mr. Barton .
Its new players also skew younger , he says @ @ @ @ @ @ @ users are , in turn , changing the face of the sport itself .
“ We ’ re kind of seeing the great chess player merged with the great entertainer , ” says Ms. Shahade .
Chess Twitch streamers – who garner an avid following – balance education and entertainment .
Without an in-person audience , live commentators have become livelier as well .
“ It ’ s high-class entertainment , ” says Maurice Ashley , a grandmaster and commentator , who helped launch Clutch Chess , an innovative international tournament developed this @ @ @ @ @ @ @ excitement is the fast-paced nature of online chess , compared with over-the-board .
Among its most serious players , in-person chess matches can last four to five hours .
Many online games – known as blitz or bullet chess – last only five to 10 minutes , which forces players into more intuitive and unpredictable – and hence exciting – tactics .
“ You make all these beautiful designs and plans , and all of a sudden somebody plays some wild idea that you didn ’ t suspect and the pieces clash , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s just chaos , pandemonium all over.
” Forget esports or streaming , he says : Why wouldn ’ t someone want to watch war on a board ?
Ms. Krush certainly does , but she prefers playing .
On a good day , she spends an hour or two online testing strategies against unwitting opponents .
Since the advent of summer camps and other chess classes she runs , there ’ s been less time for casual play , she says .
But chess is still there , even when her @ @ @ @ @ @ @ always aware that chess was very good for the infirm and disabled and sick , ” she says .
“ It ’ s literally the only thing I can really do .
Where else can I compete in top-level events when I feel this way ?
” She looks forward to the return of over-the-board play and returning to it herself .
But until then , she ’ ll continue playing and watching , learning and teaching – adopting all the lessons chess has to offer , in a year of such tumult @ @ @ @ @ @ @ unpleasant circumstances , ” says Ms. Krush .
“ It can survive and it can even thrive.
” Editor ’ s note : As a public service , we have removed our paywall for all pandemic-related stories .

“Chess can survive these rather unpleasant circumstances,” says Ms. Krush. “It can survive and it can even thrive.”
Yet most important to Ms. Krush and millions of other players is that chess, unlike so much else this year, never left.
As play and instruction go virtual, the game itself is changing. Gone are perceptions of stodgy intellectualism that once surrounded the sport. Chess in 2020 is younger, faster, more adventurous, and more diverse, welcoming large numbers of women to a sport that has long been heavily male.
When so much else has shuttered because of the coronavirus, an unlikely pandemic success story has emerged. Online chess has not only survived, but also thrived – evolving in the unlikeliest of circumstances.
This is especially fortunate because Ms. Krush is the country’s top women’s chess player, and even represented the United States this May in the Nations Cup, in which her team placed second. Her story embodies the downs and ups of chess in 2020. Traditional over-the-board play has suffered since the start of the pandemic. But the sport has grown online – ushering in a generational renaissance in play and interest.
When Irina Krush was diagnosed with COVID-19 in early March, she faced a monthslong recovery and numerous obstacles that significantly limited what she could do. Her one constant in a chaotic year: chess.
When Irina Krush’s symptoms began in early March, she didn’t know what was wrong. A trip to an urgent care clinic sent her to the emergency room, where doctors took a CT scan and diagnosed her with double-lung pneumonia and tested her for COVID-19. Ms. Krush tested positive.
In the months since, Ms. Krush hasn’t fully recovered. She still has trouble breathing. Despite treatment, days can be good or bad.
“Recovery is a dream,” she says. “It just goes on and on.”
Why We Wrote This When so much else has shuttered because of the coronavirus, an unlikely pandemic success story has emerged. Online chess has not only survived, but also thrived – evolving in the unlikeliest of circumstances.
But in her long haul with COVID-19, Ms. Krush has felt especially grateful for the game of chess, one of her only constants in a chaotic year.
Ms. Krush is the country’s top women’s chess player, and even represented the United States this May in the Nations Cup – in which her team placed second.
Her story embodies the downs and ups of chess in 2020. Traditional over-the-board play has suffered since the start of the pandemic. But the sport has grown online – ushering in a generational renaissance in play and interest.
Online platforms like Chess.com and Chess24 report surging activity. Chess-themed streamers, who play live on the video-sharing website Twitch, have tripled and quadrupled their followers. With the world’s best players just a click away, grandmasters are more accessible than ever – hosting events that have broken viewership records.
As play and instruction go virtual, the game itself is changing. Gone are perceptions of stodgy intellectualism that once surrounded the sport. Chess in 2020 is younger, faster, more adventurous, and more diverse.
Yet most important to Ms. Krush and millions of other players is that chess, unlike so much else this year, never left.
“If I was an athlete … I would have not been able to participate in my sport,” says Ms. Krush. “Chess definitely has that advantage. Even under pretty extreme circumstances like this, and even when your health goes down, you’re still able to participate.”
An elegant evolution
With just 32 pieces and 64 squares, chess has a gift for complexity through simplicity that has helped it survive for centuries – even remotely. Since the early 1900s, correspondence chess players living worlds apart have mailed each other their moves via postcard, playing games that lasted for months, says Tony Rich, executive director of the Saint Louis Chess Club.
Courtesy of Saint Louis Chess Club View caption Hide caption Grandmaster Fabiano Caruana plays grandmaster Wesley So online in the Clutch Chess USA finals tournament. Amid the pandemic, interest in online chess has surged.
But the last time chess experienced a renewal like this year’s came in the 1990s, when computers began to challenge the game’s doctrines, says Mr. Rich. In that way, the boom in online play is now just accelerating the decadeslong marriage of chess and advanced technology.
“Chess and the internet, it just works really well together,” says Jennifer Shahade, the women’s program director at the U.S. Chess Federation. “You don’t have to reset the pieces; you start a new game right away. … It can sometimes be enhanced online, which is often not the case for other subjects.”
What’s different now is the volume of interest, says Nick Barton, director of business development at Chess.com. The website added 650,000 or so users in each of the first two months of 2020, says Mr. Barton. Since March, those numbers have entered the millions – with more than 1.6 million joining in June.
This growth involves enormous demographic change. Chess has long been heavily male, but Chess.com’s users include a disproportionately high number of women and girls, says Mr. Barton. Its new players also skew younger, he says.
The chess personalities attracting these new users are, in turn, changing the face of the sport itself.
“We’re kind of seeing the great chess player merged with the great entertainer,” says Ms. Shahade.
Chess Twitch streamers – who garner an avid following – balance education and entertainment. Without an in-person audience, live commentators have become livelier as well.
“It’s high-class entertainment,” says Maurice Ashley, a grandmaster and commentator, who helped launch Clutch Chess, an innovative international tournament developed this year.
Part of what aids that excitement is the fast-paced nature of online chess, compared with over-the-board. Among its most serious players, in-person chess matches can last four to five hours. Many online games – known as blitz or bullet chess – last only five to 10 minutes, which forces players into more intuitive and unpredictable – and hence exciting – tactics.
“You make all these beautiful designs and plans, and all of a sudden somebody plays some wild idea that you didn’t suspect and the pieces clash,” says Mr. Ashley. “It’s just chaos, pandemonium all over.”
Forget esports or streaming, he says: Why wouldn’t someone want to watch war on a board?
Ms. Krush certainly does, but she prefers playing. On a good day, she spends an hour or two online testing strategies against unwitting opponents.
Since the advent of summer camps and other chess classes she runs, there’s been less time for casual play, she says. But chess is still there, even when her health is not.
“I was always aware that chess was very good for the infirm and disabled and sick,” she says. “It’s literally the only thing I can really do. Where else can I compete in top-level events when I feel this way?”
She looks forward to the return of over-the-board play and returning to it herself. But until then, she’ll continue playing and watching, learning and teaching – adopting all the lessons chess has to offer, in a year of such tumult.
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empower and uplift daily. By signing up, you agree to our Privacy Policy Already a subscriber? Log in to hide ads.
“Chess can survive these rather unpleasant circumstances,” says Ms. Krush. “It can survive and it can even thrive.”
Editor’s note: As a public service, we have removed our paywall for all pandemic-related stories.


csmonitor--2020-08-20--How false fears drive anger in US voters

In a new book , “ American Rage , ” political scientist Steven Webster of Indiana University contends that anger is now the primary emotion of politics in the United States .
The elite in both major parties find it convenient to stoke anger , he says , “ because an angry voter is a loyal voter.
” Voter identification with a particular party is now driven more by negativity toward the other party than by a positive association with one ’ s own party , polls show .
Yet this mutual loathing between Democrats and Republicans also feeds on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ perceptions .
A poll earlier this year by Beyond Conflict , a Boston-based nonprofit , found 79 % of Democrats and 82 % of Republicans overestimate the level at which the other side dehumanizes them .
By a wide margin , voters on each side hold false beliefs about what the other side really thinks of them .
This needless aspect of the current polarization makes “ it more difficult to find collaborative ways to address urgent challenges , ” the Beyond Conflict study concluded .
On national issues , too many politicians @ @ @ @ @ @ @ rather than a broad array of constituents .
Leaders abandon the long tradition of knowing when to stop competing and to start cooperating .
They add fuel to voters ’ fear – the main emotion driving the anger .
This is why it is so important to watch for hints of bipartisanship and national unity during each party ’ s conventions in August , the official kickoff of the presidential campaigns .
This year , the need for consensus is unusually high .
If the ballot count in November is hotly contested , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ decide who won ( as has happened three times in U.S. history ) .
If the recession deepens further , Washington must agree on a recovery plan .
And if the pandemic worsens , partisan posturing could only prolong it .
On the Democratic side , Joe Biden is under pressure from the far-left to abandon his long record in the Senate of working with Republicans to find compromise on legislation .
He has said that without bipartisanship , the country would be “ dead.
” During the convention , a video showed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the late Republican senator , worked together to make deals .
“ This nation can not function without generating consensus , ” Mr. Biden said in May .
The Republican convention may try to make similar points about unifying the nation .
President Donald Trump , who prides himself as a deal-maker , is under pressure from far-right groups to not compromise on certain issues .
Anger is a tiresome emotion to hold for long .
It can be replaced by humility , or the willingness to listen and respect the other side @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that have no sides in order to establish trust .
While differences on issues certainly exist , shedding the belief that the other side means harm is a good place to start .

In a new book, “American Rage,” political scientist Steven Webster of Indiana University contends that anger is now the primary emotion of politics in the United States. The elite in both major parties find it convenient to stoke anger, he says, “because an angry voter is a loyal voter.” Voter identification with a particular party is now driven more by negativity toward the other party than by a positive association with one’s own party, polls show.
Yet this mutual loathing between Democrats and Republicans also feeds on itself – to the point of absurd perceptions. A poll earlier this year by Beyond Conflict, a Boston-based nonprofit, found 79% of Democrats and 82% of Republicans overestimate the level at which the other side dehumanizes them. By a wide margin, voters on each side hold false beliefs about what the other side really thinks of them.
This needless aspect of the current polarization makes “it more difficult to find collaborative ways to address urgent challenges,” the Beyond Conflict study concluded. On national issues, too many politicians aim to represent their most partisan voters rather than a broad array of constituents. Leaders abandon the long tradition of knowing when to stop competing and to start cooperating. They add fuel to voters’ fear – the main emotion driving the anger.
This is why it is so important to watch for hints of bipartisanship and national unity during each party’s conventions in August, the official kickoff of the presidential campaigns. This year, the need for consensus is unusually high. If the ballot count in November is hotly contested, for example, Congress may need to decide who won (as has happened three times in U.S. history). If the recession deepens further, Washington must agree on a recovery plan. And if the pandemic worsens, partisan posturing could only prolong it.
On the Democratic side, Joe Biden is under pressure from the far-left to abandon his long record in the Senate of working with Republicans to find compromise on legislation. He has said that without bipartisanship, the country would be “dead.” During the convention, a video showed how Mr. Biden and John McCain, the late Republican senator, worked together to make deals. “This nation cannot function without generating consensus,” Mr. Biden said in May.
Get stories that
empower and uplift daily. By signing up, you agree to our Privacy Policy Already a subscriber? Log in to hide ads.
The Republican convention may try to make similar points about unifying the nation. President Donald Trump, who prides himself as a deal-maker, is under pressure from far-right groups to not compromise on certain issues.
Anger is a tiresome emotion to hold for long. It can be replaced by humility, or the willingness to listen and respect the other side, even to find interests and values that have no sides in order to establish trust. While differences on issues certainly exist, shedding the belief that the other side means harm is a good place to start.


csmonitor--2020-08-20--How South Sudan’s ‘king of music’ beats back despair

In an email , Mr. Alexander says of his experience with the blind musician , “ I have never met a man that continues to be so positive , and so warm , despite the most difficult and trying circumstances.
” Aiding in the making of the album was Joe Alexander , the founder of Music in Exile , a nonprofit record label for refugee musicians in Australia .
He set up a recording session for Mr. Koang and seven musicians , ranging from keyboardists to violinists .
Mr. Koang is now releasing his first album from exile .
Titled @ @ @ @ @ @ @ not only a prayer for reunification with his own family – whom he hopes will be granted permission to join him soon – but it ’ s also a plea on behalf of refugees everywhere .
As he gains attention from listeners and music critics internationally , his joyful music conveys what Mr. Koang says is his core message : “ If the world unites itself , no one will say , ‘ I am alone.
’ ” When Gordon Koang , a popular South Sudanese musician , left for a tour in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ he would not be returning .
Violence erupted in his nascent home country and rather than go back , the man known as the “ king of music ” requested asylum in Australia .
On his new album , Gordon Koang wrote a song to the young daughter he has never met .
She knows her father by reputation .
Mr. Koang has been hailed as the “ king of music ” in his homeland of South Sudan .
That renown led to a series of international shows in 2013 and 2014 .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ that growing ethnic violence in his country would make returning home unsafe .
While his family took refuge in Uganda , Mr. Koang and his cousin , who is also a bandmate , accepted an offer to perform in Australia and applied for asylum .
The musician ’ s 11th record , the first he ’ s released in exile , is titled “ Unity.
” It ’ s not only a prayer for reunification with his own family – whom he hopes will be granted permission to join him soon – but @ @ @ @ @ @ @ behalf of refugees everywhere .
His message is reaching new audiences , as Mr. Koang won the prestigious Levi ’ s Music Prize at last year ’ s BigSound festival and music industry conference in Brisbane , Australia .
Now his album is garnering attention in international music publications such as NME and Pitchfork .
Its jubilant music conveys what Mr. Koang says is his core message : “ If the world unites itself , no one will say , ‘ I am alone.
’ ” “ While many of us struggle with @ @ @ @ @ @ @ we need to get through , his music suggests that he has , at the very least , figured out how to accept being between states , and that he ’ s determined to find joy and peace and happiness even when the world doesn ’ t want to give it to him , ” says music critic Marty Sartini Garner , a contributing writer to Pitchfork , who reviewed “ Unity ” for the publication .
After a lifetime of alternating between singing in his native language , Nuer , and Arabic @ @ @ @ @ @ @ few songs in English , including “ Stand Up ( Clap Your Hands ) .
” One of several songs on “ Unity ” about the power of community , Mr. Koang says it expresses his sentiment toward the Australians who ’ ve embraced his performances at major music festivals : “ I am a friend to them .
My music also is a friend to everyone.
” Mr. Koang , who is blind , started his musical journey accompanying the choir at his Presbyterian church in his hometown of Nasir .
His @ @ @ @ @ @ @ pronounced “ tuhm ” ) , which he was introduced to at a young age by a relative who wanted to help Mr. Koang feel less lonely while his family was out working .
His custom-made version resembles a box-shaped acoustic guitar with a six-stringed lyre affixed to it .
Eager to start composing songs of his own , he prayed for help .
One night he had a dream in which a man taught him a melody .
When Mr. Koang woke up , he quickly replicated the tune on his instrument @ @ @ @ @ @ @ way .
“ I thank God for it so much , because I call myself a songwriter .
But I ’ m not writing them .
They come in a dream .
When I wake up in the morning , I get them in my heart , ” he says in a video call from his apartment in Melbourne , Australia .
Mr. Koang eventually ventured to larger Sudanese cities such as Juba and Khartoum .
He was accompanied by his cousin and best friend , Paul Biel , a percussionist .
The @ @ @ @ @ @ @ way : gigging .
They played gospel songs to a network of church communities and played secular folk songs on the city streets .
They handed out free homemade compact discs .
Radio play followed , as did opportunities to play in Ethiopia , Kenya , Uganda , and , later , shows overseas .
In 2011 , South Sudan became independent from Sudan .
Two years later , a civil war broke out in the fledgling nation .
After a 2013 tour of North America , Mr. Koang and Mr. Biel flew @ @ @ @ @ @ @ at a camp in Kampala .
Soon after , they toured in Australia .
When the pair requested asylum in that country , they thought it would be a quick process that would allow their families to join them .
But it was the start of an arduous limbo .
They couldn ’ t seek employment until their new country granted them residence .
“ We decided to be in this problem , because this problem is very little [ compared with ] the problem we moved from , ” says Mr. Koang @ @ @ @ @ @ @ our friends and relatives had been killed.
” Mr. Koang started playing for small groups of people to make money to send to his family .
He wrote “ South Sudan , ” a tribute to an aid worker he ’ d known in Africa , and also “ Asylum Seeker , ” a song of encouragement for those awaiting a ruling on their legal status .
Mr. Koang ’ s voice performs a promenade dance with the thom , sometimes spinning twirls around the twanging melody lines .
He attributes his outlook @ @ @ @ @ @ @ raised .
“ My mother and father told me that you have to do a good thing in the world , ” he explains .
“ That ’ s why I decided to have love in my songs , and then to have unity in my songs , and to have peace in my songs.
” All that reached the ears of Joe Alexander , the founder of Music in Exile , a nonprofit record label for refugee musicians in Australia .
He set up the recording session for Mr. Koang and seven @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , that led to the making of “ Unity.
” “ I have never met a man that continues to be so positive , and so warm , despite the most difficult and trying circumstances , ” says Mr. Alexander in an email .
“ As soon as we sat down in the studio , he began dictating parts left , right and centre .
He would sing a drum part , followed by a bass line , and a keyboard or guitar melody , and then join in with a completely unique @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” Mr. Alexander says that his record label ’ s mission doesn ’ t include overtly opposing xenophobia .
But , he adds , “ ultimately , the space that these musicians will occupy in the Australian scene will help to combat those feelings.
” The final track on Mr. Koang ’ s album is titled “ Te Ke Mi Thile Ji Kuoth Nhial , ” a prayer for his family ’ s safety and provision that he composed for his daughter in 2013 but hadn ’ t recorded until now .
It @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the music critic , when thinking about the album .
“ The sweetness and fun of much of ‘ Unity ’ frames the laments , and that contrast makes songs like ‘ Te Ke Mi Thile Ji Kuoth Nhial ’ that much more heartbreaking , ” he says .
Last year , Mr. Koang and Mr. Biel were finally granted Australian residency .
Now they ’ ve submitted paperwork to bring their families to the Southern Hemisphere .
“ They ’ re waiting for us , ” says Mr. Koang .
“ We @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , we will come to you .
”

In an email, Mr. Alexander says of his experience with the blind musician, “I have never met a man that continues to be so positive, and so warm, despite the most difficult and trying circumstances.”
Aiding in the making of the album was Joe Alexander, the founder of Music in Exile, a nonprofit record label for refugee musicians in Australia. He set up a recording session for Mr. Koang and seven musicians, ranging from keyboardists to violinists.
How do you convey perseverance in art? Those who know the work of refugee Gordon Koang say the South Sudanese musician has found a way to channel his unifying, life-affirming outlook into songs for the masses.
Mr. Koang is now releasing his first album from exile. Titled “Unity,” it’s not only a prayer for reunification with his own family – whom he hopes will be granted permission to join him soon – but it’s also a plea on behalf of refugees everywhere. As he gains attention from listeners and music critics internationally, his joyful music conveys what Mr. Koang says is his core message: “If the world unites itself, no one will say, ‘I am alone.’”
When Gordon Koang, a popular South Sudanese musician, left for a tour in 2013, he didn’t realize he would not be returning. Violence erupted in his nascent home country and rather than go back, the man known as the “king of music” requested asylum in Australia.
On his new album, Gordon Koang wrote a song to the young daughter he has never met.
She knows her father by reputation. Mr. Koang has been hailed as the “king of music” in his homeland of South Sudan. That renown led to a series of international shows in 2013 and 2014. While touring abroad, the musician realized that growing ethnic violence in his country would make returning home unsafe. While his family took refuge in Uganda, Mr. Koang and his cousin, who is also a bandmate, accepted an offer to perform in Australia and applied for asylum.
The musician’s 11th record, the first he’s released in exile, is titled “Unity.” It’s not only a prayer for reunification with his own family – whom he hopes will be granted permission to join him soon – but it’s also a plea on behalf of refugees everywhere. His message is reaching new audiences, as Mr. Koang won the prestigious Levi’s Music Prize at last year’s BigSound festival and music industry conference in Brisbane, Australia. Now his album is garnering attention in international music publications such as NME and Pitchfork. Its jubilant music conveys what Mr. Koang says is his core message: “If the world unites itself, no one will say, ‘I am alone.’”
Why We Wrote This How do you convey perseverance in art? Those who know the work of refugee Gordon Koang say the South Sudanese musician has found a way to channel his unifying, life-affirming outlook into songs for the masses.
“While many of us struggle with instability and view it as a state we need to get through, his music suggests that he has, at the very least, figured out how to accept being between states, and that he’s determined to find joy and peace and happiness even when the world doesn’t want to give it to him,” says music critic Marty Sartini Garner, a contributing writer to Pitchfork, who reviewed “Unity” for the publication.
“A friend to everyone”
After a lifetime of alternating between singing in his native language, Nuer, and Arabic, Mr. Koang has been writing a few songs in English, including “Stand Up (Clap Your Hands).” One of several songs on “Unity” about the power of community, Mr. Koang says it expresses his sentiment toward the Australians who’ve embraced his performances at major music festivals: “I am a friend to them. My music also is a friend to everyone.”
Mr. Koang, who is blind, started his musical journey accompanying the choir at his Presbyterian church in his hometown of Nasir. His instrument of choice is a thom (pronounced “tuhm”), which he was introduced to at a young age by a relative who wanted to help Mr. Koang feel less lonely while his family was out working. His custom-made version resembles a box-shaped acoustic guitar with a six-stringed lyre affixed to it. Eager to start composing songs of his own, he prayed for help. One night he had a dream in which a man taught him a melody. When Mr. Koang woke up, he quickly replicated the tune on his instrument. He still writes his songs this way.
“I thank God for it so much, because I call myself a songwriter. But I’m not writing them. They come in a dream. When I wake up in the morning, I get them in my heart,” he says in a video call from his apartment in Melbourne, Australia.
Mr. Koang eventually ventured to larger Sudanese cities such as Juba and Khartoum. He was accompanied by his cousin and best friend, Paul Biel, a percussionist. The duo built a fan base the old-fashioned way: gigging. They played gospel songs to a network of church communities and played secular folk songs on the city streets. They handed out free homemade compact discs. Radio play followed, as did opportunities to play in Ethiopia, Kenya, Uganda, and, later, shows overseas.
In 2011, South Sudan became independent from Sudan. Two years later, a civil war broke out in the fledgling nation. After a 2013 tour of North America, Mr. Koang and Mr. Biel flew to Uganda to reunite with their families at a camp in Kampala. Soon after, they toured in Australia. When the pair requested asylum in that country, they thought it would be a quick process that would allow their families to join them. But it was the start of an arduous limbo. They couldn’t seek employment until their new country granted them residence.
“We decided to be in this problem, because this problem is very little [compared with] the problem we moved from,” says Mr. Koang. “We kept hearing that all our friends and relatives had been killed.”
Influenced by family
Mr. Koang started playing for small groups of people to make money to send to his family. He wrote “South Sudan,” a tribute to an aid worker he’d known in Africa, and also “Asylum Seeker,” a song of encouragement for those awaiting a ruling on their legal status. Mr. Koang’s voice performs a promenade dance with the thom, sometimes spinning twirls around the twanging melody lines.
He attributes his outlook to the home in which he was raised. “My mother and father told me that you have to do a good thing in the world,” he explains. “That’s why I decided to have love in my songs, and then to have unity in my songs, and to have peace in my songs.”
All that reached the ears of Joe Alexander, the founder of Music in Exile, a nonprofit record label for refugee musicians in Australia. He set up the recording session for Mr. Koang and seven musicians, ranging from keyboardists to violinists, that led to the making of “Unity.”
“I have never met a man that continues to be so positive, and so warm, despite the most difficult and trying circumstances,” says Mr. Alexander in an email. “As soon as we sat down in the studio, he began dictating parts left, right and centre. He would sing a drum part, followed by a bass line, and a keyboard or guitar melody, and then join in with a completely unique and unexpected thom line or vocal melody.”
Mr. Alexander says that his record label’s mission doesn’t include overtly opposing xenophobia. But, he adds, “ultimately, the space that these musicians will occupy in the Australian scene will help to combat those feelings.”
Sweetness and lament
The final track on Mr. Koang’s album is titled “Te Ke Mi Thile Ji Kuoth Nhial,” a prayer for his family’s safety and provision that he composed for his daughter in 2013 but hadn’t recorded until now. It stood out to Mr. Sartini Garner, the music critic, when thinking about the album.
“The sweetness and fun of much of ‘Unity’ frames the laments, and that contrast makes songs like ‘Te Ke Mi Thile Ji Kuoth Nhial’ that much more heartbreaking,” he says.
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Last year, Mr. Koang and Mr. Biel were finally granted Australian residency. Now they’ve submitted paperwork to bring their families to the Southern Hemisphere.
“They’re waiting for us,” says Mr. Koang. “We tell them when God finds a way, we will come to you.”


csmonitor--2020-08-20--Steve Bannon charged with defrauding 'Build the Wall' donors

Former White House adviser Steve Bannon was arrested Thursday on charges that he and three others ripped off donors to an online fundraising scheme `` We Build the Wall . ''
The charges were contained in an indictment unsealed in Manhattan federal court that alleged Mr. Bannon received over $ 1 million himself , using some to secretly pay a co-defendant , Brian Kolfage , and to cover hundreds of thousands of dollars of Mr. Bannon 's personal expenses .
Federal prosecutors alleged that Mr. Bannon and three others `` orchestrated a scheme to defraud hundreds of thousands of donors @ @ @ @ @ @ @ campaign that raised more than $ 25 million to build a wall along the southern border of the United States .
According to the indictment , Mr. Bannon promised that 100 % of the donated money would be used for the project , but the defendants collectively used hundreds of thousands of dollars in a manner inconsistent with the organization 's public representations .
The indictment said they faked invoices and sham `` vendor '' arrangements , among other ways , to hide what was really happening .
The defendants learned last October @ @ @ @ @ @ @ We Build the Wall '' campaign might be under federal criminal investigation and took additional steps to conceal the fraud , according to the indictment .
Charges included conspiracy to commit wire fraud and conspiracy to commit money laundering .
A phone at the office of Mr. Bannon 's lawyer went unanswered Thursday morning .
A spokeswoman for Mr. Bannon did not immediately respond to a request for comment .
It was not immediately clear who would represent Mr. Kolfage at an initial court appearance .
`` It 's not possible to steal @ @ @ @ @ @ @ said publicly , according to the indictment .
`` I ca n't touch that money .
It 's not for me . ''
`` We Build the Wall '' originally promoted a project for 3 miles of fence posts in South Texas that was ultimately built and largely funded by Fisher Industries , which has received about $ 2 billion in funding for wall contracts .
Tommy Fisher , CEO , did n't respond to calls for comment .
Mr. Trump recently criticized that section of wall after it showed signs of erosion @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to make me look bad , '' even though it was built by his supporters .
Mr. Bannon led the conservative Breitbart News before being tapped to serve as chief executive officer of Mr. Trump 's campaign in its critical final months , when he pushed a scorched earth strategy that included highlighting the stories of former President Bill Clinton 's accusers .
After the election , he served as chief strategist during the turbulent early months of Mr. Trump 's administration .
The blunt , combative Mr. Bannon was the voice of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ he pushed Mr. Trump to follow through on some of his most contentious campaign promises , including his travel ban on several majority-Muslim countries .
But Mr. Bannon also clashed with other top advisers , and his high profile sometimes irked Mr. Trump .
He was pushed out in August 2017 .
Mr. Bannon , who served in the Navy and worked as an investment banker at Goldman Sachs before becoming a Hollywood producer , has been hosting a pro-Trump podcast called `` War Room '' that began during the president 's impeachment @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
This story was reported by The Associated Press .
AP writer Jennifer Peltz contributed to this report .
Editor ’ s note : As a public service , the Monitor has removed the paywall for all our coronavirus coverage .
It ’ s free .

Larry Neumeister, Colleen Long, and Jill Colvin

Former White House adviser Steve Bannon was arrested Thursday on charges that he and three others ripped off donors to an online fundraising scheme "We Build the Wall."
The charges were contained in an indictment unsealed in Manhattan federal court that alleged Mr. Bannon received over $1 million himself, using some to secretly pay a co-defendant, Brian Kolfage, and to cover hundreds of thousands of dollars of Mr. Bannon's personal expenses.
Federal prosecutors alleged that Mr. Bannon and three others "orchestrated a scheme to defraud hundreds of thousands of donors" in connection with an online crowdfunding campaign that raised more than $25 million to build a wall along the southern border of the United States.
According to the indictment, Mr. Bannon promised that 100% of the donated money would be used for the project, but the defendants collectively used hundreds of thousands of dollars in a manner inconsistent with the organization's public representations.
The indictment said they faked invoices and sham "vendor" arrangements, among other ways, to hide what was really happening.
The defendants learned last October from a financial institution that the "We Build the Wall" campaign might be under federal criminal investigation and took additional steps to conceal the fraud, according to the indictment.
Charges included conspiracy to commit wire fraud and conspiracy to commit money laundering.
A phone at the office of Mr. Bannon's lawyer went unanswered Thursday morning. A spokeswoman for Mr. Bannon did not immediately respond to a request for comment. It was not immediately clear who would represent Mr. Kolfage at an initial court appearance.
"It's not possible to steal the money," Mr. Kolfage once said publicly, according to the indictment. "I can't touch that money. It's not for me."
"We Build the Wall" originally promoted a project for 3 miles of fence posts in South Texas that was ultimately built and largely funded by Fisher Industries, which has received about $2 billion in funding for wall contracts. Tommy Fisher, CEO, didn't respond to calls for comment.
Mr. Trump recently criticized that section of wall after it showed signs of erosion, saying it was "only done to make me look bad," even though it was built by his supporters.
Mr. Bannon led the conservative Breitbart News before being tapped to serve as chief executive officer of Mr. Trump's campaign in its critical final months, when he pushed a scorched earth strategy that included highlighting the stories of former President Bill Clinton's accusers. After the election, he served as chief strategist during the turbulent early months of Mr. Trump's administration.
The blunt, combative Mr. Bannon was the voice of a nationalistic, outsider conservatism, and he pushed Mr. Trump to follow through on some of his most contentious campaign promises, including his travel ban on several majority-Muslim countries. But Mr. Bannon also clashed with other top advisers, and his high profile sometimes irked Mr. Trump. He was pushed out in August 2017.
Mr. Bannon, who served in the Navy and worked as an investment banker at Goldman Sachs before becoming a Hollywood producer, has been hosting a pro-Trump podcast called "War Room" that began during the president's impeachment proceedings and has continued during the pandemic.
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This story was reported by The Associated Press. AP writer Jennifer Peltz contributed to this report.
Editor’s note: As a public service, the Monitor has removed the paywall for all our coronavirus coverage. It’s free.


csmonitor--2020-08-20--Why has New England handled the pandemic so well? Thank the Puritans.

“ Governance in New England retained that character , that where you lived and who you lived with would be part of how you were governed , ” she says .
She compares this viewpoint to the one established by Anglican settlers and slaveholders in the U.S. South , where tradition and deference to authority are emphasized .
“ You had a hierarchical social structure , a hierarchical religious structure , so they just didn ’ t really develop the same participatory , community-based way of governing that New England did , ” she says .
This “ all-in-this-together ” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ England ’ s political culture , says Wendy Schiller , chair of the political science department at Brown University .
Compared with other parts of the country , New Englanders from across the political spectrum have been largely willing to wear masks and stay at home , a response that some observers trace back to the political culture of the region ’ s earliest European settlers .
As the novel coronavirus continues to rage across the United States , New England is holding up relatively well .
For instance , Massachusetts , the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ virus , registered 1 new case for every 2,000 or so residents last week , according to CDC data .
Over that same period , Florida saw roughly 1 case for every 550 residents .
In June , Auburn High School science teacher Erik Berg found himself at a town meeting like no other .
It took place on Memorial Field , home of the Auburn High School Rockets football team , with chairs spread out across the turf and a lectern set up in the bleachers .
Attendees could also participate , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ fence and tuning in with their car radios .
To vote , they stuck color-coded paddles out the window , flashing green for “ yes ” or red for “ no.
” Other than a 4-minute bout of rain , the meeting ran smoothly , with the Massachusetts town passing a 2021 budget and advancing a senior housing plan .
In fact , Mr. Berg says it was one of the most efficient and well-attended town meetings in which he has participated .
To some political scientists , this kind of participatory government @ @ @ @ @ @ @ success in managing the coronavirus .
The region has hardly remained unscathed by the pandemic .
Massachusetts , in particular , became an early epicenter and has had the third-highest per capita COVID-19 death rate , after New York and New Jersey .
But since that initial peak , the Bay State and Greater New England have largely brought the spread of the virus under control .
Even states that saw a late-summer uptick in reported cases have remained well below their April peaks .
Massachusetts , still the New England state hit @ @ @ @ @ @ @ about 3,400 cases in the past week , or 1 for every 2,000 residents .
Over that same period , Florida saw roughly 1 case for every 550 residents , according to data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention .
Compared with other parts of the country , New Englanders from across the political spectrum have been largely willing to limit travel , wear masks , and practice social distancing .
“ There ’ s some people that might grumble about having to do things in a new way , ” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ haven ’ t seen or heard of anybody actually just not following the rules.
” Wendy Schiller , chair of the political science department at Brown University in Providence , Rhode Island , says the “ all-in-this-together ” attitude is a fundamental part of New England ’ s political culture , predating party politics .
She traces it back nearly 400 years to the founding of Massachusetts Bay Colony .
Some charters required colonists to return to England to conduct their business , but King Charles I made Massachusetts Bay a “ charter @ @ @ @ @ @ @ elected by colonists , and that government was allowed to reside in the New World .
Puritan settlers , who were increasingly persecuted back in England , jumped on the opportunity to create a system that reflected their values .
“ Governance in New England retained that character , that where you lived and who you lived with would be part of how you were governed , ” she says , adding that the southern colonies were settled by Anglicans and relied more heavily on slavery .
“ You had a hierarchical social @ @ @ @ @ @ @ so they just didn ’ t really develop the same participatory , community-based way of governing that New England did.
” Massachusetts Bay Colony had its charter revoked in 1684 , in part for creating several laws that did not align with England ’ s .
But it was too late to turn back the culture of local governance .
As borders shifted , forming the modern New England states by 1820 , communities held onto the idea that government is an egalitarian institution looking out for the common good .
Daniel Elazar @ @ @ @ @ @ @ dominant political subcultures in the United States , called this a moralistic view .
Other cultures include individualistic , which sees government as a mechanism for protecting the marketplace , and traditionalistic , which sees government as an elite endeavor to maintain the status quo .
Individualistic views originated with Anglican and Protestant settlers from England and Germany , he argued , and are common in states from New York to Wyoming .
The traditionalistic culture developed in Virginia and Kentucky before spreading to the Deep South .
Joined by other Northern European @ @ @ @ @ @ @ westward from the Great Lakes to Washington .
Throughout the upper U.S. , Elazar said people tend to trust government officials and view public service as an honorable profession .
Critics of Elazar ’ s theory say it fails to consider the impact of recent immigration patterns , and that defining a state ’ s political culture is a futile task .
Nevertheless , New England – where the moralistic culture originated – remains a hub of strong local government .
Today , major decisions are still made by town meetings .
Counties @ @ @ @ @ @ @ life , unless someone ’ s heading to court or the DMV .
Rhode Island , the smallest state in the nation , has 39 municipalities and no county government .
In this together Peverill Squire , a professor of political science at the University of Missouri , sees a distinction at the state level , too .
New England prefers less professional legislatures , with the exception of Massachusetts , which has a full-time legislature but pays members roughly half the salary of New York or California .
The other New England @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
New Hampshire has 400 representatives – the most per resident than any state in the U.S. – who get paid $ 100 a year .
Observers say the stubborn belief in good government has helped New Englanders resist anti-government sentiment and extreme polarization , with moderate Republican governors excelling in traditionally blue states like Massachusetts and Vermont .
“ The technical term we use in political science is sticky , and these are sticky notions .
They don ’ t change quickly or easily , ” says Professor Squire .
It doesn @ @ @ @ @ @ @ objections to state mandates .
On the Rhode Island coast , Narragansett Town Council President Matthew Mannix made headlines with a proposal to defy the governor ’ s lockdown orders .
He quickly dropped the effort due to a lack of support .
In June , Gorham , Maine , passed a resolution declaring all businesses “ essential , ” allowing the town to fast-forward in the state ’ s reopening plan .
In Massachusetts , a lack of compliance led to new virus clusters , prompting Gov .
Charlie Baker to delay @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , local approach has been essential in getting rural and urban communities on board , says Julie Jacobson , Auburn ’ s town manager .
Massachusetts has 351 cities and towns , each with its own board of health , which adapt state regulations to their own needs .
The Baker administration has involved local leaders from the start , she says , meeting with the Massachusetts Municipal Association to discuss new data and challenges every week for the first four months of the crisis .
“ The state has been very good @ @ @ @ @ @ @ directing us as to how to do our operations specifically , ” she says .
The main challenges are coordinating with neighboring municipalities and communicating with the public .
“ Whether you ’ re talking about a dog park , or a new school , or in this case , a pandemic , it ’ s really critical to keep your residents informed and educated on what the issues are , so they feel confident that we are making decisions in their best interest , ” she says .
“ At certain points @ @ @ @ @ @ @ hourly basis .
And we all need to be flexible.
” That flexibility requires a deep well of public trust .
Mr. Berg , the high school science teacher who grew up in Auburn , says there ’ s plenty .
“ I guess if I lived in a community where the local officials have historically made a lot of blunders or done things that weren ’ t in the public ’ s best interest , I would feel more skepticism , ” he says .
“ But at least in this community @ @ @ @ @ @ @ officials have ] built up a lot of goodwill.
” Editor ’ s note : As a public service , we have removed our paywall for all pandemic-related stories .

“Governance in New England retained that character, that where you lived and who you lived with would be part of how you were governed,” she says. She compares this viewpoint to the one established by Anglican settlers and slaveholders in the U.S. South, where tradition and deference to authority are emphasized. “You had a hierarchical social structure, a hierarchical religious structure, so they just didn’t really develop the same participatory, community-based way of governing that New England did,” she says.
This “all-in-this-together” attitude is a fundamental part of New England’s political culture, says Wendy Schiller, chair of the political science department at Brown University.
How has New England been able to get its coronavirus crisis under control, while other regions struggle? One answer may trace back to the Puritans, who laid the groundwork for strong local governments.
Compared with other parts of the country, New Englanders from across the political spectrum have been largely willing to wear masks and stay at home, a response that some observers trace back to the political culture of the region’s earliest European settlers.
As the novel coronavirus continues to rage across the United States, New England is holding up relatively well. For instance, Massachusetts, the New England state hit hardest by the virus, registered 1 new case for every 2,000 or so residents last week, according to CDC data. Over that same period, Florida saw roughly 1 case for every 550 residents.
In June, Auburn High School science teacher Erik Berg found himself at a town meeting like no other.
It took place on Memorial Field, home of the Auburn High School Rockets football team, with chairs spread out across the turf and a lectern set up in the bleachers. Attendees could also participate, drive-in style, by parking along the fence and tuning in with their car radios. To vote, they stuck color-coded paddles out the window, flashing green for “yes” or red for “no.” Other than a 4-minute bout of rain, the meeting ran smoothly, with the Massachusetts town passing a 2021 budget and advancing a senior housing plan. In fact, Mr. Berg says it was one of the most efficient and well-attended town meetings in which he has participated.
To some political scientists, this kind of participatory government is behind New England’s relative success in managing the coronavirus. The region has hardly remained unscathed by the pandemic. Massachusetts, in particular, became an early epicenter and has had the third-highest per capita COVID-19 death rate, after New York and New Jersey. But since that initial peak, the Bay State and Greater New England have largely brought the spread of the virus under control.
Why We Wrote This How has New England been able to get its coronavirus crisis under control, while other regions struggle? One answer may trace back to the Puritans, who laid the groundwork for strong local governments.
Even states that saw a late-summer uptick in reported cases have remained well below their April peaks. Massachusetts, still the New England state hit hardest by the virus, has seen about 3,400 cases in the past week, or 1 for every 2,000 residents. Over that same period, Florida saw roughly 1 case for every 550 residents, according to data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Compared with other parts of the country, New Englanders from across the political spectrum have been largely willing to limit travel, wear masks, and practice social distancing.
“There’s some people that might grumble about having to do things in a new way,” says Mr. Berg. “But I haven’t seen or heard of anybody actually just not following the rules.”
Wendy Schiller, chair of the political science department at Brown University in Providence, Rhode Island, says the “all-in-this-together” attitude is a fundamental part of New England’s political culture, predating party politics. She traces it back nearly 400 years to the founding of Massachusetts Bay Colony. Some charters required colonists to return to England to conduct their business, but King Charles I made Massachusetts Bay a “charter colony,” meaning the administration was elected by colonists, and that government was allowed to reside in the New World. Puritan settlers, who were increasingly persecuted back in England, jumped on the opportunity to create a system that reflected their values.
“Governance in New England retained that character, that where you lived and who you lived with would be part of how you were governed,” she says, adding that the southern colonies were settled by Anglicans and relied more heavily on slavery. “You had a hierarchical social structure, a hierarchical religious structure, so they just didn’t really develop the same participatory, community-based way of governing that New England did.”
A moral political culture
Massachusetts Bay Colony had its charter revoked in 1684, in part for creating several laws that did not align with England’s. But it was too late to turn back the culture of local governance. As borders shifted, forming the modern New England states by 1820, communities held onto the idea that government is an egalitarian institution looking out for the common good.
Daniel Elazar, the political scientist who identified three dominant political subcultures in the United States, called this a moralistic view. Other cultures include individualistic, which sees government as a mechanism for protecting the marketplace, and traditionalistic, which sees government as an elite endeavor to maintain the status quo. Individualistic views originated with Anglican and Protestant settlers from England and Germany, he argued, and are common in states from New York to Wyoming. The traditionalistic culture developed in Virginia and Kentucky before spreading to the Deep South.
Joined by other Northern European immigrants, Puritans carried the moralistic values westward from the Great Lakes to Washington. Throughout the upper U.S., Elazar said people tend to trust government officials and view public service as an honorable profession.
Critics of Elazar’s theory say it fails to consider the impact of recent immigration patterns, and that defining a state’s political culture is a futile task. Nevertheless, New England – where the moralistic culture originated – remains a hub of strong local government.
Today, major decisions are still made by town meetings. Counties play a minimal role in New England life, unless someone’s heading to court or the DMV. Rhode Island, the smallest state in the nation, has 39 municipalities and no county government.
In this together
Peverill Squire, a professor of political science at the University of Missouri, sees a distinction at the state level, too. New England prefers less professional legislatures, with the exception of Massachusetts, which has a full-time legislature but pays members roughly half the salary of New York or California. The other New England states follow a part-time or hybrid model. New Hampshire has 400 representatives – the most per resident than any state in the U.S. – who get paid $100 a year.
Observers say the stubborn belief in good government has helped New Englanders resist anti-government sentiment and extreme polarization, with moderate Republican governors excelling in traditionally blue states like Massachusetts and Vermont.
“The technical term we use in political science is sticky, and these are sticky notions. They don’t change quickly or easily,” says Professor Squire.
It doesn’t mean there’s no objections to state mandates.
On the Rhode Island coast, Narragansett Town Council President Matthew Mannix made headlines with a proposal to defy the governor’s lockdown orders. He quickly dropped the effort due to a lack of support. In June, Gorham, Maine, passed a resolution declaring all businesses “essential,” allowing the town to fast-forward in the state’s reopening plan. In Massachusetts, a lack of compliance led to new virus clusters, prompting Gov. Charlie Baker to delay reopening.
But overall, the nonpartisan, local approach has been essential in getting rural and urban communities on board, says Julie Jacobson, Auburn’s town manager. Massachusetts has 351 cities and towns, each with its own board of health, which adapt state regulations to their own needs. The Baker administration has involved local leaders from the start, she says, meeting with the Massachusetts Municipal Association to discuss new data and challenges every week for the first four months of the crisis.
“The state has been very good about giving local government guidance and not directing us as to how to do our operations specifically,” she says. The main challenges are coordinating with neighboring municipalities and communicating with the public.
“Whether you’re talking about a dog park, or a new school, or in this case, a pandemic, it’s really critical to keep your residents informed and educated on what the issues are, so they feel confident that we are making decisions in their best interest,” she says. “At certain points [information is] changing on an hourly basis. And we all need to be flexible.”
That flexibility requires a deep well of public trust. Mr. Berg, the high school science teacher who grew up in Auburn, says there’s plenty.
Get stories that
empower and uplift daily. By signing up, you agree to our Privacy Policy Already a subscriber? Log in to hide ads.
“I guess if I lived in a community where the local officials have historically made a lot of blunders or done things that weren’t in the public’s best interest, I would feel more skepticism,” he says. “But at least in this community, I know that the town [officials have] built up a lot of goodwill.”
Editor’s note: As a public service, we have removed our paywall for all pandemic-related stories.


csmonitor--2020-08-20--'No vaccine for racism,' says Harris. She accepts VP nomination.

Kamala Harris accepted the Democratic nomination for vice president on Wednesday , cementing her place in history as the first Black woman on a major party ticket and promising she and Joe Biden will rejuvenate a country ravaged by a pandemic and riven by racial and partisan divides .
In an address capping the third night of the virtual Democratic National Convention , the California senator evoked the lessons of her late mother , Shyamala Gopalan , a biologist and Indian immigrant , saying she instilled in her a vision of `` our nation as a beloved community – where @ @ @ @ @ @ @ we look like , where we come from or who we love . ''
`` In this election , we have a chance to change the course of history , '' Ms. Harris said .
`` We 're all in this fight . ''
Mixing a former prosecutor 's polish with the deeply personal , Ms. Harris also spoke of her Jamaican father and getting a `` stroller 's eye view '' of the civil rights movement as her parents protested in the streets in the 1960s .
`` There is no vaccine @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
`` We have got to do the work . ''
Ms. Harris addressed a party that has staked its future on bringing together a racially diverse coalition of voters .
She was preceded in the convention program by Barack Obama , meaning the nation 's first Black president introduced the woman trying to be the first Black person to hold the vice presidency .
Mr. Obama said Ms. Harris was an `` ideal partner '' for Mr. Biden and was `` more than prepared for the job . ''
Ms. Harris is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ attorney general .
She promised to speak `` truths '' to the American public .
She said she and Mr. Biden , who tapped her as his running mate last week , believe in a country where `` we may not agree on every detail , but we are united by the fundamental belief that every human being is of infinite worth , deserving of compassion , dignity , and respect . ''
Democrats hope Ms. Harris can galvanize their party 's faithful – who are divided between progressive and moderate wings – @ @ @ @ @ @ @ between Mr. Biden and Mr. Trump .
But she also was introducing herself to a national audience that may not have been paying close attention to the race until now .
`` For somebody with her wealth of background and experience , she 's still fresh .
She 's still new , '' said Ohio Rep. Marcia Fudge , a former chair of the Congressional Black Caucus who endorsed Ms. Harris ' 2020 presidential primary run before throwing her support behind Mr. Biden in March .
Ms. Harris spoke at a convention center @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Delaware that was empty except for socially distanced reporters and a few campaign staffers .
She was introduced by her sister , Maya , her niece Meena , and Ella Emhoff , her stepdaughter who calls her `` Momala . ''
At the end of her speech , Mr. Biden walked out to join her from a distance and both were soon joined by their spouses .
In sweeping remarks that touched on the legacy of Black women who paved the way for this moment , Ms. Harris noted that this week marks @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , which gave women the right to vote .
Except that right , Ms. Harris said , came much later for most Black women , who helped secure that victory yet were still prohibited from voting .
`` Without fanfare or recognition , they organized , testified , rallied , marched , and fought – not just for their vote , but for a seat at the table , '' Ms. Harris said .
`` We 're not often taught their stories .
But as Americans , we all stand on their shoulders @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Trump , something she 's expected to do frequently as she campaigns with Mr. Biden in the coming months – though in-person events may remain impossible as the coronavirus pandemic continues .
She recalled her days in the courtroom when she would declare `` Kamala Harris for the people , '' reviving a slogan from her presidential campaign , while noting , `` I know a predator when I see one . ''
She did n't mention the president by name then but did n't spare him later .
`` Donald Trump 's @ @ @ @ @ @ @ '' Ms. Harris said .
She later added , `` Right now , we have a president who turns our tragedies into political weapons .
Joe will be a president who turns our challenges into purpose . ''
The Biden campaign is hoping Ms. Harris can excite young voters and people of color , especially after months of protests over institutional racism and police brutality that swept the country .
She 's known for her tough questioning in the Senate , particularly during confirmation hearings of two Trump nominees , Brett Kavanaugh for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ attorney general .
She also caused a stir by broadsiding Mr. Biden during a primary debate last summer over his opposition to busing in the 1970s to integrate public schools .
But things did n't always go smoothly .
Ms. Harris launched her presidential bid with expectations that she would electrify the field , only to see her campaign struggle to find a consistent message and fizzle months before the first votes were cast .
Some voters are paying particularly close attention to Ms. Harris because she could be called upon to step @ @ @ @ @ @ @ soon as 2024 , should Mr. Biden opt not to seek a second term .
Mr. Biden has n't expressly said he 'd serve just a single term , but he has talked about being a bridge to a new generation .
Ms. Harris said her mother instilled in her and her sister values that charted the course of their lives .
`` She raised us to be proud , strong Black women , '' Ms. Harris said .
`` And she raised us to know and be proud of our Indian heritage @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for Ms. Harris in others ways , too .
She spoke Wednesday of her friendship with the former vice president 's son Beau , who died in 2015 .
He and Ms. Harris became close while both were state attorneys general .
`` I knew Joe as vice president .
I knew Joe on the campaign trail , '' she said .
`` But I first got to know Joe as the father of my friend . ''
This story was reported by The Associated Press .
Editor ’ s note : As @ @ @ @ @ @ @ removed the paywall for all our coronavirus coverage .
It ’ s free .

Will Weissert, Kat Stafford, and Alexandra Jaffe

Kamala Harris accepted the Democratic nomination for vice president on Wednesday, cementing her place in history as the first Black woman on a major party ticket and promising she and Joe Biden will rejuvenate a country ravaged by a pandemic and riven by racial and partisan divides.
In an address capping the third night of the virtual Democratic National Convention, the California senator evoked the lessons of her late mother, Shyamala Gopalan, a biologist and Indian immigrant, saying she instilled in her a vision of "our nation as a beloved community – where all are welcome, no matter what we look like, where we come from or who we love."
"In this election, we have a chance to change the course of history," Ms. Harris said. "We're all in this fight."
Mixing a former prosecutor's polish with the deeply personal, Ms. Harris also spoke of her Jamaican father and getting a "stroller's eye view" of the civil rights movement as her parents protested in the streets in the 1960s.
"There is no vaccine for racism," Ms. Harris said. "We have got to do the work."
Ms. Harris addressed a party that has staked its future on bringing together a racially diverse coalition of voters. She was preceded in the convention program by Barack Obama, meaning the nation's first Black president introduced the woman trying to be the first Black person to hold the vice presidency. Mr. Obama said Ms. Harris was an "ideal partner" for Mr. Biden and was "more than prepared for the job."
Ms. Harris is a former district attorney and California state attorney general. She promised to speak "truths" to the American public. She said she and Mr. Biden, who tapped her as his running mate last week, believe in a country where "we may not agree on every detail, but we are united by the fundamental belief that every human being is of infinite worth, deserving of compassion, dignity, and respect."
Democrats hope Ms. Harris can galvanize their party's faithful – who are divided between progressive and moderate wings – and win over swing voters still deciding between Mr. Biden and Mr. Trump. But she also was introducing herself to a national audience that may not have been paying close attention to the race until now.
"For somebody with her wealth of background and experience, she's still fresh. She's still new," said Ohio Rep. Marcia Fudge, a former chair of the Congressional Black Caucus who endorsed Ms. Harris' 2020 presidential primary run before throwing her support behind Mr. Biden in March.
Ms. Harris spoke at a convention center in Mr. Biden's home state of Delaware that was empty except for socially distanced reporters and a few campaign staffers. She was introduced by her sister, Maya, her niece Meena, and Ella Emhoff, her stepdaughter who calls her "Momala." At the end of her speech, Mr. Biden walked out to join her from a distance and both were soon joined by their spouses.
In sweeping remarks that touched on the legacy of Black women who paved the way for this moment, Ms. Harris noted that this week marks the 100th anniversary of the 19th Amendment, which gave women the right to vote. Except that right, Ms. Harris said, came much later for most Black women, who helped secure that victory yet were still prohibited from voting.
"Without fanfare or recognition, they organized, testified, rallied, marched, and fought – not just for their vote, but for a seat at the table," Ms. Harris said. "We're not often taught their stories. But as Americans, we all stand on their shoulders."
Ms. Harris also criticized Mr. Trump, something she's expected to do frequently as she campaigns with Mr. Biden in the coming months – though in-person events may remain impossible as the coronavirus pandemic continues. She recalled her days in the courtroom when she would declare "Kamala Harris for the people," reviving a slogan from her presidential campaign, while noting, "I know a predator when I see one." She didn't mention the president by name then but didn't spare him later.
"Donald Trump's failure has cost lives and livelihoods," Ms. Harris said. She later added, "Right now, we have a president who turns our tragedies into political weapons. Joe will be a president who turns our challenges into purpose."
The Biden campaign is hoping Ms. Harris can excite young voters and people of color, especially after months of protests over institutional racism and police brutality that swept the country. She's known for her tough questioning in the Senate, particularly during confirmation hearings of two Trump nominees, Brett Kavanaugh for Supreme Court justice and William Barr for attorney general. She also caused a stir by broadsiding Mr. Biden during a primary debate last summer over his opposition to busing in the 1970s to integrate public schools.
But things didn't always go smoothly. Ms. Harris launched her presidential bid with expectations that she would electrify the field, only to see her campaign struggle to find a consistent message and fizzle months before the first votes were cast.
Some voters are paying particularly close attention to Ms. Harris because she could be called upon to step into the role of party standard-bearer as soon as 2024, should Mr. Biden opt not to seek a second term. Mr. Biden hasn't expressly said he'd serve just a single term, but he has talked about being a bridge to a new generation.
Ms. Harris said her mother instilled in her and her sister values that charted the course of their lives.
"She raised us to be proud, strong Black women," Ms. Harris said. "And she raised us to know and be proud of our Indian heritage."
The campaign is deeply personal for Ms. Harris in others ways, too. She spoke Wednesday of her friendship with the former vice president's son Beau, who died in 2015. He and Ms. Harris became close while both were state attorneys general.
"I knew Joe as vice president. I knew Joe on the campaign trail," she said. "But I first got to know Joe as the father of my friend."
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This story was reported by The Associated Press.
Editor’s note: As a public service, the Monitor has removed the paywall for all our coronavirus coverage. It’s free.


csmonitor--2020-08-20--‘People need to get the truth’: Reporters join strike in Belarus

Belarusian authorities on Thursday opened a criminal probe against opposition activists who set up a council to negotiate the transition of power amid massive protests challenging the extension of the 26-year rule of the country 's authoritarian leader in a vote the opposition saw as rigged .
President Alexander Lukashenko has dismissed the protesters as Western puppets and threatened opposition leaders with criminal charges .
Following up on his statement , the prosecutors opened a criminal investigation against the opposition activists on charges of undermining national security , and a leading opposition figure reported being threatened with arrest .
The @ @ @ @ @ @ @ criticism of the Aug. 9 vote and told its leaders to mind their own business .
The EU 's leaders on Wednesday expressed solidarity with protesters and rejected the official results of the election that showed Mr. Lukashenko won 80 % of the vote .
The EU said it ’ s preparing sanctions against Belarusian officials responsible for the brutal post-election police actions .
During the first four days of protests , police detained almost 7,000 people and injured hundreds with rubber bullets , stun grenades , and clubs .
At least three @ @ @ @ @ @ @ outrage and swelled protesters ’ ranks , forcing authorities to change tactics and stop breaking up crowds that grew to an unprecedented 200,000 on Sunday .
Protests continued Thursday in Minsk and other Belarusian cities for the 12th straight day .
After standing back for days , police again beefed up their presence on the streets of the Belarusian capital Wednesday , blocking access to some government buildings and also deploying in numbers outside major factories where workers have been on strike since Monday .
The industrial action that has engulfed major factories @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to Mr. Lukashenko , who had relied on blue-collar workers as his core support base .
In a bid to stop the strike from spreading , Mr. Lukashenko on Wednesday said that the participants would face dismissal and ordered law enforcement agencies to protect factory managers from the opposition pressure .
In another new challenge to Mr. Lukashenko , hundreds of employees of state television have gone on strike amid a rising tide of protests , calling for his resignation after a vote the opposition saw as rigged .
The journalists ' action @ @ @ @ @ @ @ control of the media , helping further erode Mr. Lukashenko 's grip on power .
Vyacheslav Lomonosov , one of the Belarusian TV employees who joined the labor action , said he and his colleagues could no longer tolerate an official ban on reporting the truth about a brutal crackdown on protests that has stoked international outrage .
“ There are people killed , raped , thousands are protesting , while they ’ re saying everything ’ s fine in the country and nothing is going on , ” he said .
“ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , people need to get the truth from TV.
” The walkout of about 300 employees of Belarusian state TV has dealt a particularly painful blow to the Belarusian leader , who has relentlessly stifled independent media since coming to power in 1994 and relied on state-controlled television and other media to shape public opinion .
The state television workers were joined by journalists from the leading daily Zvyazda , who put out a statement demanding an end to censorship .
Facing the massive protests , the government has sought to tighten controls @ @ @ @ @ @ @ days of protests after the vote , police deliberately targeted journalists from independent Belarusian news outlets and foreign media , detaining scores , beating some of them , damaging their equipment , and seizing memory cards .
Boris Goretsky , vice-president of the Belarusian Association of Journalists , said 72 journalists were detained while covering the protests .
He said that the authorities have blocked many online independent news media and denied accreditation to hundreds of foreign journalists , who have been eager to come to the country to cover the protests .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ the government turned to Russia for help to keep the state television running , and some of the striking TV employees have been reportedly replaced with Russian personnel .
`` There are reports that Russian journalists were invited to take the place of their striking colleagues , and started working on producing stories , ” he said .
Mr. Lukashenko warned members of the Coordination Council who held their first meeting Wednesday that they could face criminal responsibility for their attempt to create “ parallel power structures.
” The council called for a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ election commissions and demanded an investigation into the crackdown on protests and compensation for the victims .
The Belarusian Prosecutor General 's office said the creation of the council violated the constitution and opened a criminal inquiry against its founders on charges of threatening national security .
“ The creation and the activities of the Coordination Council are aimed at seizing power and inflicting damage to the national security , ” said Prosecutor General Alexander Konyuk .
The council members have rejected the accusations and insisted that their actions have been in full @ @ @ @ @ @ @ body consists of top associates of Mr. Lukashenko ’ s main challenger , Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya , as well as rights activists and representatives of striking workers .
It also includes the nation ’ s most famous author , Svetlana Alexievich , who won the 2015 Nobel Prize in literature .
A leading council member , Pavel Latushko , who was fired earlier this week for siding with protesters , said he had received threats and could move to Russia to avoid being arrested .
The facade of his house in Minsk was splashed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , a former English teacher who moved to neighboring Lithuania after the vote under pressure from the Belarusian authorities , met Thursday with the Baltic country ’ s Prime Minister Saulius Skvernelis , who promised to help `` achieve free and fair elections in Belarus.
” “ We spoke about these tests she faced during the election campaign and the huge responsibility she had taken on , about her life in Lithuania , personal safety , and the safety of her family , ” the prime minister said on Facebook where he also @ @ @ @ @ @ @ This story was reported by The Associated Press .
Vladimir Isachenkov in Moscow and Liudas Dapkus in Vilnius , Lithuania contributed to this report .
Editor ’ s note : As a public service , the Monitor has removed the paywall for all our coronavirus coverage .
It ’ s free .

Belarusian authorities on Thursday opened a criminal probe against opposition activists who set up a council to negotiate the transition of power amid massive protests challenging the extension of the 26-year rule of the country's authoritarian leader in a vote the opposition saw as rigged.
President Alexander Lukashenko has dismissed the protesters as Western puppets and threatened opposition leaders with criminal charges. Following up on his statement, the prosecutors opened a criminal investigation against the opposition activists on charges of undermining national security, and a leading opposition figure reported being threatened with arrest.
The Belarusian leader dismissed the European Union's criticism of the Aug. 9 vote and told its leaders to mind their own business.
The EU's leaders on Wednesday expressed solidarity with protesters and rejected the official results of the election that showed Mr. Lukashenko won 80% of the vote. The EU said it’s preparing sanctions against Belarusian officials responsible for the brutal post-election police actions.
During the first four days of protests, police detained almost 7,000 people and injured hundreds with rubber bullets, stun grenades, and clubs. At least three protesters died.
The crackdown fueled massive outrage and swelled protesters’ ranks, forcing authorities to change tactics and stop breaking up crowds that grew to an unprecedented 200,000 on Sunday.
Protests continued Thursday in Minsk and other Belarusian cities for the 12th straight day.
After standing back for days, police again beefed up their presence on the streets of the Belarusian capital Wednesday, blocking access to some government buildings and also deploying in numbers outside major factories where workers have been on strike since Monday.
The industrial action that has engulfed major factories across the country cast a tough challenge to Mr. Lukashenko, who had relied on blue-collar workers as his core support base.
In a bid to stop the strike from spreading, Mr. Lukashenko on Wednesday said that the participants would face dismissal and ordered law enforcement agencies to protect factory managers from the opposition pressure.
In another new challenge to Mr. Lukashenko, hundreds of employees of state television have gone on strike amid a rising tide of protests, calling for his resignation after a vote the opposition saw as rigged.
The journalists' action this week has shaken the government's control of the media, helping further erode Mr. Lukashenko's grip on power.
Vyacheslav Lomonosov, one of the Belarusian TV employees who joined the labor action, said he and his colleagues could no longer tolerate an official ban on reporting the truth about a brutal crackdown on protests that has stoked international outrage.
“There are people killed, raped, thousands are protesting, while they’re saying everything’s fine in the country and nothing is going on,” he said. “It can’t be like that, people need to get the truth from TV.”
The walkout of about 300 employees of Belarusian state TV has dealt a particularly painful blow to the Belarusian leader, who has relentlessly stifled independent media since coming to power in 1994 and relied on state-controlled television and other media to shape public opinion.
The state television workers were joined by journalists from the leading daily Zvyazda, who put out a statement demanding an end to censorship.
Facing the massive protests, the government has sought to tighten controls over information.
In the first four days of protests after the vote, police deliberately targeted journalists from independent Belarusian news outlets and foreign media, detaining scores, beating some of them, damaging their equipment, and seizing memory cards.
Boris Goretsky, vice-president of the Belarusian Association of Journalists, said 72 journalists were detained while covering the protests.
He said that the authorities have blocked many online independent news media and denied accreditation to hundreds of foreign journalists, who have been eager to come to the country to cover the protests.
Mr. Goretsky pointed at the allegations that the government turned to Russia for help to keep the state television running, and some of the striking TV employees have been reportedly replaced with Russian personnel.
"There are reports that Russian journalists were invited to take the place of their striking colleagues, and started working on producing stories,” he said.
Mr. Lukashenko warned members of the Coordination Council who held their first meeting Wednesday that they could face criminal responsibility for their attempt to create “parallel power structures.”
The council called for a new presidential vote organized by newly formed election commissions and demanded an investigation into the crackdown on protests and compensation for the victims.
The Belarusian Prosecutor General's office said the creation of the council violated the constitution and opened a criminal inquiry against its founders on charges of threatening national security.
“The creation and the activities of the Coordination Council are aimed at seizing power and inflicting damage to the national security,” said Prosecutor General Alexander Konyuk.
The council members have rejected the accusations and insisted that their actions have been in full conformity with Belarusian law.
The opposition body consists of top associates of Mr. Lukashenko’s main challenger, Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya, as well as rights activists and representatives of striking workers. It also includes the nation’s most famous author, Svetlana Alexievich, who won the 2015 Nobel Prize in literature.
A leading council member, Pavel Latushko, who was fired earlier this week for siding with protesters, said he had received threats and could move to Russia to avoid being arrested. The facade of his house in Minsk was splashed with red paint overnight.
Ms. Tsikhanouskaya, a former English teacher who moved to neighboring Lithuania after the vote under pressure from the Belarusian authorities, met Thursday with the Baltic country’s Prime Minister Saulius Skvernelis, who promised to help "achieve free and fair elections in Belarus.”
“We spoke about these tests she faced during the election campaign and the huge responsibility she had taken on, about her life in Lithuania, personal safety, and the safety of her family,” the prime minister said on Facebook where he also posted a photo of them together.
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This story was reported by The Associated Press. Vladimir Isachenkov in Moscow and Liudas Dapkus in Vilnius, Lithuania contributed to this report.
Editor’s note: As a public service, the Monitor has removed the paywall for all our coronavirus coverage. It’s free.


csmonitor--2020-08-20--How Florida, known for election meltdowns, nailed mail-in voting

The votes were swiftly counted , winners were declared , and by about 10 o'clock that night most of the results of Tuesday 's primary election – one with large numbers of mailed votes – were known in Florida .
Yes , Florida .
The poster child for election meltdowns , where the recount of the 2000 presidential race dragged on for 33 days until it was resolved by the U.S. Supreme Court .
Where , in 2018 , the outcomes of the gubernatorial and U.S. Senate races were up in the air well after Election Day .
Despite its @ @ @ @ @ @ @ election administration , Florida was , in some respects , a model for how to conduct an election and count the vote in a pandemic-era election .
That model is getting more attention as many states are considering adjusting their voting rules to prepare for a surge of mail-in votes and avoid a slow vote count .
One key to Florida 's performance Tuesday was state law allowing election officials to begin processing mail ballots weeks before Election Day .
That means signature verification can be done in advance , speeding up the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Roughly 1 million more people voted by mail compared to four years ago , with about three-quarters of the nearly 3 million votes cast remotely .
`` Florida 's going to be in such a great position moving forward here into the general because this is n't new to us .
We 've been doing this for a while , '' said Craig Latimer , Hillsborough County supervisor of elections , who added that one-quarter of his county 's mail voters cast ballots in person in 2018 .
In contrast , in a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ may decide the election – Michigan , Pennsylvania , and Wisconsin – Republicans have resisted loosening rules that limit the processing of ballots to Election Day or the day before .
Election officials in those states warn that may make it impossible to determine who won the presidential race there for several days .
In Michigan , a bill to allow earlier processing of mail ballots remains stalled in the GOP-controlled state Senate .
`` If the Legislature does n't act , we 're going to really be reaching the limits of what @ @ @ @ @ @ @ people and machines , '' said Jocelyn Benson , a Democrat and the secretary of state in Michigan .
A prolonged count and unsettled presidential election could create days or weeks of chaos .
Democrats are particularly worried about how President Donald Trump , who has repeatedly said that he could only lose an election through fraud , might behave in that time .
There 's already been a mixed bag of results of states that had to hurriedly shift to a mail-voting system during the primaries since the novel coronavirus became widespread @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and Wisconsin , were marred by huge lines at the few polling places that could remain open and chaos in the mail balloting system .
Others , like in Nebraska and Pennsylvania , went comparatively smoothly .
Still , voting advocates warn it 's too early for Florida to celebrate .
It 's still possible , they say , for Florida 's election system to melt down under the strain of the much-larger turnout of the presidential election in November .
`` Florida still has work to do as we head into the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , a voting rights attorney for the NAACP Legal Defense and Educational Fund .
There also were n't many nail-biters on Tuesday night .
One reason Florida elections are so notoriously drawn out is the state is so evenly divided between Democrats and Republicans , leading to many close elections – especially presidential ones .
In situations where every vote counts , the best mail-balloting system in the world may not prevent drawn out tallies that extend the uncertainty of the election .
In other words , do n't take Florida for granted @ @ @ @ @ @ @ by The Associated Press .
Bobby Caina Calvan in Tallahassee and David Eggert in Lansing , Michigan , contributed to this report .
Editor ’ s note : As a public service , the Monitor has removed the paywall for all our coronavirus coverage .
It ’ s free .

Brendan Farrington and Nicholas Riccardi

The votes were swiftly counted, winners were declared, and by about 10 o'clock that night most of the results of Tuesday's primary election – one with large numbers of mailed votes – were known in Florida.
Yes, Florida. The poster child for election meltdowns, where the recount of the 2000 presidential race dragged on for 33 days until it was resolved by the U.S. Supreme Court. Where, in 2018, the outcomes of the gubernatorial and U.S. Senate races were up in the air well after Election Day.
Despite its reputation for confusing ballot design and controversial election administration, Florida was, in some respects, a model for how to conduct an election and count the vote in a pandemic-era election. That model is getting more attention as many states are considering adjusting their voting rules to prepare for a surge of mail-in votes and avoid a slow vote count.
One key to Florida's performance Tuesday was state law allowing election officials to begin processing mail ballots weeks before Election Day. That means signature verification can be done in advance, speeding up the count and leading to faster results.
Roughly 1 million more people voted by mail compared to four years ago, with about three-quarters of the nearly 3 million votes cast remotely.
"Florida's going to be in such a great position moving forward here into the general because this isn't new to us. We've been doing this for a while," said Craig Latimer, Hillsborough County supervisor of elections, who added that one-quarter of his county's mail voters cast ballots in person in 2018.
In contrast, in a trio of key Rust Belt states that may decide the election – Michigan, Pennsylvania, and Wisconsin – Republicans have resisted loosening rules that limit the processing of ballots to Election Day or the day before. Election officials in those states warn that may make it impossible to determine who won the presidential race there for several days.
In Michigan, a bill to allow earlier processing of mail ballots remains stalled in the GOP-controlled state Senate. "If the Legislature doesn't act, we're going to really be reaching the limits of what our current system can provide both with people and machines," said Jocelyn Benson, a Democrat and the secretary of state in Michigan.
A prolonged count and unsettled presidential election could create days or weeks of chaos. Democrats are particularly worried about how President Donald Trump, who has repeatedly said that he could only lose an election through fraud, might behave in that time.
There's already been a mixed bag of results of states that had to hurriedly shift to a mail-voting system during the primaries since the novel coronavirus became widespread in March.
Some, like Georgia and Wisconsin, were marred by huge lines at the few polling places that could remain open and chaos in the mail balloting system. Others, like in Nebraska and Pennsylvania, went comparatively smoothly.
Still, voting advocates warn it's too early for Florida to celebrate. It's still possible, they say, for Florida's election system to melt down under the strain of the much-larger turnout of the presidential election in November.
"Florida still has work to do as we head into the general election," said Michael Pernick, a voting rights attorney for the NAACP Legal Defense and Educational Fund.
There also weren't many nail-biters on Tuesday night. One reason Florida elections are so notoriously drawn out is the state is so evenly divided between Democrats and Republicans, leading to many close elections – especially presidential ones. In situations where every vote counts, the best mail-balloting system in the world may not prevent drawn out tallies that extend the uncertainty of the election.
In other words, don't take Florida for granted in November.
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empower and uplift daily. By signing up, you agree to our Privacy Policy Already a subscriber? Log in to hide ads.
This story was reported by The Associated Press. Bobby Caina Calvan in Tallahassee and David Eggert in Lansing, Michigan, contributed to this report.
Editor’s note: As a public service, the Monitor has removed the paywall for all our coronavirus coverage. It’s free.