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What draft experts said about new Bears safety Dillon Thieneman
NFL Draft experts preview what the Chicago Bears are getting in new safety Dillon Thieneman.
Robert Reffkin is changing the way Americans buy homes. Who do those changes help?
Home shoppers scrolling through real estate search engines like Zillow or Redfin this spring may notice some unusual listings: homes labeled “Coming Soon” or “Preview.”
Voice of Business: Area employers developing leaders
The energy inside the room at the Dayton Area Chamber of Commerce’s annual meeting on April 14 was unmistakable. It wasn’t just optimism, it was a clear signal that our
It's Your Business | Special delivery: St. Joseph woman's business creates care packages for UI students
Nikki Setterdahl, creator of Orange and Blue Hugs From Home, has put together care packages for occasions such as the start of classes, sorority bid day, finals, the Final Four,
Algeria eliminates trachoma as a public health problem
The World Health Organization (WHO) reports validating Algeria as having eliminated trachoma as a public health problem. This makes Algeria the 29th country globally to achieve this significant milestone. "Algeria’s elimination of trachoma is a historic triumph that connects the past, present, and future of public health, and is rooted in a century-long commitment," said Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, WHO Director-General. "This milestone proves that with sustained political will and on-the-ground leadership from committed health professionals, we can eliminate neglected tropical diseases and build a healthier, more resilient future for all." For decades, Algeria implemented the WHO-recommended SAFE strategy to eliminate trachoma. These activities included provision of surgery to treat the late blinding stage of the disease (“trachomatous trichiasis”, TT), conducting mass administration of antibiotic treatment, carrying out public awareness campaigns to promote facial cleanliness and personal hygiene as well as improvement in access to water supply and sanitation. Trachoma is the first neglected tropical disease to be eliminated in Algeria. Trachoma is a disease of the eye caused by infection with the bacterium Chlamydia trachomatis. It is a public health problem in 30 countries and is responsible for the blindness or visual impairment of about 1.9 million people. Blindness from trachoma is difficult to reverse. Based on November 2025 data, 97 million people live in trachoma endemic areas and are at risk of trachoma blindness. Infection spreads through personal contact (via hands, clothes, bedding or hard surfaces) and by flies that have been in contact with discharge from the eyes or nose of an infected person. With repeated episodes of infection over many years, the eyelashes may be drawn in so that they rub on the surface of the eye. This causes pain and may permanently damage the cornea. In 2024, 87,349 people received surgical treatment for advanced stage of the disease, and 44.4 million people were treated with antibiotics. Global antibiotic coverage in 2024 was 39%. Outbreak News Today is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber. Subscribe
Sales include complex for care facility, new equipment rental business
A multi-building complex that is leased by The Resource Center is under new ownership. The Post-Journal and OBSERVER have been analyzing real estate sales in Chautauqua County and recently looked at the transactions from Feb. 11-17. The county does not provide transaction information, but real estate documents are available for review at the clerk’s office.…
Sports Highlights
*This story has been corrected Kell Vandehey: Kell Vandehey, a junior pitcher on the Lake Oswego baseball team, lifted his team to an important Three Rivers League victory on Friday, […]
Can American Politics Ever Be ‘Normal’ Again, AFTER Trump?
As far as Donald Trump has fallen, says former Republican focus group maestro Sarah Longwell of The Bulwark, he needs to fall further before the country can decisively move forward. Can Democrats make it happen, or even Trump himself? Longwell joins Zeteo’s John Harwood for a live conversation on Substack to break it all down. Subscribe Watch the full video above …
Second-tier Lovat reach cup semis
Lovat defeat local rivals Beauly 1-0 at Braeview to become the only second-tier side in the semi-finals of the North area championship, the WM Donald MacTavish Cup.
What is ibogaine? FDA to fast-track review of drugs for mental health
Editorial: Change continues, business by business
This week's editorial highlights the impact of transitions at beloved family-run businesses that endured for many decades on the North Fork.
Steam Controller early review leak claims $99 launch price
Steam Controller launch signs grow as early review video leaks Valve's new Steam Controller appears to have leaked again, this time through what looks
Steam Controller review leaks, but price of Steam Machine accessory may disappoint
After reports that Valve had received shipments of the accessory, a Steam Controller review has appeared. Deleted ahead of a likely release date update, a YouTuber praised its responsive dual trackpads. Even so, the price may make it more difficult to discount the Steam Machine.
High gas prices good for warehouse sales in Las Vegas Valley
High gas prices are good for warehouse stores’ net sales, despite lower profit margins compared to other gas stations.
Cut in half: Nike ACG Ultrafly Trail Review (2026)
Nike ACG Ultrafly Trail review: Nike clearly listened to feedback from the first Ultrafly, and the ACG reboot delivers a much better product. We found in the lab that the new dual-plate setup, upgraded ZoomX foam, and lower weight create a true trail super shoe that surprised us right away. It's perfect for flying over gravel roads or easy, flat trails. The premium price is hard to ignore, and the high drop may divide opinions, but in our view, this is an amazing weapon for crushing all your personal bests.
Glowing Steam Controller Review Leaks Early, Revealing Price ($99), Strengths and Weaknesses of Valve’s Comeback Pad
A glowing leaked review of Valve's new Steam Controller reveals the pricing ($99), as well as its many strengths and few weaknesses.
2026 NFL Draft Day 2 grades: Cardinals get mixed reviews
Day 2 of the NFL Draft is in the books, and the Cardinals seemed to land the plane with their first pick and raised some eyebrows with their second.
People in Business for April 25, 2026
People in Business for April 25, 2026.
Valley woman stalked by business owner after leaving 1-star review, court docs say
FDA fast-tracking its review of two psychedelic drugs for mental health treatments
Two Crows’ ‘Chesapeake’ lets the dogs out at the Slowpoke Lounge
Elizabeth Ledo plays all the parts in Lee Blessing’s 1999 play about a performance artist who goes to great lengths to fight a conservative senator.
Iron & Wine returns to Iowa City
Sam Beam, aka Iron & Wine, will return to Iowa City on Sunday, May 3, with a performance at the Englert Theatre.
Interview transcript: Game File x Xbox's Asha Sharma and Matt Booty
I’m trying something different today: offering all Game File readers a free write-up of a big interview, while also offering the interview transcript to paying readers. If you want to get the essence of my conversation with new Xbox CEO Asha Sharma and Xbox chief content officer Matt Booty, with context around their comments, check out the free piece. If you want more depth, this transcript is for you. I’ve lightly edited the conversation for clarity and flow, but you’ll still get plenty of Sharma and Booty’s thoughts, my questions, and a good sense of how our conversation progressed—complete with follow-ups, some conversational detours, and the best quotes that made it into the free piece.
NMSU College of Business team earns second place at National Ethics Case Competition
In a standout national finish, undergraduate students in New Mexico State University’s College of Business claimed second place at the 2026 National Ethics Case Competition, outperforming MBA and...
14th annual Southwest Colorado Small Business Conference coming to Ignacio in May
The 14th annual Southwest Colorado Small Business Conference promises to supply “practical strategies, fresh ideas, and valuable connections” for attendees from all industries. The conference, which ...
PS5 Exclusive Shooter Gets Stellar Reviews, Is GOTY Contender
A brand new PlayStation 5 exclusive shooter is out next week, and has gotten some stellar reviews, making it an early GOTY contender.
‘Widow’s Bay’ review: Apple TV horror comedy feels a little underbaked
While the new Apple TV series, premiering April 29, feels disjointed, there's still pleasure to be had, writes Moira Macdonald.
Missing scientists list draws focus on California as feds review cases
Federal officials are reviewing a missing‑scientists list that includes Caltech and NASA JPL, drawing California into a wave of online speculation.
Review: Iced matcha lattes from Dunkin', Starbucks, and Tim Hortons
Over the last decade, matcha has gained popularity in the US. I put matcha lattes from Dunkin', Starbucks, and Tim Hortons to the test.
Choice lifestyle: Family business flourishes in tough love for backcountry skiing
Grace Yancey might someday write a book about her childhood winters – the igloo playhouse, a breezy three-sided latrine and visitors from around the world at her Little House in the Purcells.
‘How Black Music Took Over the World’ Review: Science and Rhythm
Many of the world’s most popular music genres have their origins in black traditions. Western notation can’t always capture African musical innovations.
Daiichi pushes back annual report, citing reviews amid ‘rapidly changing business conditions’
Daiichi Sankyo has postponed its annual report by two weeks to allow for additional time to finalize the financial figures. | Daiichi Sankyo has postponed its annual report by two weeks, citing additional time needed to review “the supply plans for its oncology products portfolio and development pipeline.”
New movies to watch this weekend: See 'Michael' in theaters, rent 'Tow,' stream 'Apex' on Netflix
Is the Michael Jackson biopic any good? Jaafar Jackson deserves praise — but reviews are brutal.
FDA moves to fast-track review of psilocybin and methylone for mental health
Some psychedelic drugs, once considered fringe, are now getting a step closer to possibly being approved for use as mental health treatments in the United States.
FDA grants quick review for 3 psychedelic drug trials
FDA commissioner Marty Makary told NBC News that the first psychedelic drug could be approved in the U.S. as soon as this summer.
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.
DoJ watchdog will investigate release of Epstein files
An internal watchdog will review the agency’s handling of records related to Jeffrey Epstein, including whether relevant documents were properly redacted
Guest Column: Lowering student loan limits on public health degrees is a bad idea. Here’s why.
Lowering student loan limits on public health degrees would empty the pipeline of professionals that Louisiana desperately needs, argue three deans of Louisiana schools of public health. Here’s why.
Exclusive: Insurers align pre-treatment review requirements
A standardized approach could reduce the back-and-forth between plans and providers and speed up care.
Health-care AI is here. We don’t know if it actually helps patients.
The tools may be accurate, but that doesn’t necessarily mean they’ll improve health outcomes.
NOLA.com's Live from Jazz Fest: See Day 2 weather forecast, shows to catch, more
Keith Spera is previewing Jon Batiste and Lorde's shows. Ian McNulty is hunting down the best Friday Fest Food Finds. Join us! Today's live show is presented by Explore Louisiana and New Orleans and Company.
Science with Stevie: Protecting our planet
Meteorologist Stevie Daniels explains the importance of protecting planet Earth in this segment of Science with Stevie!
Review: Saros on PS5/Pro: Beautiful Visuals, Polished And Approachable
An Unreal Engine 5 game that looks nothing like it.
Review: Saros (PS5) - Housemarque at the Peak of Its Powers with Its Best Game Yet
Rahul breaker
GK Digital Ventures and Harris Blitzer Sports & Entertainment Announce Return of “The Global Game: The Future of Soccer, Tech & Media Summit”
NEWARK, N.J.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Apr 24, 2026--GK Digital Ventures, in partnership with Harris Blitzer Sports & Entertainment (HBSE), today announced the return of “The Global Game: The Future of …
The One Gala is a record-breaking $1 million success
COLORADO BALLET Denver News: In the 20 years that Gil Boggs has been the artistic director of Colorado Ballet, the company has been on an upward trajectory; its stature rising from mixed local reviews to the national acclaim it now enjoys. Boggs’ tenure was celebrated at the company’s April 16 fundraiser, The One Gala, a black-tie fete where the 655 guests raised a record $1 million. Chairwoman Jill Anschutz and mistress of ceremonies Lauren Whitney were just […]
“Michael,” Reviewed: A Sanitized Bio-Pic That’s All Business
The new movie details the backstage maneuvers that catapulted Michael Jackson to stardom but leaves his personal life out of the picture.
Sports roundup: Southold tennis serves up a loss for Mattituck
Josh Uguna smashed an ace to clinch his third doubles match with partner Joe Moran, to give Southold an insurmountable 4-2 lead over host Mattituck in its Suffolk County boys tennis match on Thursday, April 16. The Settlers’ duo recorded a 6-2, 6-7, 9-7 win over Monte Lang and Matt Kuzman. Southold (5-2, 5-2) recorded...
Photos: New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival kicks off first day
The New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival returned to the Fair Grounds. Headliners included Kings of Leon, Raye and Stephen Marley.
Google accidentally shares Pixel 11 Pro Fold wallpapers in Android 17 preview
Google seems to have accidentally included some Pixel 11 Pro Fold wallpaper thumbnails in a recent Android 17 preview build.
Here’s a preview of Pixel 11 Pro Fold’s wallpapers, hinting at colors [Gallery]
Google’s Pixel 11 series is in the pipeline and, in the latest Android 17 beta release, we spotted a quick...
‘Dame’ Sarah Day retires from American Players Theatre after 40 years
From ingenue to grand dame, the Madison native has played dozens of roles at the classical Spring Green repertory theater.
M Resort tower’s December opening boosts 1st-quarter earnings for Penn Entertainment
CEO Jay Snowden also says higher gasoline prices haven’t affected casino visitation yet, likely because tax refunds have been higher than they’ve been.
Exploring The Workloads Where The AMD Ryzen 9 9950X3D2 Makes A Lot Of Sense Review
With this week's launch of the AMD Ryzen 9 9950X3D2 Dual Edition I've found some of the commentary quite surprising among those arguing it's really not a competitive or interesting product.
Are Health Insurance Companies the Reason for Our Health System’s Ills?
In this JAMA Health Forum column, KFF's Larry Levitt examines the criticism that health insurance companies are facing from political leaders, and explores the industry's role in both causing and addressing some of the health systems' biggest problems, including rising costs and prior authorization review.
Warner Bros shareholders approve Paramount's $81B takeover of Hollywood giant
It still faces ongoing regulatory reviews
"It ended up being pretty much co-development" - how 80s anime, a legendary Gundam director and It Takes Two talent combined for the Switch 2's next hit Orbitals
An extensive hands-on preview, studio visit and series of interviews on the hugely anticipated co-op Switch 2 exclusive, Orbitals.
Stevie® Award Winners Announced in The 24th Annual American Business Awards®
/PRNewswire/ -- The Stevie® Awards, organizers of the world's premier business awards programs, today announced the Gold, Silver, and Bronze Stevie winners in...
BillingPlatform Honored as Gold Stevie® Award Winner in 2026 American Business Awards®
/PRNewswire/ -- BillingPlatform, the leader in enterprise monetization, today announced it was named the winner of a Gold Stevie® Award in the Subscription...
Olivia Dean review — a masterclass in old-school entertainment
By the time the London star closed the opening night of her first major tour with the megahit Man I Need, not a soul in Glasgow’s OVO Hydro arena wasn’t in love with her
For Love of the Game: Nashville’s Booming Community Sports Leagues
A four-part look at recreational leagues and high-level clubs
Tesla Science Center in Shoreham awarded $200K grant for new education center
The Tesla Science Center at Wardenclyffe in Shoreham has been awarded a $200,000 state grant to help build a new education center, the latest step in its ongoing recovery and expansion efforts.
Imagine There’s No Politics: A Review of the Northern Report
The proposals for overhauling the Institute of Education Sciences could address its operational inefficiencies but are unlikely to break through our ideological stalemate
Preview: UFC Vegas 116 ‘Sterling vs. Zalal’
Aljamain Sterling and Youssef Zalal meet in a clash with likely featherweight title implications in the main event of UFC Vegas 116 on Saturday.
Artemis II’s science of resistance
Collective endeavour, humility, respect for reality… the values that took us to the moon are everything the Trump administration isn’t
Round Up: This PS5 Game Changes Based on Other Players, and Reviewers Are Liking It
Tides of Tomorrow attracting plenty of praise
iOS 26.4.2 Patches Flaw That Let FBI Extract Deleted Signal Messages
The iOS 26.4.2, iPadOS 26.4.2, iOS 18.7.8, and iPadOS 18.7.8 updates that Apple released today address a security vulnerability that the FBI recently used to extract Signal message previews from an iPhone even after the app was deleted. A flaw with notification services allowed notifications that were supposed to be deleted to be retained on an iPhone or iPad. Apple says it fixed the logging issue with improved data redaction.
Masters of Albion does what Peter Molyneux promised, "it brings joy"
Masters of Albion is Fable creator Peter Molyneux's last game, and while it's launching in Steam early access, it's got serious sparkle.
Mercy CEO Makes List of Great Leaders in Healthcare
Mercy President and CEO Steve Mackin was named to the Becker’s Hospital Review Great Leaders in Healthcare 2026 list. According to Becker’s, the leaders on the list are proactive changemakers, always looking ahead and striving to be better. They are building the future rather than passively waiting for it to arrive.
Claude Mythos AI Model Uncovers 271 Zero-Day Vulnerabilities in Firefox
Anthropic’s latest frontier AI model, Claude Mythos Preview, has identified a staggering 271 zero-day vulnerabilities in Mozilla Firefox marking a seismic shift in AI-powered cybersecurity defense. The findings, addressed in Firefox 150, represent the most significant single batch of security fixes in the browser’s history. The discovery didn’t happen in isolation. Since February 2026, Mozilla’s […]
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.
Michael Jackson biopic premieres this week with mixed reviews
The "Michael" movie follows the "King of Pop," on and off stage and is set to premiere Friday, April 24. See what reviews say.
No. 6 Oregon State baseball vs. No. 19 Oregon Ducks: Preview, starting lineups, how to watch
Previewing Wednesday's game between the Beavers and Ducks
Why Business Leaders Need to Champion Democracy | MIT Sloan Management Review
Many leaders are unsure about what they can do to oppose the global rise of authoritarianism. Here are four options.
WV’s shortage of psychiatrists worst in the nation, report says
Trilliant Health, a Tennessee-based health care analytics and market research firm, released its 2026 Behavioral Health Report in April 2026 and reported that West Virginia has 5.7% of the adequate supply of psychiatrists needed to serve the state’s population, which is the lowest percentage of any state in the nation. Brad Story, the CEO of the West Virginia Behavioral Healthcare Providers Association, said this is the result of several converging challenges.
AI needs a strong data fabric to deliver business value
A modern data fabric makes it possible to turn existing enterprise knowledge into a trusted foundation for AI.
'Eat Me' review: Hitting a dead end in a foodie wonderland
'Eat Me,' a new play by Talene Monahon, author of 'Meet the Cartozians,' has its world premiere at South Coast Repertory.
Google Pixel's battery problems are unforgivable after 10 years
After 10 Pixel generations, five of which have shipped with Google's own Tensor processor, it's unacceptable to see this many battery issues still.
CDC won’t publish report showing covid shots cut likelihood of hospital visits
The report, which had cleared the agency’s scientific-review process, had been delayed. It now won’t be published at all, people familiar with the decision told The Post.
LSBF Singapore Achieves Fourth Consecutive Win at Singapore Business Review International Business Awards 2026
The London School of Business and Finance (LSBF) Singapore Campus has clinched its fourth consecutive win at the Singapore Business Review International Business Awards 2026 (Education category), reinforcing its position as one of Singapore's most consistently recognised private education institutions.
Prince George’s Co. will charge new fees — but only on certain types of businesses
The Prince George’s County Council in Maryland just passed a bill that levies new fees on only certain businesses that operate there.
Artificial scientists
AI has already proved itself a valuable scientific tool. Could it take on a more central role in the research process?
Santa Cruz County business filings: Week of April 7
Businesses operating in Santa Cruz County must register with the county clerk. Lookout Santa Cruz reviews the public filings from local businesses to report on new businesses starting in the area.
Yankees vs. Red Sox series preview: What to know as AL East rivalry opens in 2026, plus a prediction
Luis Gil and Connelly Early kick off the three-game set on Tuesday in Boston
‘Diablo 4’ Lord Of Hatred Review: Third Time’s The Talisman Charm
Diablo 4's new Lord of Hatred expansion throws us back into another fight with Mephisto. Is it worth coming back to the game for it?
Diablo 4: Lord of Hatred Review
An extremely satisfying conclusion to Diablo's latest demonic saga.
Clemson 2026 NFL Draft Player Preview: Adam Randall
Position: RB Height: 6’3” Weight: 232 40 yd Dash: 4.5 Shuttle Time: Unavailable Vertical Jump: 37” Broad Jump: 10’4” Bench Press: 26 reps College Performance: One of Clemson’s more intriguing players in the draft, Adam Randall started life at Clemson as a WR before converting to RB late in his career. His time as a […]
AMD Ryzen 9 9950X3D2 Dual Edition review: Tons of cache for tons of dollars
There are some practical benefits to this $899 chip, but not many.
Introducing the Databricks Excel Add-in for Business Users
Now in public preview, the Databricks Excel Add-in brings governed lakehouse data into Excel, helping business users move from data to decisions faster.
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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