fortune--2020-08-06--Your car’s auto pilot isn’t as good as you think, says AAA

Two tests by AAA during the past two years show that partially automated driving systems don’t always function properly, so the auto club is recommending that car companies limit their use.
Researchers with AAA recently tested systems from five manufacturers over a distance of 4,000 miles (6,400 kilometers), and said they encountered problems every eight miles (13 kilometers).
Most of the issues involved systems designed to keep vehicles in their lane, but the tests discovered that many had trouble spotting simulated broken-down vehicles in their path. About two-thirds of the time the test vehicles hit the broken-down car, at an average speed of 25 mph (40 kph), according to the study.
It was AAA’s second round of tests on the systems. Researchers said little had changed from a test of four other vehicles in 2018, prompting the recommendation that automakers stop including the technology on more models.
“AAA has repeatedly found that active driving assistance systems do not perform consistently, especially in real-world scenarios,” said Greg Brannon, AAA’s director of automotive engineering. “Automakers need to work toward more dependable technology including improving lane keeping assistance.”
Also the systems, which combine control of acceleration, braking and steering, often quit working with little notice to drivers, AAA found. That could cause a dangerous situation if the driver isn’t fully engaged and has to make an emergency decision.
AAA tested five vehicles at several research centers, with drivers and instruments monitoring their performance. Included this year were a 2019 BMW X7 SUV, a 2019 Cadillac CT6 sedan, a 2019 Ford Edge SUV, a 2020 Kia Telluride SUV and a 2020 Subaru Outback SUV. Their systems have names like Kia’s “Highway Driving Assist,” Subaru’s “EyeSight,” Ford’s “Co-Pilot 360,” Cadillac’s “Super Cruise,” and BMW’s “Active Driving Assistant Professional.”
The results were similar to those found in 2018 testing by AAA of four other vehicles including a 2017 Tesla Model S with the company’s “Autopilot” system.
BMW, General Motors and Subaru issued statements saying their systems aid drivers and are not meant to be fully autonomous. Messages were left seeking comment from Ford and Kia.
Subaru said its system “is designed to assist the driver, not replace the driver, when confronting hazards,” while GM said it designed the Super Cruise system so it makes sure the driver stays engaged.
“Super Cruise undergoes rigorous testing and validation, and we continue to remain confident in the system,” GM’s statement said.
BMW said it appears the X7’s system performed as designed in AAA’s testing. “BMW requires that the driver remain fully at attention in order to intervene in the case of an emergency situation (such as a car stopped in the lane as simulated in the AAA study),” BMW said.
AAA said most owners manuals explain that the systems have trouble spotting stationary objects.
The most recent tests show that the systems aren’t improving much, even as automakers move them into more mainstream models. Brannon said that can be a problem.
People who bought systems when they first came out generally were early adopters who know more about technology, Brannon said. But as the systems make their way into more mainstream models, people who are less tech-savvy will be driving them, he said.
“People are really less familiar and less likely to really engage in understanding how the systems work,” he said. “That just assume they do work. That could be a really dangerous assumption.”
Also, research has shown that people become overly reliant on the technology, which could be dangerous when the systems don’t work, he said. Also, there’s no standardized way for the vehicles to notify drivers that the systems are disengaging. Some just have a green light on the dash, while the Cadillac’s steering wheel vibrates and a green light goes to flashing red, he said.
In real-road tests, all of the systems had trouble keeping the vehicles in their lanes, and they came too close to other vehicles and guardrails, AAA said. Test track examinations of three vehicles, the Kia Telluride, BMW X7 and Subaru Outback, found that all had trouble spotting a simulated broken-down vehicle in their lane most of the time, Brannon said.
The Cadillac system couldn’t be tested on the track because General Motors limits use to divided highways, while the Ford system also wouldn’t work on the track. But both systems had problems on real roads, Brannon said.
He said that problems with the system could slow the adoption of fully autonomous vehicles because owners who experience the driver-assist technology may not trust it.


fortune--2020-08-06--New York attorney general sues to dissolve the NRA

Analysts are honing their Q3 GDP estimates—which will be released just days before the election

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New York attorney general Letitia James announced Thursday that her office had filed a lawsuit against the National Rifle Association to dissolve the organization in its entirety “for years of self-dealing and illegal conduct” that violate New York’s Charity Law.
The NRA is the largest pro-gun organization in the United States, the NRA occasionally alludes to its “five million members” but does not release official figures on dues-paying membership. In 2018, the association reported over $350 million in revenue to the IRS, and spent nearly $10 million supporting and opposing political candidates.
“The NRA’s influence is so powerful that the organization went unchecked for decades while top executives funneled millions into their own pockets,” said James at a press conference late Thursday morning.
In her lawsuit, James asserted that the NRA had lost $64 million over three years because of rampant misconduct. Not only did top brass—including chief executive Wayne LaPierre—use money for personal profit, she alleged, they also awarded lucrative contracts to friends and family and used contracts as a way to ensure loyalty amongst former employees.
The lawsuit, which is the most aggressive form of action James can take against the organization which is registered as a non-profit in New York and therefore falls under her purview, seeks to charge the NRA as a whole as well as four individual defendants: LaPierre, general counsel John Frazer, former CFO Woody Phillips, and former chief of staff Joshua Powell.
The individuals named in the case, said James, failed to manage the finances of the NRA and failed to follow a number of state and federal laws. The gun association and its leadership, she said “fostered a culture of non-compliance and disregard for internal controls that led to the waste and loss of millions of assets.”
The suit alleges that NRA executives used funds intended for supporting their mission on private jets, lavish vacations and expensive meals. All the while, said James, they created a culture of fear for any potential whistleblower.
This is a developing story.


fortune--2020-08-06--A comprehensive guide to voting in all 50 states in the 2020 election

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This election is going to be unlike any we’ve ever seen before. That’s a given—and it’s also just about all that we can be certain of.
We’re in the middle of a global pandemic: Over 154,000 Americans have been killed by COVID-19, and the virus shows no signs of slowing its roll. The U.S. just experienced the largest drop in gross domestic product since the economic measure started being recorded, and the unemployment crisis is hitting both cities and rural America hard. People are devastated, hungry, broke, confused, ill, and unsure of what’s next. And in about 90 days they’re going to vote in a federal election, likely the most important election of our lifetimes.
But how do you hold an election in the age of COVID-19, when Americans are being asked to shelter in place or at least not gather in large groups? That’s what states are struggling to figure out, and they’re trying to do it without monetary support or guidance from Congress, in conjunction with a Postal Service that is also running out of money and intentionally being slowed down and asked to leave mail behind. State secretaries and election officials, meanwhile, are trying to make this election work in spite of a President who has diminished faith in the electoral system by making repeated false claims of voter fraud and who has threatened to change the date of the election altogether, something he doesn’t have the authority to do. This is on top of an election system that was already unsafe, strapped for cash, and falling apart (quite literally; remember the Iowa Caucus?).
It’s not going to be easy. And something that voters should keep in mind is that this election isn’t going to be centered around the first Tuesday in November as others have been in the past. It will extend months ahead of November 3 and perhaps even into the months following. Vote-by-mail initiatives and early voting begin as soon as September, and some states will probably be counting those mailed-in ballots well into the colder months—New York is still figuring out results from its primary on June 23.
There’s a lot of new information out there with many new dates to keep in mind. In an attempt to make things a little easier, Fortune has gathered voter registration deadlines, early voting dates, and vote by mail/absentee ballot dates for each state below.
At least 78% of Americans will be able to cast ballots by mail come this fall. Before COVID-19, 34 states and Washington, D.C., allowed anyone to vote absentee. Now, there are only seven states where in-person voting is the only option unless voters qualify for approved reasons not related to fear of COVID-19.
Each state’s rules regarding voting are different, but most offer some form of early voting that allows registered voters to head to polling places in the days ahead of Election Day without an excuse for voting early. Other states allow early “absentee voting” for people who know they’ll be out of the county or otherwise inconvenienced on Election Day. Voters can come in early to vote, but they need a valid excuse. In many cases, fears around COVID-19 are now considered a valid excuse.
Mail-in voting allows voters to request ballots to be sent directly to their homes. Americans can then send their votes in via the Postal Service or drop their ballots at a number of secure boxes and election offices in their district.
These dates are subject to change as states argue about best practices in real time, so please be sure to double-check any info with your local election office.
Some notes:
All times listed are in the state’s time zone, and if a state has multiple time zones, it is noted which one applies. Daylight savings time will end on November 1, so deadlines for requesting ballots and early voting are in daylight time whereas Election Day is in standard time.
Information was compiled through the U.S. Vote Foundation, State Secretary, and other government websites, as well as local news sources.
The phrases “absentee voting” and “vote-by-mail” are interchangeably used, though it’s noted when rules and dates around them are different.
In some states, like Texas, there are local elections on November 3 that are treated separately from the general election, and they have different deadlines.
Alabama
Early voting: Not available
Voter registration deadline: Applications must be received by October 19
Absentee voting: Voting by mail will be available to anyone concerned about contracting or spreading COVID-19 at the polls. Ballots must be requested by October 29, and voters must return absentee ballots by November 2 at 5 p.m.
Alaska
Early voting: Available in Juneau, Soldotna, Anchorage, Wasilla, Fairbanks, and Nome from October 19 to November 1 at 4 p.m. AKDT.
Voter registration deadline: October 4
Absentee voting: The deadline to apply for a ballot via mail is October 26, but online requests can be made up until November 2. Ballots must be postmarked, emailed, or faxed by November 3 and received in the mail by November 13. The state will send ballot applications to every voter over the age of 65; others can apply for their ballot online or via mail. Voters can cast absentee ballots for any reason.
Arizona
Early voting: October 7–30
Voter registration deadline: October 5
Absentee voting: The deadline to apply for an absentee ballot is October 30, and all ballots must be received by November 3 at 7 p.m. Voters can cast absentee ballots for any reason.
Arkansas
Early voting: October 19–November 2
Voter registration deadline: October 5
Absentee voting: Applications for ballots must be received by October 27. Completed ballots must be received by 7:30 p.m on November 3. Voting by mail will be available to anyone concerned about contracting or spreading COVID-19 at the polls.
California
Early voting: Varies by county
Voter registration deadline: Residents who wish to vote by mail should register no later than October 20. Same-day registration is available on Election Day for in-person voting.
Absentee voting: The deadline to apply for an absentee ballot is October 27, and completed ballots must be postmarked by November 3 and received by November 20. Voters can cast absentee ballots for any reason.
Colorado
Early voting: October 19-November 2, but closed on Saturday, October 24 and Sundays. Hours vary and can be found on county election office websites and in the voter instructions included with the mail ballot.
Voter registration deadline: Residents who wish to vote by mail should register no later than October 26. Same-day registration is available on Election Day for in-person voting.
Absentee voting: Counties will automatically mail all eligible voters ballots beginning on October 9. Completed ballots must be received by 7 p.m. on November 3. No excuse is needed to vote by mail.
Connecticut
Early voting: Not available
Voter registration deadline: Residents who wish to vote by mail should register no later than October 29. The deadline for registering to vote in person is November 2.
Absentee voting: The deadline to apply for an absentee ballot is November 2, and completed ballots must be received by November 3. Voters can cast absentee ballots for any reason.
Delaware
Early voting: Not available
Voter registration deadline: October 10
Absentee voting: Voters can apply for an absentee ballot via mail until October 30 and in person until November 2. Completed ballots must be received by November 3. Any voter who is at risk of contracting COVID-19, has contracted COVID-19, or fears heading to the polls because of the pandemic will be permitted to vote absentee.
District of Columbia
Early voting: October 27–November 2
Voter registration deadline: October 13
Absentee voting: D.C. will send each of its 500,000 registered voters a ballot ahead of the presidential election. Completed ballots must be received by 8 p.m. on November 3. The district is still finalizing protocol, so return dates are subject to change.
Florida
Early voting: October 24–31
Voter registration deadline: October 5
Absentee voting: Requests for mail-in ballots must be received by October 24, and completed ballots must be returned by November 3. Voters can cast absentee ballots for any reason.
Georgia
Early voting: October 12–30
Voter registration deadline: October 5
Absentee voting: Requests for ballots must be received by October 30, and completed ballots must be returned by November 2. Voters can cast absentee ballots for any reason.
Hawaii
Early voting: Some local voting service centers will open October 20 to November 3 where voters are able to cast ballots in person, ask questions, and register to vote.
Voter registration deadline: Residents can register to vote via mail or online until October 5. In-person registration is available October 20 to November 3 at local voting service centers.
Absentee voting: All registered voters will receive a mail-in ballot about 18 days before the election. Completed ballots must be returned by November 3.
Idaho
Early voting: October 17–31, though not all counties participate
Voter registration deadline: Mail-in registration must be postmarked by October 7 and received by October 21. Same-day registration is available for voting in person.
Absentee voting: Ballots must be requested by October 20, and completed ballots must be received by November 3. Voters can cast absentee ballots for any reason.
Illinois
Early voting: October 19–November 2
Voter registration deadline: Voters can register by mail until October 6 and online until October 18. There is a grace period that allows for in-person registration up until November 3, but you cannot register at polling places, only at election offices.
Absentee voting: Absentee ballots may be requested via mail until October 29 or in person until November 2. Voters who voted in either the March 2020 primary, April 2019 consolidated election, or November 2018 general election, along with anyone who registered to vote or updated their registration between March 18 and July 31 will automatically receive an application for a vote-by-mail ballot. Completed ballots must be postmarked by November 3 and received by November 17 to be counted. Voters can cast absentee ballots for any reason.
Indiana
Early voting: October 6–November 2
Voter registration deadline: October 5
Absentee voting: Applications for ballots must be received by October 22, and completed ballots must be received by November 3. Voters are permitted to vote by absentee if they are impacted by COVID-19.
Iowa
Early voting: October 5–November 2
Voter registration deadline: Residents can register to vote online or by mail until October 24. Same-day registration is also available in person on November 3.
Absentee voting: Requests for absentee ballots must be received by October 30, and completed ballots must be received by November 3. Voters can cast absentee ballots for any reason.
Kansas
Early voting: October 14–November 2
Voter registration deadline: Postmarked or submitted online by October 13
Absentee voting: Ballots must be requested by October 30, and completed ballots must be received by November 2. Voters can cast absentee ballots for any reason.
Kentucky
Early voting: Not available
Voter registration deadline: October 5
Absentee voting: Ballots must be requested by October 27, and completed ballots must be received by November 3 at 6 p.m. Voters were allowed to vote by mail in primary elections for any reason, but the rules for the general election have yet to be determined.
Louisiana
Early voting: October 20–27
Voter registration deadline: Residents can register to vote via mail or in person until October 5 and online until October 14.
Absentee voting: The ballot request deadline is October 30, and completed ballots must be returned by November 2 at 4:30 p.m. You must have a specific reason to vote by mail (elderly, clergy member, living temporarily out of state), and COVID-19 is not one of them.
Maine
Early voting: October 12–29
Voter registration deadline: Residents can register to vote online or by mail until October 19. Same-day registration is also available in person on November 3.
Absentee voting: Ballots must be requested by October 31, and completed ballots must be received by November 3 at 8 p.m. Voters can cast absentee ballots for any reason. Currently, requests for mail-in ballots must be made by phone or mail, but an online application is expected to go live soon.
Maryland
Early voting: October 22–29
Voter registration deadline: October 13
Absentee voting: Voters can request an absentee ballot via mail and completed applications must be received by October 20. Completed ballots must be postmarked by November 3 and received by November 13 at 10 a.m. Voters may vote by mail for any reason.
Massachusetts
Early voting: October 17–30
Voter registration deadline: October 24 at 8 p.m.
Absentee voting: Absentee ballots must be requested by October 28 at 12 p.m., and completed ballots must be returned by November 3 at 8 p.m. All registered voters in Massachusetts can vote by mail in any 2020 election, with no excuse needed. A vote-by-mail application will be sent to every person who was registered to vote as of July 1.
Michigan
Early voting: Not available
Voter registration deadline: Residents can register to vote by mail until October 20 or in-person at election offices until November 2. Same-day registration is also available in person on November 3.
Absentee voting: Voters can request a mail-in ballot via mail or online until October 30 at 5 p.m. EDT. Completed ballots must received by November 3 at 8 p.m. EST. During primary elections, all registered voters were automatically mailed applications for ballots, but it’s unclear if the same protocol will occur in the general election. Any registered voter may vote by mail without excuse.
Minnesota
Early voting: September 18–November 2, but days and times vary by county
Voter registration deadline: Voters can register online until October 13, and same day registration will be available on November 3.
Absentee voting: Ballots can be requested up until Election Day on November 3, and completed ballots must also be received by November 3. All Minnesota voters are eligible to vote by mail and don’t need an excuse to do so.
Mississippi
Early voting: Not available
Voter registration deadline: October 5
Absentee voting: There is no deadline to request a ballot. Ballots must be received by 5 p.m. on November 2 if submitting by mail or by October 29 if dropped off in person. Residents can vote by mail if elderly, out-of-state, or have other extenuating circumstances, but COVID-19 is not one of them.
Missouri
Early voting: Not available
Voter registration deadline: October 7
Absentee voting: Voters can request absentee ballots until October 21, and completed ballots must be received by November 3 at 7 p.m. Mail-in ballots are typically available for those out of state or who are unable to go to polling places due to physical illness. In November, this will also extend to those who have contracted or are “in an at-risk category for contracting or transmitting severe” COVID-19. That means people who are immunocompromised, live with particular chronic illnesses, are over the age of 65, or who live in long-term care facilities.
Montana
Early voting: October 12–November 2
Voter registration deadline: Registration applications must be postmarked by October 5 and received by October 8. Same-day registration is also available on Election Day.
Absentee voting: Requests for ballots must be received by November 2 at 12 p.m., and completed ballots must returned by November 3 at 8 p.m. All voters are eligible to vote by mail and don’t need an excuse to do so.
Nebraska
Early voting: October 4–November 2
Voter registration deadline: Residents may register to vote until October 16 via mail, online, or in-person at state agencies and until October 23 at election offices.
Absentee voting: Requests for ballots must be received by October 23, and completed ballots must be received by November 3 at 8 p.m. CST. Nebraska is a no-excuse state, meaning any registered voter may request an absentee ballot.
Nevada
Early voting: October 17-30
Voter registration deadline: Residents may register to vote via mail and in-person until October 6 and online until October 29. In-person registration will also be available on Election Day.
Absentee voting: Requests for ballots must be received by October 20, and completed ballots must be received by November 3 at 7 p.m. Anyone in the state can vote by mail, and Nevada will mail ballots directly to all active voters (though President Donald Trump has threatened to sue over the decision).
New Hampshire
Early voting: Not available
Voter registration deadline: Typically New Hampshire requires potential voters to show up in person to register, but those who fear exposure to COVID-19 can now request applications by mail until October 29.
Absentee voting: Requests for ballots must be received by November 2, and completed ballots must be received by November 3 at 5 p.m. if mailed and by November 2 at 5 p.m. if returned in person. Exposure to COVID-19 or fear of exposure will be acceptable excuses to vote by mail this election.
New Jersey
Early voting: Not available
Voter registration deadline: October 13
Absentee voting: Applications for mail-in ballots must be received by October 27, and completed ballots must be received in-person by November 2 at 3 p.m. or via mail by November 3. In New Jersey, any voter can vote by mail for any reason. In the primary elections, ballots were automatically sent to eligible voters, but no decision has been made about the general elections yet.
New Mexico
Early voting: October 17–31
Voter registration deadline: October 6
Absentee voting: Voters can request absentee ballots via mail until October 20 at 5 p.m. and online until October 29. Completed ballots must be received by 7 p.m. on November 3. Any registered voter can vote by mail with no excuse required.
New York
Early voting: October 24–November 1
Voter registration deadline: Postmarked by October 9 and received by October 14
Absentee voting: Applications for mail-in ballots must be postmarked by October 27, and the deadline for in-person requests is November 2. Completed ballots must be postmarked by November 2 and received by November 10. Absentee ballots that are delivered in-person must be received by November 3. New York accepted COVID-19 related illness, including fear of catching the virus, as a valid excuse to vote by mail in the primary election. The state legislature is still struggling to account for the primary’s postmark problems and has not yet decided if it will extend the rule changes into the general election.
North Carolina
Early voting: October 15–31
Voter registration deadline: October 9
Absentee voting: Ballot requests must be received by October 27, and completed ballots must be received by November 3. Any registered voter can vote by mail without an excuse.
North Dakota
Early voting: Dates vary locally
Voter registration deadline: North Dakota doesn’t require registration. Any eligible voter can show up and vote so long as they are a U.S. citizen over the age of 18 who lives in the precinct. Identification must be shown.
Absentee voting: The deadline for both ballot applications and completed ballots is November 2. Any eligible voter can vote by mail without an excuse.
Ohio
Early voting: October 3–November 2
Voter registration deadline: October 5
Absentee voting: Requests for ballots must be received by October 31. Completed ballots must be postmarked by November 2 and received by November 13 if returning via mail. If returning in person, ballots must be received by November 3 at 7:30 p.m. Any eligible voter can vote by mail without an excuse.
Oklahoma
Early voting: October 29–31
Voter registration deadline: October 9
Absentee voting: Requests for ballots must be received by October 28 at 5 p.m., and completed ballots must be received by November 3. Any eligible voter can vote by mail without an excuse.
Oregon
Early voting: Not available
Voter registration deadline: October 13
Absentee voting: Completed ballots must be received, either by mail or at drop-off locations, by November 3. Every eligible voter will automatically be sent a ballot with postage included.
Pennsylvania
Early voting: Not available
Voter registration deadline: October 19
Absentee voting: The state offers both absentee ballots for those who plan to be out of the state or are ill and mail-in ballots for voters who want to send in their application for any reason. Requests for both ballots must be made by October 27, and completed ballots must be received by November 3.
Rhode Island
Early voting: October 14–November 2
Voter registration deadline: October 4
Absentee voting: Ballot requests are due October 16 at 4 p.m., and completed ballots must be received by November 3 at 8 p.m. Any eligible voter can vote by mail without an excuse. State officials are considering sending all voters ballot applications automatically, but the decision has not yet been finalized.
South Carolina
Early voting: Early voting is available only to those with a valid absentee excuse and will take place October 5–November 2.
Voter registration deadline: Residents can register to vote in person until October 2 at 5 p.m. or via email or fax until October 4 at 11:59 p.m. Mailed applications must be postmarked by October 5.
Absentee voting: Applications for ballots must be requested by October 30 at 5 p.m., and completed ballots must be received by November 3 at 7 p.m. Absentee ballots are for those who are incapacitated, unable to vote because of work obligations, the elderly, and those who are out of their county. COVID-19 concerns are not a valid excuse for the general election.
South Dakota
Early voting: September 18–November 2.
Voter registration deadline: October 19
Absentee voting: Ballot requests must be submitted by November 2 at 5 p.m., and completed ballots must be received by November 3 at 7 p.m. Any eligible voter can vote by mail without an excuse.
Tennessee
Early voting: October 14–29
Voter registration deadline: October 5
Absentee voting: Ballot requests must be received by October 27, and completed ballots must be received by November 3 at 8 p.m. The Tennessee Supreme Court is currently hearing a case that will decide if vote-by-mail privileges will be extended to all voters because of risks associated with COVID-19, but if the lower court ruling remains law, concern over the spread of the virus will be a valid excuse to vote absentee.
Texas
Early voting: October 20–31
Voter registration deadline: October 5
Absentee voting: Ballot requests must be received by October 23, and completed ballots must be postmarked by November 3 and received by November 4 at 5 p.m. CST. If submitting in person, the deadline is November 3 at 7 p.m. CST. Only those who are out of the county, over the age of 65, imprisoned, or disabled are allowed to vote by mail. In July, the Texas Supreme Court ruled that “lack of immunity” to COVID-19 did not count as a disability and did not qualify for a mail-in ballot. The court also said that county election clerks weren’t required to investigate or question any voters who claim that they do have a disability and need to vote by mail, so make of that what you will.
Utah
Early voting: October 20–30
Voter registration deadline: Residents can register to vote online or via mail until October 23. Same-day registration will also be available in person on Election Day.
Absentee voting: Completed ballots must be received by November 3. All registered voters will automatically be sent ballots and prepaid return envelopes about three weeks before the election. If voters would prefer to vote in person, they must take their blank ballot and return envelope with them to an early voting location or Election Day location and give their un-voted, unsigned ballot and envelope to staff.
Vermont
Early voting: September 20–November 2
Voter registration deadline: No deadline
Absentee voting: Completed ballots must be returned by November 3. Vermont will send ballots directly to all registered voters.
Virginia
Early voting: Voters with an absentee excuse can vote from September 18–October 31, and voters without an excuse can vote from October 24–31.
Voter registration deadline: October 12
Absentee voting: Ballot requests by mail must be received by October 27 at 5 p.m., and in-person requests must be made by October 31 at 5 p.m. Completed ballots must be received by November 3 at 7 p.m. There are some restrictions to who can vote by mail, but concerns over COVID-19 count as a valid excuse.
Washington
Early voting: Not available
Voter registration deadline: Residents can register to vote via mail or online until October 26. Same-day registration will also be allowed on Election Day.
Absentee voting: Ballots will be mailed to all registered voters with prepaid postage at least 18 days ahead of the election. They are due on November 3, either via mail or drop-off at a number of secure ballot-box locations.
West Virginia
Early voting: October 21–31
Voter registration deadline: Must be postmarked by October 13 and received by October 16
Absentee voting: Ballots requests must be received by October 28. Completed ballots must be postmarked by November 3 and received by November 4. All voters will be able to request absentee ballots, and COVID-19 will be a valid excuse. An online portal to easily request ballots will be available on August 11.
Wisconsin
Early voting: Dates vary locally
Voter registration deadline: Residents can register to vote online and by mail until October 14, at an election office until October 30, and in-person on Election Day on November 3.
Absentee voting: Voters can request a ballot via mail until October 29 and in person until October 30. Completed ballots must be received by November 3. All registered voters may request an absentee ballot. Wisconsin will automatically send many voters ballot requests, but not all.
Wyoming
Early voting: Dates vary by county
Voter registration deadline: Residents can register to vote online and by mail until October 19. Same-day registration is available in-person on Election Day on November 3.
Absentee voting: Ballots must be requested by November 2, and completed ballots are due on November 3. Any registered voter can request an absentee ballot for any reason.


fortune--2020-08-06--How philanthropy could fix America’s broken politics

Our democracy is experiencing total system failure, unable to prevent or address large-scale problems. The latest damage: a COVID-19 pandemic that has claimed 150,000 American lives and 50 million jobs.
It is not just a failure of presidential leadership; government leaders at all levels have, for the past several decades, focused on their own reelections rather than solving long-term challenges for the people they serve.
In a now famous 2015 TED Talk, Bill Gates warned, “If anything kills over 10 million people over the next few decades, it’s most likely to be a highly infectious virus rather than a war. Not missiles, but microbes.” Yet, despite the predictable nature of this crisis, spending for pandemic preparedness has fallen nearly 50% since 2003 to a little under $1 billion a year, compared to a $676 billion defense budget.
Our government’s failure is partially our own fault, as philanthropists. While philanthropy has stepped up to respond to the pandemic in admirable ways, including $300 million from the Gates Foundation alone, many philanthropists are not addressing why our country fails from one issue to the next: our broken politics.
To meaningfully address any issue we care about, we must do more to heal our ailing democracy, not just treat symptoms of systemic problems.
Regardless of which party prevails in November’s election, the misaligned incentives between governing in the public interest and getting reelected will remain in place, absent fundamental reform. The result will be continuing political dysfunction and inability to plan for entirely predictable crises, from our changing climate to our growing federal debt.
Philanthropists who care about addressing societal problems at their root cause should make a big bet on the most under-resourced yet highest-impact philanthropic cause in America today: fixing our broken political system. We call it political philanthropy.
Political philanthropy, as a new white paper from the Unite America Institute describes, is the nonpartisan commitment of financial resources to reform organizations, campaigns, and candidates working within the political system to foster a more representative and functional government.
Political philanthropy is not about winning a majority for one party or advancing a narrow policy interest. It is about improving governance itself.
What’s broken, exactly?
Consider that over 90% of congressional seats sit firmly in the hands of one party or the other, and in these seats, the only election that matters is the primary, which averages under 20% voter turnout. As a result, a small sliver of the electorate—which tends to be the most ideological and partisan—has disproportionate control over the entire Congress.
In the last midterm election, every member of Congress who was defeated in a primary lost to a candidate who was more ideologically extreme. The message that sends to every other member is clear: If you work across the aisle to solve problems, prepare to be primaried and potentially defeated.
Political philanthropists invest resources in changing the underlying incentives of our political system by enacting reforms that can increase participation and competition in elections so that politicians are accountable to voters beyond their party’s base.
Political philanthropists also make contributions to problem-solving candidates who support election reforms and who are committed to putting the public interest ahead of partisan and special interests, especially in primary elections.
For example, political philanthropists such as Arnold Ventures cochairs Laura and John Arnold and DaVita’s then-CEO, Kent Thiry, were among those who invested a total of $40 million in 2016 and 2018 on ballot initiatives that ended partisan gerrymandering, opened primaries to independent voters, and enacted ranked choice voting in seven states. These reforms will permanently impact the elections, and therefore the incentives, of all future candidates and elected officials in these states.
Resources invested in political philanthropy provide a high return on investment. This year, local, state, and federal governments will spend $8.1 trillion of taxpayer funds; that’s 140 times larger than all charitable giving in our country. How these resources are spent matter. What government does matters.
If we want to make progress on solving any problem we care about, the share of resources being invested in improving our democracy through nonpartisan reform must dramatically increase, from about $150 million annually today to at least $250 million annually, in order to bring the growing reform movement to scale.
The main challenge with political philanthropy is that it is political. Some donors have reasonable fears about the criticism they may attract by entering the political fray. Others are dissuaded by the nondeductibility of political giving. Further, trying to save our democracy doesn’t offer any naming rights—unlike a hospital wing, museum exhibit, or college dormitory.
However, the best kind of philanthropy should optimize for impact, not expedience or prominence.
At another time of political and economic turmoil, at the turn of the 20th century, Americans overhauled our democratic institutions. Within a span of two decades, women won the right to vote, we changed the way we elected the U.S. Senate, we outlawed corporate campaign contributions, and we replaced party bosses with primary elections.
Big change can happen today, too. We, the people, must power it—and philanthropy can accelerate it.
Marc Merrill is cofounder and cochairman of Riot Games. Kathryn Murdoch is cofounder and president of Quadrivium. They are both board members of Unite America, a nonpartisan organization that seeks to foster a more functional and representative government.


fortune--2020-08-06--The missing element of Joe Biden’s VP search

As the national conversation intensifies about Joe Biden’s vice presidential selection, and as the Democratic nominee crafts his short list, we take in the news with a certain dismay. Most pundits rely on a narrow political lens: This candidate would bring this state; that candidate boasts foreign policy experience; another would appeal to law and order types, or veterans, or African-Americans, or Catholics. Those who look beyond the polls to the task of governing may look for a synergistic connection between a presidential contender and a running mate.
Candidates can crave this, too. Buddydom seemed to serve Bill Clinton and Al Gore in 1992. Candidates as different as George H.W. Bush and Donald Trump have looked for comfort level—a desire to not be upstaged, perhaps, or a “simpatico.” Biden, who did bring balance to the 2008 Democratic ticket, is said to pine for the kind of partnership he and Barack Obama enjoyed.
But in this year of historical firsts—the oldest presidential candidate, the possibility of a winning ticket with a female Vice President, the chance of seeing a woman of color elevated to the second-highest office in the land—something more important than demographics or egolessness is being overlooked. The evaluation of candidates should reflect another first: an expectation that Vice Presidents offer leadership muscle.
Leadership capacity may never be as important than today, when we are discussing so many female candidates, and so many women of color. In the face of historic distrust, disrespect, and disapproval of women as leaders—not to mention racial bias—we should be talking about women not as political pawns but as leadership powerhouses.
The recent verbal assault reportedly leveled at Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez by her Republican colleague Rep. Ted Yoho reminds us that vicious biases against women leaders persist. His “bitch” was crude and sexist; his adjective “fucking” added vulgarity.
The handful of women on Biden’s short list all bring superb credentials and work track records. But what are the specific qualities that ensure a woman’s success as a leader?
Traditional leadership characteristics are grounded in authoritarian, militaristic, bureaucratic, top-down models. Those favored today center on servant leadership, such as collaboration, integrity, authenticity, and vision, as well as social conscience and the ability to inspire. Years of studying and coaching female managers and executives, especially African-American women, show us that the key components boil down to what we call GIG: grit, influence, and grace.
Passion and perseverance are the starting points for grit. Being gritty means standing your ground and goes hand in hand with courage, conviction, and confidence. Women with grit know who they are. All of the women who are on Biden’s list have proved their grit. No woman can succeed without it.
Remember when Sen. Elizabeth Warren went after fellow Democratic primary candidate Mike Bloomberg in the Nevada debate? She pointed out that we can’t “substitute one arrogant billionaire for another,” and listed all the ways he fit the category.
On congressional committees, Sen. Kamala Harris is known for sharp, relentless questioning. She’s also known for her willingness to confront Biden, reminding him in the Miami debate, “That little girl was me.”
Influence is more nuanced than power. Being influential enables a woman to bring allies and adversaries together at the conference table. It allows a woman to strategize to resolve conflicts and to analyze multiple data sources to make sense of complex issues. She must understand the cultural and political landscape to know how to present her strategy. An influential woman is a boundary spanner, fluidly engaging in different contexts. And she is a communication guru.
Consider Rep. Karen Bass. While some of Biden’s advisers call her to be a “safe” bet, she is anything but. Bass plies her influence as head of the Congressional Black Caucus, building bridges between factions. Her power comes in creating networks that combine allies, coconspirators, and foes. And let us not overlook former UN Ambassador Susan Rice, who wielded influence on the global playing field.
Grace enables a woman to be the quiet in the storm. It merges her heart and her soul.
It shows all the traits of emotional intelligence that are prerequisites to astute leadership. Good leaders make us feel not just powerful, but hopeful.
Several years ago at a MAKERS Conference, Rep. Val Demings, then Orlando’s first female chief of police, was interviewed by Phil Donahue, who asked her to dance for the audience. (She was evidently an avid dancer as a teenager.) Here was a major player, with outstanding credentials, heading to the national stage, being asked to dance.
But Demings was all grace. She explained that she hadn’t had much time to dance lately; being the chief of police kept her busy.
Any woman on Biden’s Vice President list will need to possess such grace. First, it will help her navigate stereotypes, anger, and attacks. But more importantly, it will give us a sense of calm, unity, and dignity at a time when our country has lacked all three.
Constance Hale is a journalist. She has edited many books on leadership for Harvard Business Publishing, including Our Separate Ways.
Ella Bell Smith is a professor of management at the Tuck School of Business at Dartmouth College and coauthor of Our Separate Ways: Black and White Women and the Struggle for Professional Identity.


fortune--2020-08-06--COVID-19 testing is helping CVS Health win new customers. But can it keep them?

Even as the COVID-19 outbreak has chilled consumer spending in the U.S., it’s proving to be a boon for CVS Health, with coronavirus testing helping to buoy the drugstore chain’s soft retail business.
CVS Health said on Wednesday, when it raised its profit forecast for the current fiscal year, that it had administered approximately 2 million COVID-19 tests as of the end of July. And some 40% of people being tested at a CVS pharmacy were new customers. What’s more, most tests were scheduled via the CVS app and websites, likely spurring adoption of such tech tools, which are typically “sticky” and help turn users into loyal customers.
The company has also set up some 1,800 drive-thru testing sites and launched a new business-to-business testing program for corporations and colleges. So far, CVS has lined up 40 clients for its B2B offering and says it sees potential to grow that number to 1,000 or more.
“Those of you who have been following us for some time know that CVS Health is much more than just your corner drugstore,” CVS CEO Larry Merlo told analysts on a conference call. “And in this era of COVID, our strategy of diverse assets across health care, this triad of care where connections are delivered in the community and home and in the palm of your hand could not be more important.”
The company’s expansion of its COVID testing services comes at a time when there are widespread complaints about the length of time it takes to get tests results in the United States—a state of affairs that weakens the country’s ability to contain the epidemic. According to CVS’s website, the company’s lab partners are taking six to 10 days to process test results, and in some cases “even longer.”
The opportunity to bring in new customers through its testing programs is an important one for CVS: The company reported a 4.6% decline in sales of nonprescription drugs online and in-store during its most recent quarter, a dismal showing considering that it was deemed an essential retailer. The numbers suggest that CVS customers continue to prefer using the drive-thru to pick up prescriptions rather than go into the store, and that they are choosing stores like Amazon, Walmart, and Target over CVS, in part because of those retailers’ strength in e-commerce.
While CVS has pivoted to health insurance and pharmacy benefits management in recent years, it still operates more than 10,000 stores, meaning retail cannot be an afterthought. The company’s stores are “uninteresting, uninspiring and do not help lift customers during a time of difficulty,” Neil Saunders, managing director of GlobalData Retail wrote in a research note.
Other parts of CVS’s business fared much better: The profits of its health benefits management business soared as people put off elective procedures and other medical care because of the pandemic.
Merlo expects flu shots to be big business and indeed, manufacturers will make a record number of vaccines this year. He also said CVS would play a leading role in administering COVID-19 vaccines once they are ready.
“The environment surrounding COVID-19 is accelerating our transformation and it is providing new opportunities,” he said.


fortune--2020-08-06--Lufthansa to cut German jobs as it sees aviation slump extending into 2024

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Lufthansa sees no bright horizons in the near-term future of aviation—and is increasingly looking to cuts as a result.
The German aviation giant said Thursday that it lost €1.7 billion (around $2 billion) last quarter, despite a whopping 59% reduction in operational expenditure that it achieved by furloughing workers on government-supported pay and by cutting unnecessary expenses.
“These measures were only partially able to compensate for the decline in sales,” it said in a statement. And, with Lufthansa now predicting that the aviation slump will last into 2024, it intends to move forward with compulsory redundancies in Germany—something it says it was hoping not to do.
“The Group’s objective was to avoid redundancies as far as possible,” it said. “Against the background of the market developments in global air traffic and based on the course of the negotiations on necessary agreements with the collective bargaining partners, this goal is no longer realistically within reach for Germany either.”
Because of ongoing negotiations with various unions, it is not yet possible to say how many of Lufthansa’s planned 22,000 job cuts will take place in Germany.
A company spokesperson told Fortune Thursday that it has reached an agreement with the cabin crew staffers’ union, which the union’s members still need to approve before it can take effect. Talks with pilot and ground-staff unions are still underway.
“The negotiations will definitely continue,” Mira Neumaier, a negotiator for the Verdi union, which represents ground staff, told Fortune, adding that the union and Lufthansa will be meeting again Friday.
Verdi argues that Lufthansa’s German workers expect protection from redundancies, particularly as the airline is the beneficiary of a €9 billion bailout by the German state. It also claims Lufthansa has been stalling the talks on the issue of pay cuts, which the union says will hit lowest-paid workers the hardest.
“There has to be a fair conversation,” Neumaier said.
Lufthansa’s spokesperson disagreed, saying: “We need measures from all of our groups. We saw it’s possible with the cabin staff.”
Europe’s commercial airline sector has been hit particularly hard by the coronavirus outbreak as holiday and business travel ground nearly to a halt in March. The number of airlines to announce job cuts since then is a long one. It includes British Airways, Ryanair, and Air France, to name a few.
“No quick recovery”
Carsten Spohr, Lufthansa’s CEO, said in the carrier’s statement that “especially for long-haul routes there will be no quick recovery.”
“We were able to counteract the effects of the coronavirus pandemic in the first half of the year with strict cost management as well as with the revenues from Lufthansa Technik and Lufthansa Cargo. And we are benefiting from the first signs of recovery on tourist routes, especially with our leisure travel offers of the Eurowings and Edelweiss brands,” he said. “Nevertheless, we will not be spared a far-reaching restructuring of our business.”
Lufthansa was the first big airline to embrace a smaller-is-better stance in response to the coronavirus pandemic, announcing all the way back in early April that it would reduce its fleet size.
On Thursday, it said the fleet would see a permanent reduction of 100 planes—despite which, it still wants to offer the same capacity in 2024 that it did before the crisis hit.
“We are convinced that the entire aviation industry must adapt to a new normal,” Spohr said. “The pandemic offers our industry a unique opportunity to recalibrate: to question the status quo and, instead of striving for ‘growth at any price,’ to create value in a sustainable and responsible way.”


fortune--2020-08-06--Can startups that tackle the U.S.’s broken healthcare system scale across the world?

Hello, this is Jonathan Vanian filling in for Lucinda, who is on her much-deserved vacation.
The shiny new thing for investors: startups using artificial intelligence to fix healthcare woes.
Healthcare-related A.I. funding jumped 14% to $1.1 billion in the second quarter of 2020 from $986 million during the previous quarter, according to market intelligence firm CB Insights.
One of the biggest deals in recent months was Cedar’s $77 million round, which it landed in June. That startup uses machine learning and related automation tech to make it easier for patients to pay their healthcare bills.
He Wang, a healthcare analyst for CB Insights, told Fortune that “the biggest theme” he sees is the idea that machine learning is “automating” time-consuming tasks, like those related to billing and payments.
Healthcare firms are especially interested (and under pressure) to use automation tech “to cut costs” as the economy continues to decline, Wang said. Those firms spend a lot of money on “human capital in this space,” or the agents who act as bill collectors or the middlemen who call insurance companies regarding behind-the-scenes financial minutiae. Especially in these trying times, they want to save money by employing less people than they used to.
“Every CFO is looking to cut 10% of their cost structure in the next 10-18 months,” Wang said.
But would an investment in a startup that specializes in automating mundane tasks for healthcare firms “scale” in countries outside the U.S., where healthcare systems may be less complicated?
In Shanghai, where Wang is based, he says people can get a routine physical exam at a hospital and simply pay for the visit using their smartphone and the Alipay service app. Compare that scenario to going to the doctor in the U.S., which can entail multiple phone calls with insurance providers, tons of bills, and a general sense that even after you pay for a visit, something isn’t quite finished—there could be some sort of calculation error resulting in another bill down the road.
You could argue that the healthcare system in the U.S. is so broken, with so much wasted spending, that a startup could become a massive business simply by helping domestic healthcare firms manage their IT better. Who needs the rest of the world when the majority of the healthcare-related IT problems are here in the U.S. anyway?
But we all know that venture capitalists aren’t merely looking to fund your run-of-the-mill software business. They want to put money into a startup that will generate exponential returns—and oftentimes that means these companies need to go global.
Jonathan Vanian
@JonathanVanian
jonathan.vanian@fortune.com
Anne Sraders curated today’s Term Sheet.
VENTURE DEALS
-ChargePoint, a Campbell, Calif.-based electric vehicle charging station network, raised $127 million in Series H funding from investors including American Electric Power, Chevron Technology Ventures, Clearvision and Quantum Energy Partners. Read more.
-Taysha Gene Therapies, a Dallas-based gene therapy developer focused on curing monogenic central nervous system disease, raised $95 million in Series B funding. Fidelity Management & Research Company led the round, and was joined by investors including BlackRock, GV (formerly Google Ventures), Invus, Casdin Capital, Franklin Templeton, Octagon Capital, Perceptive Advisors LLC, Sands Capital, ArrowMark Partners, Venrock Healthcare Capital Partners, PBM Capital and Nolan Capital.
-Rigetti Computing, a Berkeley, Calif.-based quantum computing systems software developer, raised $79 million in Series C funding. Bessemer Venture Partners led the round, and was joined by investors including Franklin Templeton, Alumni Ventures Group, DCVC, EDBI, Morpheus Ventures, and Northgate Capital.
-Ginger, a San Francisco-based on-demand mental healthcare platform, raised $50 million in Series D funding. Advance Venture Partners and Bessemer Venture Partners led the round, and were joined by investors including Cigna Ventures, Jeff Weiner, the executive chairman of LinkedIn, and Kaiser Permanente Ventures.
-CloudPay, a U.K.-based cloud-based payroll services provider, raised $35 million in funding from investors including Runway Growth Capital, Rho Ventures and Pinnacle Investment Partners.
-Syntiant, an Irvine, Calif.-based AI voice command and sensor chipmaker, raised $35 million in Series C funding. M12 and Applied Ventures led the round, and were joined by investors including Atlantic Bridge Capital, Alpha Edison and Miramar Digital Ventures.
-Thriver (formerly Platterz), a Toronto-based provider of office catering, culture and wellness programs for employees, raised $33 million in Series B funding. Viola Growth led the round, and was joined by investors including Vertex Ventures Israel, Union Tech Ventures, Journey Ventures, and FJ Labs, Aleph, and Altair Capital.
-PandaDoc, a San Francisco-based document signing and contracts software company, raised $30 million in funding. One Peak led the round, and was joined by investors including M12, Savano Capital Partners, Rembrandt Venture Partners, EBRD Venture Capital Investment Programme and individual investor David Sipes.
-Crossbeam, a Philadelphia-based collaboration platform for networking with partners, raised $25 million in Series B funding. Redpoint led the round, and was joined by investors including FirstMark Capital, Salesforce Ventures, Slack Fund, Uncork Capital, Okta Ventures and executives from Partnership Leaders.
-StreetLight Data, a San Francisco-based data provider focused on tracking street activity for transportation planning, raised $15 million in Series D funding from investors including Macquarie Capital, Activate Capital, Osage University Partners and Ajax Investment Strategies.
-Dapper Labs, a Vancouver-based blockchain gaming platform, raised $12 million in funding from investors including Samsung NEXT, Andreessen Horowitz, Union Square Ventures, Coinbase Ventures and several NBA players.
-Infermedica, a Poland-based AI-based platform for doctors to triage and pre-diagnose patients, raised $10.3 million in Series A funding. European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) and Heal Capital led the round, and were joined by investors including Karma Ventures, Inovo Venture Partners, and Dreamit Ventures.
-Smalls, a New York City-based cat food company, raised $9 million in Series A funding. Left Lane Capital led the round, and was joined by investors including Founder Collective and Companion Fund.
-REDD Intelligence, a New York City-based online market intelligence platform focused on fixed income and emerging markets news, raised $5.8 million in funding. Nassau Point Investors led the round, and was joined by investors including Neil Osborn, the chairman of REDD Intelligence, and Thomas Barry.
-Orum, a New York-based platform to help financial institutions move money and predict funds availability, raised $5.2 million in seed funding from investors including Inspired Capital, Homebrew, Acrew, Bain Capital Ventures, Clocktower, and Box Group.
-clean.io, a Baltimore, Md.-based malicious ads and untrusted JavaScript blocker, raised $5 million in Series A funding. Tribeca Venture Partners led the round, and was joined by investors including Real Ventures, Inner Loop Capital, and Grit Capital Partners.
-Approve.com, an Israel-based procurement and vendor management platform, raised $5 million in seed funding led by Aleph.
-PICadvanced (PICa), a Portugal-based telecom optics and photonics solutions provider, raised €4 million ($4.5 million) in Series A funding. Verizon Ventures led the round, and was joined by investors including 200M Fund.
-Food-X Technologies, a Vancouver-based online grocery fulfillment software provider, raised $2.6 million in a follow-on grant from the Digital Technology Supercluster.
-Minnow, a Seattle-based platform for contactless food delivery and pickup, raised $2.2 million in seed funding. Elevate Capital led the round, and was joined by investors including Portland Seed Fund and LPC Ventures.
-Ceresa, an Austin-based coaching and leadership development platform, raised $1 million in seed funding from investors including LiveOak Venture Partners and Next Coast Venture Partners.
PRIVATE EQUITY
-Mercer Global Advisors, backed by Oak Hill Capital and Genstar Capital, acquired Summit Wealth Advisors, a Frisco, Colo.-based wealth management firm. Financial terms were not disclosed.
-ASG, owned by Alpine Investors, acquired extendedReach, a Littleton, Colo.-based management software provider for foster care, child and family social services. Financial terms were not disclosed.
-Tritium Partners and Terminus Capital invested in Katabat, a Wilmington, Del.-based debt collection software provider. Financial terms were not disclosed.
-Spire Capital Partners acquired DBI Group, a Lenexa, Kan.-based testing and inspection services provider for oil and gas pipelines and infrastructure, and will merge the company with its existing portfolio company ERI Solutions. Financial terms were not disclosed.
-Power Digital, backed by Periscope Equity, acquired Covet Public Relations, a San Diego-based public relations firm. Financial terms were not disclosed.
-NordStar Capital completed its acquisition of TorStar Corp. (TSX: TS.B), a news publisher, for C$0.74 per share or about C$60 million ($80 million).
-Genstar Capital invested in Sonny’s Enterprises, a Tamarac, Fla.-based conveyorized car wash systems maker. Financial terms were not disclosed.
OTHERS
-Sampo and Rand Merchant Investment (RMI) agreed to acquire Hastings Group Holdings, a U.K.-based general insurer, valuing it at £1.7 billion ($2.2 billion) in all cash for the recommended deal. Read more
-Nolato agreed to acquire GW Plastics, a Bethel, Vt.-based plastics and silicone maker, for approximately SEK 2 billion ($229.6 million).
-Harness acquired Drone.io, a San Francisco-based open-source continuous integration platform. Financial terms were not disclosed. Read more.
-Uber agreed to acquire Autocab, a U.K.-based taxi and private hire vehicle booking and dispatch software provider. Financial terms were not disclosed.
-Tencent is leading discussions to merge Huya and DouYu, China’s two largest game streaming platforms, which would have a combined market cap of $10 billion, outlets including Bloomberg report citing sources. Tencent owns stakes in both companies. Read more.
IPOS
-Rocket Companies, a Detroit-based parent company of mortgage titans Quicken Loans and Rocket Mortgage, raised $1.8 billion in an IPO, down from $3.3 billion anticipated, offering 100 million shares priced at $18. It plans to list on the NYSE as “RKT”. Read more.
-Gores Holdings V, a Beverly Hills, Calif.-based blank check company formed by The Gores Group, raised $475 million in an offering of 47.5 million shares priced at $10. It plans to list on the Nasdaq as “GRSVU.” Read more.
-Oak Street Health, a Chicago-based provider of primary care for Medicare patients in the Midwest, raised $328 million in an offering of 15.6 million shares priced at $21, above its previous range of $19 to $20. It posted revenue of $540 million in 2019 and a loss of $137.2 million. General Atlantic, Newlight, and Humana back the firm. It plans to list on the NYSE as “OSH.” Read more.
-Holicity, a Kirkland, Wash.-based blank check company led by McCaw Cellular Communications (now part of AT&T Wireless) founder Craig McCaw, raised $275 million in an IPO in an offering of 27.5 million shares priced at $10. It is targeting investments in technology, media, and telecommunications. It plans to list on the Nasdaq as “HOLUU”. Read more.
-PainReform, an Israel-based biotech focused on pain relief therapies used for post-operative pain, plans to raise $23 million in an IPO in an offering of 2.6 million shares priced between $8 to $10. It plans to list on the Nasdaq as “PRFX.” Read more.
EXITS
-Clearwater Analytics, a Boise, Idaho-based investment accounting software provider owned by Welsh, Carson, Anderson & Stowe, is considering a sale for $2 billion including debt, Reuters reports citing sources. Read more.
F+FS
-Data Collective (DCVC), a San Francisco-based venture capital firm, raised $350 million for its early stage fund Bio II.
PEOPLE
-Bain Capital Ventures added Aaref Hilaly as a partner. Hilaly was previously at Sequoia.
-BTIG added J. Rory Rohan as a managing director. Rohan was previously at RHK Capital.


fortune--2020-08-06--Grammy-winning producer Detail arrested on charges of sexual assault

Grammy Award-winning music producer Detail was arrested Wednesday on more than a dozen charges of sexual assault, authorities said.
The 41-year-old producer was held on nearly $6.3 million bail, according to a statement from the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department.
Detail, whose real name is Noel Christopher Fisher, was charged on July 31 with 15 counts of sexual assault and five counts of felony assault, the statement said. He is accused of crimes between 2010 and 2018.
Detectives submitted the case to the Los Angeles County district attorney’s office in January, the statement said. It didn’t provide other details.
“Mr. Fisher was just arrested some hours ago and I have not had an opportunity to speak to him or look at the charges. I am quite certain he will enter a not guilty plea and contest to the fullest all of these allegations,” his attorney, Irwin Mark Bledstein, said in an email late Wednesday night.
Detail won a Grammy in 2015 for co-writing the Beyonce and Jay-Z hit “Drunk in Love” and has also produced hits for Lil Wayne, Nicki Minaj and Wiz Khalifa.
Last year, a model and aspiring singer was awarded $15 million in a Los Angeles lawsuit that accused the producer of abusing and raping her.
She is one of six women, some established professionals and others music-industry newcomers, who have spoken out publicly against what they said was Fisher’s sexual aggression.
At least two, both former assistants, have filed their own lawsuits. Fisher has said in court documents filed in those lawsuits that all the allegations against him are false, and have led to his losing all work and being evicted.


fortune--2020-08-06--Why are we still talking about female candidates’ ambition as if it’s a bad thing?

Good morning, Broadsheet readers! Dany Garcia is the first woman to co-own a sports league, Black women are called to run for office in Minnesota, and—believe it or not—we’re still talking about whether it’s okay for female politicians to be ambitious. Have a thoughtful Thursday.
– ‘Too ambitious.‘ With Joe Biden expected to announce his vice presidential pick any day now, there’s no shortage of gossip and speculation about who might get the nod—and who’s rooting for whom behind the scenes.
Sen. Kamala Harris is widely believed to be a top contender, and apparently that’s a problem for some in Biden’s circles. Why? Not because they see the California senator as lacking experience, or because she and presumptive nominee differ on important issues. Nope—it’s reportedly because they think Harris ultimately has her eye on the presidential prize. In other words, she is, yes, too ambitious.
Well, here we are! It’s 2020, and we’re still worrying about women who dare show their hunger for success. The whole thing is especially silly given that Harris recently wrapped up a run for president, so she hasn’t exactly been keeping her aspirations top secret. I’d argue that every single politician in Washington has a tremendous amount of ambition, which makes you wonder: Who gets to decide how much is too much—and why is the person on the wrong side of that equation almost always female?
So it was somewhat of a relief to read Emma’s story about new research by academics Ana Catalano Weeks and Sparsha Saha. Inspired by Hillary Clinton’s 2016 run, the pair set out to discover how voters react to ambitious female politicians. And despite the researchers’ assumption that they would be cataloging how much the public disliked obviously ambitious women, it turned out that people didn’t much care—they perceived no difference between ambitious female politicians and ambitious male politicians.
But if that’s true, why the digs against Harris? It may be more about the attitudes of the insiders quoted in these stories than the concerns of everyday voters, say the researchers. “To what extent are gatekeepers sexist themselves?” Saha asks. Or, to what extent are those gatekeepers’ ideas about the voting public outmoded? “Are they taking action thinking voters will punish ambitious women? Are they really just thinking about electability?”
Regardless, it’s way past time for everyone—including the men trashing Sen. Harris in the press—to realize how ridiculous it sounds to try to drag women for possessing one of the qualities most aligned with success. As Saha told Emma: “It’s just so absurd. Of course these people are ambitious.”
Kristen Bellstrom
kristen.bellstrom@fortune.com
@kayelbee
Today’s Broadsheet was curated by Emma Hinchliffe.
ALSO IN THE HEADLINES
- Must-watch. Tune in at 4 p.m. ET today to see our colleague Ellen McGirt, author of Fortune's raceAhead newsletter, lead a discussion about Black mothers in the workforce. Ellen will join Mother Honestly and Villo founder Blessing Adesiyan, social work professor Alexis Jemal, Inclusion Nation CEO Michelle Silverthorn, Fair Play author Eve Rodsky, and Pipeline CEO Katica Roy for a session devoted to the unique challenges Black moms face at work and at home. Register here.
- Madame mayor. Hazel Chu, the new mayor of Dublin and first woman of color to hold the post, talks to the South China Morning Post about her Chinese heritage and her parents' experience immigrating to Ireland. "Hopefully, it will show other young people of different ethnic backgrounds that you can be whoever you want to be, no matter what your skin color is," she says of her election. South China Morning Post
- League of her own. Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson drew headlines for his recent purchase of the XFL—a bid that was in partnership with business manager Dany Garcia, who is also Johnson's ex-wife. Garcia is now the first woman to own a stake in an entire sports league, rather than just a team. Sports Illustrated
- Called to campaign. Four Black women, called to action by George Floyd's killing, are running for Minnesota State Senate. Candidate Zina Alston Fizer says that after she saw the video of Floyd's death at the hands of law enforcement, she thought to herself, "OK, Zina, what are you going to do?" Elle
MOVERS AND SHAKERS: The RealReal added Caretha Coleman, principal of Coleman Consulting, and Carol Melton, CEO and founder of Adeft Capital, to its board of directors. Citigroup promoted San San Chan, head of wealth management and client segments strategy and acting retail banking head for Citi Singapore, to a newly created role overseeing its Citigold Private Client business focused on retail high-net-worth clients in Asia, Europe, Middle East and Africa. Cloudera promoted head of diversity, inclusion, and learning Sarah Shin to chief diversity officer.
IN CASE YOU MISSED IT
- Fashion-forward. If Sen. Tammy Duckworth were to be chosen as Joe Biden's VP, her heightened profile could have far-reaching consequences for the disability community. She would be the most visible disabled person in the United States, and her public appearances could propel the fashion industry forward on adaptive clothing. Vogue
- A movie worth fighting for. Disney's decision to release Mulan for a $29.99 rental on Disney+, rather than waiting until a potential theatrical release is feasible, takes a highly-anticipated women-led blockbuster off the big screen. (The movie was directed by Niki Caro.) Disney says it's viewing the decision as a "one-off" rather than a new distribution model. Fortune
- Game on. WNBA players have long had their differences with Sen. Kelly Loeffler, a co-owner of the Atlanta Dream—especially after she disagreed with the league's backing of the Black Lives Matter movement. Now some players are expressing their support for her Congressional opponent, Democrat Raphael Warnock. For more on the WNBA's activism, check out this New Yorker profile of players' union president Nneka Ogwumike. The Root
ON MY RADAR
Walmart legal saga to become Netflix show starring Amy Adams Bloomberg
Searching with the mothers of Mexico's disappeared The New Yorker
Most of us only dream of being Claudia Kishi. Momona Tamada actually got to be her Elle
PARTING WORDS
"Everything that’s going on right now, if it hasn’t moved you to speak out or try to make some type of difference, then something might be slightly wrong with you."
-Megan Thee Stallion in a Variety profile


fortune--2020-08-06--The U.S. has long decried China’s ‘Great Firewall’—now it’s building its own

This is the web version of Eastworld, Fortune’s newsletter focused on business and technology in Asia. Subscribe here to get future editions in your inbox.
Donald Trump campaigned for president on a promise to build a “big, beautiful wall” between the United States and Mexico. Now, as his bid for re-election heads into the home stretch, Trump’s top diplomat is calling for the construction of another wall, this one digital, to separate the U.S. and China.
On Wednesday, U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo outlined a sweeping five-point “Clean Network” program designed to remove “untrusted” Chinese apps like TikTok, the wildly popular social media platform, and WeChat, China’s leading messaging app, from U.S. app stores.
Pompeo’s call for a crackdown on Chinese tech firms follows Trump’s vow to ban TikTok from the U.S. The president has since relented a little, agreeing the app can remain if it is sold to American owners no later than September 15—and if the U.S. Treasury gets a cut of the proceeds.
Beijing expressed outrage at Trump’s decree. Chinese foreign minister Wang Yi called it “a textbook case of bullying.” TikTok’s parent company, Beijing-based Bytedance, says it is in talks with Microsoft about a possible sale.
But Pompeo’s new measures go far beyond regulating TikTok. Taken together, they would significantly expand the scope of U.S. confrontation with China on tech issues and hasten the devolution of the global Internet into a “splinternet” of fragmented national markets.
Pompeo vowed to limit the ability of Chinese cloud service providers to collect, store, and process data in the U.S., an effort could impede the U.S. operations of tech giants including Alibaba, Tencent, and Baidu. He promised the administration would work to bar American software providers like Google and Apple from allowing their apps to be preinstalled on handsets sold by Chinese companies like Huawei Technology or ZTE, and prevent those companies from featuring U.S. apps on their app stores.
He also called on the Federal Communications Commission to revoke permission for China Telecom and three other unidentified firms to provide international communications services to and from the U.S. and urged closer scrutiny of Chinese firms operating undersea cables.
Trump officials charge that China’s tech companies aid and abet the nation’s communist rulers in surveilling and controlling citizens at home. They allege that allowing those firms to operate in the U.S. would risk the privacy of American consumers and expose American businesses to Chinese hacking and intellectual property theft.
It’s easy to dismiss Pompeo’s proposals as political theater. With less than three months before election day, Trump is sinking in the polls. Republican strategists have long argued that attacking China is one of the few campaign gambits that resonates with voters from both parties. But multiple recent polls show Americans aren’t convinced Trump would do a better job dealing with China than Joe Biden.
And the breadth and character of Pompeo’s proposal gives even critics of Chinese tech policies pause. Some worry that, in an effort to resist China’s authoritarian control of the Internet, the U.S. has become an authoritarian regime itself, aping the idea of “Internet sovereignty”—the notion that the Internet’s purpose isn’t to empower individuals and encourage the exchange of information and ideas but bolster the legitimacy of the state—that was first articulated by China.
China, of course, has erected an elaborate “Great Firewall” to block U.S. tech giants, including Google, Facebook, and Twitter, to prevent its people from viewing information Beijing deems “sensitive”—and to protect its homegrown tech firms. I wrote about how and why China built that wall in a Fortune cover story as far back as 2006. My conclusion: that China’s digital wall, much like its stone counterpart, was “beginning to crumble.”
That naiveté now makes me cringe. The Great Firewall endured and grew—and now seems to be spawning an American equivalent. Jane Li, writing in Quartz, notes that Pompeo’s “five cleans” are an eery echo of Chinese Internet reform propaganda. The Trump administration’s attempt to shut out platforms based on national origin, Li fears, “would suggest that Beijing’s vision of a fragmented, tightly controlled Internet is triumphing.”
New America Foundation’s Rebecca McKinnon, a former Beijing correspondent for CNN and expert on Chinese Internet policy, expresses similar concern to SUPChina: “If we are going to start blocking Chinese things just because they are blocking our things, then we’re just saying, ‘In order to spite China, let’s turn ourselves into China.’”
Eastworld Spotlight takes a break this week. More Eastworld news below.
Clay Chandler
clay.chandler@fortune.com
This edition of Eastworld was curated and produced by Grady McGregor. Reach him at grady.mcgregor@fortune.com.
Eastworld news
Deal or no deal?
In last week’s newsletter, Eastworld outlined how TikTok would be the next geo-political flashpoint in U.S.-China tensions. The following day, U.S. President Donald Trump declared that the app would be banned in the U.S., only for the U.S. government to backtrack from the decision and open the door to a potential Microsoft buyout of Tiktok’s operations in the U.S., Canada, Australia, and New Zealand. This deal now appears on shaky ground as Trump says he wants the U.S. government to take an unprecedented cut. Fortune
From COVID-19 hero to gene harvester
BGI Group, a Chinese giant in the field of genomics research, has become one of the world’s most key pandemic-era company, selling 35 million rapid COVID-19 test kits across 180 countries this year. But now U.S. officials are questioning the company’s ties to the Chinese government, alleging that it may be gathering and sharing the sensitive genetic data of millions of people across the world with the Chinese Communist Party. The company denies the claims. Reuters
China's space force
China is attempting the most ambitious Mars mission in human history. On July 23, the Tianwen-1 launched from China’s southeastern Hainan island in a bid to deploy an orbiting satellite, a lander, and a small roving car to collect the most advanced data from the faraway planet. The probe is set to reach Mars by 2021, and China hopes it will cement its position as a global leader in space and technology force on earth. This week, The Wire China outlines China’s outer space ambitions and how the China-U.S. rivalry in this field has echoes of the Cold War. The Wire China
Talking trade
Trade was once the center of U.S.-China tensions, and now it appears to be one of the only things keeping the relationship intact. The U.S. and China will meet on August 15 to discuss China’s compliance with the Phase One trade deal signed in January. As of now, China appears to be lagging behind in its purchase commitments, from agricultural goods to energy imports. In a move that threatens to derail the already precarious talks, U.S. Health Secretary Alex Azar announced an upcoming trip to Taiwan this week, a rare visit by a high-level cabinet official to the self-governing territory. Beijing subsequently denounced the plans. Wall Street Journal
Coronavirus by countries
Pacific Islands
There are at least 12 countries in the world that have zero documented cases of coronavirus, according to Al Jazeera. Two of them are Turkmenistan and North Korea, repressive Asian dictatorships that have likely covered up or ignored cases. The other ten are all small Pacific Island nations off the coast of Australia, small oases that have been able to live free of the virus. The largest among them is the Solomon Islands, which took a proactive approach in declaring a state of emergency in March and shutting its borders. Countries like Vanuatu and Kiribati found success deploying similarly restrictive travel measures. Yet, even as the virus itself is yet to emerge on these islands, the nations have not escaped the fallout of the pandemic. Many of the islands' economies have been pushed into recession through a drop-off in tourism and global trade. Asia & The Pacific Policy Forum
Markets and movers
Xiaomi, Baidu – India has followed its June ban of 59 Chinese apps with a ban of 47 more. The new directive is set to hit apps produced by the Chinese search engine Baidu and the Chinese phone maker Xiaomi, the top smartphone seller in India. Deal Street Asia
Kakao Games – On Monday, the gaming platform of South Korea’s top mobile messaging service Kakao Corp said that it plans to raise over $320 million in its upcoming September debut in Seoul. The Korean Herald
Tencent – The Chinese tech giant is in talks to merge China’s largest game-streaming platforms, Huya and Douyu. Tencent owns close to a 40% stake in each company, and would seek to become the largest shareholder in the combined entity, cementing its position as a leader in China’s gaming industry. Caixin
Harps Holdings Sdn – The Malaysian glove maker is weighing an early 2021 IPO in Kuala Lumpur that could raise $500 million. Malaysia produces 65% of the world's gloves, and companies like Harps have benefited from increased demand for medical gloves amid the pandemic. Bloomberg
Final figure
227
China has 227 unicorns, defined as privately-held startups valued at over $1 billion. Its total is second only to the U.S.'s 233, according to the Hurun Report’s new 2020 global unicorn index. Chinese startups also top the list of most valuable unicorns, capturing four of the top five spots, and eight of the top ten. Ant Group, the financial services arm of Chinese tech giant Alibaba, ranks No. 1, though it will likely be the company's last year on the list since it's set to debut in a blockbuster Hong Kong IPO later this year. In the report, Hurun chief Rupert Hoogewerf pointed to the outsized sway the U.S. and China hold in the global startup landscape. “The USA and China continue to dominate with 80% of the world’s known unicorns, despite representing only 40% of the world’s GDP and a quarter of the world’s population,” Hoogewerf said. “The rest of the world needs to wake up to providing an ecosystem that allows unicorns to flourish.” SCMP


fortune--2020-08-06--The economy is recovering in some states, but others remain at Great Depression–era unemployment lev

The economy is recovering in some states, but others remain at Great Depression–era unemployment levels. Why?

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Employers laid off employees at the fastest clip in U.S. history at the onset of the pandemic, with the unemployment rate soaring from 3.5% in February to 14.7% in April. But as states reopen, that rate had fallen to 11.1% by June.
While a dropping jobless rate points to an improving economy, it also makes it clear we aren’t seeing the much-hoped-for V-shaped recovery—when an economy recovers nearly as fast as it contracted.
But dig a bit deeper and it’s clear that not all recoveries are proceeding equally. They vary immensely by state. In Kentucky, the seasonally adjusted jobless rate soared from 4.2% in February to 16.6% in April, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. But as Gov. Andrew Beshear reopened the Bluegrass State’s economy, the jobless rate sunk to 4.3% by June—the lowest in the nation. That’s a textbook V-shaped recovery.
The swift recovery in Kentucky even caught its state officials by surprise. In May the state projected a $457 million general fund shortfall; however, it ended the fiscal year in June with a $177.5 million surplus. It helped that Kentucky doesn’t rely heavily on industries like leisure and hospitality that were decimated by the pandemic.
Other more rural states like Utah (5.1%), Idaho (5.6%), and North Dakota (6.1%) have jobless rates that also indicate V-shaped recoveries.
Then there are places that have seen little to no recovery. The jobless rate in New Jersey and Massachusetts were at 16.3% and 16.2%, respectively, in April. In June, the jobless rate was 16.6% in New Jersey and 17.4% in Massachusetts—the two highest rates in the nation. New York was the third highest at 15.7% in June. Those rates are on par with the Great Depression era, which saw an average of a 17% jobless rate during the 1930s.
Northeast states like New York, New Jersey, and Massachusetts were among the early epicenters of the virus and are reopening their economies at much slower rates. On the flip side, the Northeast is not seeing COVID-19 cases spike like other regions.
While states like Kentucky and Utah see V-shaped recoveries, and Northeast states barely move, there are other places firmly in the middle. Look no further than Nevada, which saw its jobless rate soar to 30.1% in April as its hotels and casinos shuttered. As it reopened this summer, that jobless rate fell to 15% in June. That is a fast recovery but still a long way to go from Nevada’s February jobless rate of 3.6%.
On Friday the BLS will release the July U.S. jobless rate, which will tell us if the resurgent COVID-19 cases in the Midwest, South, and West are pulling the economy backward. But we’ll have to wait until later this month to get the July rates on a state level.
But many experts expect to see the rate of recovery in the U.S. slow. Among U.S. chief executive officers, 42% foresee a U-shaped recovery, 26% expect the dreaded L-shaped recovery, and 23% forecast a W-shaped recovery, or a double-dip recession, according to the Conference Board’s most recent survey of CEOs. Only 9% of U.S. CEOs predict a V-shaped recovery.