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Nine Major TV Companies in Partnership to Tie Ads to Business Results
Nine Major TV Companies in Partnership to Tie Commercials to Business Results
Fighting for Southern Steelhead: Science, the Law, and What’s at Stake
This June, CalTrout will be in the Los Angeles Superior Court defending a landmark listing of Southern California steelhead as endangered under the California Endangered Species Act (CESA). Learn...
How AI Is Reshaping Entrepreneurship for Gen Z and Small Business Owners
Artificial Intelligence (AI) is transforming entrepreneurship by lowering barriers like cost, connections, and expertise. As a result, 77% of founders say it’s now accessible to start and grow a business regardless of background. Gen Z is driving this shift, with 73% managing multiple income streams and using AI to start and grow businesses. The result is a rise in flexible “portfolio careers,” where networks, personal branding, and digital tools are key to success. Key findings from LinkedIn’s research: 77% of founders say entrepreneurship is accessible regardless of background 73% of Gen Z entrepreneurs have multiple income streams 69% of founders say entrepreneurship is more achievable than ever 75% of entrepreneurs say networks are critical to success 68% of Gen Z entrepreneurs say AI is important to their business How are Gen Z entrepreneurs reshaping business? New research from LinkedIn shows how the use of AI, shifting career priorities, and evolving definitions of success are reshaping how businesses are started and grown. Gen Z is leading a shift toward more flexible ways of working, with nearly three-quarters (73%) of Gen Z entrepreneurs reporting multiple income streams, compared to 56% of Gen X. This highlights growth in “portfolio careers” designed to build resilience and create greater control over work and income. How is AI making entrepreneurship more accessible? AI and digital tools are making entrepreneurship more accessible, lowering traditional barriers such as cost, connections, and expertise. More than three-quarters (77%) of founders say entrepreneurship is accessible regardless of background, while 69% say it is more achievable today than ever before. Younger entrepreneurs are driving this change, with more than two-thirds (68%) of Gen Z entrepreneurs reporting that AI and digital tools are important to their business, more than twice the rate of Baby Boomers (27%). Nearly one in five (18%) Gen Z entrepreneurs say AI made starting their business feel possible. AI is also helping small business owners compete for talent: 57% of US entrepreneurs say that AI can help them compete with larger companies to find and attract better candidates. Related: The AI Edge for Entrepreneurs
Another Gift To The World From CERN: Their Entire Set Of KiCad Libraries
As the foremost boffins of Europe toil deep underneath the border between Switzerland and France in their never-ending quest to truly understand the fabric of the Universe, they rely on a vast amou…
Business re-entry students prove no setback is permanent
Brian McGauley dropped out of high school and college and had two health scares. Carlos Torres worked too hard, partied too hard and was academically disqualified. Now, both students are graduating with honors from the Craig School of Business at Fresno State, proving that a late start and early difficulties don’t have to be permanent […]
Americans See Health Care Costs, Deficit, Inflation as Big Problems Facing the Nation
Issues like money in politics and Republicans’ and Democrats’ ability to work together are also seen as very big problems across the political spectrum.
Americans See Health Care Costs, Deficit, Inflation as Big Problems Facing the Nation
Issues like money in politics and Republicans’ and Democrats’ ability to work together are also seen as very big problems across the political spectrum.
Lawsuit filed to stop Trump’s blue repainting of the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool
A nonprofit dedicated to “promoting informed stewardship” of historic landscapes asked a federal judge on Monday to halt the Trump administration’s painting of the Lincoln Memorial’s Reflecting Pool, which has long featured a gray basin, blue.
HOK’s John Rhodes Talks Sports Venue Brand Engagement with the Financial Times
The Financial Times featured HOK’s John Rhodes on brand engagement in stadiums and arenas—and what it means for venue design and the fan experience.
NYU’s Quantum Institute, IBM Team Up for Postdoctoral Research Program in Quantum Computing
Joint postdoctoral research projects will focus on quantum algorithms and applications in research areas across chemistry, computer science, materials science, physics, optimization, and more
Touring Entertainment Live Report 2026
Now in its third year, the sold-out Touring Entertainment LIVE (TEL) brought show producers, promoters, and experts from analytics companies, tech platforms, PR agencies, venues, and ticketing agencies together in London in February to discuss the current state of touring entertainment. The conference featured sessions that discussed how to boost the bottom line against increasing […]
Arisa Health to Not Renew Contract for Community Mental Health Centers; 41 Counties, Including Craighead Affected
Arisa Health, which is the designated community mental health center (CMHC) in 41 counties in Arkansas, including all of Northeast Arkansas, will not submit a bid to the State of Arkansas for a new CMHC contract.
2026 National Defense Science and Engineering Graduate (NDSEG) Fellowship Award
First year Materials and Nanoscience graduate student Stéphane Miaule (Tolbert group) has been awarded the 2026 National Defense Science and Engineering Graduate (NDSEG) Fellowship, one of the country’s most prestigious honors for graduate students in the fields of Science, Technology, Engineering and Math (STEM). The program, jointly sponsored by the U.S. Army, Navy, and Air Force, supports doctoral students across a broad range of scientific and technological fields of strategic importance. This highly competitive fellowship provides full tuition, fees, and a monthly stipend for three years. In 2026, only 102 fellowships were awarded nationwide, and Stéphane is the sole recipient from UCLA. Before transferring from Santa Monica College to UCLA, Stéphane interned at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center and Marshall Space Flight Center, where he researched the mechanical and thermodynamic properties of lunar regolith, as well as radiation shielding materials for lunar habitation development. At UCLA, he joined the Soft Materials Research Laboratory under Professor Qibing Pei, focusing on the synthesis and characterization of hafnium oxide nanocomposite scintillators. After earning his bachelor’s degree in chemistry, he remained in the Soft Materials Research Laboratory as a post-baccalaureate researcher for one year before joining Professor Sarah Tolbert’s group as a Ph.D. student. Stéphane’s Ph.D. research is focused on improving the properties of conjugated polymers, which are a family of plastic materials that can conduct electricity. Stéphane is specifically looking at self-assembling polymers that can be processed in water to create light-weight, flexible, high-conductivity polymer devices without the need for toxic or volatile organic solvents. After completing his Ph.D., Stéphane hopes to work in a national laboratory, researching semiconducting polymers for applications in new electronic devices. “The Graduate (1967) featured a memorable scene in which the protagonist was told that ‘there’s a great future in plastics.’ We know this still holds true today, as polymer research has expanded rapidly due to the wide variety of applications these materials enable. Through my work on semiconducting polymers, I hope to contribute to the continued development of plastic electronics,” Stéphane said. Penny Jennings, UCLA Department of Chemistry & Biochemistry, penjen@g.ucla.edu.
Stockton and AtlantiCare to Expand Health Education and Workforce Pathways
Agreement creates Stockton-AtlantiCare College of Community Health in A.C.
Former Atrium Health Floyd Patient Now Inspiring Others
Austin Sisk is one of four Good Samaritan Volunteer of the Year recipients.
Moms, Coaches, Doctors, Entrepreneurs: Who Are America’s Health and Wellness Influencers?
Half of U.S. adults under 50 say they get health and wellness information from social media influencers or podcasts. About 4 in 10 of these influencers describe themselves as health care professionals; coaches and entrepreneurs are almost as common.
Small business hiring picks up pace in April, Paychex reports
Paychex reports small business hiring accelerated in April with the national jobs index rising 0.35 points, the largest monthly gain since last year.
How blueberries, strawberries support brain and heart health
From fresh to frozen, blueberries and strawberries offer nutrients that support brain and heart health when part of a balanced lifestyle.
Aliki Kassioti (SFS'26) gains real-world business experience in DC | School of Foreign Service
Aliki Kassioti (SFS’26) reflects on how transferring to Georgetown opened doors to hands-on global business experience while finding community.
Davenport University’s Excellence in Business gala hosted Martin Short, honored the president and raised $400,000 for scholarships
Davenport University’s 2026 Excellence in Business gala was a resounding success for students. The May 2 event raised $400,000 to support student scholarships and brought together business leaders, community members and supporters for an evening that included award-winning actor-comedian Martin Short. The gala at DeVos Place in Grand Rapids featured Short in
The week in politics (May 6, 2026)
On Wednesday's show: We discuss the latest developments in politics in our weekly roundup. And foodies discuss great food that looks really ugly -- but still tastes great.
Rising Sparks: Natasha Strydhorst, science communication - Morgridge Institute for Research
Natasha Strydhorst finds in science communication a good way to marry her multiple interests — and to address “the wicked problems that science and society are facing”
Microsoft Edge keeps cleartext passwords in RAM, security researcher warns
Microsoft Edge “by design” keeps all saved user passwords unencrypted in RAM for the entire session.
Jester, Neel inducted into Greater Binghamton Sports HOF
VESTAL, N.Y. - Binghamton Athletics staff members Brian Jester and Roger Neel were inducted with the Class of 2026 in the Greater Binghamton Sports Hall of Fame. The pair were among 12 individuals and one team selected celebrated Monday night at the Doubletree by Hilton in downtown Binghamton. Legendary NFL Hall of Fame and New York Giants linebacker Harry Carson was the featured speaker.
Local High School Students Explore Future Health Care Careers at MEDucation Day 2026
High school juniors in the Winston-Salem and Charlotte areas discover health care advancements and career opportunities at Advocate Health.
Breaking Barriers at 3rd Annual Findings from the Field Symposium
This year's Findings from the Field Student Research Symposium welcomed 106 students, grades four through eight, 29 educators, and 15 Subject Matter Experts, and it featured 68 research posters, 14 lightning talks, and 5 discussion sessions.
Two NYU Faculty Elected to National Academy of Sciences
Andrea H. Brand and Eero P. Simoncelli among this year’s 120 new members
Law Day celebrates Furman students and alumni heading to law school
The event featured a toast to the 26 current seniors and recent alumni who will be entering law school in the fall.
Sooo ... About Last Night
Yesterday (Sat., May 2, 2026), Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) ventured forth to RAC Arena in Perth, Australia for UFC Perth. For the second time in as many weeks, the “Prelims” were bloody miserable! Fortunately, the action did pick up for the main card, which featured some truly impressive knockouts and strong showings. In fact, the […]
Ask.com shuts down after nearly 30 years, marking the end of Ask Jeeves
After nearly 30 years, Ask.com has officially closed on May 1, 2026. It was the pioneer of question-answering search engines.
The ‘science of songwriting’ put to the test
With a panel over songwriting, the Norman Music Festival 2026 lineup featured roughly 80,000 attendees and over 800 bands applying to perform.
Test your pop culture: From Hollywood to the Heartland
Test your knowledge of entertainment with this quiz on celebrities, trends and headline-making moments. Featured this week: guess the star-studded families and who wore what.
Rounding up Essentia media coverage from April
Each month, we share some of our favorite Essentia Health-related stories on the Newsroom.
Americans continue to view both the Republican and Democratic parties negatively
The share of Americans holding unfavorable views of both parties has grown over time, rising to 26% today compared with 21% in 2020.
Trump Loses Ground on Several Personal Traits as Approval Rating Slips
Views of Trump's handling of some key issues facing the U.S., such as immigration policy and use of military force, have become more negative.
Growing veteran careers and businesses with DAV employment services
Whether preparing for their first civilian role or launching a business, DAV supports every stage of a veterans’ career, turning uncertainty into opportunity and connections into lasting success.
FIM invites families and music lovers to a month of entertainment in May
Featured photo: Chicago-born and raised comedian and actor DeRay Davis will be at the FIM Capitol Theatre May 22! Photos courtesy of FIM FLINT, Mich.— From stand-up comedy and student showcases, to tribute concerts and shows for the whole family, May at FIM venues will bring an exciting mix of...
LaunchPad Student Start-Ups Win in the New York Business Plan Competition
Three Syracuse University Libraries’ LaunchPad student start-up teams won prizes in the finals of the New York Business Plan Competition (NYBPC), powered by Upstate Capital Association of NY, held in Albany on April 22. Celes Buffard ’27 (School of Information Studies), founder of SecondWave, won the $10,000 first prize in the learn, work and live category. SecondWave combines financial liter...
Tony Inhorn (MS-EIA’26) bridges energy policy, science and community at Georgetown | School of Foreign Service
Tony Inhorn (MS-EIA'26) reflects on how Georgetown has shaped him as a student of climate and energy, collaborator, advocate and community member.
Someone built the PlayStation controller PC dongle that Sony refuses to make
All it needs is a Raspberry Pi.
Where Does California’s Water Come From? The Science Behind Northern California’s Spring-Fed Rivers
Northern California's springs supply millions with clean water, but how vulnerable are they to climate change? CalTrout and our partners are uncovering the resilience of these spring systems in a...
Small Business Smarts: How to Track Time and Attendance
Accurate payroll starts with time tracking. For small business owners with hourly employees, it is crucial to know when employees clock in and out.
Northwood University Celebrates 2026 Class of Outstanding Business Leaders
Gala honors achievement, raises scholarship funds, and inspires students to pursue lives of meaning, leadership, and earned success Northwood University celebrated five honorees whose vision and leadership have transformed industries and communities on Saturday, April 18, during the 46th Outstanding Business Leader Awards Gala at the Henry Ford Museum in Dearborn, Michigan. The gala brought together honorees, alumni, students, donors, and university leaders for a signature event rooted in Northwood’s mission to develop free-enterprise leaders who drive global economic and social progress. This year’s honorees represented an array of industries, including entertainment, entrepreneurship, construction, manufacturing, motorsports, and automotive retail. “Outstanding Business Leader Awards is one of the most meaningful traditions at Northwood University,” said Dr. Kent MacDonald. “It gives our students the opportunity to learn directly from leaders who have built exceptional careers through vision, perseverance, personal responsibility, and service to others. What makes these honorees special is that their impact reaches far beyond business success. They create jobs, strengthen communities, open doors for others, and lead with purpose. They remind our students that free enterprise, when guided by character and integrity, can be a powerful force for good.” Since 1981, the Outstanding Business Leader Awards have recognized exceptional business leadership while supporting student opportunity through the Outstanding Business Leader Endowed Scholarship Fund. Prior to the gala, honorees met with Northwood students during a roundtable conversation designed to give students direct access to first-hand mentorship and career insight. The student-centered experience continued that evening, as each honoree was formally introduced by a Northwood student selected through a competitive process that drew more than 50 applicants this year. The experience reflects Northwood’s emphasis on learning through experience and providing students with meaningful opportunities to build confidence, connections, and professional momentum before graduation. The following honorees and presenters were featured at this year’s Outstanding Business Leader Awards Gala: Paul A. Glantz, chairman and CEO, EH Real Estate LLC; chairman emeritus, Emagine Entertainment Inc., was introduced by Kennedy Williams, a marketing communications and automotive aftermarket management student from Farmington Hills, Michigan. They are pictured with Gala Emcee Steve Madincea (far left) and Northwood University President Kent MacDonald. Jennifer Tenaglia Panning ’92, president, Artisan Tile Inc., was introduced by Karley Baker, a finance and marketing student from Washington Township who is enrolled in Northwood’s four-year bachelor/MBA track. Danny Sullivan, 1985 Indianapolis 500 champion, 1988 IndyCar World champion, and 1994 Rolex 24 at Daytona champion, was introduced by Max Hart, an automotive marketing and management student from Cheboygan, Michigan. Reagan Cordes, a sales management student from Davison, Michigan, is pictured introducing Linzie Venegas, chief operating officer of Ideal Group, who was unable to attend the gala. Larry Zinn, executive general manager of Warren Henry Auto Group and a 2008 Northwood alumnus, was honored to accept the Outstanding Business Leader Award on behalf of his father, Warren Henry Zinn ‘77, who was unable to attend Saturday’s gala. Larry Zinn was introduced by Bella Smylie, a data analytics student from Clare, Michigan. “This gala is about more than recognizing business excellence; it’s also about investing in students and reinforcing the relationships that make Northwood special,” said Advancement Vice President Murray Kyte. “We celebrate leaders whose lives reflect The Northwood Idea while raising scholarship funds to invest in students whose ambition, character, and entrepreneurial spirit reflect the values Northwood seeks to advance.” “During my time at Northwood, I’ve been fortunate to experience things I never could have imagined,” said Baker, who added she was honored to form a meaningful connection with her Outstanding Business Leader honoree. “…Northwood builds a network that stretches far beyond these walls, one shaped by shared values, a belief in free enterprise, and a conviction that business, done right, can change lives.” To learn more about this year’s honorees and gala sponsors, visit the Outstanding Business Leaders Awards webpage at www.northwood.edu/advancement/signature-events/outstanding-business-leader-awards/. Share this page
The week in politics (April 29, 2026)
On Wednesday's show: We discuss the latest developments in politics in our weekly roundup. And we meet the folks behind Ice House Radio, an online radio station streaming from Houston dedicated to the music of southern culture.
What Is The Cost of Business Internet Downtime?
Businesses rely on internet service to operate, so downtime can be especially costly. That means working with a reliable internet service provider is critical.
Purdue’s space work is featured at NASA Science Showcase
A Purdue professor and graduate student participated in the NASA Science Showcase recently on Capitol Hill in Washington, D.C. The April 21 event highlighted how NASA-funded science research across…
Brooklyn College Hosts Second Annual Perinatal Mental Health Summit in Brownsville
Daylong convening brings together 200 clinicians, researchers, and community leaders to advance equitable, trauma-informed care for parents, infants, and families.
'Millimeters matter:' Making the Steam Controller 'just work'
Valve's 'it just works' approach to hardware design makes the Steam Controller a fantastic device to use. Here's what it took to make it that way.
Data-Driven Research is Helping Health Policy
Dr. William Schpero has seen firsthand how public policy drives patient outcomes at the population level, cementing a core idea that continues to guide his work as a health economist: that policy can be a powerful force for improving health equity — or, if poorly designed, a barrier to it.
Lynette Vondal joins Essentia Health-South University Clinic to practice interventional radiology
The Essentia Health-South University Clinic is proud to welcome Lynette Vondal, an advanced practice registered nurse and certified nurse practitioner in interventional radiology.
Xbox at Summer Game Fest Play Days 2026: Meet the Developers of This Year’s Featured Games
For Summer Game Fest Play Days, Xbox has assembled a phenomenal crew of developers from all over the world. Come and meet the games and teams bringing their demos to the show.
The Autograph Wedding Experience hosts expo at Hotel Paso del Norte
EL PASO, Texas (KVIA) -- The Autograph Wedding Experience held a wedding expo Sunday evening at Hotel Paso del Norte. The event featured fully designed wedding environments, giving attendees a chance to explore different styles and themes for their big day. Guests also enjoyed a runway show highlighting the latest in bridal fashion. In addition
‘Boy Meets World’ Star Maitland Ward Says Child Actors Were Treated Like ‘Product’ in ‘Hollywood Machine’
The 'Bold and the Beautiful' actress will be featured in 'Hollywood Demons: Child Stars Gone Wild.'
For Oz Pearlman, a Correspondents’ Dinner Not Even He Could Have Predicted
The mentalist was the featured entertainer at the White House Correspondents’ dinner. He was in the middle of a trick when gunshots rang out.
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
The podcast telling the stories behind Ambien, Ozempic, EpiPens, and other game-changing drugs
“We're basically not using our body as directed,” says "Drug Story" host Thomas Goetz.
Weekend reads: What paper mills charge for author slots; UK Biobank data breached; what researchers think of the future of science
If your week flew by — we know ours did — catch up here with what you might have missed. The week at Retraction Watch featured: 10 years ago, Elisabeth Bik published a preprint heard around the wor…
Test your pop culture: From Hollywood to the Heartland
Test your knowledge of entertainment with this quiz on celebrities, trends and headline-making moments. Featured this week: guess the viral moment and rare photo appearences.
Madison Hetletved joins Essentia Health-Mid Dakota Bismarck Kirkwood Clinic to practice family medicine
The Essentia Health-Mid Dakota Bismarck Kirkwood Clinic is proud to welcome Madison Hetletved, an advanced practice registered nurse and certified nurse practitioner in family medicine.
Ryan Backer joins Essentia Health-South University Clinic to practice behavioral health
The Essentia Health-South University Clinic is excited to welcome Ryan Backer, an advanced practice registered nurse and certified nurse practitioner in behavioral health.
Bryan bait shop featured in Texas Monthly after 74 years in business
Bait Barn Fisheries in Bryan is featured in Texas Monthly magazine. The shop has served the Brazos Valley since 1952 and plans to expand into selling live fish for food, not just for bait.
Catherine Schumacher joins Essentia Health-32nd Avenue Clinic to practice obstetrics and gynecology
Catherine Schumacher, an advanced practice registered nurse and certified nurse midwife in obstetrics and gynecology, is excited to join the Essentia Health-32nd Avenue Clinic.
Entertainment briefs | ‘Dance Visions’ at Cal Poly Humboldt
“The Year to Save the Earth,” a multimedia experience mixing powerful songs and projected images, will be featured May 1 at 7 p.m. at the Humboldt Unitarian Universalist Fellowship, 24 Fellowship Way off Jacoby Creek Road in Bayside. “The Y…
Candidates for California Governor Debate: 5 Takeaways
The nonpartisan primary remains volatile after the departure of Eric Swalwell. A televised debate featured six leading candidates, but produced few fireworks.
Stanford Health Care and the American Cancer Society plan a Hope Lodge for patients and family members
Stanford Health Care commits $10 million to help the American Cancer Society build a new Hope Lodge to provide temporary lodging for cancer patients traveling to the Bay Area for treatment.
Tai chi and the health benefits of gentle movement
Learn how tai chi supports balance, strength, joint health, and mental calm. This gentle, full‑body practice delivers benefits that add up.
Achieving Health Equity Demands Shift to Structural Change
Advancing health equity in medicine requires a clear-eyed understanding of history, a rejection of race-based clinical assumptions and a commitment to transform research into practice, said Dr. Joseph L. Wright, senior vice president and chief health equity officer of the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP), in his keynote address for Weill Cornell Medicine’s eight annual Diversity Week.
Business Loan Rates 2026: What to Expect and How to Qualify for Lower Rates
Explore current business loan interest rates in 2026, what’s driving them and how to qualify for the lowest rates across banks, SBA loans and online lenders.
iSchool Doctoral Students and Faculty Team Explore AI Use in Healthcare at KCHC
How does artificial intelligence (AI) impact how people take care of their health? On April 2-4, Florida State University (FSU) School of Information (iSchool) Ph.D. candidate Yuanying Pang addressed this question, representing her research team at the Kentucky Conference on Health Communication (KCHC) in Lexington, Kentucky. Their poster presentation, “Understanding How People Use Generative AI…
The week in politics (April 22, 2026)
On Wednesday's show: We discuss the latest developments in politics in our weekly roundup. And author Ashanté Reese considers how gardens, reunions, and everyday meals can create connection.
An award winner with a heart for early detection
Jennifer Giordano’s compassion, combined with community outreach, earned her well-deserved recognition from the Lung Cancer Initiative.
Scientists Take a Step Toward a Quantum Internet Using New York City's Fiber
NYU researchers, working with Qunnect and Cisco, show quantum signals can run on NYC’s existing network
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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