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Photos: 2026 Rookie Minicamp
Head inside Intermountain Health Performance Center to view photos from the first day of 2026 Rookie Minicamp.
Get Wild: Collecting data to inform watershed health
Everyone knows that the Summit County community loves to get involved. Trail maintenance days, event support, weed pulling, trash cleanups — you name it and there is a lineup of Summit County residents ready to show up...
The White House tries to sidestep Congress on Iran as political pressures mount: From the Politics Desk
Plus, a trio of redistricting developments post-Supreme Court ruling.
Pressure mounts for Sabres as closeout time arrives as series shifts to Boston
Through two games in Boston at TD Garden, the Bruins have been outscored 9-2 in their home losses in Games 3 and 4.
Great Smoky Mountains trip: Gatlinburg tram was an unexpected highlight
I rode one of the largest aerial tramways in the US in Gatlinburg, Tennessee. It offered some of my favorite views of the Great Smoky Mountains.
UFC Perth preview, ‘Jack Della vs. Prates’ predictions
Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) is just one day away from the upcoming UFC Perth mixed martial arts (MMA) event, set to go down tomorrow afternoon (Sat., May 2, 2026) on Paramount+ from inside RAC Arena in Perth, Western Australia. UFC Perth features a welterweight main event between former 170-pound champion, Jack Della Maddalena, and No. […]
Forest 'excellent' but Villa semi 'still on a knife-edge'
You can hear all the post-match reaction, analysis and interviews from Nottingham Forest's 1-0 Europa League semi-final first leg win over Aston Villa on the latest episode of BBC Radio Nottingham's Shut Up And Show More Football podcast. The kind of game you expect from a semi-final where two teams are going at it hammer and tongs and nothing much is given either way. The amount of times Elliot Anderson won the ball back was frightening - he was magnificent tonight, the best player on a park full of top players.
Saudi Big Spending Changed Sports and More. So Will the End of That Era.
The kingdom is pulling back from a costly and high-profile golf venture amid mounting financial concerns, raising questions about its plans.
‘Public health time bomb’: How France allowed cadmium to poison its crops and soil
French residents are three to four times more likely to register unsafe levels of cadmium in their bodies than their European counterparts, ingesting dangerous amounts of the carcinogenic metal through…
Photos: Raiderettes 2026 Final Auditions
Head inside Intermountain Health Performance Center to view the best photos from the Raiderettes 2026 Final Auditions.
Arts and Entertainment Agenda, May 1 to 7
Aspen Community School presents ‘Dahlapalooza,’ May 1 Aspen Community School will perform “Dahlapalooza” at 7 p.m. May 1 at the Wheeler Opera House, 320 E, Hyman Ave. The stage performance features Roald Dahl’s most popular...
Intermountain Health Unveils New Nevada Community Health Needs Assessment and Implementation Strategy to Enhance Health of Residents
Intermountain Health has published its new Community Health Needs Assessment (CHNA) and the Community Health Implementation Strategies (CHIS)for Nevada, identifying where the greatest healthcare needs for the communities and the actions that must be taken to enhance community health.The new assessment report found the most significant health nee...
Intermountain Health Fillmore Community Hospital Breaks Ground on Emergency Department Expansion to Enhance Access to Care for Residents
Community leaders, hospital caregivers, and project partners celebrated a major milestone for local healthcare as Intermountain Health Fillmore Community Hospital officially broke ground on a long‑awaited Emergency Department expansion that will improve access to care for residents.The ceremony on April 22 marked the beginning of a project des...
Accel Entertainment launches live table games at Fairmount Park in Illinois
Accel Entertainment is celebrating the launch of live table games this week at Fairmount Park Casino & Racing in Illinois.
Live: UFC Perth media day video | Della Maddalena vs. Prates
Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) is holding a special pre-fight media day this morning (Thurs., April 29, 2026) for the upcoming UFC Perth: “Della Maddalena vs. Prates” mixed martial arts (MMA) event on Paramount+, scheduled for this Sat. night (May 2) inside the RAC Arena in Perth Australia The LIVE video stream gets underway promptly at […]
Overheard on Capitol Hill: Hospital leaders getting upbraided over ‘charging an insane amount for care’
A handful of health-system CEOs took withering fire this week at a hearing of the House Ways and Means Committee.
No immediate plan after Laurel Ridge cuts hundreds of beds in Bexar County
SAN ANTONIO - Growing concern is mounting in Bexar County as leaders and mental health experts warn that a major reduction in psychiatric beds could deepen what
Viewpoint: A career in science is possible, and worth it
Starting a career in science is exciting, but also demanding, with researchers often faced with intense competition, long working hours and high levels of stress. A pioneer in the field of mass spectrometry, Carol Robinson has been there. She speaks with Science|Business on the importance of creating a supportive environment, particularly for women.Robinson did not wake up one day thinking that she would become a scientist. It was only late in school that she developed an interest in chemistry. “The more you work at something, the more you think, actually, this is fascinating. So, I went much further and deeper than I ever needed to pass the exam. And then I loved it,” she says. “I thought, I’m going to give it my all. I’m going to enjoy it while I’m here. But I didn’t think this would be my career for 50 odd years.”She left school at 16 to become a lab technician with the drug company Pfizer, which is where she first worked with mass spectrometry. Fascinated, she was encouraged to take a part-time degree and then a PhD. She went on to do pioneering work in native mass spectrometry, a technique that is used to study protein structures in their natural state, paving the way for breakthroughs in drug discovery. She also broke new ground by becoming the first female professor of chemistry at the University of Cambridge, and then the first female professor of chemistry at the University of Oxford, her current home.She now wants to show young researchers that a career in science is worth it. “Sometimes, I believe the culture isn’t very encouraging, and that’s something I have worked on,” Robinson says.In 2021, she launched the Kavli Institute for Nanoscience Discovery at Oxford, whose acronym gives a sense of what she hopes it will achieve. “Maybe it is corny,” she says. “It’s just a reminder that I would like it if we could all be kind to each other and supportive, especially for early-career researchers of either gender, because there’s quite a big attrition rate in science, and maybe it just doesn’t feel like a very friendly place to work.”And yet, a career in science comes with a lot of flexibility. “There are few careers where you have that amount of freedom, to go to conferences, to the library. Just because you didn’t see me didn’t mean I wasn’t working,” she says. “And I’m excited to come in every day. So, I don’t want people to think it’s a terrible place.”Gender equality is also important when it comes to the quality of science as a career. “The more women we have, the better it becomes,” Robinson adds.Imposter syndromeAccording to EU data, women outnumber men in university education but account for just about a third of graduates in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (Stem). And while the number of women working as scientists and engineers in the 27-member bloc is on the rise, their representation remains below that of men, at 41%. This discrepancy is even more pronounced in top-tier functions across these fields, where women fill just 20% of positions.Having supervised many young scientists, Robinson sees that women continue to have a greater propensity than men to doubt their abilities, a feeling she once shared. “When I was doing my PhD at the University at Cambridge, I really felt like an imposter,” she says. “I don’t think I ever felt I deserved to be there or owned it and was proud. I just thought I was lucky.” Later on, she adds, “I was always that person who said, I can’t apply yet because my CV is not strong enough.”She has now made it her job to encourage women to break with this imposter syndrome. For example, rather than calling for volunteers to give a lecture in the groups that she mentors or teaches, which nearly always results in men stepping forward, she goes straight to the women, “because I know they won’t push themselves forward.”But the gender gap in science is not just down to imposter syndrome. The “obvious” reason, Robinson says, and the reason that is on everybody’s mind when discussing workplace gender equality, is the balance between work and raising a family. Her own path was to choose between the two, taking an eight-year break after completing a postdoctoral training fellowship to bring up three children. And she continues to advise women not to work part-time while they raise a family. “You’ll just get half the pay and continue to work full-time because you are not able to fit everything in,” she says. “You should be able to have a family and come back to have the career that you want.”The solution is for men to also take career breaks. “That kind of evens it up, so that it’s not such a big thing for women,” Robinson says. “I always encourage men in my groups to do that. I think it’s important to take your share of the duties.”Support produces resultsAccording to the Women in Stem Network, a UK advocacy group, countries with strong childcare systems and equal pay policies retain more women in technical careers. In Europe, these are primarily found in the Nordic region and parts of central Europe.At the EU level, the European Commission asks all Horizon Europe applicant organisations to have a gender action plan in place. Since this criterion was introduced in 2021, the share of women leading consortia has increased to 31%, against 23% in Horizon 2020. Their overall participation, however, has risen just 1%, to 38%. After trying to weaken the requirement for gender action plans in 2025, the Commission now intends to adopt a plan for supporting women in research and innovation.Related articlesCommission scraps plan to water down gender requirements in HorizonHow gender balance can swing who wins Horizon Europe fundingRobinson herself has benefited from three Advanced Grants from the European Research Council. “I was extremely honoured and privileged to get those, because they really allowed me to fuel my passion,” she says. “Without that, it would have been a much harder slog.”Beyond applying gender rules, she says that more work is needed on translational enterprise, where women are, once again, largely underrepresented. The European Patent Office found that only 13.8% of applications were filed by women in 2022. “We have so many more women doing amazing science; why do they feel it’s not a thing to have a company?” she asks.She founded her own spin-out company, OMass Technologies, in 2016, and remains chair of its scientific advisory board now that it trades as OMass Therapeutics. As for research, Robinson is now studying how changes in the brain may be linked to depression, using port-mortem tissue. “We’re hoping to publish soon,” she says. “We had to consult with a lot of people who knew a lot more about the brain than we did. So, we’ve learnt a lot, and that’s always a lot of fun to learn a new thing. That’s what keeps you going.”
TEDxBreckenridge to host talk on the science of wildfires
Keystone Science School and Summit Fire & EMS are partnering with TEDxBreckenridge to host a talk about the “surprising science” of how wildfires shape the ecology of forests. Summit Fire fuels specialist Hannah Ohlson will...
Mount Etna is like no other volcano on Earth, representing 'a new type of volcanism,' new research reveals
Mount Etna's strange lava has long perplexed scientists, but new research reveals that the volcano formed in a bizarre way — making it unlike any other known volcano on Earth.
Germany: Merz hails 'historic' health care reform
The Cabinet has greenlit a health care draft law designed to lower insurance rates. The bill heads to parliament next, but doctors' associations and patient protection advocates say it amounts to austerity measures.
Take-Two CEO Says GTA 6 Will Cost A 'Reasonable' Amount of Money
I can confirm it will cost an amount of money
Even a single serving of ultraprocessed food may raise dementia risk
Your risk of cognitive decline and dementia rises with small amounts of ultraprocessed foods, even when you are trying to eat healthy, a new study found.
Fears mount that PlayStation has "re-armed the CBOMB" issue which stops you playing purchased games, amid 30-day DRM and AI chat bot confusion
PlayStation players have found that digital games become unavailable unless an online connection is made every 30 days.
My first 32er mountain bike test ride suggests the hype is outrunning the tech. But not for long.
My first 32er test ride felt great. Still, the big-wheel bikes aren't perfect and won't be for everyone.
PAC proposes entertainment venue in Grayson
Paramount Arts Center, Inc. (PAC) has been in talks with the Grayson Tourism Commission concerning a proposed standing room only entertainment venue to be locat
German cabinet approves health insurance reform to curb costs
Germany's cabinet approved a draft bill to reform the statutory health insurance system on Wednesday, aiming to save 16.3 billion euros ($19.08 billion) next year amid mounting costs.
Gabbiadini calls for perspective
Former Sunderland striker Marco Gabbiadini believes there is no point in criticising Regis le Bris' side after their 5-0 defeat by Nottingham Forest last Friday as they have been "consistent" and "relentless" in their first season back in the Premier League. The Black Cats struggled for much of the game as Forest ran riot in the first half and took an insurmountable 4-0 lead before Elliot Anderson added another in the second half to hand Sunderland their biggest loss this season.
Colorado lawmakers limit health care enrollment for immigrant children, but raise cap on dental benefits as budget talks conclude
After weeks of wrestling with how to rein in spending on a program providing health coverage to immigrants, Colorado lawmakers gave final approval Tuesday, April 28, to a proposal to limit enrollment and end certain...
Backdoor Sports continuing and expanding on Pete Van De Carr’s legacy
Pete Van De Carr’s spirit still soars through the Yampa Valley. In the year since he passed, Backdoor Sports — the business he built over 40 years — continues his legacy, striving to ensure that...
Colorado lawmakers limit health care enrollment for immigrant children, but raise cap on dental benefits as budget talks conclude
After weeks of wrestling with how to rein in spending on a program providing health coverage to immigrants, Colorado lawmakers gave final approval Tuesday, April 28, to a proposal to limit enrollment and end certain...
Ustwo CEO says lowering development costs is now paramount
How the Monument Valley studio will be charting a path forward on PC and consoles.
Tri-Area Community Health to pay nearly $514K in settlement for improperly billed Medicare payments
TACH previously repaid $321,075.56 toward the total settlement amount.
Accel Entertainment Ups the Ante at Fairmount Park Casino & Racing With Launch of Live Table Games
CHICAGO & COLLINSVILLE, Ill., April 28, 2026--Accel Entertainment, Inc. (NYSE: ACEL), a leading locals-focused gaming operator partnering with small businesses, local communities, and state governments to provide entertaining, convenient, and safe gaming experiences nationwide, announced today that Fairmount Park Casino & Racing ("Fairmount") reached a major milestone in its "racino" evolution with the debut of live table games on the casino floor.
BMG and Concord confirm merger, with Bertelsmann as majority-owner; Bob Valentine named CEO of combined
The combined company will be owned approximately 67% by Bertelsmann, and 33% by affiliates of Great Mountain Partners, a long-time investor in Concord…
Diego Pavia Could Consider Joining $14.52B Entertainment Industry After Going Undrafted in NFL
Though the 2026 NFL draft didn’t work out well for Vanderbilt QB1 Diego Pavia, the Heisman Trophy finalist is reportedly considering a career away from the gridiron. Pavia took college football by storm, mounting spectacular wins over powerhouses like Alabama and Auburn.
Photos: Raiders host 2026 Draft Festival of Football at HQ
Head inside Intermountain Health Performance Center to view photos from the Las Vegas Raiders' 2026 Draft Festival of Football.
Five inducted into Arlington Sports Hall of Fame, including lacrosse player for first time
The five Class of 2026 inductees into the Arlington Sports Hall of Fame include a lacrosse player/coach for the first time. Brian Rosenberger, a standout player at two Arlington schools when he attended Bishop O'Connell High then Marymount University, will be the first representative of the sport enshrined. He will be joined by Robert Asher,
How to Watch: Charlotte FC vs Atlanta United | 7:00 PM | CBS Sports Network, Paramount +
JOIN US FOR THE PARTY: For tickets to the match, click here. Kickoff: 7:00 p.m. ET
Scientists esteemed by public, with vaccine scientists seen as similar to scientists in general
An Annenberg Public Policy Center survey finds that nearly 7 in 10 Americans trust vaccine scientists a moderate or greater amount to act in the best interests of “people like you."
Morrisey celebrates passage of Rural Health bill
CHARLESTON – West Virginia Gov. Patrick Morrisey celebrated the bill giving state health officials spending authority to use the $199 million federal Rural Health Transformation award in a ceremonial bill signing Thursday. Morrisey traveled to Princeton Community Hospital in Mercer County Thursday morning to hold a ceremonial signing for Senate Bill 570, a supplemental appropriation […]
‘The Voice’: The 5 Most Impactful Changes Since Season 1
Some of these changes were knockouts. Others hit all the wrong notes.
Building Hope launching mental health focused programs throughout May
Editor’s note — This story includes discussion of suicide. If you or someone you know needs help, the national suicide and crisis lifeline in the U.S. is available by calling or texting 988. There is...
Dawson shares her love of art and Johnson County
MOUNTAIN CITY, Tenn. — The paintings of Johnson County Center for the Arts’ artist Kathy Dawson are known for their amazing detail and design. Dawson’s work has been featured at
NASA reserves science payload space for Mars telecommunications mission
NASA is reserving a small amount of space on a Mars telecommunications spacecraft for science, which could be one or more cubesats.
Scientists Reveal The Optimal Amount of Sleep to Lower Dementia Risk
A huge analysis uncovers the sweet spot.
The ancient mountain kingdom where fantasy comes to life
They’re Westeros in “Game of Thrones.” They’re “Krypton” in the Superman prequel. The dense forests, twisting rivers and granite peaks of Northern Ireland’s Mourne Mountains have lived many lives and
The ancient mountain kingdom where fantasy comes to life
They’re Westeros in “Game of Thrones.” They’re “Krypton” in the Superman prequel. The dense forests, twisting rivers and granite peaks of Northern Ireland’s Mourne Mountains have lived many lives and
Cubs Leg Out Comeback Against Dodgers
The fiery Chicago Cubs mount comeback against the Los Angeles Dodgers to take series opener. Emmet Sheehan struck out 10.
High school sports results for Friday, April 24, 2026
FRIDAY’S RESULTS Baseball NON-SECTION Armstrong 9, North Catholic 6 Avonworth 4, DuBois 1 Beaver 5, Mohawk 3 Belle Vernon 9, Mount Pleasant 2 Fort...
Montclair Athletics Blue & White Club Mobilize to Save Freshman Sports
The club also has an overall fundraising goal of $350,000, aimed at fully funding the athletics department to support every athletics team at Montclair High School.
Great Smoky Mountains National Park: Surprising things about visiting
I went to Great Smoky Mountains National Park in Tennessee and was surprised by free entry, a scenic tram, and difficult stargazing.
Business Briefs: Brodie Plans, Bank Settlement
Alpine Village Proposed for Brodie Mountain NEW ASHFORD, Mass. — A group of investors who purchased Brodie Mountain three years ago is proposing a $200 million investment to revive...
"We care deeply about this game, and we play it right alongside you": World of Warcraft team apologizes for the state of the game — as patch 12.0.5 frustration boils over
World of Warcraft is the most popular subscription based MMORPG in history owing to the absolute mountain of content it receieves in exchange for the monthly fee. Lately, though, it feels increasingly like Blizzard has spread itself thin.
Small Business Grant recipients announced
ELKINS – Woodlands Development & Lending is proud to announce recipients of its Spring Forward Small Business Grant Opportunity. Officials received more than 80 proposals for this quick-turnaround, $500 grant and were able to make 22 awards to small businesses located throughout the Mon Forest Region of West Virginia. Local food establishments, recreation outfitters, small […]
How the Iran War Is Morphing Into a Volatile Standoff in the Strait of Hormuz
The conflict has morphed into a volatile standoff in the Strait of Hormuz, as the economic costs mount and President Trump faces a political backlash at home.
‘Cold feet’: Deal to buy historic Idaho 55 business called off
A deal to sell Cougar Mountain Lodge fell apart on Wednesday night amid the buyers’ concerns about plans to convert the property into an event venue. Treasured antiques that have decorated the historic lodge in Smiths Ferry were set to be sold this Saturday, April 25, as part of a separate sale at the property, but that, […]
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...
University of Utah Health expands TeleNICU services
University of Utah Health is expanding its TeleNICU program to improve access to specialty newborn care in rural communities across the Mountain West.
Arts & Entertainment Agenda, April 24-May 1
Guitar workshop with Luca Stricagnoli, April 24 “The Art of Fingerstyle With Luca Stricagnoli: Pushing the Boundaries of Acoustic Guitar” workshop will be held at 5 p.m. April 24 at The Vault at the Wheeler...
Warner Bros. Discovery shareholders approve Paramount Skydance deal
Warner Bros. Discovery announces stockholders approved its merger with Paramount, aiming to create a next-generation media and entertainment company.
What a combined Paramount-Warner would mean
HBO Max, “Harry Potter,” “Top Gun,” CBS and CNN may all be placed the control of the upstart Paramount Skydance soon. That’s because shareholders of Warner Bros. Discovery approved an
Warner Bros shareholders approve Paramount's $81B takeover of Hollywood giant
It still faces ongoing regulatory reviews
Warner Bros. Discovery shareholders approve Paramount takeover
Warner Bros. Discovery shareholders have cleared the way for CNN, HBO and Warner’s other media brands to join Paramount Skydance later this year.
WBD shareholders approve Paramount deal, reject David Zaslav's pay
Warner Bros. Discovery shareholders voted to approve the Paramount Skydance deal but against the pay package for CEO David Zaslav.
There are fixes for AI’s toll on the power grid. Here’s why they’re not happening
Tech companies charging ahead with artificial intelligence have a problem: AI’s rapid growth is colliding headlong with a finite amount of available energy and computing power.
"Worst patch ever:" World of Warcraft players beg Blizzard to slow down on its updates — for all the wrong reasons
I recently alluded to this idea that World of Warcraft is losing control of its quality ... well, control. And this concept really came to ahead this week with Midnight's 12.0.5 patch, which introduced a mountain of new bugs.
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.
Around the MHS
The latest news from around the Military Health System for the week of April 20-24, 2026, includes the MHS’ new digital health card offering direct access to the Warfighter Brain Health Hub, a U.S. Army orthopedic team supporting the 10th Mountain Division, and the Uniformed Services University advances military dental education.
Marquette business relocating to Marquette Township this summer
Cherry Creek Construction plans to relocate to the current location of Mount Manufacturing, which is moving to the former Best Buy building.
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.
Europe’s Most Active Volcano Just Got Stranger – Here’s Why Scientists Are Rethinking It
New research suggests Mount Etna forms from deep mantle magma pockets, possibly classifying it as a rare “petit-spot” volcano rather than a typical tectonic or hotspot volcano.
Stumbling upon science fiction with ‘I, Robot’
When I was growing up, my father had a bookshelf with glass doors. Behind the delicate handles were elegant hardcovers, fairy tale collections with beautiful illustrations and sentimental classics, li...
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.
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.
Health questions mount after Rep. Paul Gosar’s public remarks go viral
Rep. Paul Gosar's rambling remarks have raised questions among Democrats about whether he's healthy enough to run for reelection.
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.
Zoom across Armageddon with new Space Marine Detachments
All-vehicle armies and mounted Space Marine infantry? Yes, please!
Candidates pitch economic ideas, youth retention at ‘Voting For Business’ forum
WHEELING — Local candidates seeking seats in the West Virginia Legislature provided their thoughts Thursday night on how best to attract jobs to the Mountain State while also providing opportunities for youth to remain in the state. The Wheeling Area Chamber of Commerce, along with Regional Economic Development (RED) and WTOV-TV, sponsored the “Voting For […]
Paramount Business Jets sells first $1 million jet card
The Black level jet card tier provides members of Paramount Business Jets a fixed 10% management fee over direct operator pricing
Just Two Years After Opening, Intermountain Health Primary Children’s Hospital - Miller Family Campus in Lehi is Expanding to Meet Growing Demand for Pediatric Care
Just two years after opening, Intermountain Health Primary Children’s Hospital - Miller Family Campus in Lehi has become a critical access point for pediatric trauma care and specialty services for children closer to home for residents in fast-growing communities in Utah County and Southern Salt Lake County.Since opening in 2024, Intermountain...
L-Mount cameras have a new affordable everyday lens. The Panasonic Lumix S 40mm f/2 is lighter and brighter than some kit lenses – but two more lenses are coming
The Panasonic Lumix S 40mm f/2 is a new everyday prime with a compact design, but a new lens roadmap says that's just the start
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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