vox--2020-09-05--The fight over defunding Stars and Stripes, explained

The Trump administration moved to close Stars and Stripes , a popular state-supported newspaper serving US military members , and was criticized for the plan Friday .
Shortly afterward , President Donald Trump reversed the Pentagon decision and said the federal government won ’ t cut funding to the paper .
Trump ’ s announcement came as he faced fierce blowback over reports that he ’ d called slain American soldiers “ losers ” and “ suckers.
” But it also renewed a longstanding debate over whether the Pentagon should be funding its own newspaper — while raising new concerns @ @ @ @ @ @ @ toward taxpayer-funded news outlets .
Pentagon officials sent an order to Stars and Stripes in August requiring the paper to present a plan for shutting down by September 15 , and for stopping publication by September 30 , according to a report by Kathy Kiely for USA Today .
The military leaders claimed authority to shut down the paper under Trump ’ s 2021 defense department budget request , which sought to eliminate its $ 15.5 million annual budget .
But Congress has yet to approve the president ’ s budget request ; @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of Representatives in July reversed Trump ’ s proposal and restored Stars and Stripes ’ s funding .
The Senate version of the bill did not include funding for the paper ; however , as the Military Times notes , the issue of funding the paper is expected to be taken up later by both chambers later this year .
Ahead of Trump ’ s announcement , a number of bipartisan lawmakers asked Defense Secretary Mark Esper to stop the shutdown of Stars and Stripes , arguing a savings of $ 15.5 million @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s $ 700 billion budget while having “ a significantly negative impact on military families.
” The paper has about 1.3 million readers and has been distributed to US troops since its founding during the Civil War .
Aides showed Trump news reports that blamed him for putting an end to the beloved paper , prompting him to reverse the cuts , a senior administration official told the New York Times .
This isn ’ t the first time Stars and Stripes has been on the chopping block While Trump has certainly @ @ @ @ @ @ @ as president , his administration is not the first to attempt to eliminate the paper that serves US troops .
The paper was launched in 1861 by journalists who were Union soldiers and began regular publication during World War I .
It is supported by Defense Department funding , but is editorially independent and is delivered to US troops around the world .
As the senators who wrote Esper noted , the paper has often covered issues other papers have not , including the continuation by schools on military property of in-person instruction @ @ @ @ @ @ @ consistently published work that ’ s put it out of step with Pentagon leadership , such as when it released a report uncovering internal documents that showed the Department of Defense was not only using contractors to rate journalists ’ reporting on the war in Afghanistan , but appeared ready to use those ratings to manipulate the journalists into producing more positive coverage .
Unsurprisingly , these sorts of reports have created tension between Stars and Stripes and the officials within the executive branch who have a hand in appropriating its funding .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ proposed gutting the paper multiple times during his presidency .
In recent years , those with close connections to the paper have allowed there ’ s some validity to questions over whether the paper should continue to exist .
Former Stars and Stripes ombudsman Tobias Naegele wrote in 2016 that the paper does lose money , and that there ’ s legitimacy to the argument that a print publication for troops is no longer necessary in a world in which many soldiers can get news online — including on the Stars and Stripes @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in areas with less reliable internet access — such as Afghanistan , Iraq , and Kuwait — can and do benefit from a print product crafted exclusively for them .
And troops ’ difficulties in getting news digitally may become a more common problem , Jeff Schogol , a reporter for the military news outlet Task & Purpose , told the New York Times .
“ The U.S. military as a whole is trying to reduce its electromagnetic signature , and that means service members will likely not have their phones or even @ @ @ @ @ @ @ war zone , ” Schogol said .
“ That ’ s why Stars and Stripes is still vital to keeping troops downrange informed .
The Russians and Chinese can not jam or launch a denial of service attack against physical copies of a newspaper.
” Other state-funded media outlets have faced trouble under the Trump administration Stars and Stripes isn ’ t the only news organization with a fate tied to the government purse .
The US Agency for Global Media oversees five news outlets — Voice of America , Middle East Broadcasting @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Europe/Radio Liberty , and the Office of Cuba Broadcasting — that broadcast around the world .
Trump , who has called Voice of America “ disgusting , ” nominated Steve Bannon ally Michael Pack to head the agency .
It took two years for the Senate to approve the nomination due to concerns that he would transform the outlets into a propaganda machine for the president .
But Pack took over the agency after being confirmed in June .
He quickly fired four top officials and dissolved their organizations ’ boards .
The @ @ @ @ @ @ @ over the appointment .
While the outlets did conform heavily to pro-US views during World War II and the Cold War , the Agency for Global Media now remains largely objective , with its editorial independence intended to show the US ’ s dedication to a free press .
But experts — and reporters within the agency — are concerned Pack ’ s leadership may be undermining that .
Pack , a conservative filmmaker , told The Federalist Radio Hour podcast last month that his plan is “ to drain the swamp , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ deal with these issues of bias , ” and later suggested that some journalists may be foreign spies .
That prompted a number of Voice of America reporters and editors to write a letter to the publication ’ s director arguing Pack ’ s comments “ endanger the personal security ” of VOA reporters and threaten US national security objectives .
They also claimed many executives have been dismissed for attempting to educate Pack on Agency for Global Media outlets ’ legal rights to editorial independence .
As with the funding question over @ @ @ @ @ @ @ isn ’ t the first to express frustration with Agency for Global Media outlets .
Vox ’ s Alex Ward explains : Nevertheless , Pack ’ s changes have raised considerable concern that the administration is silencing impartial voices , a concern mirrored by the announcement the Trump administration planned to get rid of Stars and Stripes .
Ancillary to these concerns is the president ’ s consistent denigration of US media , both commercial and public .
He ’ s painted journalists as the “ enemy of the people ” for years @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the Agency for Global Media outlets and Stars and Stripes have been able to survive .
And when Congress resumes session , it is likely Stars and Stripes will receive the funding Trump has promised .
Both Republican and Democratic lawmakers have signaled support for the news organizations , with Trump ally Sen. Lindsey Graham ( R-SC ) telling Esper in August , “ as a veteran who has served overseas , I know the value that the Stars and Stripes brings to its readers.
” Help keep Vox free for all Millions @ @ @ @ @ @ @ what ’ s happening in the news , from the coronavirus crisis to a racial reckoning to what is , quite possibly , the most consequential presidential election of our lifetimes .
Our mission has never been more vital than it is in this moment : to empower you through understanding .
But our distinctive brand of explanatory journalism takes resources — particularly during a pandemic and an economic downturn .
Even when the economy and the news advertising market recovers , your support will be a critical part of sustaining our resource-intensive @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of an increasingly chaotic world .
Contribute today from as little as $ 3 .

The Trump administration moved to close Stars and Stripes, a popular state-supported newspaper serving US military members, and was criticized for the plan Friday. Shortly afterward, President Donald Trump reversed the Pentagon decision and said the federal government won’t cut funding to the paper.
Trump’s announcement came as he faced fierce blowback over reports that he’d called slain American soldiers “losers” and “suckers.” But it also renewed a long-standing debate over whether the Pentagon should be funding its own newspaper — while raising new concerns about the Trump administration’s approach toward taxpayer-funded news outlets.
Pentagon officials sent an order to Stars and Stripes in August requiring the paper to present a plan for shutting down by September 15 and for stopping publication by September 30, according to a report by Kathy Kiely for USA Today. The military leaders claimed authority to shut down the paper under Trump’s 2021 defense department budget request, which sought to eliminate its $15.5 million annual budget.
But Congress has yet to approve the president’s budget request; an appropriations bill that passed the House of Representatives in July reversed Trump’s proposal and restored Stars and Stripes’s funding. The Senate version of the bill did not include funding for the paper; however, as the Military Times notes, the issue of funding the paper is expected to be taken up by both chambers later this year.
Ahead of Trump’s announcement, a number of bipartisan lawmakers asked Defense Secretary Mark Esper to stop the shutdown of Stars and Stripes, arguing a savings of $15.5 million would have little impact on the department’s $700 billion budget while having “a significantly negative impact on military families.” The paper has about 1.3 million readers and has been distributed to US troops since its founding during the Civil War.
Aides showed Trump news reports that blamed him for putting an end to the beloved paper, prompting him to reverse the cuts, a senior administration official told the New York Times.
This isn’t the first time Stars and Stripes has been on the chopping block
While Trump has certainly expressed animosity toward journalists during his time as president, his administration is not the first to attempt to eliminate the paper that serves US troops.
The paper was launched in 1861 by journalists who were Union soldiers and began regular publication during World War I. It is supported by Defense Department funding, but it is editorially independent and is delivered to US troops around the world. As the senators who wrote Esper noted, the paper has often covered issues other papers have not, including the continuation by schools on military property of in-person instruction despite the pandemic.
It has also consistently published work that’s put it out of step with Pentagon leadership, such as when it released a report uncovering internal documents that showed the Department of Defense was not only using contractors to rate journalists’ reporting on the war in Afghanistan, but appeared ready to use those ratings to manipulate the journalists into producing more positive coverage.
Unsurprisingly, these sorts of reports have created tension between Stars and Stripes and the officials within the executive branch who have a hand in appropriating its funding. Former President Barack Obama’s administration proposed gutting the paper multiple times during his presidency.
In recent years, those with close connections to the paper have allowed there’s some validity to questions over whether the paper should continue to exist. Former Stars and Stripes ombudsman Tobias Naegele wrote in 2016 that the paper does lose money, and that there’s legitimacy to the argument that a print publication for troops is no longer necessary in a world in which many soldiers can get news online — including on the Stars and Stripes website.
But Naegele also said troops in areas with less reliable internet access — such as Afghanistan, Iraq, and Kuwait — can and do benefit from a print product crafted exclusively for them.
And troops’ difficulties in getting news digitally may become a more common problem, Jeff Schogol, a reporter for the military news outlet Task & Purpose, told the New York Times.
“The U.S. military as a whole is trying to reduce its electromagnetic signature, and that means service members will likely not have their phones or even access to the internet while in a war zone,” Schogol said. “That’s why Stars and Stripes is still vital to keeping troops downrange informed. The Russians and Chinese cannot jam or launch a denial of service attack against physical copies of a newspaper.”
Other state-funded media outlets have faced trouble under the Trump administration
Stars and Stripes isn’t the only news organization with a fate tied to the government purse. The US Agency for Global Media oversees five news outlets — Voice of America, Middle East Broadcasting, Radio Free Asia, Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, and the Office of Cuba Broadcasting — that broadcast around the world.
Trump, who has called Voice of America “disgusting,” nominated Steve Bannon ally Michael Pack to head the agency. It took two years for the Senate to approve the nomination due to concerns that he would transform the outlets into a propaganda machine for the president.
But Pack took over the agency after being confirmed in June. He quickly fired four top officials and dissolved their organizations’ boards. The remaining leaders of Voice of America resigned over the appointment.
While the outlets did conform heavily to pro-US views during World War II and the Cold War, the Agency for Global Media now remains largely objective, with its editorial independence intended to show the US’s dedication to a free press. But experts — and reporters within the agency — are concerned Pack’s leadership may be undermining that.
Pack, a conservative filmmaker, told The Federalist Radio Hour podcast last month that his plan is “to drain the swamp, to root out corruption, and to deal with these issues of bias,” and later suggested that some journalists may be foreign spies.
That prompted a number of Voice of America reporters and editors to write a letter to the publication’s director arguing Pack’s comments “endanger the personal security” of VOA reporters and threaten US national security objectives. They also claimed many executives have been dismissed for attempting to educate Pack on Agency for Global Media outlets’ legal rights to editorial independence.
As with the funding question over Stars and Stripes, the Trump administration isn’t the first to express frustration with Agency for Global Media outlets. Vox’s Alex Ward explains:
Pack has a point when he says his agency has problems, many of which have been previously highlighted by Democrats such as Hillary Clinton. A recent controversy last month included a video made by Voice of America’s Urdu service which many (including Pack) said looked more like a pro-Biden political ad than a news piece, leading the CEO to remove multiple contractors and editors involved with the production.
Nevertheless, Pack’s changes have raised considerable concern that the administration is silencing impartial voices, a concern mirrored by the announcement the Trump administration planned to get rid of Stars and Stripes. Ancillary to these concerns is the president’s consistent denigration of US media, both commercial and public. He’s painted journalists as the “enemy of the people” for years.
Thus far, however, both the Agency for Global Media outlets and Stars and Stripes have been able to survive. And when Congress resumes session, it is likely Stars and Stripes will receive the funding Trump has promised. Both Republican and Democratic lawmakers have signaled support for the news organizations, with Trump ally Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-SC) telling Esper in August, “as a veteran who has served overseas, I know the value that the Stars and Stripes brings to its readers.”


vox--2020-09-05--Trump eliminates federal anti-racism training, calling it “a sickness”

President Donald Trump directed federal agencies Friday to end diversity training programs , calling them on Saturday “ a sickness that can not be allowed to continue.
” Trump ’ s decision to eliminate the anti-racism training — featuring “ critical race theory ” and discussions of “ white privilege , ” according to the directive — comes amid a nationwide reckoning on racial injustice the president has firmly opposed .
The change was announced in a memo sent to the heads of federal agencies from Russell Vought , director of the Office of Management and Budget .
Vought wrote @ @ @ @ @ @ @ learning federal agencies are spending millions of dollars training employees in “ divisive , anti-American propaganda.
” Those trainings taught workers that “ virtually all White people contribute to racism ” or benefit from it , the memo claims , adding that some of the trainings have stated there is “ racism embedded in the belief that America is the land of opportunity or the belief that the most qualified person should receive a job.
” These teachings “ engender division and resentment ” within the federal workforce and contradict the “ fundamental @ @ @ @ @ @ @ claimed , adding that is why Trump has asked him to stop “ these divisive , un-American propaganda training sessions.
” The memo repeatedly cites “ press reports ” as having illuminated the substance of the trainings .
While it doesn ’ t identify what those reports are , a New York Post opinion piece on the subject was published Tuesday and picked up by Fox News , which the president watches almost religiously .
Agencies have been told to begin identifying trainings related to critical race theory or white privilege , as @ @ @ @ @ @ @ US is “ an inherently racist or evil country ” or “ that any race or ethnicity is inherently racist or evil , ” and to investigate ways to end their contracts with those providing the instruction .
Following reporting on the memo , Vought tweeted , “ the days of taxpayer funded indoctrination trainings that sow division and racism are over.
” Trump , too , celebrated the decision on Twitter , highlighting the positive reactions of some supporters through retweets , and by asking people to “ report any sightings ” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ quickly extinguish !
” The decision is particularly salient , given that it comes amid one of the largest civil rights movements in American history , which has seen ongoing anti-racism protests that have sparked conversations about racial inequities in a number of industries .
Critical race theory aims to examine the systemic racism people are currently protesting Trump ’ s decision seeks to root out trainings on critical race theory , framing it as an insidious idea that conceptualizes white people and institutions as inherently racist .
This is not accurate , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ school of thought that examines how race and racism is perpetuated through existing legal and cultural systems .
It supposes that examining and critiquing social institutions — and creating spaces for people of color to share their experiences — can help create a fairer world .
Examining the advantages white people enjoy in social , economic , and political areas ( also known as white privilege ) is a part of understanding and challenging those systems .
But the Trump administration has long pushed back on that concept , which has been thrown @ @ @ @ @ @ @ with racial fault lines exposed by the coronavirus pandemic — which has disproportionately killed people of color — and continued shootings of Black people by police .
Trump has said the Black Lives Matter movement is a “ symbol of hate ” and has called those protesting police brutality “ thugs.
” He ’ s threatened to end protests by sending US troops into American cities , saying ongoing anti-racism protests amount to “ domestic terror.
” Throughout his presidency , Trump has vehemently opposed protesters ’ and officials ’ efforts to take @ @ @ @ @ @ @ promote a “ law and order ” campaign message that has included a racist dog whistle pledge to protect “ suburban housewives ” from “ inner city ” crime .
And the president has consistently declined to condemn brazenly racist comments or actions .
For instance , when a supporter in a retirement community was filmed shouting “ white power ” while driving a golf cart bedecked with Trump memorabilia in June , he retweeted it .
Amid the pandemic , he ’ s called the coronavirus the “ Chinese virus ” and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ his critics say has been connected to an increase in racist slurs and jokes against Asian Americans .
He ’ s recently resurfaced birther conspiracy theories against Democratic vice presidential candidate Sen. Kamala Harris that echo the lies he repeatedly spread about former President Barack Obama .
The American public has responded in kind .
Around half of Americans say the president has made race relations in the country worse since he took office , according to a Pew study — a number that has remained fairly steady since the start of Trump @ @ @ @ @ @ @ also found confusion , as well as a deep partisan divide , over what the ongoing anti-racism protests are about .
Despite Vought claiming otherwise , it is these sorts of divisions that diversity trainings — including those that feature critical race theory — are meant to bridge .
Help keep Vox free for all Millions turn to Vox each month to understand what ’ s happening in the news , from the coronavirus crisis to a racial reckoning to what is , quite possibly , the most consequential presidential election of our @ @ @ @ @ @ @ more vital than it is in this moment : to empower you through understanding .
But our distinctive brand of explanatory journalism takes resources — particularly during a pandemic and an economic downturn .
Even when the economy and the news advertising market recovers , your support will be a critical part of sustaining our resource-intensive work , and helping everyone make sense of an increasingly chaotic world .
Contribute today from as little as $ 3 .

President Donald Trump directed federal agencies Friday to end diversity training programs, calling them on Saturday “a sickness that cannot be allowed to continue.”
Trump’s decision to eliminate the anti-racism training — featuring “critical race theory” and discussions of “white privilege,” according to the directive — comes amid a nationwide reckoning on racial injustice the president has firmly opposed.
The change was announced in a memo sent to the heads of federal agencies from Russell Vought, director of the Office of Management and Budget. Vought wrote that Trump ordered the sessions canceled after learning federal agencies are spending millions of dollars training employees in “divisive, anti-American propaganda.”
Those trainings taught workers that “virtually all White people contribute to racism” or benefit from it, the memo claims, adding that some of the trainings have stated there is “racism embedded in the belief that America is the land of opportunity or the belief that the most qualified person should receive a job.”
These teachings “engender division and resentment” within the federal workforce and contradict the “fundamental beliefs” of the nation, Vought claimed, adding that is why Trump has asked him to stop “these divisive, un-American propaganda training sessions.”
The memo repeatedly cites “press reports” as having illuminated the substance of the trainings. While it doesn’t identify what those reports are, a New York Post opinion piece on the subject was published Tuesday and picked up by Fox News, which the president watches almost religiously.
Agencies have been told to begin identifying trainings related to critical race theory or white privilege, as well as any training that suggests the US is “an inherently racist or evil country” or “that any race or ethnicity is inherently racist or evil,” and to investigate ways to end their contracts with those providing the instruction.
Following reporting on the memo, Vought tweeted, “the days of taxpayer funded indoctrination trainings that sow division and racism are over.” Trump, too, celebrated the decision on Twitter, highlighting the positive reactions of some supporters through retweets, and by asking people to “report any sightings” of the trainings “so we can quickly extinguish!”
Trump Orders Purge of ‘Critical Race Theory‘ from Federal Agencies https://t.co/ygXcTXRHsQ via @BreitbartNews This is a sickness that cannot be allowed to continue. Please report any sightings so we can quickly extinguish! — Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) September 5, 2020
The decision is particularly salient, given that it comes amid one of the largest civil rights movements in American history, which has seen ongoing anti-racism protests that have sparked conversations about racial inequities in a number of industries.
Critical race theory aims to examine the systemic racism people are currently protesting
Trump’s decision seeks to root out trainings on critical race theory, framing it as an insidious idea that conceptualizes white people and institutions as inherently racist. This is not accurate, however.
Critical race theory is a school of thought that examines how race and racism is perpetuated through existing legal and cultural systems. It supposes that examining and critiquing social institutions — and creating spaces for people of color to share their experiences — can help create a fairer world. Examining the advantages white people enjoy in social, economic, and political areas (also known as white privilege) is a part of understanding and challenging those systems.
But the Trump administration has long pushed back on that concept, which has been thrown into the spotlight as the US grapples with racial fault lines exposed by the coronavirus pandemic — which has disproportionately killed people of color — and continued shootings of Black people by police.
Trump has said the Black Lives Matter movement is a “symbol of hate” and has called those protesting police brutality “thugs.” He’s threatened to end protests by sending US troops into American cities, saying ongoing anti-racism protests amount to “domestic terror.”
Throughout his presidency, Trump has vehemently opposed protesters’ and officials’ efforts to take down Confederate statues and has begun to promote a “law and order” campaign message that has included a racist dog whistle pledge to protect “suburban housewives” from “inner city” crime.
And the president has consistently declined to condemn brazenly racist comments or actions. For instance, when a supporter in a retirement community was filmed shouting “white power” while driving a golf cart bedecked with Trump memorabilia in June, he retweeted it.
Amid the pandemic, he’s called the coronavirus the “Chinese virus” and the “kung flu,” which his critics say has been connected to an increase in racist slurs and jokes against Asian Americans. He’s recently resurfaced birther conspiracy theories against Democratic vice presidential candidate Sen. Kamala Harris that echo the lies he repeatedly spread about former President Barack Obama.
The American public has responded in kind. Around half of Americans say the president has made race relations in the country worse since he took office, according to a Pew study — a number that has remained fairly steady since the start of Trump’s tenure. And Pew has also found confusion, as well as a deep partisan divide, over what the ongoing anti-racism protests are about.
Despite Vought claiming otherwise, it is these sorts of divisions that diversity trainings — including those that feature critical race theory — are meant to bridge.


vox--2020-09-05--The Black lives that don’t make headlines still matter

On August 31 , Dijon Kizzee , a Black man , was shot and killed as he fled from police in Los Angeles , California .
On September 2 , new video emerged of Daniel Prude , a Black man , being suffocated with a “ spit hood ” by police in Rochester , New York , earlier this spring .
On August 18 , Adrian Jason Roberts , a mentally ill Black Army veteran , was killed by police serving Roberts an involuntary commitment order in Cumberland County , North Carolina .
Since March 13 and the tragic killing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Louisville , Kentucky , the police have killed 83 Black people , according to the Washington Post .
Other organizations put the total even higher : The Mapping Police Violence database notes more than 100 Black people killed by police since March 13 .
More than likely , these deaths will usher in no legal reckoning .
According to the Mapping Police Violence database , “ 99 percent of killings by police from 2013-2019 have not resulted in officers being charged with a crime.
” It is this slow , steady drip of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , activists , and their allies to protest in the streets .
“ So many people have reached out to me , telling me they ’ re sorry that this happened to my family , ” Letetra Wideman , Jacob Blake ’ s sister , said during a press conference last week .
“ Well , don ’ t be sorry .
Because this has been happening to my family for a long time .
Longer than I can account for .
It happened to Emmett Till .
Emmett Till is my family @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
This has been happening to my family .
And I ’ ve shed tears for every single one of these people that it ’ s happened to .
This is nothing new .
I ’ m not sad .
I ’ m not sorry .
I ’ m angry .
And I ’ m tired.
” Independent of the news cycle , Black people are disproportionately killed by the police According to the Washington Post , which won a Pulitzer for creating the first nationwide tracker of police killings , “ the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ by police is more than twice as high as the rate for white Americans.
” Yes , more white Americans are killed by police in total each year , but Black Americans , who make up less than 13 percent of the US population , represent 24 percent of those shot and killed by police , according to the Post ’ s database .
Additionally , the Post notes that the number of people the police kill annually holds steady .
“ Police nationwide have shot and killed almost the same number of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ The Post began its project , ” the Fatal Force project reads .
“ Probability theory may offer an explanation .
It holds that the quantity of rare events in huge populations tends to remain stable absent major societal changes , such as a fundamental shift in police culture or extreme restrictions on gun ownership.
” In other words , the high probability of steady and disproportionate Black death is why racial justice activists have to take to the streets to fight for major societal changes : to break the cycle .
For @ @ @ @ @ @ @ legislation like the Breathe Act aims to solve problems like excessive policing and insufficient social welfare programs in Black communities .
And in addition to issues like the ubiquity of guns and violent police culture , scholars also note racialized poverty as a driver of disparities in police killings .
Inequality exacerbates racialized police killings but doesn ’ t explain the gap entirely According to a 2020 analysis by the People ’ s Policy Project based on census poverty data and the Fatal Encounters police killing database , across all races , the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , the higher the police killing rate in the community .
NYU School of Medicine ’ s Justin Feldman , lead researcher on the project , found that “ rates of police killings increase in tandem with census tract poverty for the overall population , and within the white , Black , and Latino populations.
” “ For the overall population , the rate of police killings increased as census tract poverty increased , ” Feldman ’ s report found .
For the poorest Americans , there were 6.4 police killings per million @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the richest Americans .
That means you are three times more likely to be killed by police if you are poor than if you are rich .
This trend is particularly disturbing once you account for the racial stratification of American poverty .
While a plurality of white Americans live in the country ’ s least-poor neighborhoods , a plurality of Black Americans live in the country ’ s poorest neighborhoods , exposing them to a heightened threat of police fatalities .
Black people in poor neighborhoods had the highest rate of killings @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the report .
At 12.3 per million , it is nearly double the national rate for police killings in the highest poverty neighborhoods .
Yet even after accounting for racial economic stratification , the study estimates that Black Americans ’ disproportionate poverty only accounts for about 30 percent of the disparity in police deaths , with researchers suggesting that race-based discrimination likely fuels much of the gap .
In total , the combination of omnipresent guns , the racial nature of American poverty , the violent culture of policing , and the persistence @ @ @ @ @ @ @ produces deaths like those of Breonna Taylor , Atatiana Jefferson , Rayshard Brooks , and many others .
Barring a massive policy shift , the racialized police killings and the unrest they spur will likely continue unabated .
Help keep Vox free for all Millions turn to Vox each month to understand what ’ s happening in the news , from the coronavirus crisis to a racial reckoning to what is , quite possibly , the most consequential presidential election of our lifetimes .
Our mission has never been more vital than it @ @ @ @ @ @ @ you through understanding .
But our distinctive brand of explanatory journalism takes resources — particularly during a pandemic and an economic downturn .
Even when the economy and the news advertising market recovers , your support will be a critical part of sustaining our resource-intensive work , and helping everyone make sense of an increasingly chaotic world .
Contribute today from as little as $ 3 .

On August 31, Dijon Kizzee, a Black man, was shot and killed as he fled from police in Los Angeles, California. On September 2, new video emerged of Daniel Prude, a Black man, being suffocated with a “spit hood” by police in Rochester, New York, earlier this spring. On August 18, Adrian Jason Roberts, a mentally ill Black Army veteran, was killed by police serving Roberts an involuntary commitment order in Cumberland County, North Carolina.
Since March 13 and the tragic killing of Breonna Taylor in her home in Louisville, Kentucky, the police have killed 83 Black people, according to the Washington Post. Other organizations put the total even higher: The Mapping Police Violence database notes more than 100 Black people killed by police since March 13.
More than likely, these deaths will usher in no legal reckoning. According to the Mapping Police Violence database, “99 percent of killings by police from 2013-2019 have not resulted in officers being charged with a crime.” It is this slow, steady drip of police killings that ultimately drives Black families, activists, and their allies to protest in the streets.
“So many people have reached out to me, telling me they’re sorry that this happened to my family,” Letetra Wideman, Jacob Blake’s sister, said during a press conference last week. “Well, don’t be sorry. Because this has been happening to my family for a long time. Longer than I can account for. It happened to Emmett Till. Emmett Till is my family. Philando, Mike Brown. Sandra. This has been happening to my family. And I’ve shed tears for every single one of these people that it’s happened to. This is nothing new. I’m not sad. I’m not sorry. I’m angry. And I’m tired.”
Independent of the news cycle, Black people are disproportionately killed by the police
According to the Washington Post, which won a Pulitzer for creating the first nationwide tracker of police killings, “the rate at which Black Americans are killed by police is more than twice as high as the rate for white Americans.”
Yes, more white Americans are killed by police in total each year, but Black Americans, who make up less than 13 percent of the US population, represent 24 percent of those shot and killed by police, according to the Post’s database.
Additionally, the Post notes that the number of people the police kill annually holds steady.
“Police nationwide have shot and killed almost the same number of people annually — nearly 1,000 — since The Post began its project,” the Fatal Force project reads. “Probability theory may offer an explanation. It holds that the quantity of rare events in huge populations tends to remain stable absent major societal changes, such as a fundamental shift in police culture or extreme restrictions on gun ownership.”
In other words, the high probability of steady and disproportionate Black death is why racial justice activists have to take to the streets to fight for major societal changes: to break the cycle. For example, the Movement for Black Lives-sponsored legislation like the Breathe Act aims to solve problems like excessive policing and insufficient social welfare programs in Black communities. And in addition to issues like the ubiquity of guns and violent police culture, scholars also note racialized poverty as a driver of disparities in police killings.
Inequality exacerbates racialized police killings but doesn’t explain the gap entirely
According to a 2020 analysis by the People’s Policy Project based on census poverty data and the Fatal Encounters police killing database, across all races, the higher the poverty rate of the neighborhood, the higher the police killing rate in the community. NYU School of Medicine’s Justin Feldman, lead researcher on the project, found that “rates of police killings increase in tandem with census tract poverty for the overall population, and within the white, Black, and Latino populations.”
“For the overall population, the rate of police killings increased as census tract poverty increased,” Feldman’s report found. For the poorest Americans, there were 6.4 police killings per million, compared with 1.8 per million for the richest Americans. That means you are three times more likely to be killed by police if you are poor than if you are rich.
This trend is particularly disturbing once you account for the racial stratification of American poverty. While a plurality of white Americans live in the country’s least-poor neighborhoods, a plurality of Black Americans live in the country’s poorest neighborhoods, exposing them to a heightened threat of police fatalities.
Black people in poor neighborhoods had the highest rate of killings by police of any demographic measured in the report. At 12.3 per million, it is nearly double the national rate for police killings in the highest poverty neighborhoods.
Yet even after accounting for racial economic stratification, the study estimates that Black Americans’ disproportionate poverty only accounts for about 30 percent of the disparity in police deaths, with researchers suggesting that race-based discrimination likely fuels much of the gap.
In total, the combination of omnipresent guns, the racial nature of American poverty, the violent culture of policing, and the persistence of anti-Black racism form a system that produces deaths like those of Breonna Taylor, Atatiana Jefferson, Rayshard Brooks, and many others. Barring a massive policy shift, the racialized police killings and the unrest they spur will likely continue unabated.


vox--2020-09-07--How to vote by mail in 2020

How to vote by mail in 2020

Vox answers your biggest questions about the 2020 US presidential election , which could be one of the most consequential of our lifetimes .
Like just about every other facet of life in America , Election Day is going to look a little bit different in 2020 .
Though voters will still go to the polls , at least in most states , a record number of people are expected to vote by mail from the comfort of their homes .
But while in a normal election you probably just need to know two dates — when to register to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ election is — there are a few more to keep track of if you plan to vote by mail this November .
Vox is here to help .
First , make sure you ’ re registered — some states ’ relevant deadlines are as early as October 4 ( many have later deadlines if you are voting in person ) .
Then you should know what types of voting your state allows , and where it falls on the spectrum of making it easy ( or hard ) for voters to cast their @ @ @ @ @ @ @ few states conduct their elections solely through the mail , the vast majority of American states and territories have expanded absentee voting during the pandemic to permit any voter to cast a ballot by mail .
Some , however , still have strict requirements for who can get an absentee ballot .
Specifically , most states require that you submit an absentee ballot request ( absentee voting is functionally the same thing as mail-in voting , despite what President Donald Trump may say ) .
Then it ’ s a good idea to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to show up , and of course when you need to return it so that it ’ s counted .
For ballot requests and/or returns , remember the relevant deadline may be for receipt , not postmarking .
Treat the deadlines with extreme caution , though : The USPS warned 46 states and the District of Columbia in late July this year that the anticipated surge of absentee voting could be such that some ballots arrive too late to be counted .
What ’ s more , Trump ’ s unfounded animus against @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Postal Service could make things even harder .
None of that is to dissuade you from voting by mail , but it should underscore the critical importance of requesting your ballot early and voting early .
Some more words of warning : The rules aren ’ t totally settled in some places .
And there are a lot of active lawsuits over state election laws right now , some of which are trying to make it easier to vote absentee and others that are trying to cut back on it .
It ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ with your local elections office about deadlines and rules that may vary by county ; rules for military and overseas voters vary , too .
Finally , be sure to fill out and seal your ballot carefully , as it may be rejected if it ’ s missing a requirement like a matching signature .
In several states , certification by a witness or notary may be required .
If you ’ re not sure how you plan to vote — in many states , early in-person voting is also an option , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a secure ballot dropbox !
— then Vox ’ s Jen Kirby has the comprehensive voting guide for you .
( And in Maryland , at least , you may want to stick to an absentee ballot if you request it . )
But if you are planning to vote by mail , Vox has collected the dates you need to know — deadlines to register to vote ( if you want to vote by mail ) , deadlines to apply for an absentee ballot , dates when ballots are expected to go @ @ @ @ @ @ @ return your ballot — right here .
Read on for those dates in all 50 states and Washington , DC , organized by how easy or difficult it is to vote by mail in each .
Or go ahead and do a page “ find ” search to see your state deadlines quickly .
Again , it ’ s best to get started well before the deadlines to account for mailing windows , and these dates are subject to change .
Check with a local election official if you have any questions about @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in Colorado , Hawaii , Oregon , Utah , or Washington , you ’ re in luck .
All five states already use universal vote-by-mail systems , so , pandemic notwithstanding , not much has changed .
If you ’ re registered to vote , a ballot should show up in your mailbox — you just need to get it back in the mail , or into a ballot dropbox , early enough that it ’ s received by your state ’ s deadline — or well before it .
That ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ go vote in-person on Election Day if you wanted to — voting centers or county elections offices in all five states allow you to cast a vote day-of if you so choose — but voting by mail is more readily accessible .
Here are the deadlines you need to know : • Register to vote by : Oct. 26 if voting by mail , or day-of at a polling place • Ballots expected to start to be mailed out : Oct. 12 • Return your ballot by : 7 pm on Nov. 3 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ : Oct. 16 • Return your ballot by : 6 pm on Nov. 3 • Ballots expected to start to be mailed out : Oct. 14 • Return your ballot by : 8 pm on Nov. 3 • Ballots expected to start to be mailed out : Oct. 13 • Return your ballot by : Postmarked by Nov. 2 ; received by between Nov. 10 and Nov. 17 by canvass date ; Nov. 3 in person • Register to vote by : Oct. 26 or by Nov. 3 in person • Ballots expected @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Oct. 16 • Return your ballot by : Postmarked by Nov. 3 If you live in California , Nevada , New Jersey , Vermont , or the District of Columbia , voting absentee should be straightforward .
On account of the coronavirus pandemic , all four states and DC plan to automatically send absentee ballots to registered voters .
In Nevada and New Jersey , things have been complicated by pending lawsuit Trump campaign lawsuits that seek to block the states from sending an absentee ballot to every registered voter .
As Vox @ @ @ @ @ @ @ there are plenty of reasons to doubt that effort will succeed — but it ’ s worth keeping an eye on as Election Day draws closer .
In any case , if you live in one of these states and you ’ re registered to vote , you should have an absentee ballot coming your way ahead of the November election .
Here ’ s when you can expect them , and when they need to be returned by to be counted : • Ballots expected to start to be mailed out : @ @ @ @ @ @ @ : Postmarked by Nov. 3 ; received by Nov. 20 • Register to vote by : Oct. 13 , or Oct. 26 if you ’ re registering in person • Ballots expected to start to be mailed out : First week of October • Return your ballot by : Postmarked by Nov. 3 ; received by Nov. 10 • Register to vote by : Oct. 6 , or Oct. 29 if registering online • Ballots expected to start to be mailed out : Late September or early October • Return your ballot by @ @ @ @ @ @ @ by Nov. 10 • Ballots expected to start to be mailed out : Sept. 19 • Return your ballot by : Postmarked by Nov. 3 ; received by 8 pm on Nov. 5 • Register to vote by : Day-of registration available • Ballots expected to start to be mailed out : Sept. 18 • Return your ballot by : Received by 7 pm on Nov. 3 or returned to the town clerk ’ s office by close of business on Nov. 2 If you live in one of these 35 states , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ with before you can vote from home .
Though almost every state has expanded absentee ballot access in the face of the coronavirus pandemic ( we ’ ll get to the ones that haven ’ t — like Texas and Mississippi — in a minute ) , most still require voters to request an absentee ballot .
That means there are at least two dates to know : when you need to submit your request by , and when your ballot needs to be returned by .
In some cases , like Iowa @ @ @ @ @ @ @ an absentee ballot application to fill out if they wish .
In other states , you might need to seek out an application on the state ’ s election website ( frequently found on the secretary of state ’ s site ) .
Montana is somewhat of a strange case : In addition to having no-excuse absentee voting , counties have the option of switching to something more similar to universal mail-in voting in the pandemic .
Most have done so , though all will have in-person polling places open as well .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ always allow for no-excuse absentee voting , others in this category have only recently adopted that policy in response to Covid-19 .
Yet others , such as Alabama and Kentucky , still technically require an excuse — but coronavirus concerns are enough .
One last thing : Several states , like Wyoming and Minnesota , don ’ t have a ballot request deadline to speak of , but that doesn ’ t mean you don ’ t need to do it early .
Just because you can request a ballot up to Nov. @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ll show up in time for you to vote it .
• Ballots expected to start to be mailed out : Sept. 19 • Return your ballot by : Postmarked by Nov. 2 ; received by noon on Nov. 3 • Ballots must be notarized or signed by two witnesses .
• Ballots expected to start to be mailed out : Oct. 9 ( earlier for remote , military , and overseas voters ) • Return your ballot by : Postmarked by Nov. 3 ; received by Nov. 13 • Ballots must be @ @ @ @ @ @ @ expected to start to be mailed out : Oct. 7 • Return your ballot by : 7 pm on Nov. 3 • Request your ballot by : Oct. 27 by mail or online ; Nov. 2 if submitting application in person • Ballots expected to start to be mailed out : Sept. 18 • Return your ballot by : 7:30 pm on Nov. 3 • Register to vote by : Oct. 27 ( postmarked-by date if registering by mail ) • Ballots expected to start to be mailed out : Oct. 3 • @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on Nov. 3 • Request your ballot by : Oct. 30 by mail ; Nov. 2 by noon if submitting application in person • Ballots expected to start to be mailed out : Sept. 19 • Return your ballot by : 8 pm on Nov. 3 • Ballots expected to start to be mailed out : Sept. 24 to Oct. 1 • Return your ballot by : 7 pm on Nov. 3 • Ballots expected to start to be mailed out : Sept. 18 • Return your ballot by : 7 pm on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ — a judge ruled in August that Georgia must accept ballots that are postmarked by Nov. 3 through by Nov. 6 , but the state is appealing . )
• Request your ballot by : Oct. 23 by mail ; Oct. 30 if submitting application in person • Ballots expected to start to be mailed out : Sept. 18 • Return your ballot by : 8 pm on Nov. 3 • Request your ballot by : Oct. 29 by mail ; Nov. 2 if submitting application in person • Ballots expected to start @ @ @ @ @ @ @ • Return your ballot by : Postmarked by Nov. 3 ; received by Nov. 17 • Request your ballot by : 5 pm on Oct. 24 • Ballots expected to start to be mailed out : Oct. 5 • Return your ballot by : Postmarked by Nov. 2 ; received by Nov. 9 ; in person by Nov. 3 • Ballots expected to start to be mailed out : Oct. 14 • Return your ballot by : Postmarked by Nov. 3 ; received by Nov. 6 • Register to vote by : 4 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to start to be mailed out : Sept. 14 • Return your ballot by : Postmarked by Nov. 3 ; received by Nov. 6 • Register to vote by : Oct. 13 if registering by mail , or day-of if registering in person • Ballots expected to start to be mailed out : Oct. 4 • Return your ballot by : 8 pm on Nov. 3 • Request your ballot by : Request must be received by Oct. 20 • Ballots expected to start to be mailed out : Sept. 24 • Return @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 3 ; received by 10 am on Nov. 13 • Ballots expected to start to be mailed out : Late September or early October • Return your ballot by : Postmarked by Nov. 3 and received by Nov. 6 • Register to vote by Oct. 19 online or by mail ; in person through Election Day • Request your ballot by : Oct. 30 by mail ; Nov. 3 by 4 pm local time if submitting application in person • Ballots expected to start to be mailed out : Sept. 19 • Return @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Nov. 3 • Register to vote by : Oct. 13 , or day-of at a polling place • Ballots expected to start to be mailed out : Sept. 18 • Return your ballot by : Postmarked by Nov. 3 ; received by Nov. 10 • Request your ballot by : Oct. 21 by mail ; Nov. 2 if submitting application in person • Ballots expected to start to be mailed out : Sept. 22 • Return your ballot by : 7 pm on Nov. 3 • If you ’ re not in a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ballots must be notarized .
• Register to vote by : Oct. 26 ( late registration also available ) • Request your ballot by : noon on Nov. 2 ( if needed in your county ) • Ballots expected to start to be mailed out : Oct. 9 • Return your ballot by : Received by 8 pm local time on Nov. 3 • Ballots expected to start to be mailed out : Sept. 28 • Return your ballot by : 8 pm on Nov. 3 • Register to vote by : Oct. @ @ @ @ @ @ @ county ) ; or day-of at a polling place ; registration for voting absentee requires a witness • Ballots expected to start to be mailed out : Oct. 4 • Return your ballot by : 5 pm on Nov. 3 • Request your ballot by : 5 pm on Oct. 20 • Ballots expected to start to be mailed out : Oct. 12 • Return your ballot by : 7 pm on Nov. 3 • Request your ballot by : Oct. 27 by mail ; Nov. 2 if submitting application in person • @ @ @ @ @ @ @ out : Sept. 18 • Return your ballot by : Postmarked by Nov. 3 ; received by Nov. 10 or by Nov. 4 without a postmark • Ballots expected to start to be mailed out : Sept. 4 , the earliest in the country • Return your ballot by : Postmarked by Nov. 3 ; received by 5 pm on Nov. 6 • Ballots must be signed by a witness .
• Register to vote by : Voter registration not required • Ballots expected to start to be mailed out : Sept. 24 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ by Nov. 2 ; received by Nov. 9 ( before canvass ) • Request your ballot by : Oct. 31 by noon • Ballots expected to start to be mailed out : Oct. 6 • Return your ballot by : Postmarked by Nov. 2 ; received by Nov. 13 • Request your ballot by : 5 pm on Oct. 27 • Ballots expected to start to be mailed out : Sept. 19 • Return your ballot by : 7 pm on Nov. 3 • Request your ballot by : 5 pm on Oct. @ @ @ @ @ @ @ be mailed out : Sept. 14 to Sept. 19 • Return your ballot by : 8 pm on Nov. 3 • Request your ballot by : Oct. 13 by 4 pm • Ballots expected to start to be mailed out : Sept. 19 • Return your ballot by : 8 pm on Nov. 3 • Request your ballot by : 5 pm on Nov. 2 • Ballots expected to start to be mailed out : Sept. 18 • Return your ballot by : 7 pm on Nov. 3 • Request your ballot by @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Oct. 31 • Ballots expected to start to be mailed out : Sept. 19 • Return your ballot by : Postmarked by Nov. 3 ; received by noon on Nov. 6 • Ballots expected to start to be mailed out : Sept. 18 • Return your ballot by : Postmarked by Nov. 3 ; received by Nov. 9 ( also accepted if received by Nov. 4 without a postmark ) ; in person by Nov. 2 • Register to vote by : Oct. 14 if registering online or by mail , or Oct. @ @ @ @ @ @ @ by : 5 pm on Oct. 29 • Ballots expected to start to be mailed out : Sept. 17 • Return your ballot by : 8 pm on Nov. 3 • Ballots expected to start to be mailed out : Sept. 18 • Return your ballot by : 7 pm on Nov. 3 With fewer than 60 days until the general election , there are still a handful of states that have done relatively little to accommodate for the reality of a largely uncontrolled pandemic .
In Indiana , Louisiana , Mississippi , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , you still need an excuse to request an absentee ballot — and generalized coronavirus concerns don ’ t count .
In some cases , that could change — pending legislation in South Carolina could expand access to absentee ballots to everyone .
But for now , here ’ s what you need to know to vote by mail in these six states : • Eligible excuses to request an absentee ballot can be found here • Ballots expected to start to be mailed out : Sept. 19 • Return your ballot by @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to vote by : Oct. 4 if registering by mail or in person ; Oct. 14 if registering online • Eligible excuses : Covid-19 specific excuses can be found here ; general excuses can be found here • Ballots expected to start to be mailed out : Sept. 19 • Return your ballot by : 4:30 pm on Nov. 2 • Ballots must be signed by a witness .
• Eligible excuses to request an absentee ballot can be found here ( a judge ’ s ruling may expand the list ) • @ @ @ @ @ @ @ specified — to be safe , the earlier the better • Ballots expected to start to be mailed out : Sept. 21 • Return your ballot by : Postmarked by Nov. 3 ; received by Nov. 10 ; in person by Oct. 31 • Register to vote by : Oct. 5 , or Oct. 4 online • Eligible excuses to request an absentee ballot can be found here ( pending legislation could expand eligibility to all ) • Request your ballot by : 5 pm on Oct. 30 ; apply in person by @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to be mailed out : Oct. 4 • Return your ballot by : 7 pm on Nov. 3 • Eligible excuses to request an absentee ballot can be found here • Ballots expected to start to be mailed out : Sept. 19 • Eligible excuses to request an absentee ballot can be found here • Ballots expected to start to be mailed out : Sept. 19 • Return your ballot by : Postmarked by Nov. 3 ; received by 5 pm on Nov. 4 Every day at Vox , we aim to answer @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , and our audience around the world , with information that has the power to save lives .
Our mission has never been more vital than it is in this moment : to empower you through understanding .
Vox ’ s work is reaching more people than ever , but our distinctive brand of explanatory journalism takes resources — particularly during a pandemic and an economic downturn .
Your financial contribution will not constitute a donation , but it will enable our staff to continue to offer free articles , videos , and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ this moment requires .
Please consider making a contribution to Vox today .

Editor’s note, October 28: The USPS strongly recommends sending back your ballot by mail at least one week before Election Day. If you haven’t mailed yours yet, see our guide to other options for returning your ballot. The article below is no longer being updated.
Like just about every other facet of life in America, Election Day is going to look a little bit different in 2020. Though voters will still go to the polls, at least in most states, a record number of people are expected to vote by mail from the comfort of their homes.
But while in a normal election you probably just need to know two dates — when to register to vote by, and what day the election is — there are a few more to keep track of if you plan to vote by mail this November.
Vox is here to help.
First, make sure you’re registered — some states’ relevant deadlines are as early as October 4 (many have later deadlines if you are voting in person). Then you should know what types of voting your state allows, and where it falls on the spectrum of making it easy (or hard) for voters to cast their ballots by mail.
Though only a few states conduct their elections solely through the mail, the vast majority of American states and territories have expanded absentee voting during the pandemic to permit any voter to cast a ballot by mail. Some, however, still have strict requirements for who can get an absentee ballot.
Specifically, most states require that you submit an absentee ballot request (absentee voting is functionally the same thing as mail-in voting, despite what President Donald Trump may say). Then it’s a good idea to know when you can expect your ballot to show up, and of course when you need to return it so that it’s counted. For ballot requests and/or returns, remember the relevant deadline may be for receipt, not postmarking.
Treat the deadlines with extreme caution, though: The USPS warned 46 states and the District of Columbia in late July this year that the anticipated surge of absentee voting could be such that some ballots arrive too late to be counted. What’s more, Trump’s unfounded animus against mail-in voting and changes at the US Postal Service could make things even harder. None of that is to dissuade you from voting by mail, but it should underscore the critical importance of requesting your ballot early and voting early.
Some more words of warning: The rules aren’t totally settled in some places. And there are a lot of active lawsuits over state election laws right now, some of which are trying to make it easier to vote absentee and others that are trying to cut back on it. It’s always a good idea to check with your local elections office about deadlines and rules that may vary by county; rules for military and overseas voters vary, too.
Finally, be sure to fill out and seal your ballot carefully, as it may be rejected if it’s missing a requirement like a matching signature. In several states, certification by a witness or notary may be required.
If you’re not sure how you plan to vote — in many states, early in-person voting is also an option, as is depositing your absentee ballot in a secure ballot dropbox! — then Vox’s Jen Kirby has the comprehensive voting guide for you. (Note: In some states, you may have to vote provisionally if you request a mail ballot but decide to vote in person. You may also be able to track your ballot to ensure it gets to election officials.)
But if you are planning to vote by mail, Vox has collected the dates you need to know — deadlines to register to vote (if you want to vote by mail), deadlines to apply for an absentee ballot, dates when ballots are expected to go out to voters, and deadlines to return your ballot — right here.
Read on for those dates in all 50 states and Washington, DC, organized by how easy or difficult it is to vote by mail in each. Or go ahead and do a page “find” search to see your state deadlines quickly. Again, it’s best to get started well before the deadlines to account for mailing windows, and these dates and rules may vary and are subject to change. Check with a local election official if you have any questions about how to vote.
The vote-by-mail states
If you live in Colorado, Hawaii, Oregon, Utah, or Washington, you’re in luck. All five states already use universal vote-by-mail systems, so, pandemic notwithstanding, not much has changed. If you’re registered to vote, a ballot should show up in your mailbox — you just need to get it back in the mail, or into a ballot dropbox, early enough that it’s received by your state’s deadline — or well before it.
That’s not to say you couldn’t go vote in-person on Election Day if you wanted to — voting centers or county elections offices in all five states allow you to cast a vote day-of if you so choose — but voting by mail is more readily accessible.
Here are the deadlines you need to know:
Colorado
Register to vote by: Oct. 26 if voting by mail
Ballots expected to start to be mailed out: Oct. 12
Return your ballot by: 7 pm on Nov. 3
Hawaii
Register to vote by: Oct. 5
Ballots expected to be mailed by: Oct. 16
Return your ballot by: 6 pm on Nov. 3
Oregon
Register to vote by: Oct. 13
Ballots expected to start to be mailed out: Oct. 14
Return your ballot by: 8 pm on Nov. 3
Utah
Register to vote by: Oct. 23
Ballots expected to start to be mailed out: Oct. 13
Return your ballot by: Postmarked by Nov. 2; received between Nov. 10 and Nov. 17 by canvass date; Nov. 3 in person
Washington
Register to vote by: Oct. 26
Ballots expected to start to be mailed out: Oct. 16
Return your ballot by: Postmarked by Nov. 3
The absentee-ballot-for-all states
If you live in California, Nevada, New Jersey, Vermont, or the District of Columbia, voting absentee should be straightforward. On account of the coronavirus pandemic, all four states and DC plan to automatically send absentee ballots to registered voters.
In Nevada and New Jersey, things have been complicated by pending Trump campaign lawsuits that seek to block the states from sending an absentee ballot to every registered voter. As Vox’s Ian Millhiser points out, there are plenty of reasons to doubt that effort will succeed, but it’s worth keeping an eye on as Election Day draws closer.
In any case, if you live in one of these states and you’re registered to vote, you should have an absentee ballot coming your way ahead of the November election. Here’s when you can expect them, and when they need to be returned by to be counted:
California
Register to vote by: Oct. 19
Ballots expected to start to be mailed out: Oct. 3
Return your ballot by: Postmarked by Nov. 3; received by Nov. 20
District of Columbia
Register to vote by: Oct. 13, or Oct. 26 if you’re registering in person
Ballots expected to start to be mailed out: First week of October
Return your ballot by: Postmarked by Nov. 3; received by Nov. 10
Nevada
Register to vote by: Oct. 6, or Oct. 29 if registering online
Ballots expected to start to be mailed out: Late September or early October
Return your ballot by: Postmarked by Nov. 3; received by Nov. 10
New Jersey
Register to vote by: Oct. 13
Ballots expected to start to be mailed out: Sept. 19
Return your ballot by: Postmarked by Nov. 3; received by 8 pm on Nov. 5
Vermont
Register to vote by: Day-of registration available
Ballots expected to start to be mailed out: Sept. 18
Return your ballot by: Received by 7 pm on Nov. 3 or returned to the town clerk’s office by close of business on Nov. 2
The states with no-excuse absentee ballot applications
If you live in one of about 35 states, you have one more step to deal with before you can vote from home. Though almost every state has expanded absentee ballot access in the face of the coronavirus pandemic (we’ll get to the ones that haven’t — like Texas and Mississippi — in a minute), most still require voters to request an absentee ballot. That means there are at least two dates to know: when you need to submit your request by, and when your ballot needs to be returned by.
In some cases, like Iowa, every registered voter will be sent an absentee ballot application to fill out if they wish. In other states, you might need to seek out an application on the state’s election website (frequently found on the secretary of state’s site).
Montana is somewhat of a strange case: In addition to having no-excuse absentee voting, counties have the option of switching to something more similar to universal mail-in voting in the pandemic. Most have done so, though all will have in-person polling places open as well.
And while some of the following states always allow for no-excuse absentee voting, others in this category have only recently adopted that policy in response to Covid-19. Yet others, such as Alabama and Kentucky, still technically require an excuse — but coronavirus concerns are enough.
One last thing: Several states, like Wyoming and Minnesota, don’t have a ballot request deadline to speak of, but that doesn’t mean you don’t need to do it early. Just because you can request a ballot up to November 2 doesn’t mean it’ll show up in time for you to vote it.
Alabama
Register to vote by: Oct. 19
Request your ballot by: Oct. 29
Ballots expected to start to be mailed out: Sept. 19
Return your ballot by: Postmarked by Nov. 2; received by noon on Nov. 3
Ballots must be notarized or signed by two witnesses.
Alaska
Register to vote by: Oct. 4
Request your ballot by: Oct. 24
Ballots expected to start to be mailed out: Oct. 9 (earlier for remote, military, and overseas voters)
Return your ballot by: Postmarked by Nov. 3; received by Nov. 13
Arizona
Register to vote by: Oct. 5
Request your ballot by: Oct. 23
Ballots expected to start to be mailed out: Oct. 7
Return your ballot by: 7 pm on Nov. 3
Arkansas
Register to vote by: Oct. 5
Request your ballot by: Oct. 27 by mail or online; Nov. 2 if submitting application in person
Ballots expected to start to be mailed out: Sept. 18
Return your ballot by: 7:30 pm on Nov. 3
Connecticut
Register to vote by: Oct. 27 (postmarked-by date if registering by mail)
Request your ballot by: Nov. 2
Ballots expected to start to be mailed out: Oct. 3
Return your ballot by: 8 pm on Nov. 3
Delaware
Register to vote by: Oct. 10
Request your ballot by: Oct. 30 by mail; Nov. 2 by noon if submitting application in person
Ballots expected to start to be mailed out: Sept. 19
Return your ballot by: 8 pm on Nov. 3
Florida
Register to vote by: Oct. 5
Request your ballot by: 5 pm Oct. 24
Ballots expected to start to be mailed out: Sept. 24
Return your ballot by: 7 pm on Nov. 3
Georgia
Register to vote by: Oct. 5
Request your ballot by: Oct. 30
Ballots expected to start to be mailed out: Sept. 18
Return your ballot by: 7 pm on Nov. 3
Idaho
Register to vote by: Oct. 9
Request your ballot by: Oct. 23 by mail; Oct. 30 if submitting application in person
Ballots expected to start to be mailed out: Sept. 18
Return your ballot by: 8 pm on Nov. 3
Illinois
Register to vote by: Oct. 18
Request your ballot by: Oct. 29 by mail; Nov. 2 if submitting application in person
Ballots expected to start to be mailed out: Sept. 24
Return your ballot by: Postmarked by Nov. 3; received by Nov. 17
Iowa
Register to vote by: Oct. 24
Request your ballot by: 5 pm on Oct. 24
Ballots expected to start to be mailed out: Oct. 5
Return your ballot by: Postmarked by Nov. 2; received by Nov. 9; in person by Nov. 3
Kansas
Register to vote by: Oct. 13
Request your ballot by: Oct. 27
Ballots expected to start to be mailed out: Oct. 14
Return your ballot by: Postmarked by Nov. 3; received by Nov. 6
Kentucky
Register to vote by: 4 pm on Oct. 5
Request your ballot by: Oct. 27
Ballots expected to start to be mailed out: Sept. 14
Return your ballot by: Postmarked by Nov. 3; received by Nov. 6
Maine
Register to vote by: Oct. 19 if registering by mail
Request your ballot by: Oct. 29
Ballots expected to start to be mailed out: Oct. 4
Return your ballot by: 8 pm on Nov. 3
Maryland
Register to vote by: Oct. 13
Request your ballot by: Request must be received by Oct. 20
Ballots expected to start to be mailed out: Sept. 24
Return your ballot by: Postmarked by Nov. 3; received by 10 am on Nov. 13
Massachusetts
Register to vote by: Oct. 24
Request your ballot by: Oct. 20 (recommended); Oct. 28 (hard deadline)
Ballots expected to start to be mailed out: Late September or early October
Return your ballot by: Postmarked by Nov. 3 and received by Nov. 6
Michigan
Register to vote by Oct. 19 online or by mail; in person through Election Day
Request your ballot by: Oct. 30 by mail; Nov. 3 by 4 pm local time if submitting application in person
Ballots expected to start to be mailed out: Sept. 19
Return your ballot by: Nov. 3
Minnesota
Register to vote by: Oct. 13
Request your ballot by: Nov. 2
Ballots expected to start to be mailed out: Sept. 18
Return your ballot by: Postmarked by Nov. 3; received by Nov. 10
Missouri
Register to vote by: Oct. 7
Request your ballot by: Oct. 21 by mail; Nov. 2 if submitting application in person
Ballots expected to start to be mailed out: Sept. 22
Return your ballot by: 7 pm on Nov. 3
If you’re not in a category at risk for Covid-19, absentee ballots must be notarized.
Montana
Register to vote by: Oct. 26
Request your ballot by: noon on Nov. 2 (if needed in your county)
Ballots expected to start to be mailed out: Oct. 9
Return your ballot by: Postmarked by Nov. 3; received by Nov. 9
Nebraska
Register to vote by: Oct. 16
Request your ballot by: Oct. 23
Ballots expected to start to be mailed out: Sept. 28
Return your ballot by: 8 pm on Nov. 3
New Hampshire
Register to vote by: Oct. 21 to Oct. 28 (varies by county); registration for voting absentee requires a witness
Request your ballot by: Nov. 2
Ballots expected to start to be mailed out: Oct. 4
Return your ballot by: 5 pm on Nov. 3
New Mexico
Register to vote by: Oct. 6
Request your ballot by: 5 pm on Oct. 20
Ballots expected to start to be mailed out: Oct. 12
Return your ballot by: 7 pm on Nov. 3
New York
Register to vote by: Oct. 9
Request your ballot by: Oct. 27 by mail; Nov. 2 if submitting application in person
Ballots expected to start to be mailed out: Sept. 18
Return your ballot by: Postmarked by Nov. 3; received by Nov. 10 or by Nov. 4 without a postmark
North Carolina
Register to vote by: Oct. 9
Request your ballot by: Oct. 27
Ballots expected to start to be mailed out: Sept. 4, the earliest in the country
Return your ballot by: Postmarked by Nov. 3; received by Nov. 12 (This extended deadline is being contested, however.)
Ballots must be signed by a witness.
North Dakota
Register to vote by: Voter registration not required
Request your ballot by: Nov. 2
Ballots expected to start to be mailed out: Sept. 24
Return your ballot by: Postmarked by Nov. 2; received by Nov. 9 (before canvass); in person by Nov. 3
Ohio
Register to vote by: Oct. 5
Request your ballot by: Oct. 31 by noon
Ballots expected to start to be mailed out: Oct. 6
Return your ballot by: Postmarked by Nov. 2; received by Nov. 13; in person by Nov. 3
Oklahoma
Register to vote by: Oct. 9
Request your ballot by: 5 pm on Oct. 27
Ballots expected to start to be mailed out: Sept. 19
Return your ballot by: 7 pm on Nov. 3
Pennsylvania
Register to vote by: Oct. 19
Request your ballot by: 5 pm on Oct. 27
Ballots expected to start to be mailed out: Sept. 14
Return your ballot by: Postmarked by 8 pm on Nov. 3; received by Nov. 6
Rhode Island
Register to vote by: Oct. 4
Request your ballot by: Oct. 13 by 4 pm
Ballots expected to start to be mailed out: Sept. 19
Return your ballot by: 8 pm on Nov. 3
South Carolina
Register to vote by: Oct. 5, or Oct. 4 online
Request your ballot by: Oct. 24, or Oct. 30 in person
Ballots expected to start to be mailed out: Oct. 4
Return your ballot by: 7 pm on Nov. 3
After a Supreme Court ruling, a witness signature is required if you have not already submitted your ballot.
South Dakota
Register to vote by: Oct. 19
Request your ballot by: 5 pm on Nov. 2
Ballots expected to start to be mailed out: Sept. 18
Return your ballot by: 7 pm on Nov. 3
Virginia
Register to vote by: Oct. 15 (extended after a website malfunction)
Request your ballot by: Oct. 23; in person by Oct. 31
Ballots expected to start to be mailed out: Sept. 19
Return your ballot by: Postmarked by Nov. 3; received by noon on Nov. 6
West Virginia
Register to vote by: Oct. 13
Request your ballot by: Oct. 28
Ballots expected to start to be mailed out: Sept. 18
Return your ballot by: Postmarked by Nov. 3; received by Nov. 9 (also accepted if received by Nov. 4 without a postmark); in person by Nov. 2
Wisconsin
Register to vote by: Oct. 14 if registering online or by mail, or Oct. 30 in person
Request your ballot by: 5 pm on Oct. 29
Ballots expected to start to be mailed out: Sept. 17
Return your ballot by: Received by Nov. 3
A witness signature is required.
Wyoming
Register to vote by: Oct. 19
Request your ballot by: Nov. 2
Ballots expected to start to be mailed out: Sept. 18
Return your ballot by: 7 pm on Nov. 3
The rest (states with excuse-required absentee ballot applications)
With fewer than 60 days until the general election, there are still a handful of states that have done relatively little to accommodate for the reality of a largely uncontrolled pandemic. In Indiana, Louisiana, Mississippi, Tennessee, and Texas, you still need an excuse to request an absentee ballot — and generalized coronavirus concerns don’t count.
In some cases, that could change. But for now, here’s what you need to know to vote by mail in these five states:
Indiana
Register to vote by: Oct. 5
Eligible excuses to request an absentee ballot can be found here
Request your ballot by: Oct. 22
Ballots expected to start to be mailed out: Sept. 19
Return your ballot by: Postmarked by Nov. 3; received by Nov. 13
Louisiana
Register to vote by: Oct. 5 if registering by mail or in person; Oct. 13 if registering online
Eligible excuses: Covid-19 specific excuses can be found here; general excuses can be found here
Request your ballot by: Oct. 30
Ballots expected to start to be mailed out: Sept. 19
Return your ballot by: 4:30 pm on Nov. 2
Ballots must be signed by a witness.
Mississippi
Register to vote by: Oct. 5
Eligible excuses to request an absentee ballot can be found here (a judge’s ruling may expand the list)
Request your ballot by: No date specified — to be safe, the earlier the better
Ballots expected to start to be mailed out: Sept. 21
Return your ballot by: Postmarked by Nov. 3; received by Nov. 10; in person by Oct. 31
Ballots must be notarized.
Tennessee
Register to vote by: Oct. 5
Eligible excuses to request an absentee ballot can be found here
Request your ballot by: Oct. 27
Ballots expected to start to be mailed out: Sept. 19
Return your ballot by: Nov. 3
Texas
Register to vote by: Oct. 5
Eligible excuses to request an absentee ballot can be found here
Request your ballot by: Oct. 23
Ballots expected to start to be mailed out: Sept. 19
Return your ballot by: Postmarked by Nov. 3; received by 5 pm on Nov. 4
Correction, September 8: This article has been updated to reflect Maine’s new voter registration deadline, per the governor’s August executive order.
Correction, October 12: Updated to reflect Virginia’s deadline to register to vote was October 13. This deadline was later extended to October 15 after a website outage.


vox--2020-09-06--Biden maintains a strong lead over Trump in new national polls

Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden has been able to maintain a healthy lead over President Donald Trump with about two months until the presidential election , according to multiple recent national polls .
While much can change in the coming weeks , more than 10 polls released in the last week show Biden with at least a 2 percentage point lead — and as much as a 10 percentage point lead — on his rival .
Taken together , the surveys give the Democratic nominee an average national lead of 6.9 percentage points , according to RealClearPolitics ’ s analysis @ @ @ @ @ @ @ vice president ’ s dominance in the polls over the sitting president endures — despite Biden ’ s advantage narrowing from a 10 percentage point average lead in late June .
Biden performed the best in polls conducted by Quinnipiac ( taken from August 28 to August 31 ) and CBS News/YouGov ( taken from September 2 to 4 ) : Both found he had a 10 percentage point lead over Trump , with 42 percent of likely voters saying they would vote for Trump and 52 percent saying they would vote for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and early September from Investor ’ s Business Daily/TIPP , CNN/SSRS and Grinnell College found a lead of 8 points , while those from USA Today/Suffolk University and Reuters/Ipsos found Biden had a lead of 7 points .
A Harvard CAPS/Harris poll had him leading by 6 points .
Other polls taken during the same time period found Biden ’ s lead to be much smaller , however .
A poll from Emerson College of more than 1,500 likely voters found Biden had only a 2 percentage point lead , for example — @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the poll ’ s with a 2.4 percent margin of error , would make Biden and Trump essentially tied .
In general , Trump ’ s popularity with voters appears to have risen slightly following the end of the Republican National Convention on August 28 , but that post-convention bounce has not been significant enough to eat into Biden ’ s lead in any recent national poll .
Trump has an edge on the economy , Biden led on everything else In a presidential election year marked by a seemingly neverending public health @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and police brutality , and ongoing financial instability due to coronavirus closures , voters indicated that safety and security will be top of mind as they head to the ballot boxes — regardless of who they see as having better solutions .
Voters in most of the polls indicated that they have greater trust in Trump ’ s ability to handle the economy , a rare bright spot for the president .
“ Biden is the bring-us-together candidate , while Trump is Mr. fix-the-economy , ” Harvard CAPS/Harris Poll director Mark Penn told @ @ @ @ @ @ @ percent of Americans trust Trump over Biden to make the economy rebound .
But when it comes to most other issues , voters seemed to trust the former vice president .
Significantly more respondents to the Quinnipiac poll said Biden would do a better job handling racial inequality ( 58 to 36 percent ) and the coronavirus ( 56 to 40 percent ) than Trump would .
And this spread is indicative of the results in many of the other recent polls .
From more pointed questions about safety to the reliability of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ care , most of the surveys echo one another — voters trusted Biden more than Trump to handle a crisis .
“ While the president has been pushing the issue of safety to the center of the presidential campaign , it raises the question : Who most has your back , the current administration , or the challengers ?
” Quinnipiac University polling analyst Tim Malloy said .
“ As racial strife , a seemingly endless pandemic , and an economy on life support unnerve Americans , voters foresee a more reliable lifeline @ @ @ @ @ @ @ months from November , the polls can still swing Of course , there are still two months until Election Day , and any number of unforeseen circumstances could lead to dramatic changes in polling .
In fact , at the same point in the 2016 election cycle , former Democratic nominee Hillary Clinton was leading in national polls against Trump .
Biden had an average 7 percentage point lead over the president when August came to a close , and Clinton had an average 4 point lead at the same time four years @ @ @ @ @ @ @ with Clinton throughout the 2016 cycle , but she still outranked him for most of the year before the election .
Four years out , experts say one of things pollsters missed in 2016 was the need to correct for a bias toward college-educated voters , who are more likely to respond to polls and were less likely to vote for Trump .
And as Li Zhou has explained for Vox , many polls in the 2016 election failed to capture voters who made up their minds at the last minute .
Recent @ @ @ @ @ @ @ their minds who they want to vote for this year — the CBS News/YouGov poll found only 3 percent of voters are undecided — but that does not mean Biden will have a 7 point lead on Election Day .
These polls simply show how voters were thinking about the race over the last few weeks , not how they will feel on November 3 — or even if they will vote at all .
Some experts have noted there ’ s evidence to show that when people think a candidate is extremely @ @ @ @ @ @ @ more apt to stay home on Election Day .
And exactly how the pandemic will affect voting , beyond record requests for mail-in ballots , remains to be seen .
Uncertainties like these have Democrats warning their base not to get complacent , despite Biden maintaining a national lead .
Whether they ’ re successful in driving turnout — and whether polling will reflect results — remains to be seen .
Help keep Vox free for all Millions turn to Vox each month to understand what ’ s happening in the news , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ reckoning to what is , quite possibly , the most consequential presidential election of our lifetimes .
Our mission has never been more vital than it is in this moment : to empower you through understanding .
But our distinctive brand of explanatory journalism takes resources — particularly during a pandemic and an economic downturn .
Even when the economy and the news advertising market recovers , your support will be a critical part of sustaining our resource-intensive work , and helping everyone make sense of an increasingly chaotic world .
Contribute today @ @ @ @ @ @ @

Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden has been able to maintain a healthy lead over President Donald Trump with about two months until the presidential election, according to multiple recent national polls.
While much can change in the coming weeks, more than 10 polls released in the last week show Biden with at least a 2 percentage point lead — and as much as a 10 percentage point lead — on his rival. Taken together, the surveys give the Democratic nominee an average national lead of 6.9 percentage points, according to RealClearPolitics’s analysis. The results indicate that the former vice president’s dominance in the polls over the sitting president endures — despite Biden’s advantage narrowing from a 10 percentage point average lead in late June.
Biden performed the best in polls conducted by Quinnipiac (taken from August 28 to August 31) and CBS News/YouGov (taken from September 2 to 4): Both found he had a 10 percentage point lead over Trump, with 42 percent of likely voters saying they would vote for Trump and 52 percent saying they would vote for Biden. Polls taken in late August and early September from Investor’s Business Daily/TIPP, CNN/SSRS and Grinnell College found a lead of 8 points, while those from USA Today/Suffolk University and Reuters/Ipsos found Biden had a lead of 7 points. A Harvard CAPS/Harris poll had him leading by 6 points.
Other polls taken during the same time period found Biden’s lead to be much smaller, however. A poll from Emerson College of more than 1,500 likely voters found Biden had only a 2 percentage point lead, for example — a result that, taking into account the poll’s with a 2.4 percent margin of error, would make Biden and Trump essentially tied.
In general, Trump’s popularity with voters appears to have risen slightly following the end of the Republican National Convention on August 28, but that post-convention bounce has not been significant enough to eat into Biden’s lead in any recent national poll.
Trump has an edge on the economy, Biden led on everything else
In a presidential election year marked by a seemingly neverending public health crisis, massive protests over racial injustice and police brutality, and ongoing financial instability due to coronavirus closures, voters indicated that safety and security will be top of mind as they head to the ballot boxes — regardless of who they see as having better solutions.
Voters in most of the polls indicated that they have greater trust in Trump’s ability to handle the economy, a rare bright spot for the president.
“Biden is the bring-us-together candidate, while Trump is Mr. fix-the-economy,” Harvard CAPS/Harris Poll director Mark Penn told The Hill. Their poll found 53 percent of Americans trust Trump over Biden to make the economy rebound.
But when it comes to most other issues, voters seemed to trust the former vice president.
Significantly more respondents to the Quinnipiac poll said Biden would do a better job handling racial inequality (58 to 36 percent) and the coronavirus (56 to 40 percent) than Trump would. And this spread is indicative of the results in many of the other recent polls.
From more pointed questions about safety to the reliability of a vaccine, foreign policy or health care, most of the surveys echo one another — voters trusted Biden more than Trump to handle a crisis.
“While the president has been pushing the issue of safety to the center of the presidential campaign, it raises the question: Who most has your back, the current administration, or the challengers?” Quinnipiac University polling analyst Tim Malloy said. “As racial strife, a seemingly endless pandemic, and an economy on life support unnerve Americans, voters foresee a more reliable lifeline in the Biden Harris ticket.”
Two months from November, the polls can still swing
Of course, there are still two months until Election Day, and any number of unforeseen circumstances could lead to dramatic changes in polling.
In fact, at the same point in the 2016 election cycle, former Democratic nominee Hillary Clinton was leading in national polls against Trump. Biden had an average 7 percentage point lead over the president when August came to a close, and Clinton had an average 4 point lead at the same time four years ago. Trump enjoyed closer polling margins with Clinton throughout the 2016 cycle, but she still outranked him for most of the year before the election.
Four years out, experts say one of things pollsters missed in 2016 was the need to correct for a bias toward college-educated voters, who are more likely to respond to polls and were less likely to vote for Trump. And as Li Zhou has explained for Vox, many polls in the 2016 election failed to capture voters who made up their minds at the last minute.
Recent polls suggest most voters have made up their minds who they want to vote for this year — the CBS News/YouGov poll found only 3 percent of voters are undecided — but that does not mean Biden will have a 7 point lead on Election Day. These polls simply show how voters were thinking about the race over the last few weeks, not how they will feel on November 3 — or even if they will vote at all.
Some experts have noted there’s evidence to show that when people think a candidate is extremely likely to win, they’re more apt to stay home on Election Day. And exactly how the pandemic will affect voting, beyond record requests for mail-in ballots, remains to be seen.
Uncertainties like these have Democrats warning their base not to get complacent, despite Biden maintaining a national lead. Whether they’re successful in driving turnout — and whether polling will reflect results — remains to be seen.