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Even without social media, phones have a subtle, damaging effect on our mental health
Digital communication in its most basic forms can push us into an ‘always on’ state – and generate feelings of exclusion or rejection, says academic and author Devi Sridhar
From Mother Mary to Foo Fighters: your complete entertainment guide to the week ahead
An idiosyncratic thriller sees Anne Hathaway’s pop icon and Michaela Coel’s fashion designer embark on a psychosexual romance, while Dave Grohl and his boys are back with album number 12
Player Availability Report: #CHIvSKC
Player Availability Report is SportingKC.com’s look at the latest status updates around the team ahead of upcoming matches and is presented by Saint Luke’s. All details listed are from the league’s official Player Status Report that is submitted the day prior to the match. Sporting Kansas City concludes the club’s
TPG buys UnitedHealth Group's Optum UK business
It's UNH's latest exit from an international market.
Epsom protests were 'disastrous' for business, say local traders
Epsom BID say visitors avoided coming to the town, fearing they would encounter protesters.
BBC Audio | BBC Inside Science | Can we prevent the next pandemic?
Creating and manufacturing a novel vaccine capable of combatting bird flu.
Republican congressman absent over ‘personal health matter’, Johnson says
Tom Kean, who has not voted since 5 March and whose seat is top Democratic target, due back ‘very soon’, speaker says
CEOs in the PMO: Mark Carney’s Inner Circle Gives Business More Power in Ottawa
Also: What Kraken tells us about Canada’s defense sector
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.”
UK to end project tracking potential Israeli violations: Report
UK newspaper reports that Foreign Office unit logging possible war crimes has shut amid funding cuts.
The Kurdish Bargain: Elite Politics and Federalism in the Kurdistan Region of Iraq
The power-sharing architecture between the Kurdistan Democratic Party (KDP) and the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan (PUK) in the Kurdistan Region of Iraq (KRI) is coming...
Buenos Aires archbishop laments political bickering at Mass for Pope Francis
Archbishop Jorge García Cuerva of Buenos Aires rebuked the country's political class for ignoring Pope Francis' magisterium on unity by bickering among themselves at a Mass celebrated on the anniversary of the late pope's passing.
‘This is very transformative for the business’: Lyft’s head of growth on taking a big step into London’s black cab sector
The ride-hailing giant has agreed to acquire Gett UK, making it the largest app for London's iconic black cabs. Lyft's EVP for global growth, an Arsenal fan, is excited.
Turkish Grand Prix to return Formula 1 calendar in 2027
The Turkish Grand Prix will return to the Formula 1 calendar in 2027 for the first time in six years.
Correspondents' Dinner's biggest moments involve laughs, cringing and high-stakes politics
The White House Correspondents’ Dinner began a few years after World War I.
How NCAA Career in Sports Forum helped Harding’s Hudson Vaughn clarify his mission
Harding student-athlete Hudson Vaughn's journey has been defined by turning adversity into achievement, using challenges as a catalyst and character as the foundation for leadership and innovation.
How Gary Neville and Gary Lineker became rival podcast moguls
BBC sports editor Dan Roan examines how Gary Lineker and Gary Neville became two of the biggest players in a rapidly changing media industry.
Trump dismisses Prince Harry’s comments on Ukraine ahead of royal visit
President Donald Trump on Thursday brushed off remarks by Prince Harry asking the US for more action to end the war in Ukraine, saying the British royal does not speak for the United Kingdom.
Best of the Best: Duke’s Legacy in the Collegiate Women Sports Awards
DURHAM, N.C.-- Women's sports have never had a bigger stage. Audiences are growing, athletes are becoming household names and the conversation around female ...
Stock markets set to fall, Bank of England deputy governor warns; Trump threatens UK with ‘big tariff’ over digital services tax
Rolling coverage of the latest economic and financial news
Truro man rebrands car to raise awareness of mental health
Ben Drew gave his Kia Ceed a makeover to help "end the stigma" after losing two friends to suicide.
The day of the baby boomers is finally done in Australian politics
Labor is well aware of the resentment from younger people who see themselves as paying for their elders while struggling to afford housing
Yankees sweep Red Sox with late rally at Fenway
The Walpole Wonder delivered again as Boston was left in the dust.
Kalshi fines and suspends 3 congressional candidates for betting on their own elections
Three congressional candidates wagered on the outcome of their own elections on Kalshi, according to the prediction market, which said Wednesday that it fined and suspended the men from their platform for five years.
'A landmark moment for the field': FDA approves first-ever gene therapy for inherited deafness
A gene therapy made by Regeneron is the first treatment of its kind approved for genetic hearing loss.
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.
Kalshi fines Texas GOP candidate for 'political insider trading'
A former Texas Republican primary candidate was fined and suspended for 'political insider trading' on a prediction market.
Meet the 19 metre octopus that may have prowled ancient seas
Giant octopuses may have ruled the oceans 100 million years ago, according to fossil evidence.
‘Kraken-like’ giant octopuses 100m years ago crunched bones of prey
Study of fossilised beaks shows patterns of wear and suggests some ancient species were up to 19 metres long
Trump calls King Charles a 'fantastic man' amid strained US-UK relations
In a phone interview with the BBC, Trump heaped praise on the British monarch amid strained US-UK relations and the upcoming royal state visit.
The surprising health benefit that could be in your pint
Drinking the odd pint of beer can provide "substantial levels" of an essential brain-boosting vitamin in your diet, according to new research in a respected journal.
King Charles, Starmer and Iran: My five-minute interview with Trump
Sarah Smith asked the president about King Charles's upcoming visit, the state of the so-called special relationship and the war with Iran.
Foreign Office unit tracking Israel’s potential breaches of international law closed
Exclusive: Officials warn department will lose access to database of 26,000 verified cases by cutting funding
Trump's threats against Iran are a boon for prediction markets, including some backed by his son
Traders flocked to Polymarket this month to bet on whether Trump really was going bomb Iran back to the Stone Age or just call a ceasefire.
Microsoft gives your Word documents an AI co-author you didn’t ask for
: Also rolls out agentic Copilot in Excel and PowerPoint, letting 21st century Clippy lend a... hand
Entertainment: Midwest Gaming Classic Will Pack Baird Center, Downtown
Plus: An out-of-season opportunity get cream puffs.
UK packaging maker to build up e-commerce business at Clinton Commerce Center
There were no presses left to stop for the news announced at the huge industrial building at 2201 Sweeney Dr. within Clinton Commerce Center in Findlay Township.
Catching a fungal enzyme open for business
Serious fungal infections are on the rise, and many hospital-acquired cases are becoming harder to treat as fungi become resistant to available medications.
Lyft to Buy Gett’s UK Taxi Business, Marking Its Third International Acquisition
Lyft Inc. has agreed to buy London black cab app Gett, its third acquisition in the past year, as the company works to expand its presence beyond the US.
UK Biobank data hacked and listed for sale in China
The data bank which contains medical data of 500,000 people said no personally identifiable information had been hacked.
Milwaukee HS Sports Awards: Packers' Evan Williams is guest speaker
Green Bay Packers safety Evan Williams is guest speaker for the 2026 Milwaukee High School Sports Awards on June 15 at Brookfield Conference Center.
Neal Milner: We Are All Victims Of The Sylvia Luke Mess
Her decision not to run for reelection doesn’t address the bigger problem — how inept the state is when it comes to corruption investigations.
Scottish Parliament election 2026: Politicians campaign for votes across the country ahead of the election on 7 May
Politicians are campaigning for votes across the country ahead of the election on 7 May
Ben Roberts-Smith planned to leave Australia and researched buying wellness business in Spain, court documents show
Partner of soldier accused of war crimes says the couple discussed possibility of moving overseas to ‘create some normalcy in our lives’
German Business Activity Unexpectedly Shrinks as Services Plunge
(Bloomberg)--German private-sector activity unexpectedly contracted as the Iran war triggered the biggest plunge in the services sector in more than three years.
BBC Sport weekly quiz: Where will Chelsea play their WSL games next season?
How much attention have you paid to what's happened in the world of sport over the past seven days?
UK government borrowing narrowly undershoots forecasts; oil rising over $100 amid strait of Hormuz deadlock
Rolling coverage of the latest economic and financial news
Mapped: the elections that could deliver ‘unprecedented’ losses for Labour
All signs point to a record low performance for Labour in May in what will be a moment of high jeopardy for Keir Starmer
Scientists make breakthrough in solving mystery of volcanic lightning
Research shows fine carbon coating on silica in updraught causes electrical charge – and spectacular display
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
Wisconsin basketball gets commitment from Mount Horeb's Josh Manchester
Wisconsin men’s basketball has added some homegrown talent to its backcourt, as Mount Horeb's Josh Manchester has committed to the Badgers.
4 takeaways from Health Secretary RFK Jr.'s gauntlet of congressional hearings
In his testimony to various committees in the Senate and the House over multiple days, Kennedy was tasked with defending President Donald Trump’s proposed 2027 budget, which would boost defense spending while cutting more than 12% of funding from the Department of Health and Human Services.
4 takeaways from Health Secretary RFK Jr.'s gauntlet of congressional hearings
In his testimony to various committees in the Senate and the House over multiple days, Kennedy was tasked with defending President Donald Trump’s proposed 2027 budget, which would boost defense spending while cutting more than 12% of funding from the Department of Health and Human Services.
How a pivot to hair accessories led to business success
Jenny Lennick's colourful hair clips are sold across the US and around the world.
WATCH: Leavitt says Trump has not set 'firm deadline' for Iranian proposal to extend ceasefire
“Ultimately, the timeline would be dictated by the commander in chief and the president of the United States,” Leavitt said.
Kalshi suspends 3 U.S. congressional candidates for ‘political insider trading’
WASHINGTON >> Prediction markets platform Kalshi said today it has suspended three U.S. congressional candidates for “political insider trading,” building on its efforts to block politicians and athletes from betting on contests in which they are involved.
Arkansas G Darius Acuff Jr. declares for 2026 NBA Draft
College basketball transfer portal 2026-27 winners and losers: Duke, Florida lead free agency victors
The good, the bad and the ugly from the first wave of college basketball's free agency period
Brewers finally get great injury news on Quinn Priester
Milwaukee could benefit from this soon.
Scientists discovered a mysterious ‘golden orb’ two miles beneath the surface of the ocean. Now they’ve worked out what it is
Sorry, but it’s not an extraterrestrial egg...
Apple Releases iOS 26.4.2 and iPadOS 26.4.2 With Bug Fixes
Apple today released minor iOS 26.4.2 and iPadOS 26.4.2 software updates for the iPhone and iPad, respectively. The updates are available two weeks after Apple released iOS 26.4.1 and iPadOS 26.4.1. The new software can be downloaded on eligible iPhones and iPads over-the-air by going to Settings → General → Software Update. According to Apple's release notes, the software updates contain unspecified bug fixes and security updates.
No one can look Starmer in the eye … and the Mandy saga is not going away
The PM’s failure was being a spectator as Morgan McSweeney set about finding jobs for his mates
AI-powered robot beats elite table tennis players
In feat hailed as milestone in robotics, Sony AI’s Ace wins three out of five matches played under official rules
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.
Tottenham advertise sport psychologist roles
Tottenham are looking to appoint a lead psychologist for their men's first team after head coach Roberto de Zerbi said they need to "change the mentality".
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.
UK bans a generation of children from smoking: How it works
The legal age to buy tobacco products will rise by one year, every year, from 2027.
UK bill bans anyone born after 2008 from ever buying tobacco
People who are now 17 or younger will never be able to buy tobacco, according to the law backed by the UK Parliament.
The Prince Philip Movement: The Yaohnanen Tribe Of Tanna Island Believed The Duke Of Edinburgh Was A God
According to followers of the movement, Prince Philip was a powerful mountain spirit who would one day return home.
Your bad habits are destroying your charging cables
Charging cables are the most overlooked technology in your life, until they break and you're stuck with a dying phone. Here's how to take better care of them.
Scottish Parliament election: Campaigning continues across the country
Voters will go the polls on 7 May to elect 129 members of the Scottish Parliament.
Ilia Topuria goes off on 'dumb as f***' Arman Tsarukyan
Top UFC lightweight contender Arman Tsarukyan has made as many headlines for his antics outside of the cage as in it. The 29-year-old has stuck a fan on his walkout to the octagon, head butted an opponent during face-offs, engaged in a post-fight brawl at RAF 6, got thrown off an airplane and ...
UK inflation climbs to 3.3%, driven by largest increase in fuel prices in over three years
Oil prices fall on ceasefire extension but stay near $100 a barrel as strait of Hormuz remains closed
World Cup 2026: Pick your favourite kits from the tournament
BBC Sport has highlighted some of the most interesting kits which will be seen at this summer's World Cup. Pick your favourites.
Mythos found 271 Firefox flaws – but none a human couldn’t spot
: Mozilla CTO says AI means developers finally have a chance to get on top of security
Samir Patel on science journalism and curiosity
On April 19, Humanities in Medicine, the Duke Program in Literature, the DeWitt Wallace Center, Duke English and Duke’s Program in Education hosted “Storytelling Through Science Journalism,” a speaker event featuring Samir Patel (Pratt ‘97), the editor and chief of Quanta Magazine.
Virginia approves redistricting, giving Democrats edge in midterms
The new maps in Virginia could make it easier for Democrats to take control of the US House of Representatives in November.
Expert quits US HIV role, rebukes Trump global health approach
The chief science officer for the U.S. flagship HIV/AIDS program left his role this week and criticized the Trump administration's cuts to foreign assistance and what he said was its use of aid as leverage for U.S. commercial interests.
Expert Quits US HIV Role, Rebukes Trump Global Health Approach
By Simon Lewis WASHINGTON, April 21 (Reuters) - The chief science officer for the U.S. flagship HIV/AIDS program left his role this week and criticized the Trump administration's cuts to foreign assistance and what he said was its use of aid as leverage for U.S. commercial interests. Republican ...
Brighton 3-0 Chelsea: What Rosenior and Chalobah said
Chelsea boss Liam Rosenior, speaking to Match of the Day: "Nowhere near the levels, not even tactical, tackles, duels, intensity, spirit, energy, passion are all lacking and that is the reason we lost." Across each team's last nine games in the Premier League, only Tottenham (2) have won fewer points than Chelsea (5 – W1 D2 L6).
Dept. of Health and Human Services declares public health emergency for Hawaii after March storms
The declaration aims to address the health impacts caused by severe storms, flooding, landslides, and mudslides that occurred in March 2026.
LISTEN: Supreme Court seems skeptical of limiting FCC's power to fine companies
Telecommunications giants Verizon and AT&T appealed to the Supreme Court after the Federal Communications Commission found they sold customers’ location data without proper safeguards and slapped the companies with hefty penalties totaling over $100 million.
Luka Dončić still out indefinitely, but Austin Reaves reportedly nearing return to Lakers with on-court work
Kentucky governor blasts UK athletics' 'decision-making'
Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear has publicly questioned the "decision-making" at the University of Kentucky, including the seven-figure gig retiring athletic director Mitch Barnhart was recently given.
Wisconsin political leaders mourn Daniel Bice's death
A veteran Milwaukee Journal Sentinel reporter, Bice broke national scoops and dug into local stories with same tenacity.
Four key takeaways from Apple’s change of leadership
Analysts say net boss John Ternus should diversify tech giant away from iPhones and raise its game in AI
GOP strategists required to sign NDAs at meeting on midterm plans
The unusual secrecy surrounding the Waldorf Astoria meeting has frustrated some looking for funding clues as Trump’s popularity has dropped to near historic lows.
Warsh vows to keep monetary policy independent of politics
STORY: :: Fed chief nominee Warsh vows to keep monetary policy independent of politics:: Washington, D.C. / April 21, 2026:: Kevin Warsh, Federal Reserve chief nominee“Monetary policy independence is essential. Monetary policymakers must act in the nation's interest. Their decision is the product of rigor, deliberation and unclouded decision-making. And as Senator Warren said, I do not believe that independence of monetary policy is threatened when elected officials state their views on rates. Fed independence is up to the Fed." // :: Sen. Elizabeth Warren, Ranking Democrat on Senate Banking Committee“So, independence takes courage. Let's check out your independence and your courage. We'll start easy. Mr. Warsh, did Donald Trump lose the 2020 election?”WARSH: “Um, we try to keep politics, if I’m confirmed, out of the Federal Reserve.”WARREN: “I’m just asking you a factual question. I need to know. I need to measure your independence and your courage.”WARSH: “Senator, I believe that this body certified that election many years ago.”WARREN: “That’s not the question I’m asking. I’m asking did Donald Trump lose in 2020?”WARSH: “And I’m suggesting to you in 2020…”WARREN: “I’m suggesting you can’t answer that.”WARSH: “… the Fed had a huge inflation problem, and you certified the election…[crosstalk]… let’s keep the politics out of monetary policy.” //WARREN: "Just one little place where you disagree with Donald Trump.”WARSH: “Well, I do have a disagreement actually, Senator, with the president. I think even this morning, he said that he thought I was out of central casting. I think central casting, I'd look older, grayer, maybe show up here with a cigar of sorts.”WARREN: “Quite adorable. But, you know, we need a Fed chair who is independent. That's the only way we preserve the independence of the Federal Reserve. If you can't answer these questions, you don't have the courage and you don't have the independence.”In a confirmation hearing before the Senate Banking Committee that quickly hinted at major changes to come at a Warsh-led Fed, the 56-year-old lawyer and financier blamed the central bank for an inflation surge in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic that continues to hurt U.S. households.Warsh's hearing quickly turned contentious. Democratic Senator Elizabeth Warren pressed Warsh on his independence and "courage", saying President Donald Trump had made clear Warsh would be his "sock puppet".
The social sciences need tools for the 21st century
Letters: Readers respond to an editorial on difficulties with replicability of results in social science research
Daniel Bice, veteran Wisconsin political reporter and columnist, dies at 62
Daniel Bice, who worked for the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel for 33 years, died from complications of esophageal cancer on April 21, his birthday.
‘Is it life? We can’t tell’: Nasa’s Curiosity rover finds organic molecules on Mars
Scientists think they are looking at chemical building blocks of life preserved for 3.5bn years
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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