vox--2020-08-27--Want to vote in 2020? Do it early.

Want to vote in 2020? Do it early.

Vox answers your biggest questions about the 2020 US presidential election , which could be one of the most consequential of our lifetimes .
The presidential election is less than 70 days away , and here ’ s what America is dealing with : a raging pandemic , a crisis at the United States Postal Service , the threat of foreign meddling , and lots of misinformation , including from the president ’ s Twitter account .
All of this raises a serious question : How can you make sure your vote will count in 2020 ?
Voting in the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to look different .
For those who choose to vote in person , voters and poll workers will likely have to social distance and wear masks .
A lot of people might forgo in-person voting altogether ; the number of Americans voting by mail is expected to double compared to 2016 .
And then came the controversy at the United States Postal Service .
A series of cost-cutting measures sparked delays in mail delivery , which critics feared could undermine the USPS ’ s ability to sort and deliver ballots in time to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ voters .
The USPS has since suspended these changes , and Postmaster General Louis DeJoy has assured lawmakers that the November election is his “ number one priority.
” But primary season amid the Covid-19 pandemic didn ’ t exactly go smoothly .
The Washington Post reported that some half a million mail-in ballots were rejected in the primaries , a combination of late delivery and voter error .
All this is eroding faith in the exercise of democracy this November — and , potentially , in the election results themselves .
The @ @ @ @ @ @ @ problems before the pandemic and will after , unless there ’ s reform .
There should be .
But that ’ s not going to happen in time for November 3 .
Indeed , many states will start mailing out ballots in just a few weeks .
So here ’ s a guide on how voters can better navigate the election and , in the process , make the voting system better for everyone .
The biggest takeaway : Don ’ t wait .
“ If you do you want to simplify it @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s two words : Plan early , ” David Becker , executive director and founder of the Center for Innovation & Election Research , told me .
“ That ’ s it , that ’ s everything.
” Make a plan , and do it early There ’ s been a lot of talk about making a “ voting plan.
” “ Make a plan right now for how you are going to get involved and vote , ” former President Barack Obama said last week during his address at the Democratic @ @ @ @ @ @ @ early as you can , and tell your family and friends how they can vote , too.
” There is one guiding principle to this plan , and you have maybe guessed it : Do everything — everything , everything , everything — early .
The very first step is the most critical : Make sure you can vote .
Find out if you are registered .
Even if you think you are , you can double-check and make sure your information is up to date .
Do this now at your state @ @ @ @ @ @ @ can look up here .
Seriously , do it now , we ’ ll wait .
Since you ’ re now hanging out on the web page belonging to your area ’ s election officials , it ’ s probably worth checking all the voting deadlines and requirements .
That can help you decide which way you can and want to vote : by mail or in person .
• Check your registration .
If you haven ’ t registered , do it now .
• If any information is inaccurate or out @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Find out the details and the voting registration deadlines on your local board of elections website .
• Decide how you want to vote and review the deadlines for each .
This will broadly be voting by mail or voting in person .
If you aren ’ t sure yet which you want to do , read on for some things to think about when making that decision .
Should I vote by mail ?
If you can and you want to , you need to do it early .
Many more states @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to send in their ballots this year .
Some states are sending ballots to every registered voter — either because they ’ ve been doing it that way for a long time or they ’ ve adopted these policies because of Covid-19 .
In total , nine states ( plus Washington , DC ) are mailing ballots to all eligible voters : California , Colorado , Hawaii , Nevada , New Jersey , Oregon , Utah , Vermont , and Washington .
About another 35 states will allow voters to mail in absentee @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , or will accept Covid-19 as an excuse .
Some of those states , like Delaware , are sending everyone applications for mail-in ballots .
In others , you must request a ballot directly from your local election office .
There are still a handful of states where you must cite a specific reason for voting absentee : Indiana , Louisiana , Mississippi , Tennessee , Texas , and South Carolina .
Maybe you ’ re thinking : Okay , I can vote by mail , but should I ?
What about all @ @ @ @ @ @ @ And all these ballots getting rejected ?
The bottom line : If you ’ re going to rely on the mail to vote , do everything early .
That means request your ballot right away if you need to request one .
And when you get it , fill it out and mail it back as soon as possible .
“ Despite all the talk and hullabaloo about the post office , what ’ s going to happen — as long as you allow enough time — your ballot should get there , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Survey Research Center at the School of Public & International Affairs at the University of Georgia , told me .
That hullabaloo mostly has to do with the new postmaster general , Louis DeJoy , a Trump ally and donor appointed in June .
Since he arrived , the USPS has rolled out cost-cutting measures that generated serious lag times in the mail .
As Recode ’ s Adam Clark Estes reported , those measures included a major staff shake-up at the agency , limiting overtime , scaling back the number of trips @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and decommissioning sorting machines , which are used to sort millions of pieces of flat mail per hour , including ballots .
DeJoy distanced himself from some of the changes , saying that some predate his arrival , but he has defended others as necessary to keep the Postal Service sustainable in the long term .
The Postal Service has for years faced serious financial problems , and the coronavirus pandemic made it worse , disrupting the mail and depleting the workforce as employees became sick or had to take leave .
The @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to legitimate fears about the USPS ’ s capacity to deliver millions more mail-in ballots in November .
The USPS had also warned 46 states and Washington , DC , that it could not guarantee all ballots would be delivered in time to be counted .
The USPS does have the capacity to handle surges of mail , and even if millions more Americans vote by mail this year , it will probably still be less volume than what the Postal Service sees during the holidays .
But the coronavirus crisis and operational @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Democrats and voting groups , who feared DeJoy was trying to sabotage the agency .
In response to this pressure , DeJoy has said he was suspending any operational changes until after the election “ to avoid even the appearance of any impact on election mail.
” He also assured lawmakers that he will prioritize mail-in voting , but he will not reverse any changes ( such as bringing sorting machines back online ) .
DeJoy also acknowledged the delays in the mail and has said things will improve — though questions remain @ @ @ @ @ @ @ it comes to you , the voter , just focus on doing everything early .
Even if the USPS were working perfectly , if you wait until right up to the deadline to request a ballot or mail in your vote , you ’ re probably too late .
Experts said the best practice is to mail your ballot back immediately , but if you insist on procrastinating , definitely give yourself at least a full week before the deadline .
And do check the deadline carefully ; some states require ballots to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , while others require a postmark before or by that date .
“ If [ voters ] have an opportunity to vote earlier in the system , that increases the chance that it ’ ll get there on time and be processed properly , ” Quentin Palfrey , chair of the Voter Protection Corps , told me .
“ And just like with any other important piece of mail , you ’ re better off if you put it in the mail earlier .
That ’ s the system as a whole.
” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ worried about the USPS , just because you get a mail-in ballot does not always mean you must literally mail it back .
Voters can drop off ballots at their local election boards .
Many states and localities offer secure drop boxes , and voters can often drop off ballots at polling places .
( At the risk of sounding like a broken record : To find out what options are available to you , check with your local election board . )
Still , every year , not just in 2020 , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is not , as President Trump would have you believe , because of voter fraud .
That ’ s quite rare , including in mail-in voting .
Sometimes it is because ballots arrive too late to be counted .
Other times , voters just make innocent mistakes , like forgetting to sign their ballot or accidentally damaging it .
“ We ’ ve known that a fair number of absentee ballots get rejected because they ’ re late or missing a signature or the person didn ’ t check a box on the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ minor technical things , ” David C. Kimball , a voting expert and professor at the University of Missouri St. Louis , told me .
“ When only 5 percent of the people vote absentee , that ’ s a small , manageable amount , ” he said .
“ But when you ramp up absentee voting so that now maybe half or more people vote absentee , now we ’ re talking a bigger number of voters who might effectively be disenfranchised.
” This is a real concern , so voters do @ @ @ @ @ @ @ If you ’ re confused about any step of the process , call up your local election office .
Doing everything early does not mean this should be a rush job .
Becker said mail-in voting is a great option , “ but it also requires voters to really read the ballot envelope carefully to return it on time and to make sure they don ’ t make any mistakes in filling out the ballot .
And some voters might not feel comfortable in that.
” About 40 states also allow you to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ how you track an Amazon or UPS package .
How much information your state gives you varies ( which means — yep , you know the drill — check ! )
, but some can alert you when your ballot is printed and once it ’ s mailed to you .
You can also follow its return journey : when election officials receive it , and sometimes whether your ballot has been counted or rejected .
And if it is rejected , some states have ways for you to remedy that so your @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s another reason to turn your absentee ballot in early , ” the University of Georgia ’ s Hood told me , “ because if there is a problem , most states have what ’ s called a ‘ cure process ’ whereby you can fix the problem — like I forgot to sign my security envelope or my absentee ballot .
There is a way to fix that.
” Experts also emphasized that , at any stage of the process , if something goes awry , call your local board of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ re there for .
If you request a ballot and don ’ t get one , call .
If you are confused about a deadline or rule , call .
Problems are going to arise , but they ’ re going to be much easier to resolve in mid-October than , say , on November 2 .
• Check your state ’ s rules .
If you are eligible to vote by mail , review the deadlines and make sure they work for you .
• If your state does not automatically @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , request a ballot as soon as possible .
• Sign up to track your ballot , if possible .
• Once you get your ballot , read the instructions .
Call your local election officials if you have any questions .
Fill out your ballot carefully .
• Decide how you ’ re going to get it back to election officials .
If you ’ re putting it in the mail , do it as soon as possible .
If you plan to drop it off , check what locations might be @ @ @ @ @ @ @ do that as soon as possible .
• If you request a ballot and don ’ t get one , call your local election officials .
• If you plan to vote by mail but you ’ re afraid you might not meet the deadline , call your election officials and see what your other options are .
What about voting in person ?
Voting in person is still going to be an option on Election Day .
The decision about voting in person in the pandemic is ultimately a personal one .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ officials around the country are taking steps to make in-person voting as safe as possible .
Polling locations around the country are likely going to implement social distancing measures and will likely require personal protective equipment for poll workers .
Expect lots of disinfectant , hand sanitizer , and even extra pens .
Some sports teams have offered up their local arenas to give voters plenty of space .
Ideally , the primaries gave local officials a test run on how to work safely , securely , and swiftly .
But if you @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , the same rule applies : Do it early .
About 40 states offer some form of early in-person voting .
But the dates and rules vary by state ( see a recent mobile-friendly map ) and county , so check them .
Some states have changed their rules — Texas , for example , extended its early voting by six days because of Covid-19 — and polling stations change year to year , so check all that now .
“ Once you ’ ve decided what method you want to vote , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , ” Becker said .
“ In almost every state , some form of early voting is available .
If you decide to vote in person , go vote early.
” • Decide whether you feel comfortable voting in person .
Check with your election board if you want more information about safety protocols .
This is also going to vary state by state , county by county .
You need to vote early .
But don ’ t expect early results .
Just because you vote early , that doesn ’ t @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the favor .
Americans are not going to find out who won on election night .
Probably not the morning after the election , either .
“ That ’ s just not a realistic expectation this year , and maybe not anymore , with more and more people voting absentee , ” the University of Missouri St. Louis ’ s Kimball said .
While this is less of an issue in some states out West that have robust mail-in voting systems , many states are doing this for the first time and will @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ballots .
Counting mail-in ballots is a much more labor-intensive process .
“ It just takes longer , literally , to process an absentee or by-mail ballot .
Even taking it out of the envelope , separating , unfolding it .
I mean , all that just takes time , ” Hood said .
But not having results right away is not a bad thing — the opposite , in fact .
As Myrna Perez , director of the voting rights and elections program at the Brennan Center for Justice , told me @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for the slowdown .
We want states to give voters until the last possible minute to drop off their mail-in ballot .
We want to be able to correct glitches and technical errors , and to give voters the chance to fix a mail-in ballot if it ’ s been rejected .
We want to be able to do things like audits — verifying the vote count with paper ballots , say — if needed .
All of that takes time .
Add to this the unprecedented changes the pandemic has brought : @ @ @ @ @ @ @ mail-in ballots .
They need to recruit and train poll workers .
They need to buy personal protective equipment .
“ There are more changes in this election cycle , with more concern about the pandemic , and more enthusiasm about voting , all coming together at the same time , more than we ’ ve ever seen before , ” Becker , with the Center for Innovation & Election Research , said .
“ So we ’ ve got more voters , fewer poll workers , fewer polling sites , and strained @ @ @ @ @ @ @ more to help , though : namely , providing resources to states and localities so they can safely and effectively administer elections , and to help communicate any changes in election rules to their voters .
The HEROES ACT , the House Democrats ’ $ 3 trillion stimulus bill , included $ 3.6 billion for state and local governments to prepare and plan for elections .
But the talks on that bill have stalled in the Senate , and that ’ s where it remains .
“ There is no amount of money @ @ @ @ @ @ @ education , ” Perez said .
“ Even if it were at the last minute .
There ’ s so much disruption and changes that are happening to our elections .
Letting folks know good information about the who , what , when , where , why , and how of voting will be money well spent.
” Voting early is good for you — and for democracy Voting , with or without the pandemic , has always had its problems in the United States .
There are long lines at polling stations @ @ @ @ @ @ @ expect those things to happen .
And the pandemic will exacerbate them .
States that have never done universal vote-by-mail are about to implement it for the first time .
Shortages in poll workers might mean fewer polling stations and longer lines .
The voting process might take more time because of social distancing and disinfecting .
So basically , Americans can ’ t all vote at the last minute if we want our democracy to work .
“ If you want to vote by mail , the earlier you get it in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to get processed on time .
If you ’ re voting in person , and if you vote early , if there ’ s a big glitch , you can go back , ” Perez said .
Some people might not have made up their minds yet on whom to vote for , and they may not until Election Day .
But if you have made up your mind — and if you know there is nothing at all that Joe Biden or Donald Trump ( or the congressional candidates on the ballot @ @ @ @ @ @ @ differently — then please , vote early if you can .
It ’ s not just to guarantee that your vote counts .
It ’ s also to help all of your fellow Americans who are busy , have inflexible work schedules , or are late deciders , wafflers , and swing voters who have every right to cast their ballot when they ’ re certain of their choice .
It would also help all those procrastinators out there ( you know who you are ) .
Because voting early , Perez said @ @ @ @ @ @ @ just for you but for everyone else .
If voting is spaced out over days , for example , and everyone goes at different times , then there won ’ t be that crush of ballots or crowds .
If there are glitches , it will affect fewer people , making it easier to correct .
It also helps protect against other voting concerns , like misinformation or even foreign meddling .
As Becker pointed out , those online propaganda efforts tend to have a maximum impact the closer they happen to Election @ @ @ @ @ @ @ time to fact-check or debunk , and the window of time narrows to the point where if someone is deterred from voting , they won ’ t have another chance .
If you ’ ve planned and voted early , you ’ re going to be less susceptible to Russian trolls .
And if we all vote early , well , then we ’ ll all be less susceptible .
Think of it a little bit like mask-wearing , but for democracy .
Planning and voting early offers you more confidence that your @ @ @ @ @ @ @ who do that , the more likely other voters participate in — and poll workers and election officials manage — a much more efficient and fair election for everyone .
And everyone can be a little more confident that their vote counted .
“ Not only does doing things early maximize the chance that your ballot will be successfully processed and counted , it maximizes the chance everybody ’ s ballot will be successfully processed and counted , because you ’ re allowing election officials to spread out the work over more time @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s a very patriotic thing to get this done early.
” Correction , August 27 : An earlier version of the vote-by-mail map mischaracterized New Jersey ’ s and Montana ’ s rules .
New Jersey will send ballots to all registered voters ; Montana is allowing counties to decide whether to send mail-in ballots .
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The presidential election is underway, and here’s what America is dealing with: a raging pandemic, a crisis at the United States Postal Service, the threat of foreign meddling, and lots of misinformation, including from the president’s Twitter account.
All of this raises a serious question: How can you make sure your vote will count in 2020?
Voting in the middle of a pandemic was always going to look different. For those who choose to vote in person, voters and poll workers will likely have to social distance and wear masks. A lot of people might forgo in-person voting altogether; the number of Americans voting by mail is expected to double compared to 2016.
And then came the controversy at the United States Postal Service. A series of cost-cutting measures sparked delays in mail delivery, which critics feared could undermine the USPS’s ability to sort and deliver ballots in time to be counted, potentially disenfranchising millions of voters. The USPS has since suspended these changes, and Postmaster General Louis DeJoy assured lawmakers in August that the November election is his “number one priority.”
But primary season amid the Covid-19 pandemic didn’t exactly go smoothly. The Washington Post reported that some half a million mail-in ballots were rejected in the primaries, a combination of late delivery and voter error.
All this is eroding faith in the exercise of democracy this November — and, potentially, in the election results themselves.
The United States’ voting system had significant problems before the pandemic and will after, unless there’s reform. There should be. But that’s not going to happen in time for November 3. Indeed, people are already voting in many states.
So here’s a guide on how voters can better navigate the election and, in the process, make the voting system better for everyone. The biggest takeaway: Don’t wait.
“If you do you want to simplify it down to the easiest thing, it’s two words: Plan early,” David Becker, executive director and founder of the Center for Innovation & Election Research, told me. “That’s it, that’s everything.”
Make a plan, and do it early
There’s been a lot of talk about making a “voting plan.”
“Make a plan right now for how you are going to get involved and vote,” former President Barack Obama said during his address at the Democratic National Convention. “Do it as early as you can, and tell your family and friends how they can vote, too.”
There is one guiding principle to this plan, and you have maybe guessed it: Do everything — everything, everything, everything — early.
The very first step is the most critical: Make sure you can vote. Find out if you are registered. Even if you think you are, you can double-check and make sure your information is up to date. Do this now at your state or local election website, which you can look up here.
Seriously, do it right now. Some registration deadlines have already passed, and others are coming soon, and this may be your last chance.
(Note: We’ve included some voting rules maps below, but the rules can change. The best way to find information and deadlines for voting is with your state or local election board, which, again, you can track down here.)
Since you’re now hanging out on the web page belonging to your area’s election officials, it’s probably worth checking all the voting deadlines and requirements. That can help you decide which way you can and want to vote: by mail or in person.
Registration checklist:
Check your registration. If you haven’t registered, do it now.
If any information is inaccurate or out of date, update it now. Find out the details and the voting registration deadlines on your local board of elections website.
Decide how you want to vote and review the deadlines for each. This will broadly be voting by mail or voting in person. If you aren’t sure yet which you want to do, read on for some things to think about when making that decision.
Should I vote by mail? If you can and you want to, you need to do it early.
Many more states are going to offer voters the option to send in their ballots this year. Some states are sending ballots to every registered voter — either because they’ve been doing it that way for a long time or they’ve adopted these policies because of Covid-19. In total, nine states (plus Washington, DC) are mailing ballots to all eligible voters: California, Colorado, Hawaii, Nevada, New Jersey, Oregon, Utah, Vermont, and Washington.
About 35 other states will allow voters to mail in absentee ballots without having to give a reason, or will accept Covid-19 as an excuse. Some of those states, like Delaware, are sending everyone applications for mail-in ballots. In others, you must request a ballot directly from your local election office. There are still a handful of states where you must cite a specific reason for voting absentee: Indiana, Louisiana, Mississippi, Tennessee, and Texas.
Maybe you’re thinking: Okay, I can vote by mail, but should I? What about all this stuff about the post office? And all these ballots getting rejected?
The bottom line: If you’re going to rely on the mail to vote, do everything early. That means request your ballot right away if you need to request one. And when you get it, fill it out and mail it back as soon as possible.
“Despite all the talk and hullabaloo about the post office, what’s going to happen — as long as you allow enough time — your ballot should get there,” Trey Hood, director of the Survey Research Center at the School of Public & International Affairs at the University of Georgia, told me.
That hullabaloo mostly has to do with the new postmaster general, Louis DeJoy, a Trump ally and donor appointed in June. Since he arrived, the USPS has rolled out cost-cutting measures that generated serious lag times in the mail. As Recode’s Adam Clark Estes reported, those measures included a major staff shake-up at the agency, limiting overtime, scaling back the number of trips mail trucks could take each day, and decommissioning sorting machines, which are used to sort millions of pieces of flat mail per hour, including ballots.
DeJoy distanced himself from some of the changes, saying that some predate his arrival, but he has defended others as necessary to keep the Postal Service sustainable in the long term. The Postal Service has for years faced serious financial problems, and the coronavirus pandemic made it worse, disrupting the mail and depleting the workforce as employees became sick or had to take leave.
Related How to vote by mail in 2020
The pandemic and DeJoy’s moves led to legitimate fears about the USPS’s capacity to deliver millions more mail-in ballots in November. The USPS had also warned 46 states and Washington, DC, that it could not guarantee all ballots would be delivered in time to be counted.
The USPS does have the capacity to handle surges of mail, and even if millions more Americans vote by mail this year, it will probably still be less volume than what the Postal Service sees during the holidays. But the coronavirus crisis and operational changes at the USPS raised questions from Democrats and voting groups, who feared DeJoy was trying to sabotage the agency.
In response to this pressure, DeJoy has said he was suspending any operational changes until after the election “to avoid even the appearance of any impact on election mail.” He also assured lawmakers that he will prioritize mail-in voting, but he will not reverse any changes (such as bringing sorting machines back online).
But when it comes to you, the voter, just focus on doing everything early. Even if the USPS were working perfectly, if you wait until right up to the deadline to request a ballot or mail in your vote, you’re probably too late.
Experts said the best practice is to mail your ballot back immediately, but if you insist on procrastinating, definitely give yourself at least a full week before the deadline. And do check the deadline carefully; some states require ballots to be received before or by Election Day, while others require a postmark before or by that date. And some states with postmark rules have tight deadlines for receipt near Election Day.
“If [voters] have an opportunity to vote earlier in the system, that increases the chance that it’ll get there on time and be processed properly,” Quentin Palfrey, chair of the Voter Protection Corps, told me. “And just like with any other important piece of mail, you’re better off if you put it in the mail earlier. That’s the system as a whole.”
However: If you’re really worried about the USPS, just because you get a mail-in ballot does not always mean you must literally mail it back. Voters can drop off ballots at their local election boards. Many states and localities offer secure drop boxes, and voters can often drop off ballots at polling places. (At the risk of sounding like a broken record: To find out what options are available to you, check with your local election board.)
Still, every year, not just in 2020, many mail-in ballots get rejected. This is not, as President Trump would have you believe, because of voter fraud. That’s quite rare, including in mail-in voting. Sometimes it is because ballots arrive too late to be counted. Other times, voters just make innocent mistakes, like forgetting to sign their ballot or accidentally damaging it.
“We’ve known that a fair number of absentee ballots get rejected because they’re late or missing a signature or the person didn’t check a box on the envelope — for a variety of seemingly minor technical things,” David C. Kimball, a voting expert and professor at the University of Missouri St. Louis, told me.
“When only 5 percent of the people vote absentee, that’s a small, manageable amount,” he said. “But when you ramp up absentee voting so that now maybe half or more people vote absentee, now we’re talking a bigger number of voters who might effectively be disenfranchised.”
This is a real concern, so voters do need to carefully read the instructions. If you’re confused about any step of the process, call up your local election office. Doing everything early does not mean this should be a rush job. Becker said mail-in voting is a great option, “but it also requires voters to really read the ballot envelope carefully to return it on time and to make sure they don’t make any mistakes in filling out the ballot. And some voters might not feel comfortable in that.”
Many states or counties allow you to track your ballot now, kind of like how you track an Amazon or UPS package. How much information your state gives you varies (which means — yep, you know the drill — check!), but some can alert you when your ballot is printed and once it’s mailed to you. You can also follow its return journey: when election officials receive it, and sometimes whether your ballot has been counted or rejected. And if it is rejected, some states have ways for you to remedy that so your vote can be counted.
“That’s another reason to turn your absentee ballot in early,” the University of Georgia’s Hood told me, “because if there is a problem, most states have what’s called a ‘cure process’ whereby you can fix the problem — like I forgot to sign my security envelope or my absentee ballot. There is a way to fix that.”
Experts also emphasized that, at any stage of the process, if something goes awry, call your local board of elections. That’s what they’re there for. If you request a ballot and don’t get one, call. If you are confused about a deadline or rule, call. Problems are going to arise, but they’re going to be much easier to resolve now in mid-October than, say, on November 2.
Voting by mail checklist:
Check your state’s rules. If you are eligible to vote by mail, review the deadlines and make sure they work for you.
If your state does not automatically send you a ballot or ballot application, request a ballot as soon as possible.
Sign up to track your ballot, if possible.
Once you get your ballot, read the instructions. Call your local election officials if you have any questions. Fill out your ballot carefully. In several states, you may need a witness.
Decide how you’re going to get it back to election officials. If you’re putting it in the mail, do it as soon as possible. If you plan to drop it off, check what locations might be available in your state, and also do that as soon as possible.
If you request a ballot and don’t get one, call your local election officials.
If you plan to vote by mail but you’re afraid you might not meet the deadline, call your election officials and see what your other options are.
What about voting in person?
Voting in person is still going to be an option on Election Day. The decision about voting in person in the pandemic is ultimately a personal one. There are always risks, but election officials around the country are taking steps to make in-person voting as safe as possible.
Polling locations around the country are likely going to implement social distancing measures and will likely require personal protective equipment for poll workers. Expect lots of disinfectant, hand sanitizer, and even extra pens. Some sports teams have offered up their local arenas to give voters plenty of space. Ideally, the primaries gave local officials a test run on how to work safely, securely, and swiftly.
But if you’re planning to vote in person, the same rule applies: Do it early. About 40 states offer some form of early in-person voting. The dates and rules vary by state and county, so check them. Some states have changed their rules — Texas, for example, extended its early voting by six days because of Covid-19 — and polling stations change year to year, so check all that now.
“Once you’ve decided what method you want to vote, the next step is do everything early,” Becker said. “In almost every state, some form of early voting is available. If you decide to vote in person, go vote early.”
Voting in person checklist:
Decide whether you feel comfortable voting in person. Check with your election board if you want more information about safety protocols. This is also going to vary state by state, county by county.
Check your polling location.
Vote early.
You may want to vote early. But don’t expect early results.
Just because you vote early, that doesn’t mean election officials are going to return the favor. Americans are not going to find out who won on election night. Probably not the morning after the election, either.
“That’s just not a realistic expectation this year, and maybe not anymore, with more and more people voting absentee,” the University of Missouri St. Louis’s Kimball said. While this is less of an issue in some states out West that have robust mail-in voting systems, many states are doing this for the first time and will never have experienced this volume of mail-in ballots.
Counting mail-in ballots is a much more labor-intensive process. “It just takes longer, literally, to process an absentee or by-mail ballot. Even taking it out of the envelope, separating, unfolding it. I mean, all that just takes time,” Hood said.
But not having results right away is not a bad thing — the opposite, in fact.
As Myrna Perez, director of the voting rights and elections program at the Brennan Center for Justice, told me, there could be very good reasons for the slowdown. We want states to give voters until the last possible minute to drop off their mail-in ballot. We want to be able to correct glitches and technical errors, and to give voters the chance to fix a mail-in ballot if it’s been rejected. We want to be able to do things like audits — verifying the vote count with paper ballots, say — if needed. All of that takes time.
Add to this the unprecedented changes the pandemic has brought: States are overhauling their systems to accommodate mail-in ballots. They need to recruit and train poll workers. They need to buy personal protective equipment.
“There are more changes in this election cycle, with more concern about the pandemic, and more enthusiasm about voting, all coming together at the same time, more than we’ve ever seen before,” Becker, with the Center for Innovation & Election Research, said. “So we’ve got more voters, fewer poll workers, fewer polling sites, and strained resources.”
The federal government could do more to help, though: namely, providing resources to states and localities so they can safely and effectively administer elections, and to help communicate any changes in election rules to their voters.
The HEROES ACT, the House Democrats’ $3 trillion stimulus bill, included $3.6 billion for state and local governments to prepare and plan for elections. But the talks on that bill have stalled in the Senate, and that’s where it remains.
“There is no amount of money that will be wasted on good public education,” Perez said. “Even if it were at the last minute. There’s so much disruption and changes that are happening to our elections. Letting folks know good information about the who, what, when, where, why, and how of voting will be money well spent.”
Voting early is good for you — and for democracy
Voting, with or without the pandemic, has always had its problems in the United States. There are long lines at polling stations. Voting machines break down.
We expect those things to happen. And the pandemic will exacerbate them. States that have never done universal vote-by-mail are about to implement it for the first time. Shortages in poll workers might mean fewer polling stations and longer lines. The voting process might take more time because of social distancing and disinfecting.
So basically, Americans can’t all vote at the last minute if we want our democracy to work. “If you want to vote by mail, the earlier you get it in, the more it’s likely to get processed on time. If you’re voting in person, and if you vote early, if there’s a big glitch, you can go back,” Perez said.
Some people might not have made up their minds yet on whom to vote for, and they may not until Election Day. But if you have made up your mind — and if you know there is nothing at all that Joe Biden or Donald Trump (or the congressional candidates on the ballot!) could do to sway you differently — then please, vote early if you can.
It’s not just to guarantee that your vote counts. It’s also to help all of your fellow Americans who are busy, have inflexible work schedules, or are late deciders, wafflers, and swing voters who have every right to cast their ballot when they’re certain of their choice. It would also help all those procrastinators out there (you know who you are).
Because voting early, Perez said, has a smoothing effect — not just for you but for everyone else. If voting is spaced out over days, for example, and everyone goes at different times, then there won’t be that crush of ballots or crowds. If there are glitches, it will affect fewer people, making it easier to correct.
It also helps protect against other voting concerns, like misinformation or even foreign meddling. As Becker pointed out, those online propaganda efforts tend to have a maximum impact the closer they happen to Election Day — when there’s less time to fact-check or debunk, and the window of time narrows to the point where if someone is deterred from voting, they won’t have another chance.
If you’ve planned and voted early, you’re going to be less susceptible to Russian trolls. And if we all vote early, well, then we’ll all be less susceptible.
Think of it a little bit like mask-wearing, but for democracy. Planning and voting early offers you more confidence that your vote counted, and the more people who do that, the more likely other voters participate in — and poll workers and election officials manage — a much more efficient and fair election for everyone. And everyone can be a little more confident that their vote counted.
“Not only does doing things early maximize the chance that your ballot will be successfully processed and counted, it maximizes the chance everybody’s ballot will be successfully processed and counted, because you’re allowing election officials to spread out the work over more time,” Becker said. “It’s a very patriotic thing to get this done early.”
Correction, August 27: An earlier version of the vote-by-mail map mischaracterized New Jersey’s and Montana’s rules. New Jersey will send ballots to all registered voters; Montana is allowing counties to decide whether to send mail-in ballots.


vox--2020-08-27--The March on Washington 2020, explained

The March on Washington 2020, explained

On the granite steps of the Lincoln Memorial are carved two footprints .
An inscription notes this spot was where Martin Luther King Jr. delivered his “ I Have a Dream ” speech in front of thousands on August 28 , 1963 .
On Friday , amid a summer of protest against systemic racism and police violence , remarks will again be delivered from that same place by those speaking out against state violence .
Dubbed “ Get Your Knee Off Our Necks , ” the 2020 March on Washington is expected to draw 50,000 protesters from around the country @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Al Sharpton during the June funeral of George Floyd , a Black man who died after a white officer kneeled on his neck for longer than eight minutes .
Then this week , another nationwide wave of protests broke out after Kenosha , Wisconsin , police shot 29-year-old Jacob Blake in the back multiple times , revitalizing the movement to get out into streets during a time when the physical , emotional , and economic health of Black Americans has disproportionately been impacted .
The march — organized by Sharpton ’ s National @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the National Urban League , the Hispanic Federation , clergy groups , unions , and civil rights groups — will include speeches by Sharpton , Martin Luther King III , and relatives of those killed by police , including Floyd , Breonna Taylor , Eric Garner , and others .
After initial criticism from activists over the exclusion of families of local victims of police violence , several DC-based family members will also speak .
Although organizers initially expected 100,000 protesters to attend the day of speeches at the Lincoln Memorial in Washington @ @ @ @ @ @ @ coronavirus quarantine travel restrictions ended up cutting that number in half .
Residents of nearby Maryland and Virginia are exempt from the district ’ s quarantine order , though , and tour buses from several northeastern states , like New York and New Jersey , are also exempt , according to the Washington Post .
Several groups from other cities who have been organizing protests throughout the summer , like in Louisville and Atlanta , are also traveling to attend the rally .
To deal with the pandemic , everyone attending will be @ @ @ @ @ @ @ entry .
Masks will be mandatory in the protest area , and anyone seeking to gain entry without one will be provided with a mask .
There will also be 20 hand sanitizer stations , according to protest organizers .
Marchers are expected to starting gathering on the National Mall around the reflecting pool at 7 am Friday , and speakers will begin addressing the crowd from the steps of the Lincoln Memorial at around 11 am .
Prior registration is required for all attendees .
For those not able to be there @ @ @ @ @ @ @ streamed online in full by the NAACP .
The “ ill-timed ” protest against racial injustice that made history This year ’ s march marks the 57th anniversary of King ’ s famous speech , which was attended by approximately 250,000 people .
Originally conceived as a protest for jobs , the march quickly morphed into a wider protest for racial justice after a summer of police beatings of civil rights activists working against the disenfranchisement of Black voters .
While King ’ s speech is most remembered for his iconic finish in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a future of racial equality in the US , he also spoke to the urgency of now — a lesson that can apply just as much today as it did back then .
“ This is no time to engage in the luxury of cooling off or to take the tranquilizing drug of gradualism , ” he said .
“ Now is the time to make real the promises of democracy .
Now is the time to rise from the dark and desolate valley of segregation to the sunlit path of racial justice.
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ the country marches in the streets against police brutality .
“ There are those who are asking the devotees of civil rights , ‘ When will you be satisfied ?
’ We can never be satisfied as long as the Negro is the victim of the unspeakable horrors of police brutality , ” he said .
Activists Philip Randolph , Whitney M. Young Jr. , and Roy Wilkins spoke at the 1963 march , as well as civil rights icon Rep. John Lewis ( D-GA ) , who died last month .
In @ @ @ @ @ @ @ march was being planned , President John F. Kennedy met with organizers and suggested that such a large-scale protest was “ ill-timed.
” “ We want success in the Congress , not just a big show at the Capitol , ” the president told organizers .
King responded , telling the president : “ Frankly , I have never engaged in any direct-action movement which did not seem ill-timed.
” In a way , it ’ s a direct parallel to this summer ’ s protests as worried politicos have sometimes fretted that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ drive more support toward President Donald Trump as he seeks reelection this year .
But after his initial hesitancy , Kennedy embraced the event .
Two months before the march , in the wake of the assassination of civil rights activist Medgar Evers and the resulting race riots , Kennedy announced plans for a civil rights bill .
It was signed into law the following year by President Lyndon Johnson .
The Civil Rights Act of 1964 banned discrimination on the basis of race , color , religion , sex , or national @ @ @ @ @ @ @ life , including employment , housing , and public accommodations .
It remains to be seen whether this year ’ s march will achieve an eventual legislative victory at the federal level .
Many of the demands currently being made for defunding the police fall under the jurisdiction of state or local officials , but there are some things lawmakers can do federally to address police violence , like ending qualified immunity for officers or banning police chokeholds .
Federal legislators can also help by providing economic relief , especially as the pandemic @ @ @ @ @ @ @ employment .
The National Mall , and in particular the steps of the Lincoln Memorial , has long been an iconic spot for mass protests .
In May 1957 , 25,000 protesters gathered there to commemorate the decision in Brown v. Board of Education and to demand the federal government follow through with honoring that decision .
Returning to the site of King ’ s 1963 speech at the end of a summer of national anti-racism protests seems more than fitting .
In the spring , we launched a program asking readers for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for everyone , and last week , we set a goal of reaching 20,000 contributors .
Well , you helped us blow past that .
Today , we are extending that goal to 25,000 .
Millions turn to Vox each month to understand an increasingly chaotic world — from what is happening with the USPS to the coronavirus crisis to what is , quite possibly , the most consequential presidential election of our lifetimes .
Even when the economy and the news advertising market recovers , your support will be a critical part @ @ @ @ @ @ @ helping everyone make sense of an increasingly chaotic world .
Contribute today from as little as $ 3 .

On the granite steps of the Lincoln Memorial are carved two footprints. An inscription notes this spot was where Martin Luther King Jr. delivered his “I Have a Dream” speech in front of thousands on August 28, 1963.
On Friday, amid a summer of protest against systemic racism and police violence, remarks will again be delivered from that same place by those speaking out against state violence.
Dubbed “Get Your Knee Off Our Necks,” the 2020 March on Washington is expected to draw 50,000 protesters from around the country. It was announced by Rev. Al Sharpton during the June funeral of George Floyd, a Black man who died after a white officer kneeled on his neck for longer than eight minutes. Then this week, another nationwide wave of protests broke out after Kenosha, Wisconsin, police shot 29-year-old Jacob Blake in the back multiple times, revitalizing the movement to get out into streets during a time when the physical, emotional, and economic health of Black Americans has disproportionately been impacted.
The march — organized by Sharpton’s National Action Network along with the NAACP, the National Urban League, the Hispanic Federation, clergy groups, unions, and civil rights groups — will include speeches by Sharpton, Martin Luther King III, and relatives of those killed by police, including Floyd, Breonna Taylor, Eric Garner, and others. After initial criticism from activists over the exclusion of families of local victims of police violence, several DC-based family members will also speak.
Although organizers initially expected 100,000 protesters to attend the day of speeches at the Lincoln Memorial in Washington, DC, the district’s coronavirus quarantine travel restrictions ended up cutting that number in half. Residents of nearby Maryland and Virginia are exempt from the district’s quarantine order, though, and tour buses from several northeastern states, like New York and New Jersey, are also exempt, according to the Washington Post. Several groups from other cities who have been organizing protests throughout the summer, like in Louisville and Atlanta, are also traveling to attend the rally.
To deal with the pandemic, everyone attending will be subject to a mandatory temperature check upon entry. Masks will be mandatory in the protest area, and anyone seeking to gain entry without one will be provided with a mask. There will also be 20 hand sanitizer stations, according to protest organizers.
Marchers are expected to starting gathering on the National Mall around the reflecting pool at 7 am Friday, and speakers will begin addressing the crowd from the steps of the Lincoln Memorial at around 11 am. Prior registration is required for all attendees. For those not able to be there in person, the event will be streamed online in full by the NAACP.
The “ill-timed” protest against racial injustice that made history
This year’s march marks the 57th anniversary of King’s famous speech, which was attended by approximately 250,000 people.
Originally conceived as a protest for jobs, the march quickly morphed into a wider protest for racial justice after a summer of police beatings of civil rights activists working against the disenfranchisement of Black voters.
While King’s speech is most remembered for his iconic finish in which he laid out his vision for a future of racial equality in the US, he also spoke to the urgency of now — a lesson that can apply just as much today as it did back then. “This is no time to engage in the luxury of cooling off or to take the tranquilizing drug of gradualism,” he said. “Now is the time to make real the promises of democracy. Now is the time to rise from the dark and desolate valley of segregation to the sunlit path of racial justice.”
His words still ring true as the country marches in the streets against police brutality. “There are those who are asking the devotees of civil rights, ‘When will you be satisfied?’ We can never be satisfied as long as the Negro is the victim of the unspeakable horrors of police brutality,” he said.
Activists Philip Randolph, Whitney M. Young Jr., and Roy Wilkins spoke at the 1963 march, as well as civil rights icon Rep. John Lewis (D-GA), who died last month.
In the spring of 1963, as the march was being planned, President John F. Kennedy met with organizers and suggested that such a large-scale protest was “ill-timed.”
“We want success in the Congress, not just a big show at the Capitol,” the president told organizers. King responded, telling the president: “Frankly, I have never engaged in any direct-action movement which did not seem ill-timed.”
In a way, it’s a direct parallel to this summer’s protests as worried politicos have sometimes fretted that mass protests against police violence could potentially drive more support toward President Donald Trump as he seeks reelection this year.
But after his initial hesitancy, Kennedy embraced the event. Two months before the march, in the wake of the assassination of civil rights activist Medgar Evers and the resulting race riots, Kennedy announced plans for a civil rights bill. It was signed into law the following year by President Lyndon Johnson. The Civil Rights Act of 1964 banned discrimination on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, or national origin in several key areas of public life, including employment, housing, and public accommodations.
It remains to be seen whether this year’s march will achieve an eventual legislative victory at the federal level. Many of the demands currently being made for defunding the police fall under the jurisdiction of state or local officials, but there are some things lawmakers can do federally to address police violence, like ending qualified immunity for officers or banning police chokeholds. Federal legislators can also help by providing economic relief, especially as the pandemic has taken a significant toll on Black employment.
The National Mall, and in particular the steps of the Lincoln Memorial, has long been an iconic spot for mass protests. In May 1957, 25,000 protesters gathered there to commemorate the decision in Brown v. Board of Education and to demand the federal government follow through with honoring that decision. Returning to the site of King’s 1963 speech at the end of a summer of national anti-racism protests seems more than fitting.
New goal: 25,000
In the spring, we launched a program asking readers for financial contributions to help keep Vox free for everyone, and last week, we set a goal of reaching 20,000 contributors. Well, you helped us blow past that. Today, we are extending that goal to 25,000. Millions turn to Vox each month to understand an increasingly chaotic world — from what is happening with the USPS to the coronavirus crisis to what is, quite possibly, the most consequential presidential election of our lifetimes. 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.


vox--2020-08-27--When voting rights weren’t for all women

On this landmark 100th anniversary of women ’ s suffrage , historians Martha S. Jones and Daina Ramey Berry reflect on what the 19th Amendment means for Black women in America .
Women ’ s suffrage was rooted in the abolitionist movement , but when it came to securing the passage of federal legislation , white advocates were willing to abandon Black suffragists to get the support of Southern states .
And while the 1920 law may have enfranchised all American women , Black women , particularly those living in the South , were left to fight racial discrimination when @ @ @ @ @ @ @ polls .
Those barriers included poll taxes , grandfather clauses , and arbitrary tests on literacy and constitutional recitations .
It wasn ’ t until the Voting Rights Act of 1965 that such voter suppression efforts became illegal .
However , the fight for voting rights is far from over .
Hurdles to registering to vote and casting a ballot still exist today , through things like voter ID laws , closures of polling locations , and gerrymandering .
While seemingly innocuous to some , these restrictions disproportionately target minorities , the elderly @ @ @ @ @ @ @ find this video and all of Vox ’ s videos on YouTube .
And if you ’ re interested in supporting our video journalism , you can become a member of the Vox Video Lab on YouTube .
In the spring , we launched a program asking readers for financial contributions to help keep Vox free for everyone , and last week , we set a goal of reaching 20,000 contributors .
Well , you helped us blow past that .
Today , we are extending that goal to 25,000 .
Millions turn @ @ @ @ @ @ @ increasingly chaotic world — from what is happening with the USPS to the coronavirus crisis to what is , quite possibly , the most consequential presidential election of our lifetimes .
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 this landmark 100th anniversary of women’s suffrage, historians Martha S. Jones and Daina Ramey Berry reflect on what the 19th Amendment means for Black women in America.
Women’s suffrage was rooted in the abolitionist movement, but when it came to securing the passage of federal legislation, white advocates were willing to abandon Black suffragists to get the support of Southern states. And while the 1920 law may have enfranchised all American women, Black women, particularly those living in the South, were left to fight racial discrimination when registering to vote and going to the polls. Those barriers included poll taxes, grandfather clauses, and arbitrary tests on literacy and constitutional recitations. It wasn’t until the Voting Rights Act of 1965 that such voter suppression efforts became illegal.
However, the fight for voting rights is far from over. Hurdles to registering to vote and casting a ballot still exist today, through things like voter ID laws, closures of polling locations, and gerrymandering. While seemingly innocuous to some, these restrictions disproportionately target minorities, the elderly, and the poor.
You can find this video and all of Vox’s videos on YouTube. And if you’re interested in supporting our video journalism, you can become a member of the Vox Video Lab on YouTube.
New goal: 25,000
In the spring, we launched a program asking readers for financial contributions to help keep Vox free for everyone, and last week, we set a goal of reaching 20,000 contributors. Well, you helped us blow past that. Today, we are extending that goal to 25,000. Millions turn to Vox each month to understand an increasingly chaotic world — from what is happening with the USPS to the coronavirus crisis to what is, quite possibly, the most consequential presidential election of our lifetimes. 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.


vox--2020-08-27--Thursday’s Republican National Convention speakers, explained for people who don’t watch Fox News

The fourth and final night of the Republican National Convention on Thursday will feature President Donald Trump accepting his party ’ s renomination , as well as speeches by his daughter Ivanka Trump , former New York City mayor Rudy Giuliani , and Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell .
The Republican National Committee abandoned its plans to hold a large-scale , in-person convention in Charlotte , North Carolina — as well as its subsequent plans to relocate the convention to Jacksonville , Florida — on account of concerns about the coronavirus pandemic .
The convention has consequently gone almost entirely @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , DC , including speeches delivered from the White House lawn and the Andrew W. Mellon Auditorium , over just a few hours of condensed programming that has been broadcast nightly .
The theme of Thursday night is “ Land of Greatness.
” The official proceedings go from 8:30 to 11 pm ET .
All major television networks will broadcast the final hour ; the full program will be available on social media sites such as Facebook , Twitter , YouTube , and Twitch , as well as streaming services including Amazon Prime @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the convention have featured remarks from both Trump and Vice President Mike Pence , followed by others from the president ’ s family and allies , including Donald Trump Jr. and White House adviser Kellyanne Conway .
On the third night of the convention , on the heels of shootings in Kenosha , Wisconsin , Pence delivered a speech claiming that Trump is the only one who can quell the violence , warning , “ You won ’ t be safe in Joe Biden ’ s America.
” The second night of the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ members , including a speech by first lady Melania Trump , and while the theme of night one hearkened back to the “ American Carnage ” speech given by Trump in 2016 , night two celebrated a sanitized version of Trump aimed at swing-state voters .
The appearances have all led up to Trump accepting the nomination on Thursday night from the White House — a break from tradition that some legal and ethics experts argue is a violation of the Hatch Act , which prohibits the use of government property for political @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of speakers for Thursday night ( which is subject to change ) in the order they are scheduled to appear : Graham is the son of the late Rev .
Billy Graham , an evangelist who served as a spiritual adviser to a number of presidents , and the president and CEO of the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association .
His relative Cissie Graham Lynch also spoke during the second night of the RNC .
McCarthy was elected to Congress in 2006 and become the Republican leader in the House in 2014 .
Smith @ @ @ @ @ @ @ April 2019 and previously served in the White House as an urban affairs policy adviser .
He also worked for Pence while he was in the US House and Sen. Tim Scott of South Carolina .
Trump has reportedly referred to him as “ my star.
” Van Drew was elected to Congress in 2018 and previously served as a New Jersey state senator .
He previously identified as a Democrat but officially changed his party affiliation in January because he disagreed with Democrats ’ impeachment of Trump .
Mayfield is the president @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ventilation , and air conditioning company in Omaha , Nebraska .
Brightmon is a Marine Corps veteran from Houston , Texas , who participated in an apprenticeship program for women and military veterans that led to full-time employment .
Scavino , one of the longest-serving aides in the Trump administration , is the White House deputy chief of staff and was Trump ’ s social media director for his 2016 presidential campaign .
He is one of the few aides who has access to Trump ’ s Twitter account .
McConnell has served @ @ @ @ @ @ @ since 2006 , serving in the post for longer than anyone before him .
White is the president of Ultimate Fighting Championship , the world ’ s largely MMA organization , who previously spoke at the 2016 RNC endorsing Trump .
He donated $ 1 million in February to a super PAC supporting Trump ’ s reelection .
Reyes has served as Utah ’ s Attorney General since 2013 and is currently seeking reelection , as well as serving as the Utah co-chair for Trump ’ s reelection campaign .
He gained notoriety @ @ @ @ @ @ @ struck down the state ’ s same-sex marriage ban to the Supreme Court in 2014 and also joined a number of other Republican state attorneys general in suing the Obama administration over issues including transgender rights .
Flood is the president and owner of a manufacturing and steel production company in Wisconsin .
St. Louis , Missouri , Police Sergeant Ann Dorn will speak about how her late husband , David Dorn , a former police captain , was killed while defending a store that was being looted amid the protests over the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ have objected to her appearance at the convention , saying that their father did not support Trump , according to the St. Louis American .
Carson , an evangelical Christian and Republican presidential candidate in 2016 , has served as the Department of Housing and Urban Development ’ s top official since 2017 despite having no previous experience in housing .
He has tried to drastically scale back fair and affordable housing during his tenure .
Previously a surgeon at Johns Hopkins-Bloomberg Children ’ s Center , he recently pushed an untested coronavirus @ @ @ @ @ @ @ CEO of MyPillow .
Giuliani was the mayor of New York City from 1994 to 2001 and has served as Trump ’ s personal lawyer since 2018 .
He was involved in Trump ’ s attempt to pressure Ukraine to investigate Trump ’ s political rival , former Vice President Joe Biden , and Biden ’ s son Hunter over Hunter ’ s shady but not illegal business dealings in the country .
Two of Giuliani ’ s Ukrainian business associates have been indicted on criminal campaign finance charges .
Lynch is the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a police union in New York City that has endorsed Trump .
Cotton was elected to the Senate in 2015 and also previously served one term in the US House .
Known for his hardline policies on immigration , gun rights , and policing , he wrote a controversial op-ed in the New York Times in June that argued for the deployment of the US military to American cities to quell the violence and looting that had broken out amid protests over the shooting of George Floyd .
The Muellers are the parents @ @ @ @ @ @ @ humanitarian worker who was held captive in Aleppo , Syria , by the Islamic State in Iraq and Syria ; she was killed in 2015 .
Johnson spent 22 years in prison for a first-time , nonviolent drug and money laundering conviction before Trump granted her clemency at the recommendation of Kim Kardashian West .
She is now a criminal justice reform advocate .
Ivanka Trump is the president ’ s eldest daughter who has served as a White House adviser since 2017 alongside her husband Jared Kushner , which has raised concerns @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , she came under fire for promoting a Goya Foods can of beans on Twitter , running afoul of federal ethics laws preventing federal employees from endorsing products .
She also reportedly proposed her father ’ s controversial photo op in which he held a bible in front of St. John ’ s Church , which involved tear-gassing protesters in front of the White House .
In the spring , we launched a program asking readers for financial contributions to help keep Vox free for everyone , and last week , we set @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Well , you helped us blow past that .
Today , we are extending that goal to 25,000 .
Millions turn to Vox each month to understand an increasingly chaotic world — from what is happening with the USPS to the coronavirus crisis to what is , quite possibly , the most consequential presidential election of our lifetimes .
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 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ $ 3 .

The fourth and final night of the Republican National Convention on Thursday will feature President Donald Trump accepting his party’s renomination, as well as speeches by his daughter Ivanka Trump, former New York City mayor Rudy Giuliani, and Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell.
The Republican National Committee abandoned its plans to hold a large-scale, in-person convention in Charlotte, North Carolina — as well as its subsequent plans to relocate the convention to Jacksonville, Florida — on account of concerns about the coronavirus pandemic. The convention has consequently gone almost entirely virtual and largely taken place in Washington, DC, including speeches delivered from the White House lawn and the Andrew W. Mellon Auditorium, over just a few hours of condensed programming that has been broadcast nightly.
The theme of Thursday night is “Land of Greatness.” The official proceedings go from 8:30 to 11 pm ET. All major television networks will broadcast the final hour; the full program will be available on social media sites such as Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, and Twitch, as well as streaming services including Amazon Prime Video.
The first three days of the convention have featured remarks from both Trump and Vice President Mike Pence, followed by others from the president’s family and allies, including Donald Trump Jr. and White House adviser Kellyanne Conway.
On the third night of the convention, on the heels of shootings in Kenosha, Wisconsin, Pence delivered a speech claiming that Trump is the only one who can quell the violence, warning, “You won’t be safe in Joe Biden’s America.” The second night of the convention featured more remarks from Trump family members, including a speech by first lady Melania Trump, and while the theme of night one hearkened back to the “American Carnage” speech given by Trump in 2016, night two celebrated a sanitized version of Trump aimed at swing-state voters.
The appearances have all led up to Trump accepting the nomination on Thursday night from the White House — a break from tradition that some legal and ethics experts argue is a violation of the Hatch Act, which prohibits the use of government property for political activities.
Here’s the lineup of speakers for Thursday night (which is subject to change) in the order they are scheduled to appear:
Franklin Graham
Graham is the son of the late Rev. Billy Graham, an evangelist who served as a spiritual adviser to a number of presidents, and the president and CEO of the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association. His relative Cissie Graham Lynch also spoke during the second night of the RNC.
House Republican Leader Kevin McCarthy (R-CA)
McCarthy was elected to Congress in 2006 and become the Republican leader in the House in 2014.
Ja’Ron Smith
Smith has advised Trump on domestic policy since April 2019 and previously served in the White House as an urban affairs policy adviser. He also worked for Pence while he was in the US House and Sen. Tim Scott of South Carolina. Trump has reportedly referred to him as “my star.”
Rep. Jeff Van Drew (R-NJ)
Van Drew was elected to Congress in 2018 and previously served as a New Jersey state senator. He previously identified as a Democrat but officially changed his party affiliation in January because he disagreed with Democrats’ impeachment of Trump.
Wade Mayfield
Mayfield is the president of Thermal Services, a heating, ventilation, and air conditioning company in Omaha, Nebraska.
Stacia Brightmon
Brightmon is a Marine Corps veteran from Houston, Texas, who participated in an apprenticeship program for women and military veterans that led to full-time employment.
Dan Scavino
Scavino, one of the longest-serving aides in the Trump administration, is the White House deputy chief of staff and was Trump’s social media director for his 2016 presidential campaign. He is one of the few aides who has access to Trump’s Twitter account.
Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY)
McConnell has served as the Republican leader in the Senate since 2006, serving in the post for longer than anyone before him.
Dana White
White is the president of Ultimate Fighting Championship, the world’s largely MMA organization, who previously spoke at the 2016 RNC endorsing Trump. He donated $1 million in February to a super PAC supporting Trump’s reelection.
Utah Attorney General Sean Reyes
Reyes has served as Utah’s Attorney General since 2013 and is currently seeking reelection, as well as serving as the Utah co-chair for Trump’s reelection campaign. He gained notoriety after appealing a lower court ruling that struck down the state’s same-sex marriage ban to the Supreme Court in 2014 and also joined a number of other Republican state attorneys general in suing the Obama administration over issues including transgender rights.
Debbie Flood
Flood is the president and owner of a manufacturing and steel production company in Wisconsin.
Ann Dorn
St. Louis, Missouri, Police Sergeant Ann Dorn will speak about how her late husband, David Dorn, a former police captain, was killed while defending a store that was being looted amid the protests over the death of George Floyd. His daughters have objected to her appearance at the convention, saying that their father did not support Trump, according to the St. Louis American.
Housing and Urban Development Secretary Ben Carson
Carson, an evangelical Christian and Republican presidential candidate in 2016, has served as the Department of Housing and Urban Development’s top official since 2017 despite having no previous experience in housing. He has tried to drastically scale back fair and affordable housing during his tenure. Previously a surgeon at Johns Hopkins-Bloomberg Children’s Center, he recently pushed an untested coronavirus treatment called oleandrin alongside the founder and CEO of MyPillow.
Rudy Giuliani
Giuliani was the mayor of New York City from 1994 to 2001 and has served as Trump’s personal lawyer since 2018. He was involved in Trump’s attempt to pressure Ukraine to investigate Trump’s political rival, former Vice President Joe Biden, and Biden’s son Hunter over Hunter’s shady but not illegal business dealings in the country. Two of Giuliani’s Ukrainian business associates have been indicted on criminal campaign finance charges.
Patrick Lynch
Lynch is the president of the Police Benevolent Association, a police union in New York City that has endorsed Trump.
Sen. Tom Cotton (R-AR)
Cotton was elected to the Senate in 2015 and also previously served one term in the US House. Known for his hardline policies on immigration, gun rights, and policing, he wrote a controversial op-ed in the New York Times in June that argued for the deployment of the US military to American cities to quell the violence and looting that had broken out amid protests over the shooting of George Floyd.
Carl and Marsha Mueller
The Muellers are the parents of Kayla Jean Mueller, a 26-year-old humanitarian worker who was held captive in Aleppo, Syria, by the Islamic State in Iraq and Syria; she was killed in 2015.
Alice Johnson
Johnson spent 22 years in prison for a first-time, nonviolent drug and money laundering conviction before Trump granted her clemency at the recommendation of Kim Kardashian West. She is now a criminal justice reform advocate.
Ivanka Trump
Ivanka Trump is the president’s eldest daughter who has served as a White House adviser since 2017 alongside her husband Jared Kushner, which has raised concerns about potential conflicts of interests. Recently, she came under fire for promoting a Goya Foods can of beans on Twitter, running afoul of federal ethics laws preventing federal employees from endorsing products. She also reportedly proposed her father’s controversial photo op in which he held a bible in front of St. John’s Church, which involved tear-gassing protesters in front of the White House.
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