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Road Trip Close to Home: Jazz On Main brings live music, entertainment to Mount Kisco
News 12’s Scott Cohen visited the club for this week’s Road Trip Close to Home.
Pete Davidson debuts new tattoo, after spending $200K to have others removed
Pete Davidson has spent years — and a lot of money — removing his many tattoos. But he just showed off a new one.
'Catastrophic' | Ohio mental health providers sound alarm over CareSource Medicaid payment clawbacks
CareSource said such adjustments are standard when payment issues are discovered. But many behavioral health providers say the combination of rate cuts and retroactive clawbacks is unprecedented.
Bass, Barger meets with Trump to push for L.A. fire recovery funds
The mayor and county supervisor said they had a "high-level discussion" with the president, sharing stories about what fire survivors are experiencing day to day.
Janet and Paris Jackson skipped the 'Michael' premiere
Janet Jackson isn't portrayed in the 'Michael' biopic and she skipped the premiere along with Paris Jackson. Here's why they both bowed out and what the cast is saying about leaving sexual assault allegations on the cutting room floor.
Medical leaders break ground on women's health pavilion in Prince George's
A medical hub is on the way in Prince George’s County dedicated to ensuring expectant mothers have an option closer to home. Eight in 10 women in Prince George’s County leave the county to deliver their babies due to limited care options, according to Luminis Health. That was the reality for Mautez Bethel. “I’m not even going to lie, the…
Why It’s Worth Lobbying the Boss to Send You on That Business Trip
Companies are cutting back on travel, but hitting the road can help boost your career.
A South Jersey sports museum owner brought Pope Leo XIV gifts during a trip to Rome
Hochul’s stealth business-tax hike proves she doesn't care about NY's future
Embracing a special NYC pied-a-terre levy turns out not to be Gov. Kathy Hochul’s only violation of her "no new taxes" vows — nor even the first or the biggest.
Dozens of crashes into Long Grove bridge tracked by local business on ‘wall of shame'
A suburban chocolate shop is stepping beyond selling treats to track the dozens of times a historic bridge has been hit by truck drivers since 2020.
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.
Is tit-for-tat political gerrymandering the future of US politics?
Virginia voters delivered a major win to Democrats on Tuesday.A narrow majority voted to allow lawmakers to bypass the state's bipartisan redistricting commission. That means the Democratic-led legislature will create a map that’s more favorable to them in the midterms.It's the latest chapter in a redistricting saga that President Trump started last year, but is the tit-for-tat redistricting battle the future of US electoral politics?We speak with Democratic Virginia governor Abigail Spanberger to hear her perspective.For sponsor-free episodes of Consider This, sign up for Consider This+ via Apple Podcasts or at plus.npr.org.Email us at considerthis@npr.org.This episode was produced by Tyler Bartlam and Matt Ozug. It was edited by Tinbete Ermyas. Our executive producer is Sami Yenigun.
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...
GOP gubernatorial Bruce Blakeman promises tax relief for restaurants, small businesses as he blasts 'Hochul Special' tax crisis
iOS 26.4.2 fixes bug that allowed deleted notifications to be retrieved
iOS 26.4.2 is available now for iPhone, with a key security fix that ensures deleted notifications can’t be retrieved or restored later.
Asian Food Fest 2026: Food vendors, entertainment lineup, road closures and more
Asian Food Fest is returning to downtown Cincinnati this weekend to celebrate its 15th year with more than 50 food vendors and more than 100 entertainment performances.
Snooki reveals regrets after cancer diagnosis (exclusive)
After being diagnosed with cervical cancer, Nicole 'Snooki' Polizzi is opening up on her big health regret.
Where Warriors' financial situation stands entering pivotal 2026 NBA offseason
The Golden State Warriors are entering a pivotal 2026 NBA offseason with some financial challenges, such as potentially going under the luxury tax.
NBC SPORTS ANNOUNCES ITS COMPLETE 2026 WNBA REGULAR-SEASON SCHEDULE ACROSS NBC, PEACOCK, AND NBCSN
Caitlin Clark, A’ja Wilson, Paige Bueckers, Napheesa Collier, Sabrina Ionescu, Angel Reese, Breanna Stewart, and Azzi Fudd Headline Star-Studded Schedule
Former 'CBS Mornings' executive producer joins MS NOW as political director
Shawna Thomas will oversee the cable network's campaign coverage and also appear on-air.
‘Call of Duty’ co-creator Vince Zampella's cause of death
Vince Zampella, the game developer who helped launch "Call of Duty," died last year after crashing his car along Angeles Crest Highway. Officials have unveiled his cause of death.
The tariff refund process has begun for businesses. What about customers?
While shipping companies are pledging refunds for customers who directly paid tariff fees, the situation is much trickier for retailers.
Galaxy Z Fold 7 is now available ‘Re-Newed,’ but it currently costs more than a new one
Samsung is expanding its “Re-Newed” program of refurbished Galaxy devices to the Galaxy Z Fold 7 and Galaxy Z Flip...
Google teases Gemini-powered Siri upgrade during Cloud Next keynote
Apple’s upcoming Siri overhaul got a moment of stage time during Google’s Cloud Next ’26 opening keynote today. Google highlights...
People tell us how much they spent on Coachella 2026
From ICU nurses to broke college students and a lady who won VIP passes for life, people tell us how they managed to afford their Coachella trips this year.
Google Meet will take AI notes for in-person meetings too
AI summaries for meetings in-person or on Zoom and Teams.
OnePlus Watch 4 officially brings Wear OS 6 in a titanium body, mysterious launch plans [Gallery]
OnePlus hasn’t formally announced its next smartwatch – the brand as a whole is in question right now – but...
iPhone 18’s new specs might bring subtle regressions to cut costs
Rumors about the base iPhone 18 indicate it could regress in minor ways to be more like Apple’s budget ‘e’ model.
Gerrymandering has a long history in US politics
Gerrymandering is proliferating in states across the U.S. Republicans and Democrats alike have been redrawing voting districts for the U.S.
Leaker shares iPhone 18 Pro’s new camera feature, plus future upgrades
Four new camera upgrades are reportedly in development at Apple, at least one of which is coming with iPhone 18 Pro and Pro Max.
Logan Airport travelers might have been exposed to measles, health officials warn
Travelers at Boston Logan International Airport earlier this month might have been exposed to measles, health officials warned Wednesday. The Boston Public Health Commission and the Massachusetts Department of Public Health said that a person with measles visited Terminal C at Logan Airport shortly after midnight on Tuesday, April 14. The person traveled to Boston on JetBlue Airways flight 470,…
Sony’s PlayStation 5 is $200 off for the first time since December
No need to spend $599.
Samsung is increasingly worried about first-ever mobile division loss in RAM crisis, report
As AI continues to eat up the market’s RAM output, smartphones are in crisis as costs continue to skyrocket. A...
Crucial Atlantic current closer to collapse than we thought — leading to global catastrophe: 'Need to prepare now'
PWS Honored Graduate: Janey Cress’ Plunge into Freshwater Ecosystems
Driven to make the most of her time at BYU, Janey Cress immersed herself in undergraduate research studying freshwater macroinvertebrates.
iPhone 18 Pro’s new color will be a mix of these three, says leaker
A Weibo leaker has offered a unique description of the iPhone 18 Pro color option that Apple is expected to market as its flagship.
On Earth Day, how to eat well for your health and the planet, on a budget
The price of kitchen staples like eggs, milk and cheese as well as prices for meats have soared since the pandemic. So is it possible to eat affordable, healthy food that's also good for the climate?
Armageddon! Fiasco! Disarray! Is California politics really a total disaster?
Your morning catch-up: A look at California's political dysfunction, plus fraud in the state's hospice industry and more big stories
Restrictions on obesity drug coverage force patients to pivot
Twelve million people lost coverage for Zepbound over the last year. The same number of people lost coverage for Wegovy, according to an analysis by GoodRx, a drug discount website.
'Devil Wears Prada 2' director explains why Adrian Grenier cameo didn't happen
'Devil Wears Prada 2' director David Frankel tells EW that he wanted an Adrian Grenier cameo as Nate, and explains why the 'Entourage' star didn't come back for the sequel.
The year’s weirdest game is hard to explain and even harder to put down
Welcome to Titanium Court.
Xbox Game Pass price cut but day-one Call of Duty access ended
New Call of Duty games will be added to the subscription service "about a year" after release, Microsoft said.
Google Meet adding in-person ‘Take Notes for me’ and Drive ‘projects’
Google announced a suite of new Workspace features across Drive, Sheets, Meet, and more. These updates are rolling out over the coming weeks.
Taking Vitamin D? Magnesium and K2 Could Make a Difference
Should you take vitamin D with magnesium and vitamin K2? Here’s how these supplements work together, plus safety tips and recommended doses.
Google announces ‘Workspace Intelligence’ and TPU 8t + 8i chips
At Cloud Next 2026, Google today announced “Workspace Intelligence” to provide “highly accurate, personalized context for every app.”
'The MacBook Pro for Linux users' both copies and contrasts with Apple
The new Framework Laptop 13 Pro has been described by the company’s CEO as “the MacBook Pro for Linux users”...
Person dies after police shootout at North Carolina business
The shooting happened at a strip mall in Asheville.
Prep talk: RJ Francisco is returning to Filipino roots for volleyball
The Highlanders' top volleyball player, RJ Francisco, is headed to the Philippines for college.
Michigan rep rips fellow Democrats for 'troubling' convention behavior
Rep. Kristen McDonald Rivet said behavior at the Democratic convention in Detroit is a "step in the wrong direction" that could hurt Dems in November
'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.
7 foods cardiologists love that won't bore you to tears — including some very clever swaps
You don't have to give up bacon and fries entirely, but occasionally swapping them for healthier foods or changing the way you prepare them can benefit your heart.
Worst-run state? In Britain, Steve Hilton was inspired by California
Steve Hilton's sudden rise in California politics comes a decade and a half after he pitched the U.K. Conservative Party with a very different idea: Britain could learn a lot from the Golden State.
"Not surprising at all" - analysts see Xbox Game Pass price cut as inevitable shift that will drive subscription growth in 2026
Price drop expected to aid growth in platform users, while opinion is divided on the impact on Call of Duty revenues
Anker made its own chip to bring AI to all its products
The Thus chip will first be in new earbuds.
4 Medications That May Increase Dementia Risk
Experts have flagged several over-the-counter and prescription medications.
4 Medications That May Increase Dementia Risk
Experts have flagged several over-the-counter and prescription medications.
RFK Jr. is on a congressional hearing blitz, after a long absence from Capitol Hill
Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. caps off seven budget hearings in as many days, the first time he has testified before Congress since September.
Alliance Entertainment: Higher Margins And A Low Float
Alliance Entertainment is demonstrating clear margin expansion, with gross margin rising to 13.5% and EBITDA tripling since FY23. Learn more about AENT stock here.
Indigenous health can’t be separated from environmental health, leaders tell UN
At Permanent Forum, leaders connect climate change, mining, and deforestation to mounting health crisis and demand coordinated approach to land rights.
Tori Spelling reacts to ex Patrick Muldoon's death: 'This shouldn't be real'
Tori Spelling has reacted to the death of ex-boyfriend Patrick Muldoon, who died April 19. The 'Beverly Hills, 90210' star and Muldoon dated in the '90s.
They retired early to travel the world — then came decision fatigue
Retirement travel exposed Kelly Benthall and her husband to decision fatigue. Structured trips now bring them more satisfaction and less stress.
Kylie Jenner sued by former housekeeper alleging hostile work environment
Kylie Jenner is being sued by a former housekeeper who says she has post-traumatic stress disorder after allegedly suffering 'severe harassment' from fellow staff while working for the beauty mogul.
Prep baseball roundup: Birmingham, behind Carlos Acuna, stays one game behind ECR
Carlos Acuna strikes out 11 in six innings in Birmingham's 8-0 win over Granada Hills.
Virginia voters just handed Democrats another win in the Great Redistricting Wars
Trump’s gerrymandering efforts are backfiring.
Virginia votes yes on proposed congressional redistricting, AP projects
Virginia voted to approve a plan to temporarily redraw the Commonwealth's 11 congressional districts ahead of November's midterm elections, the Associated Press projects.
Westfield whiskey seller to make way for indoor golf and entertainment venue
A Hamilton County whiskey distillery and restaurant will be selling its hospitality and real estate assets to an indoor golf and social entertainment club, said a news release issued Tuesday morning.
Report: Apple executive in charge of Siri revamp has considered stepping back
Mike Rockwell, who created the Vision Pro and now oversees efforts to revamp Siri, has considered leaving or reducing his role at the company.
DNA reveals a hidden pitviper species in China
A vivid green pitviper hiding in Sichuan’s misty mountains has been revealed as a completely new species. Scientists had overlooked it for decades, assuming it was a common snake—until DNA analysis proved otherwise. Named after Laozi, it features striking differences between males and females, including bold stripes and eye colors. The discovery highlights just how many unknown species may still be lurking in well-studied regions.
FBI probes missing or dead scientists, including four from the L.A. area
President Trump told reporters last week that he had been briefed on the missing and dead scientists, which he described as “pretty serious stuff.”
Google Wallet adds Live Update for flight tracking
As previously teased, Google Wallet for Android now offers Live Updates for tracking your current flight. If you add...
Speakers reflect luncheon’s ‘Timeless’ theme in words, actions
MILE HIGH UNITED WAY Denver News: The theme for the Mile High United Way’s 47th Women United Luncheon was “Timeless,” and Academy Award-winning actress Mary Steenburgen, president/CEO Christine Benero and honoree Arlene Hirschfeld thoughtfully and purposefully shared how the actions of today create ripples of change that can last forever. “One of the best ways to be outside your comfort zone is to volunteer,” Steenburgen said. “Saying yes to something is […]
ISS astronauts are in the middle of a tech overhaul
The astronauts will be using HP ZBook Fury G9 laptops.
Stanford's sports teams capture an NCAA championship for a 50th straight year
Stanford just captured an NCAA championship for a 50th consecutive year.
OpenAI’s updated image generator can now pull information from the web
ChatGPT Images 2.0 can create more “sophisticated” images, according to OpenAI.
X makes it 1,900 percent more expensive to post links
For Techmeme, the price hike has forced a major change.
Microsoft's Game Pass gets cheaper, loses launch day Call of Duty access
New Xbox CEO says subscription "has become too expensive for too many players."
Framework announces Laptop 13 Pro, ‘the MacBook Pro for Linux users’
Battery, rigidity, CAMM memory, and so much more.
Framework’s first eGPUs turn its laptop into a desktop PC
Only power users need apply — and you’ll have to shut down the laptop before you plug or unplug.
Framework is building a better couch keyboard because everyone hates the Logitech one
Logitech K400 must die, it seems.
The AirPods are Tim Cook’s most underrated achievement
Apple changed how we use personal audio.
Tim Cook's Legacy Is Turning Apple Into a Subscription
The soon-to-exit Apple CEO went all in on services. Now, the incoming CEO, John Ternus, will need to embrace the AI era.
I was happy with my Pixel camera until I tried the Oppo Find X9 Ultra [Gallery]
While there are a ton of different things I care about on my smartphone, the camera is a huge deciding...
Microsoft cuts Xbox Game Pass price, to remove 'Call of Duty' day one inclusions
Microsoft has dropped the price of its video game subscription service and the platform will not include future "Call of Duty" game releases on launch day, the company said on Tuesday, in the first major strategy shift under new gaming boss Asha Sharma.
Wearable health tech might be Tim Cook’s greatest legacy
An Apple (Watch) a day might keep the doctor away.
Wearable health tech might be Tim Cook’s greatest legacy
An Apple (Watch) a day might keep the doctor away.
Chipolo’s Android Find Hub trackers actually have 1-year battery life, new wallet launches
Chipolo has a big update on its Find Hub trackers for Android, with the battery life rating having just doubled...
Xbox Game Pass Ultimate gets a price cut but loses new Call of Duty games
No more new Call of Duty games at launch
Stop Paying for a VPN: Firefox Just Built One Right Into Your Browser
Mozilla's built-in VPN offers an extra layer of privacy for your browser traffic without requiring a separate subscription.
Entertainment News: April 21, 2026
Get caught up on the latest in Hollywood, technology, and more with FOX 17 Morning Mix's Entertainment News.
The next evolution of The Verge’s homepage is here
We’re continuously improving how The Verge works for you.
FDA, VSP searching downtown Charlottesville business
Officials from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration and the Virginia State Police are searching the DripBar on East Water Street.
Earth’s largest otters have chocolate bar-sized babies
Chester Zoo celebrates the birth of giant otter triplets.
'Citadel' Season 2 premieres May 6 on Prime Video—here's how to watch
The second season of ‘Citadel’ features the return of Richard Madden, Priyanka Chopra Jonas, and Stanley Tucci.
Apple has 10+ new products rumored to launch first with John Ternus as CEO
Here are the 10+ new Apple products rumored to be the first launched under CEO John Ternus starting this September.
OpenAI teases next AI announcement coming today, here's what to expect
OpenAI has teased its next AI software product announcement happening later today. The teaser gives us a good idea of...
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
WhatsApp Testing Paid 'Plus' Subscription Tier
WhatsApp has started testing a paid subscription tier called WhatsApp Plus, which adds a set of personalization options on top of the standard messaging experience, according to WABetaInfo.