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Play Thrilling New GTA Online Experiences Built by the Community with the Rockstar Mission Creator
The Rockstar Mission Creator is the latest expansion to our suite of innovative, in-depth tools empowering the community to unleash their creativity and bring their own GTA Online adventures to life. Play a wide range of exciting missions across Los...
These are the free Iowa State Fair concert lineups for 2026
The free stages at the 2026 Iowa State Fair are mixing it up this year and adding a wide variety of genres. Here's the concert lineup.
This 20th Anniversary iPhone rumor is speculative but persuasive
Former Apple design chief Jony Ive famously prioritized sleek aesthetics over almost everything else, and there was widespread agreement that...
BMG and Concord confirm merger, with Bertelsmann as majority-owner; Bob Valentine named CEO of combined
The combined company will be owned approximately 67% by Bertelsmann, and 33% by affiliates of Great Mountain Partners, a long-time investor in Concord…
Are Local Health Departments the Linchpin for Rebuilding Trust in Public Health?
Trust in public health dropped during COVID-19, but local health departments may be the linchpin to rebuilding confidence nationwide.
DBE/ACDBE Reevaluation: What Certified Firms Need to Know
The Texas Unified Certification Program is reevaluating every Texas-based Disadvantaged Business Enterprise (DBE) and Airport Concession Disadvantaged Business Enterprise (ACDBE) firm under new federal eligibility criteria. Submissions are open throu
Microsoft asks iPhone users to reauthenticate after Outlook outage
After addressing a widespread outage that affected Outlook.com users worldwide on Monday, Microsoft has asked iPhone users to re-enter their credentials to regain access to their Outlook and Hotmail accounts via the default Mail app.
How Northwell Health built a physician-led well-being strategy
Northwell Health has cut doctor burnout by 17% through physician-led change, local well-being efforts and systemwide action.
Stephen A. Smith calls out heated political rhetoric after WHCD security scare
Stephen A. Smith recounts the fear inside the White House Correspondents' Dinner after gunfire outside the Washington Hilton sparked widespread panic.
New One UI 8.5 Beta adds little value to your old Galaxy flagship
Is it time to bid farewell to the Galaxy S23?
Scores of Lebanon’s paramedics killed in Israeli attacks
A paramedic’s death reverberates through a community in Lebanon, and raises fears of wider trend.
A new Tampa startup accelerator program to launch this fall
A new statewide startup accelerator program backed by Florida's most influential business leaders is taking shape with Tampa Bay tapped to anchor a health care track.
EPIC Entertainment Group
A US-wide rollout of immersive experiences responds to growing demand for narrative-driven visitor experiences
Texas leads U.S. in business bankruptcies as filings rise
Inflation, tariffs and rising debt are driving a surge in commercial filings nationwide. One in six of all U.S. cases in the first quarter was filed in Texas.
Health Care: Our Plan for Taking Care of ME
Maine’s health care is under threat. From closures to unaffordable premiums, policies like the Big Beautiful Bill are making an already terrible problem worse. Health care is nonnegotiable, and we plan to make health care affordable, wide-ranging, and invest in medical education.
Healthy life expectancy gap between rich and poor has widened
Poor housing, obesity and the effects of deprivation have been suggested as underlying causes of the fall.
A new attack on the rituals that define US democracy
The gunman who allegedly aimed to target President Donald Trump’s Cabinet at an annual dinner celebrating free speech crystallized widening political violence that imperils such fundamental rights.
Nessus Agent Vulnerability on Windows Enables Arbitrary Code Execution with SYSTEM Privileges
A newly disclosed security vulnerability in Tenable's Nessus Agent for Windows could allow attackers to execute malicious code with the highest level of system privileges, raising serious concerns for enterprise security teams relying on the widely-deployed vulnerability assessment platform.
Galaxy Z Fold 8 ‘Wide’ shows off its new form factor in side-by-side leak [Gallery]
Samsung’s upcoming foldable lineup includes its first new mainstream form factor in years, as the “Wide” device enters the fold...
Netflix Weighs Profit Discipline Against Growth In Sports Gaming Experiences
Netflix (NasdaqGS:NFLX) is sharpening its capital allocation approach, emphasizing profitability and margin discipline. The company is widening its focus beyond on demand streaming to advertising, live sports, gaming and experiential venues. Management recently chose not to pursue a potential merger with Warner Bros. Discovery, signaling a preference for self funded growth. Netflix shifted from a pure subscription streaming pioneer into a broader entertainment platform that includes ad...
‘It’s Philippines’ time now’: Filipino entertainment makes way onto global stage
REDWOOD CITY, Calif. (KRON) — Last weekend, BINI made history as the first Filipino girl group to perform at the world-renowned Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival. Filipinos worldwide f…
Why Quality Health Information May Drive Health Outcomes
Widespread use of online medical content and AI tools is reshaping decision-making and raising concerns about misinformation.
The foldable iPhone Ultra might have a problem on launch day
The foldable iPhone Ultra might not have the smoothest of launches.
Herald Staffer Wins Statewide Award for Sports Reporting
Jeffrey Merchan is honored for his story on injured soccer player Melvin Criollo
Walmart’s new Google TV streamers are now available for some as wide launch nears
After weeks of leaks from retail stores, Walmart’s new Onn 4K Pro and Onn 4K streaming stick with Google TV...
NFL Draft Day 3: Colbie Young and Micah Morris selected
Georgia rounded out the final day of the NFL Draft by seeing two more former players, wide receiver Colbie Young and offensive guard Micah Morris, get selected to bring the
Statewide school mental health initiative celebrates $100,000 grant at Matteson elementary school
The Resilience-Supportive Schools Illinois program is used in 800 schools across the state, including Matteson’s Marya Yates Elementary.
This Rich Hawaiʻi Super PAC Is Already Shaping A Key Statewide Election
Pacific Resource Partnership has become a major player in the state’s most important political races.
Apple wanted to blow us away for the 20th anniversary of the iPhone, now it’s not so sure
The iPhone 20 Pro sounded so good. Now Apple might be forced to abandon the plan entirely.
In-state WR target commits to SEC program over FSU
The Florida State Seminoles missed out on in-state wide receiver Anthony Jennings, who has committed to the Florida Gators.
Brain-Gut Health Initiative supports AI-assisted diagnosis of psychiatric disorders
Psychiatric disorders affect millions worldwide, but their diagnosis still relies on clinical observation instead of standard biological tests.
Saturday Sports: The NFL Draft; the Chicago Cubs
NPR's Scott Simon and sports reporter Michele Steele discuss the NFL Draft.
New iPhone Ultra schematics leak, showing prior reports didn’t do it justice
The iPhone Ultra is apparently even sleeker than previous leaks had claimed.
Saenger Theater brings diverse entertainment to Hattiesburg
HATTIESBURG, Miss. (WHLT) – The Saenger Theater in Hattiesburg continues to bring a wide range of entertainment to the Pine Belt. The venue has served the community since 1929. It first opene…
Saenger Theater brings diverse entertainment to Hattiesburg
HATTIESBURG, Miss. (WHLT) – The Saenger Theater in Hattiesburg continues to bring a wide range of entertainment to the Pine Belt. The venue has served the community since 1929. It first opened with si...
Colorado lawmakers propose sweeping security overhaul after rise in political attacks nationwide
Colorado legislators unveiled a 60‑page bill that would dramatically expand protections for elected officials, staff, and judicial employees, responding to a string of high‑profile attacks nationwide and growing safety concerns inside the state’s courthouses and Capitol. Introduced earlier this week, House Bill 1422 contains nearly 30 sections. Among those provisions is the establishment of an […]
Business owners reflect on long-planned street upgrades in downtown Noblesville
Embrace Downtown is underway, the plan that envisions a pedestrian-friendly plaza, wider sidewalks, places to sit, and parking rules that are more consistent and easier to understand.
Politics Friday: Will Michele Tafoya's public profile transfer to politics?
It has been 20 years since Republicans last won a statewide race in Minnesota. Friday at noon, former sports broadcaster Michele Tafoya makes her case for why she can prevail in the U.S. Senate race.
UConn Pharmacy Student Honored with USPHS Excellence in Public Health Pharmacy Award
One of the top 10 recipients nationwide, out of 85 total recipients, to receive the United States Public Health Service (USPHS) Excellence in Public Health ...
Tennessee Entertainment Commission Announces Outdoor Concert Dates for Levitt AMP Music Series
NASHVILLE, Tenn. — Tennessee is partnering with the Levitt Family Foundation to bring free concerts to six communities statewide. Today, the 2026 dates and locations of the outdoor concerts through the Levitt AMP Music Series, announced last year, are live. The communities selected during Tennessee’s first round of the program include Dyersburg, Lawrenceburg, Loudon, Maryville, […]
Gianluca Prestianni: Benfica winger handed six-match ban for discriminatory conduct towards Real Madrid's Vinicius Junior
Vinicius Junior alleged he was racially abused during the knockout play-off round match between the sides in Lisbon on February 17; Gianluca Prestianni has been handed a six-match ban for discriminatory conduct; UEFA requested FIFA extend the ban worldwide
Connecting Kids to Nationwide’s Business on National Bring A Child to Work Day
On National Bring A Child to Work Day, Nationwide welcomed more than 1,600 children to its campuses across the country to give Nationwide employees’ children and grandchildren a glimpse into what working at Nationwide is like.This year’s event was hosted at six Nationwide locations and virtually, supported by more than 250 employee volunteer...
Is Tencent Music Entertainment Group (NYSE:TME) Pricing Reflect Recent Slide And DCF Upside Potential
If you are wondering whether Tencent Music Entertainment Group's current share price reflects its underlying value, or if the market is mispricing it, this breakdown will help you frame that question with numbers rather than guesswork. The stock last closed at US$9.25, with returns of an 8.9% decline over 7 days, a 6.2% decline over 30 days, a 48.2% decline year to date, a 28.6% decline over 1 year, a 32.8% gain over 3 years, and a 45.6% decline over 5 years, which gives you a wide range of...
Galaxy Z Fold 8 Wide dimensions, aspect ratios of displays leak
A popular tipster has shared the dimensions and the aspect ratios of both the displays of the Galaxy Z Fold 8 Wide.
Choosing grad school over the job market
One student’s journey into AI and data science — and his outlook on the evolving job market.
Marijuana's reclassification raises new questions for the cannabis industry
Medical marijuana is moving from Schedule I status, reserved for the most dangerous drugs like heroin and LSD, to Schedule III, like testosterone and steroids, which are less strictly regulated.
iPhone 18 Pro battery and charging: all expected changes
Here's everything rumors are saying about the iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max's battery and charging so far.
Help Support Science With The City Nature Challenge This Weekend
One of the favorite challenges of the year for outdoor lovers happens this weekend: the City Nature Challenge. This worldwide initiative aims to observe and identify as many wild organisms as possible—plants, animals, fungi, and more ...
Tim Cook admits his biggest mistake and proudest moment as Apple CEO
The outgoing Apple CEO shared his thoughts on his best moments and one major failure.
Op-ed: Dining politics: How a change in catering companies could be a sign of university-wide financial decision
Food Fair, the crown jewel of Tufts Orientation week, is the first chance for all of the Tufts dining locations to show incoming students what they’ve got, and every spot pulls out all the stops. Kindlevan Café smoothies, Fresh at Carmichael Dining Center salmon and Hodgdon quesadillas all meet in this event that students keep talking about and never see again, yet there’s an unsung hero responsible for the whole thing: Tufts Catering.
This 100 million-year-old snake had hind legs and a lost bone that changes evolution
Nearly 100 million years ago, snakes weren’t the sleek, limbless creatures we know today—they still had hind legs and even a cheekbone that has almost vanished in modern species. A remarkably preserved fossil of Najash rionegrina from Argentina has reshaped how scientists think about snake origins, suggesting early snakes were large, wide-mouthed predators rather than tiny burrowers.
California's woes at the center of debate among leading candidates for governor
It's the first time in a generation that California has a wide-open contest for the heavily Democratic state's highest office, with more than 50 names on the ballot.
Small business owners feel 'robbed' after Painted Tree announces bankruptcy
The Painted Tree is closing nationwide and filing for bankruptcy, leaving small business owners scrambling to clear inventory and recover lost funds.
Kentucky AD Barnhart to forego $1M retirement gig amid criticism
Kentucky athletic director Mitch Barnhart will forego a $1 million retirement gig that had been widely criticized, he announced Thursday.
Indiana hospital systems meet benchmark on direct-to-employer health care deals
The report comes as Indiana hospitals attempt to address widespread criticism — including from state leaders — over high prices.
Google Wallet rolling out big homepage, search redesign
Google Wallet is beginning to widely roll out a big redesign of the app on Android that upgrades the passes experience.
Women in science – global study finds presence without power
Women make up one in three researchers worldwide, but they remain sidelined in scientific organisations.
Framingham High teacher honored for excellence in science instruction
A Framingham High School science teacher was among six nationwide to be honored by a national science teacher association.
WHO reports measurable health impact in 2025 amid transition to new strategy
The World Health Organization (WHO) today released its Results Report, highlighting measurable improvements in people’s health worldwide in 2025, despite funding cuts affecting both the organization and the broader global health sector.
The wide-ranging fallout from the Supreme Court’s new terrorism decision, explained
The Court’s Republican majority fractured in a case that could impact everyone from immigrants to consumers.
Huntsman Mental Health Institute community report highlights innovation, record reach, and crisis response
Huntsman Mental Health Institute’s FY25 Annual Report shows record demand, expanded access, and statewide impact - highlighting what's possible when care, research, and education work together.
The base model $599 Mac mini is now completely out of stock
The industry-wide supply chain issues continue to hit prospective Apple customers looking to buy new Macs. Today, the base model...
Live stream tonight, California’s top governor candidates debate
(NEXSTAR) — The leading candidates in the race to become California’s next governor will face off in a live debate airing on Nexstar stations statewide tonight at 7 p.m. The 90-minute debate,…
Redial Entertainment Takes Worldwide Rights To ‘The Isolate Thief’
Redial Entertainment Takes Worldwide Rights To ‘The Isolate Thief’ With Sean Bean, Mackenzie Foy & Odeya Rush
Five UW–Madison professors elected to American Academy of Arts & Sciences
The new members, representing a wide range of academic research areas, were selected for accomplishments in their fields.
2026 NFL mock draft: Giants bypass wide receiver in Round 1, but two still taken in top 10
Mystery is what defines the 2026 NFL Draft with little certainty at the top.
Gamers sue Nintendo over tariff refunds, saying consumers should get the money back
Two gamers have filed a class action lawsuit against Nintendo, alleging that the company will be unjustly enriching itself with any refund it secures from the U.S. government over widespread tariffs last year that, among other things, hiked the prices of Nintendo hardware and accessories. “Unless restrained by this Court, Nintendo stands to recover the same tariff payments twice—once from consumers through higher prices and again from the federal government through tariff refunds, including interest paid by the government on those funds,” the suit states. Nintendo sued the U.S. government to secure a tariff refund in March, after the Supreme Court struck down the tariffs a month prior, saying they were illegally implemented by President Donald Trump.. The gamers who have sued, California-based Gregory Hoffert and Washington-based Prashant Sharan, both say they purchased Nintendo goods that had increased in price due to tariffs, according to the complaint. They filed their suit in the Western District court of Nintendo of America’s home state of Washington and are seeking class action status to represent all people in the U.S. who purchased price-hiked Nintendo goods between February 1, 2025 and February 24, 2026. They allege that Nintendo’s recovery of any tariff refunds would constitute unjust enrichment and violate Washington state consumer protection law. Similar class action lawsuits pressing companies to pass on tariff refunds have been previously filed against FedEx, UPS and eyeglass importer EssilorLuxottica. The tariffs were announced in early April, and by mid-month, Nintendo had announced $5 price increases for controllers for the then-forthcoming Switch 2. In August, it raised the price of the original Switch. In their suit, the gamers cite comments from Nintendo executives connecting the tariffs to price increases. In May 2025, a month after the tariffs were imposed, Nintendo CEO Shuntaro Furukawa told investors “Our basic policy is that for any country or region, if tariffs are imposed, we recognize them as a part of the cost and incorporate them into the price.” Nintendo’s March lawsuit, along with tariff-recovery suits from hundreds of other companies was immediately put on hold pending the implementation of a refund system. The U.S. government announced the beginning of the refund process earlier this week. Companies could receive as much as $160 billion, per CNBC. In March 2026, after Nintendo filed its lawsuit to recover the cost of the tariffs, I asked the company if they planned to pass their refund on to customers who’d paid increased prices. The company’s response acknowledged the existence of the lawsuit but avoided answering that question: “We can confirm that we filed a request. We have nothing else to share on this topic.” Even a promise to consumers may not have spared Nintendo this week’s lawsuit. FedEx previously promised to pass its tariff refunds on to consumers. They’ve been sued over them anyway.
Germany Politics
German Chancellor Friedrich Merz attends the opening event for the annual Girls' Day, a nationwide initiative empowering young women to explore diverse career paths, at the Chancellery, in Berlin, Germany,
The health misinformation crisis is bigger than anyone thought: Most people worldwide believe at least one of 6 common medical myths
A global Edelman survey yields a "stunning set of facts": seven in 10 believe at least one debunked health claim regardless of education, politics or age.
Minnesota educators fight for a way to lower skyrocketing health insurance costs
As health insurance premiums continue to rise, Minnesota school districts – especially small, rural ones – struggle to find good, affordable health care coverage for their staff. Minnesota educators across the state want to be able to band together for better coverage and bargaining power in the marketplace.
Inside Missouri’s first statewide science and engineering competition
Springfield-area students earned spots at the International Science & Engineering Fair after winning top honors at Show‑Me SCIENCE.
In the US, where people breathe increasingly dirty air, one small city stands out
The American Lung Association calls it a “grim indication of the deterioration of air quality nationwide”: Bangor, Maine, is the last city standing on all three of its “cleanest cities” lists.
Ancient DNA reveals a hidden Neanderthal group frozen in time
A remarkable genetic breakthrough has uncovered what may be one of the clearest snapshots yet of a Neanderthal “community” living together 100,000 years ago in what is now Poland. The findings reveal that these individuals shared genetic ties with Neanderthals spread across Europe and the Caucasus, hinting at widespread ancient lineages that later disappeared.
NWSL AWARDS EXPANSION FRANCHISE TO COLUMBUS,MARKING THE LEAGUE’S 18TH CLUB | News
Haslam Sports Group, Nationwide and Drs. Christine and Pete Edwards lead movement to bring globe’s top women’s soccer league to Central Ohio for inaugural 2028 season
Motorola Razr 70 listed ahead of announcement
It brings an updated 50MP ultrawide camera alongside a larger 4,800mAh battery compared to its predecessor. Motorola’s next-gen Razr 70 series is expected...
Does your business offer internships? This citywide program will amplify the experience
"The goal is to help them feel more connected – not just to their workplace but to Sioux Falls as a whole." If your business has interns, make sure they're part of this program.
Chris 'The Bear' Fallica's Best Bet, Prediction for NFL Draft Round 1
Chris "The Bear" Fallica is back with a best bet for the Over/Under of wide receivers to get selected in the first round of the 2026 NFL Draft.
Live Results: Virginia redistricting special election
There aren’t any candidates on the ballot in Virginia’s statewide special election on Tuesday, but the contest could still decide control of the closely divided U.S. House this fall.
Navy tests jet-powered JDAM for affordable long-range strikes
Navy fighter jets test-fired a new long-range variant of the widely used JDAM bomb. Unlike other versions, this one is powered by a jet engine.
From Clemson to global impact: Transforming military health systems
From Clemson classrooms to a $54.5B global mission, one architect now shapes care for millions of service members and families worldwide.
Columbus makes bid for NWSL team. Get the latest updates here
A group of potential owners that includes the Haslam Sports Group, Dr. Pete Edwards and Nationwide Insurance has been looking to bring professional women's soccer to Columbus.
Pixel phones hit with battery drain issue, Google investigating
Following the rollout of the April 2026 update on Google Pixel phones, a widespread battery drain issue has hit, but...
Shaky political science: using "simulated" elections over real-world elections
[Dear DSOS readers – this article is the latest in our “Shaky Political Science” series. In our 38 page report, “Shaky political ‘science’ misses mark on ranked choice voting,” released in early December, we examined over 40 studies focused on ranked choice voting. We found that many of these studies suffered from puzzling research methodologies, poorly constructed surveys, unrealistic simulated elections, cherry picked data, and faulty analyses that often were contradicted by results from real-world elections (a link to our full paper is here). Here are links to the first three articles in our series: the first one summarizing the overall results of our report, the second one analyzing a study co-authored by University of Minnesota academic Larry Jacobs, which was one of the most error-prone of all the research we reviewed in our report, and a third article showing an admirable example of two political scientists holding two other political scientists accountable for their flawed, sloppy research]. In this fourth article in our “Shaky Political Science” series, we shine a spotlight on seven studies that were web-hosted and funded by New America’s Political Reform Program and its Electoral Reform Research Group (the ERRG is an ad hoc committee headed by New America’s Political Reform Program and joined by the American Enterprise Institute, the Unite America Institute and Stanford University’s Center on Democracy, Development, and the Rule of Law). This research consortium has been led by Lee Drutman, senior fellow with New America’s Political Reform Program. These seven studies are simply not credible from any objective standard about how political “science” is supposed to illuminate our understanding of either ranked choice voting or politics in general. The feature that six of these seven studies have in common is that they all used surveys – artificial, simulated elections -- to attempt to say something cogent or interesting about ranked choice voting (RCV) elections. None of them used real world data from actual RCV elections – either the 1000+ elections in the US or the many thousands of elections from places like Australia, Ireland and elsewhere where RCV has been used for 100 years. While a few of these studies conclude with some mixed positives about RCV, our analysis here is content neutral. The idea that, with a political reform like RCV, you can ask respondents in a mock, artificial election to vote with that method, with only the barest of explanation about how RCV works or its likely impacts (i.e. no spoiler candidates, majority winners, voters liberated to pick their favorite candidates, coalition-building), and then ask them their thoughts/reactions about voting in that system, with fake candidates and no real campaigning, no real exposure to an actual election or actual candidates, rests on some very puzzling assumptions. The findings of these seven studies actually are contradicted by the findings from many other studies based on real-world RCV elections. These New America studies also failed to list the real-world RCV studies in their own citations, instead including those studies that reinforced their conclusions. The seven studies featured in this article were chosen because they form a cohesive cohort which precisely illustrates one of the main points of our research paper, namely that using surveys, i.e. artificial elections, or mathematical/theoretical models, instead of real-world data, is in fact “shaky political science.” Below are summaries of our analysis of five of the seven New America studies. You can read our complete analysis of all seven studies at our paper, “Shaky political ‘science’ misses mark on ranked choice voting.” Choosing to “Vote As Usual” by Andre Blais, Carolina Plescia, and Semra Sevi. New America. (Blais et al., 2021). This study, web-hosted and funded by New America’s Political Reform Program and its Electoral Reform Research Group, used two surveys in which respondents completed ballots for simulated elections using plurality, approval, RCV and point (Score) voting. In both cases the authors provided the respondents with only minimal explanation of each method. For example, the entire explanation for RCV was “For this vote, rank the candidates from your first to your last choice (you do not need to rank them all). This is called the ranked vote.” That’s it. The study did not provide any context or explanation to survey respondents about why she/he might want to rank multiple candidates. Participants were not even told that ballots would be tabulated using an “instant” runoff, not to mention any description of RCVs ability to eliminate the spoiler effect or liberate voters to rank their favorite candidates without fear of helping the “greater evil” candidate to win. That’s like taking an iPhone back in time to 1970 and asking someone if they like it better than their rotary phone without explaining how it works. Their first survey targeted states that held 2020 Super Tuesday Democratic primaries and used the real candidates’ names in the survey; the second survey used fictitious candidates. In other words, they surveyed respondents who had only ever participated in plurality elections, had no history or background with using RCV or any of the other methods, had no clue about its likely impacts, and did not communicate how the alternative methods would be counted, and then asked them: “How satisfied are you with using each system?” Predictably, the winner was plurality elections, the system used for president, Congress, gubernatorial and state legislative elections – in other words, the method they have been using, year after year, all their voting lives. With so little explanation of RCV and its impacts, this study is simply not credible in discovering anything useful about real-world RCV elections. It merely shows that a basic voter education campaign is needed when adopting a new election system. Additionally, the result contradicts many other post-election surveys following real RCV elections, asking opinions from voters who had just participated in a RCV election, that showed a great deal of satisfaction with RCV (see details on that in Studies 22-25 in our paper, as well as the four studies cited in the review for Study 28). Share Other studies on “satisfaction” and “understanding” make similar mistakes, in terms of basing their surveys on inadequate explanation to respondents and lack of education about context. How could any survey ever hope to measure accurately, in essence simulate a real-world election, without actual campaigning candidates, the media writing about those candidates, organizations endorsing candidates and voters being inundated with crucial information? More than anything, what these “studies” based on surveys show is that if you ask voters about something they don’t know very much about, and fail to adequately educate them, their responses will unsurprisingly reflect their confusion. Equally puzzling is that New America’s Electoral Reform Research Group, headed by political scientist Lee Drutman, found this to be a credible enough study that they not only published it but highlighted it in Drutman’s own discussion of research related to ranked choice voting. This pattern was repeated in study after study featured by New America’s Electoral Reform Research Group. For example in Ranked-Choice Voting and Political Expression: Voter Guides Narrow the Gap between Informed and Uninformed Citizens by Cheryl Boudreau, Jonathan Colner, and Scott MacKenzie, the researchers based their analysis on a survey which found that respondents who were asked to vote in a simulated RCV election, with minimal explanation of RCV or how it works, displayed less evidence of being informed about how to use RCV effectively, with the least informed voters ranking fewer candidates. As pointed out under the study above, in a real election voters are informed by a wide variety of methods, including public education by the election administration, by interested political groups, the media, and the candidates themselves who benefit from voters being aware of how to vote in the new system. In Support for Ranked-Choice Voting across Race and Partisanship by Joseph Anthony, David C. Kimball, Jack Santucci and Jamil Scott, the researchers used respondents from different parties and races voting in simulated plurality and RCV elections, who indicated their satisfaction with each voting method. Instead of using real world election results, the authors fell back on the easy, armchair and less reliable academic research methodology of making up mock elections. As with the other studies, little explanation was given of how RCV works or what its implications might be (electing majority winners or eliminating spoilers, for example). Unsurprisingly, this study found that respondents were not very satisfied with RCV. However, when the authors added an explanation that RCV has a tendency to elect more women and people of color, they found that this greater explanation increased the preference for RCV. The more voters were familiar with it, and the more they understood potential positive impacts – surprise! -- the more they were open to switching away from the status quo. Of note, the results from this study are thoroughly contradicted by a number of other studies whose data was obtained from real RCV elections with real voters. Those studies show a great deal of satisfaction with RCV. More “fake election” research An interesting wrinkle on this “research by fake elections” approach, which only served to illustrate how unreliable such “research” can become, was taken in Ranked-Choice Voting, Runoff, and Democracy: Insights from Maine and Other U.S. States by Joseph Cerrone and Cynthia McClintock_,_ also web-hosted and funded by New America’s ERRG. It gets high marks for creativity, but an eye-roll for thinking this could possibly add anything meaningful to our understanding of real world RCV elections. This study tried to determine whether RCV, plurality or two-round runoff elections provided greater voter satisfaction and acceptance of election results. To determine that, the authors conducted a survey asking if voters were satisfied with a fictional newspaper report of an election, with three different versions given to respondents – plurality, runoff and RCV, with variations of Republican/Democrat winners and variations of “come-from-behind” winners,” i.e. candidates not initially in first place but who win the “runoff.” Again, a minimal explanation of RCV or how it works was given, and the survey showed that respondents had the greatest unfamiliarity with RCV than the other methods. The unsurprising result? Respondents were much more satisfied with “come-from-behind” victories in a traditional two-round runoff election than in RCV, even though RCV is also a runoff system but with a single round of counting. Interestingly, the dissatisfaction with RCV disappeared for those who were more familiar with RCV. In fact, among those respondents who were “very familiar” with RCV, they were equally satisfied with RCV, runoff and plurality. Surprise, surprise. Again, what this study revealed, more than anything, is not only the inadequacy of the explanation for RCV given by the authors of this study, but the failure of the research format itself, thinking that such an artificial mock election could somehow simulate what actually happens in the real world in a real RCV election. Those four studies reviewed above are fitting examples of inadequate and shaky political “science.” Other studies reviewed in our paper from the New America/Electoral Reform Research Group cohort which also used mock elections included: Ranked-Choice Voting is an Acquired Taste by Joseph Anthony and David C. Kimball. New America. (Anthony et al., 2021). Ranked-Choice Voting is No Refuge for Extreme Candidates by Melissa Baker. New America. (Baker, 2021). Also included in this New America cohort is Does Ranked-Choice Voting Reduce Racial Polarization? by Yuki Atsusaka and Theodore Landsman, which actually did use real-world election results data but applied an odd and unconventional methodology to the data which relied on shaky assumptions and non-real-world scenarios that were too divorced from reality. To determine levels of “racially polarized voting,” the researchers imagined “ethnic parties,” by which they mean political parties for each ethnic group, which was especially odd since the election data they were using came from nonpartisan RCV races. But then they made an even odder assumption, namely that since race and ethnic characteristics of studied voters were not available, the authors tried to infer that information based on who voters selected and the racial make-up of voters in each district. This amounted to little more than vague and ambiguous guesswork dressed up with a bunch of mathematical equations used to give it a veneer of scientific appearance. Indeed, it seemed to assume racial polarization in order to prove racial polarization. Based on this questionable methodology, the authors concluded that RCV doesn’t reduce racial polarization. But the premise of this study missed an obvious reality: since RCV incentivizes more candidates to run and can result in more diverse fields of candidates, one would expect more racially-polarized voting in voters’ top rankings, not less, because more voters would have someone on that ballot who represents their racial or ethnic identity and more freedom to vote for their real first choice. By encouraging more diverse candidates and eliminating the spoiler effect, RCV facilitates voting for a favorite candidate of your own race and then selecting a second choice with the best likelihood of winning. The real measure is what voters do with their additional rankings – do they consider other candidates and vote “for the best of the rest”? This study didn’t tell us anything useful about that. But readily available data shows this is common in real RCV elections, and candidates act on this knowledge by engaging with voters outside their racial group. So the authors of this study failed to consider or account for what actually happens in real-world elections, and their conclusions are tainted by this failure. New America has contributed a great deal over the past 2.5 decades to our understanding of many policy areas, including politics and political reform (full disclosure: Steven Hill, one of the authors of this article and of the “Shaky Political Science” research paper and series, is a former senior fellow and former director of New America’s political reform program, 2005-2010). So it was especially disappointing that New America funded and published such a large batch of dubious studies about ranked choice voting. The stated praiseworthy goal of its Electoral Reform Research Group was to inspire new academic research about ranked choice voting that would shed light and help the public better understand the impacts of RCV. Instead, the ERRG research did just the opposite. It produced dubious research that created more confusion and misinformation. In so doing, New America’s political reform program contributed to “shaky political science.” Steven Hill and Paul Haughey Share Upgrade to $5 subscription Thanks for reading DemocracySOS, a reader-supported digital portal for the pro-democracy movement. Subscribe for only $5 per month to receive full benefits and to support our work. Subscribe
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