500,000 mail-in votes in Wisconsin might not have been counted in November—that is, until our reporting helped identify what could charitably be called a “clerical error” in that state’s Republican-created ballot application process with enough time for voters to be educated about it. Wisconsin’s electoral votes, by the way, were determined in 2016 by fewer than 25,000 votes. Voting organizations in September have a clearer idea of whose absentee votes are most likely to be rejected—younger voters, at as much as triple the average rate. Poll workers and voters can expect bottlenecks almost as soon as precincts are open—the more we know about these potential Election Day issues, the better the public can prepare for them.
These are just a selection of the recent articles Steven Rosenfeld has done for IMI’s Voting Booth project. Supporting democracy isn’t just about sending money to candidates running for office—this country needs skilled reporting that can spot problems in real time. Those two things need to go together for the process to work.
Voting Booth has prevented so much error and malfeasance in our election systems—and we are asking you to step up and support this work at a critical moment.
If you aren’t up to date with the important work being done by our other writers, please catch up with their recent work!
Dems Mock the GOP for Denying Climate Science, But They Are Still Addicted to Fossil Fuel Funders by Sonali Kolhatkar
Our Food System Is Broken and Inhumane, but It Can Be Fixed by Reynard Loki
Europe Is Perversely Causing the Destruction of U.S. Forests in the Name of Fighting Climate Change by Danna Smith
Community Fridges Are Popping Up Across America for Mutual Aid Amid the Pandemic by April M. Short
Online Charter Schools Are Not a Solution to Education in a Pandemic by Florina Rodov
Thanks from Jan Ritch-Frel and the rest of the IMI team—help us prevent the worst from happening.