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City of Vancouver and Hispanic Metropolitan Chamber launch grant program for Fourth Plain businesses -
Fourth Plain For All investment area The City of Vancouver, in partnership with the Hispanic Metropolitan Chamber, has launched a new Small Business
Graham Platner’s triumph, explained by a Maine reporter
Can we read big national trends into Janet Mills’s defeat? Or are these candidates — and this state — just singular?
Opinion: Sheinbaum's political gambit reshapes Mexico in her own image
Eighteen months into her term as Mexico's president, Sheinbaum is making strategic moves to consolidate her power, María Meléndez explains.
News Anchors Who Have Shared Their Health Struggles
Robin Roberts, Amy Robach and others in the news media have opened up about their personal health struggles to raise awareness of preventable diseases, encourage screenings, and at times, explain on-air symptoms.
'The Goblins Came Back to Haunt Us': OpenAI Explains How ChatGPT's 'Nerdy' Personality Got Out of Control
OpenAI is ready to talk about ChatGPT’s goblin obsession.
What VCU Health’s pollen data means for allergy season
A registered nurse (RN) at the Children’s Hospital of Richmond at VCU (CHoR) recently sat down with 8News to explain how they’re working to better predict when allergy seasons start and…
007 First Light Dev Explains What Makes It Different From A Hitman Game
Also Lenny Kravitz isn't the main villain after all
Comedian Craig Ferguson explains why his stand-up tour skips Trump and all politics
Craig Ferguson says he made a stylistic decision to build an entire show around comedy and personal stories rather than recycle familiar political frustration.
Arsenal's Eberechi Eze denied penalty at Atletico Madrid: UEFA releases statement to explain VAR intervention
Ideals Like Full-Time Employment and Job Security Are ‘Too Romantic’ in Game Dev, Says Monument Valley Studio CEO
Ustwo CEO explains contractors will be used to lower development budgets.
I’m a Public Health Expert, and I’m Urging You to Ditch Plastic in Your Kitchen for This Food-Safe Alternative
A public health expert explains why stainless steel is healthier than plastic for cooking and food storage. Shop top-rated stainless steel cookware and kitchen tools, starting at $5.
Microsoft's Internal Initiative to Fix Windows 11: Don't Rush Features Out the Door
Unless you've been living under a rock, you've seen the numerous issues Windows users have faced, from poor performance to experience-breaking bugs and updates, and AI oversaturation in the OS. While Microsoft has previously announced that it intends to address many of these complaints levelled by W...
This AI knew the answers but didn’t understand the questions
For decades, psychologists have debated whether the human mind can be explained by one unified theory or must be broken into separate parts like memory and attention. A recent AI model called Centaur seemed to offer a breakthrough, claiming it could mimic human thinking across 160 different cognitive tasks. But new research is challenging that bold claim, suggesting the model isn’t truly “thinking” at all—it’s just memorizing patterns.
Why Christopher Nolan's 'The Odyssey' won't be longer than 'Oppenheimer'
Christopher Nolan explained why 'The Odyssey' won't be longer than his previous film, the three-hour 'Oppenheimer.'
Why science diplomacy matters for infectious disease prevention, global progress
Amita Gupta, director of the Division of Infectious Diseases at Johns Hopkins, explains why global collaboration—among governments and beyond—is key to scientific advancement and health security.
April 2026 Tournament Rules Update & Changelog
Updates to Riftbound’s tournament rules explained.
PFA's dominance and other key electrophysiology trends on display at Heart Rhythm 2026
Heart Rhythm 2026 Program Chair DJ Lakkireddy, MD, spoke to Cardiovascular Business during the conference about several key EP trends.
Earth is splitting open beneath the Pacific Northwest, scientists say
For the first time, scientists have watched a subduction zone literally fall apart beneath the ocean floor. Using advanced seismic imaging, they found the Juan de Fuca plate splitting into fragments as it sinks beneath North America. Rather than collapsing all at once, the plate is tearing piece by piece, like a train slowly derailing. The finding helps explain ancient plate fragments and could refine how scientists understand earthquake behavior.
Stephen Colbert Explains Why 'The Late Show' Became More Political
Stephen Colbert explained why he leaned into politics on 'The Late Show' in a new interview with 'The New York Times.'
‘It’s about the money’: Comedian Paul Mercurio explains why Disney is standing by Jimmy Kimmel this time
Stephen Colbert Explains Why He Made 'The Late Show' More Political
Stephen Colbert said after an uneven first couple of months of 'The Late Show,' his producer encouraged him to lean back into his political roots.
Vancouver celebrates Small Business Month in May -
On Monday, May 4, Vancouver Mayor Anne McEnerny-Ogle will proclaim the month of May “Small Business Month” in Vancouver. The designation coincides with
City birds appear more afraid of women than men and scientists have no idea why
‘I fully believe our results, that urban birds react differently based on the sex of the person approaching them, but I can’t explain them right now’
In their words: How Michigan governor candidates would fix health care
Eight candidates vying for Michigan governor explains their health care plans to Bridge.
Phil Mattingly and Richard Quest explain why higher gas prices are likely here for awhile
Roma want Napoli’s Manna as next sporting director
As the team prepares for the final days of the season, Roma continues to consider the profile that will guide the coach in building next season. The principle, after all, was explained by the coach hi...
Stellantis employees raise health concerns after 5-day office return
Michigan health and safety officials inspected the automaker's Auburn Hills headquarters after getting complaints from employees.
‘Star City’: The New ‘For All Mankind’ Spinoff, Explained
The new series will offer a different vision of the same timeline as the hit Apple TV+ drama.
Measure C: Oakland business tax relief, explained
At the June 2 primary, voters will decide whether to give one-year tax breaks to small and new businesses in the city.
Is It Healthy to Eat Cottage Cheese Every Day? Dietitian Explains
It's full of protein and calcium, but is cottage cheese healthy enough to eat every day?
Look at All These New Google Logos, Gmail and Calendar Included
Google first began pushing out a new company logo about a year ago. The new logo brought us a gradient style that blended its iconic colorway together, which Google explained as having something...
Inside the endoscopic revolution in weight loss
Article explains how bariatric endoscopy — including endoscopic sleeve gastroplasty and transoral outlet reduction — combined with metabolic therapies and GLP-1 receptor agonists is expanding nonsurgical obesity treatment options and reframing obesity as a chronic, multifactorial disease.
Science, Society, and Culture: Brandon Ogbunu’s Case for a More Creative Scientific Enterprise
Computational biologist Brandon Ogbunu explores and writes about the intersection of science, society, and culture. We spoke to this 2024 winner of an Eric and Wendy Schmidt Award for Excellence in Science Communications about his recent work, including his explanation of why science communication is central to the practice of science, arguing that explaining and defending knowledge is as essential to the scientific enterprise as publishing research.
Making a difference with living donor kidney organs
The importance of kidney transplant from living donors, explain transplant specialists.
Asha Sharma Explains What 'Open' Means for Xbox Future
Xbox CEO Asha Sharma shares her vision for an open platform, focusing on player freedom, creator tools, and customizable gaming experiences.
Xavier Becerra explains why he should be California's next governor
The former U.S. Health and Human Services Secretary under President Joe Biden is running as a Democrat in the race to replace Gov. Gavin Newsom, who terms out at the end of 2026.
What is the state treasurer responsible for?
Before you vote, we want to explain what exactly the treasurer oversees.
Science 4 Everyone: How much water do we get from the Potomac River?
What does population and droughts have to do with the Potomac River? Storm Team4 meteorologist and science teacher Ryan Miller explains how it affects water levels in the Potomac.
Such hubris never before seen in Colorado
The great 19th-century historian Lord Acton said it best: “Power tends to corrupt, and absolute power corrupts absolutely.” Acton was building on the teachings of his mentor, Homer Simpson, who put it more plainly: “The more power you have, the more you can mess things up. Woo-hoo!” And many in Colorado’s political elite have studied […]
Chevy Humphrey Is Running Experiments at the Griffin Science Museum in Chicago
Chevy Humphrey explains why the scientific method matters in business.
Chevy Humphrey Is Running Experiments at the Griffin Science Museum in Chicago
Chevy Humphrey explains why the scientific method matters in business.
Missouri's economy thrives when people are healthy
Missouri's economy relies on healthy residents. This column explains how investing in public health can boost economic growth and save money.
Biggest winners and losers of the 2026 NFL draft
A look at the winners and losers from the NFL draft, and explaining why QB picks by the Los Angeles Rams and Arizona Cardinals deserve a chance.
UNCW hosts STEM event to help encourage kids to learn more about science
At UNCW, the next generation of scientists were hiding in plain sight at UNCW's Stem Expo.
Microsoft explains why Windows 11 File Explorer scrolls smoothly in some places, but not everywhere
Microsoft has finally explained why Windows 11 File Explorer lacks smooth scrolling in all folders, blaming legacy code and complex features.
Titans draft pick Fernando Carmona explains Liberty Bowl stomping incident
Tennessee Titans offensive lineman Fernando Carmona, drafted in the fifth round, explained his stomping incident from the 2024 Liberty Bowl.
FF14 Evercold's 'Evolved Mode' jobs aren't a replacement, because Yoshi-P remembers what happened to Star Wars Galaxies
At Fanfest, Naoki Yoshida explains why Evolved and Reborn Mode will coexist, the alternate name for FF14 Evercold, and Norse influences.
What a 15 Minute Walk Outside Actually Does to Your Brain
Feeling overwhelmed? A quick walk in nature has benefits for your overall health — all in just 15 minutes. An expert explains how.
Scientists just discovered Africa is closer to breaking apart than we thought
Beneath East Africa’s Turkana Rift, scientists have found the crust is thinning to a critical point, suggesting the continent is gradually breaking apart. This “necking” process marks an advanced stage of rifting that could eventually lead to a new ocean forming millions of years from now. Surprisingly, the same geological forces that are splitting the land may also explain why the region holds such a rich fossil record. Instead of being the birthplace of humanity, Turkana may just be where the story was best preserved.
This exotic particle could finally explain why matter has mass
A major physics experiment has uncovered evidence for a strange new form of matter, where a fleeting particle gets trapped inside a nucleus. This exotic state may reveal how mass is generated, suggesting that particles can weigh less when surrounded by dense nuclear matter. The findings support long-standing theories about how the vacuum of space influences mass.
Harvard scientists link gut bacteria to depression through hidden inflammation trigger
A gut bacterium may be quietly fueling depression through an unexpected chemical twist. Researchers found that when Morganella morganii interacts with a common pollutant, it produces a molecule that triggers inflammation—something strongly linked to depression. This finding helps explain how gut microbes can influence brain health at a molecular level. It also raises the possibility of new treatments that target the immune system rather than just the brain.
Is No One Doing Baby Aspirin for Heart Disease Prevention Anymore?
Cardiologists explain.
4 workers explain how they added AI to their job titles
Two Microsoft workers pivoted into AI roles from non-technical fields and said their humanities backgrounds were helpful.
A New Type of Neuroplasticity Rewires the Brain After a Single Experience
“Neurons that fire together, wire together” is not the full story. A novel mechanism explains how the brain can learn across longer timescales.
Science with Stevie: Protecting our planet
Meteorologist Stevie Daniels explains the importance of protecting planet Earth in this segment of Science with Stevie!
Ladies of London's Margo Stilley Says Her Panic Attack on the Show Led to Unexpected Health Discovery (Exclusive)
Ladies of London's Margo Stilley suffered a panic attack in the April 23 episode after insulting costar Mark-Francis Vandelli. In a new interview with PEOPLE, she explains that the panic attack led her to a health discovery she wasn't expecting.
Anthropic acknowledges Claude Code issues, denies 'nerfing'
Anthropic said it found three issues with Claude Code after users complained the AI tool deteriorated.
Live Nation's legal woes are masking the opportunity in this entertainment stock
Justin Zacks, senior equity analyst and correspondent at CNBC, explains why Live Nation is in a position to pop as legal overhangs could be overshadowing a large growth opportunity for the live entertainment company.
$119 Polymarket bet becomes $21K after unusual Paris temperature spike
A Polymarket trader made a long shot bet on the highest temperature in Paris shortly before an unexplained spike, reaping a $21,000 profit.
How Many Prunes Should I Eat for Constipation? A GI Doctor Explains
Prunes are an age-old remedy for constipation. Is it healthy to eat them every day? Experts discuss the potential benefits.
Sometimes Science Needs A Brilliant Bastard
In the 1970s, after 12 decades of on-again-off-again enthusiasm, a couple of near-death experiences, and ongoing dismissal as a series of just-so stories, the Darwinian idea seemed finally to be coming to a triumphant vindication: a Grand Unified Theory of biology. Thinking like a Darwinian either could explain everything, or soon would, from why butterfly […]
Who Is Niko Mijailovic? ‘Running Point’ Tribute Explained
Learn more about how the dedication came together.
What is a Silicon-Carbon Battery? The Samsung Galaxy S27 Ultra’s Secret Weapon Explained
Discover how Silicon-Carbon battery tech gives the Samsung Galaxy S27 Ultra the biggest capacity boost in a decade.
Big Health System CEOs to Testify Before Congress as Health Care Costs Continue to Skyrocket
WASHINGTON, D.C. – After the U.S. House of Representatives Ways and Means Committee announced a hearing next week with hospital system CEOs, Families USA, the longtime national nonpartisan health care consumer advocacy organization, released the following statement by its executive director, Anthony Wright: “The CEOs of the big hospital chains have some explaining to do […]
Shade lands $14M to let creative teams search their video libraries in plain English
Shade has its own filesystem that lets you "stream" files directly to your local drive
The wide-ranging fallout from the Supreme Court’s new terrorism decision, explained
The Court’s Republican majority fractured in a case that could impact everyone from immigrants to consumers.
'The Idea Is Not Dead' - Xbox Boss Explains Why She's Still Keen On A Mobile Store
It seemed to have been killed off, but apparently not!
La Toya Jackson explains why Janet Jackson isn't in the 'Michael' biopic
Director Antoine Fuqua said that although she doesn't appear in "Michael," Janet Jackson still supports her nephew Jaafar Jackson, who stars as the King of Pop in the biopic.
This is the surprising science behind the potato breed in your bag of chips
Michigan professor David Douches explains why the perfect chipping potato is so hard to find.
‘Invincible’: Who Won the Viltrumite War? The Finale Explained
Mark is left with a horrible choice. Lee Pace explains Thragg's ultimate plan.
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.
'Devil Wears Prada 2' director explains why Adrian Grenier cameo didn't happen
'Devil Wears Prada 2' director David Frankel tells EW that he wanted an Adrian Grenier cameo as Nate, and explains why the 'Entourage' star didn't come back for the sequel.
The year’s weirdest game is hard to explain and even harder to put down
Welcome to Titanium Court.
FSU expert explains how FIFA World Cup will be another turning point for sports economics
The upcoming 2026 FIFA World Cup represents another significant evolution in how global sporting events are monetized, shifting away from traditional
FSU expert explains how FIFA World Cup will be another turning point for sports economics
The upcoming 2026 FIFA World Cup represents another significant evolution in how global sporting events are monetized, shifting away from traditional
Stephen and Ayesha Curry are coming for the sports drink market—and their kids were the first focus group
In an interview with Fortune, the Currys explain why they jumped at the chance to work on a Michelle Obama-backed healthy sports drink Plezi Hydration.
The Universe Is Expanding Too Fast and Scientists Can’t Explain Why
The most precise measurement yet shows the Universe is expanding faster than expected, deepening the Hubble tension. The result hints that something may be missing from our current understanding of the cosmos.
How one disappointing order uncovered a massive ‘ghost cake’ delivery scandal in China
A customer’s complaint about a disappointing cake kicked off a massive investigation that uncovered thousands of “ghost” food vendors in China, resulting in staggering fines for some the country’s largest firms and highlighting the pitfalls of the cutthroat price competition.
My Smartwatch Gives Me Health Anxiety. Experts Explain How to Make It Stop
After dealing with health anxiety caused by tracking my body's metrics on smartwatches, I took matters into my own hands with expert advice.
Top Futurist Sees Major Disruption Ahead For Healthcare
Healthcare is being rapidly reshaped by AI, data, and tech giants. Futurist Thomas Koulopoulos explains why traditional providers must adapt—or be disrupted.
Adobe Enterprise CMO explains how AI helps scale personalization
AI enhances marketing efforts, says Adobe Enterprise's Rachel Thornton, citing Ulta's approach to personalizing customer journeys with AI insights.
House settlement filing over NIL deals seeks to reframe payments to college athletes
A filing by plaintiff lawyers in the House settlement related to NIL media rights deals sparks strong reaction from the College Sports Commission.
Justice Department files complaint against Washington and its sewage authority for massive spill
The leak, from a deteriorating pipeline, spilled 244 million gallons of raw sewage.
Where Are All These Meteors Coming From?
The frequency of fireballs in our planet’s skies seemed to grow in recent months. NASA and other meteor experts can’t agree on what explains it.
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
How can collaborative care help cancer patients?
Psychiatrist Dr. Kyle Lavin explains the treatment benefits when oncologists team up with mental health care professionals.
Sydney Sweeney cameo cut from “The Devil Wears Prada 2”, source explains why (exclusive)
A source tells EW what would've happened in the "Euphoria" actress' scene.
Sydney Sweeney cameo cut from 'Devil Wears Prada 2,' source explains why
Sydney Sweeney's cameo in 'The Devil Wears Prada 2' was cut from the final film, as a source tells EW what would've happened in the scene and why it was nixed.
A bizarre new state of matter may be hiding inside Uranus and Neptune
Deep inside planets like Uranus and Neptune, scientists may have uncovered a bizarre new state of matter where atoms behave in unexpected ways. Advanced simulations suggest that carbon and hydrogen, under crushing pressures and scorching temperatures, can form a strange hybrid phase—part solid, part fluid—where hydrogen atoms spiral through a rigid carbon framework. This unusual “superionic” structure could reshape how heat and electricity flow inside these distant worlds, potentially helping explain their mysterious magnetic fields.
Dillon Dingler by the numbers: 5 stats that explain one of MLB’s best catchers
Over the last year, the Tigers catcher has not just been good. He has been among the very best in the sport.
Where's Gridlife? Where's Adam Carolla? Road America president explains
A notable absence on Road America's 2026 schedule is the Gridlife Apex Music & Motorsports Festival it had hosted the two previous summers.
Learn how a transfer happens in Minnesota high school sports
Hundreds of athletes transfer every season. How, exactly, does that happen? Here’s a step-by-step explainer of the process.
Gen Z Alinea founder explains how to connect with investors
Eve Halimi and Anam Lakhani created Alinea, an investment platform designed for the next generation of wealth-builders, in 2021.
Rockland businesses enlist NY regulator in CHPE roadwork fight
Businesses in Rockland's Route 9W corridor say they've been stung by months of traffic delays from Champlain Hudson Power Express construction.
Drake Relays: Central College athletes explain the science behind pole vaulting
Central College assistant track and field coach and athletes break down the technical and physical aspects of pole vaulting, highlighting the importance of speed, strength, and confidence.
Is It Healthy to Eat Yogurt Every Day? A Dietitian Explains
Full of protein and probiotics, yogurt is a healthy choice. But can you eat it every day?
A giant 'shadow' has been creeping across Mars for 50 years — and scientists aren't sure why
A dark patch in Mars' Utopia Planitia region has grown significantly since it was first photographed in 1976. Scientists have a loose understanding of what it is, but they can't properly explain its gradual growth.
The Importance of Supporting Small Businesses and Start Ups | Phil Weiser for Colorado
Colorado has some special and unique aspects that make it the best state in the nation. From its spectacular mountain peaks, to its vast open plains, to its bustling Front Range urban centers, Colorado is one of the most physically beautiful states. And while these vistas are critical to making us who we are, Colorado […]