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Atari acquires emulation studio Implicit Conversions
Firm has been working with Atari over the past year on Mortal Kombat: Legacy Collection, Rayman, and other unannounced titles
How much surging jet fuel prices have cost US airlines
United, Delta, American, and Southwest reported fuel costs up by hundreds of millions, and told investors how they plan to combat that.
iPhone 18 Pro battery and charging: all expected changes
Here's everything rumors are saying about the iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max's battery and charging so far.
Owners vs. renters: The political battle over America’s single-family homes
Mona Gass’ home is caught in the messy politics of America’s housing crisis.
I went to the largest aging conference: AI and age tech sparked debate
At the largest US conference on aging, AI, technology, the looming caregiving crisis, and Social Security dominated discussions about growing older.
NOLA.com's Live from Jazz Fest: See Day 2 weather forecast, shows to catch, more
Keith Spera is previewing Jon Batiste and Lorde's shows. Ian McNulty is hunting down the best Friday Fest Food Finds. Join us! Today's live show is presented by Explore Louisiana and New Orleans and Company.
Prince George's County approves $5K business fee amid backlash
A new business fee approved by the Prince George’s County Council is sparking strong debate between local leaders and small business owners who say the policy c
“A Picayune Detail:” Nazi Science Heads West
As Allied forces crossed the English Channel during the D-Day invasion of June 1944, some 10,000 intelligence officers known as T-Forces were right behind the advance battalions. Their mission: seize munitions experts, technicians, German scientists and their research materials, along with French scientists who had collaborated with the Nazis. Soon, a substantial number of such scientists had been picked up and placed in an internment camp known as the Dustbin. In the original planning for the mission, a prime factor was the view that German military equipment – tanks, jets, rocketry and so forth – was technically superior and that captured scientists, technicians and engineers could be swiftly debriefed in an effort by the Allies to catch up.
Rabid bat discovered on Fullerton College campus, health officials issue warning
Orange County health officials have issued a warning after a rabid bat was discovered on the campus of Fullerton College. The bat was found on the stairs near the music building on the northeast co…
Jackson County Small Business Incubator unveils new office space
A ribbon cutting and Chamber after hours event in Moss Point marked a major expansion for the Jackson County Small Business Incubator.
Rabid bat found at Fullerton College, OC health officials say
A bat tested positive for rabies after being found at Fullerton College last week, health officials in Orange County said Thursday.
Dems jockeying for Newsom endorsement give passing grades on issue that ignited 'poop map' crisis
Democratic candidates gave Newsom no lower than a B-minus on homelessness, drawing sharp criticism from Republicans at a California gubernatorial debate on Wendesday.
Third US aircraft carrier arrives in waters around Middle East
The USS George H.W. Bush has arrived in US Central Command's area of responsibility, boosting the command's available combat power.
Bath business receives award from Small Business Administration
Custom Composite Technologies receives recognition from the Small Business Administration ahead of Small Business Week.
Will Virginia be the final mid-decade redistricting battle?
Virginia’s referendum may mark the end of mid-decade redistricting, though uncertainty still surrounds its impact on the 2026 midterms.
California's woes at the center of debate among leading candidates for governor
It's the first time in a generation that California has a wide-open contest for the heavily Democratic state's highest office, with more than 50 names on the ballot.
New Zealand great Bates to retire from internationals
New Zealand all-rounder Suzie Bates will retire from international cricket after this year's Women's T20 World Cup, ending an illustrious 20-year career.
What You Need to Know About the Health Risks of Marijuana
Studies show the drug can exacerbate anxiety and teen use poses risks for developing brains.
Texas Railroad Commission candidates campaign on contrasting issues
Incumbent Jim Wright has a tough primary runoff battle against former Tarrant County Republican Party Chair Bo French.
Paging Dr. Google … Dr. GPT is in the house
These are the primary platforms currently battling for dominance in the $36 billion clinical AI market
Paging Dr. Google … Dr. GPT is in the house
These are the primary platforms currently battling for dominance in the $36 billion clinical AI market
‘Halo’ Is Reportedly Threatening To Make An Extraction Shooter
According to a new report, some form of a Halo extraction shooter may be in the works after a previous battle royale was cancelled.
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.
Michael Tilson Thomas, S.F. Symphony icon, dies at 81
The longtime San Francisco Symphony music director battled aggressive brain cancer for years but continued to guest conduct and teach, leaving a lasting legacy in the classical music world.
Xavier Becerra pressed on 'rumors' he knew about Eric Swalwell's alleged misconduct during CA governor debate
Xavier Becerra was pressed on his knowledge of Eric Swalwell's sexual misconduct rumors during a California gubernatorial debate Wednesday.
Churn in the Statehouse should make for interesting, and crowded, legislative races
With five state senators and 19 House members either retiring or running for other offices in 2026, there will be significant Statehouse turnover come 2027, which means you don’t have to look too far down the ballot to find interesting battles in the primaries.
How Louisiana's food incubators elevate local entrepreneurs
Food incubators give entrepreneurs space to create, test and commercialize their product and university and economic development leaders are helping boost south Louisiana food innovation programs to increase their capacity.
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.
New Mexico governor candidates debate economic growth, business plans in Santa Fe
Five candidates hoping to become the next governor of New Mexico stated their case to voters at a forum Wednesday evening in Santa Fe.
Senate rejects measures meant to lower the cost of gas, groceries
Senate Democrats, in a fierce political battle over immigration enforcement funding, forced Republicans to vote on measures meant to lower costs.
Combative, Defensive and Occasionally Contrite, Kennedy Walks a Fine Line
In four days of congressional testimony, the health secretary sought to please the White House and his MAHA base at the same time.
BH candidates talk business at first forum - Beverly Press & Park Labrea News
The Beverly Hills Chamber of Commerce on April 16 hosted a candidate forum for the upcoming Beverly Hills...
Ace tanks spearhead vehicular carnage with new Armoured Gauntlet rules
Fight big armoured battles with the new Armageddon: The Return of Yarrick expansion.
A Previously Banned Apple Watch Health Feature Is Now Here to Stay
Apple has been embroiled in a six-year legal battle over one of its Apple Watch health apps. The end may finally be in sight, and here's what Apple has to say about it.
Is tit-for-tat political gerrymandering the future of US politics?
Virginia voters delivered a major win to Democrats on Tuesday.A narrow majority voted to allow lawmakers to bypass the state's bipartisan redistricting commission. That means the Democratic-led legislature will create a map that’s more favorable to them in the midterms.It's the latest chapter in a redistricting saga that President Trump started last year, but is the tit-for-tat redistricting battle the future of US electoral politics?We speak with Democratic Virginia governor Abigail Spanberger to hear her perspective.For sponsor-free episodes of Consider This, sign up for Consider This+ via Apple Podcasts or at plus.npr.org.Email us at considerthis@npr.org.This episode was produced by Tyler Bartlam and Matt Ozug. It was edited by Tinbete Ermyas. Our executive producer is Sami Yenigun.
Battle between business partners over West Suburban hospital escalates, as more details about financial woes emerge
The owner of the West Suburban Medical Center property is ramping up his efforts to remove his business partner from the hospital, as more details emerge about the hospital’s financial woes before its closure.
Live stream tonight, California’s top governor candidates debate
(NEXSTAR) — The leading candidates in the race to become California’s next governor will face off in a live debate airing on Nexstar stations statewide tonight at 7 p.m. The 90-minute debate,…
Claude Mythos AI Model Uncovers 271 Zero-Day Vulnerabilities in Firefox
Anthropic’s latest frontier AI model, Claude Mythos Preview, has identified a staggering 271 zero-day vulnerabilities in Mozilla Firefox marking a seismic shift in AI-powered cybersecurity defense. The findings, addressed in Firefox 150, represent the most significant single batch of security fixes in the browser’s history. The discovery didn’t happen in isolation. Since February 2026, Mozilla’s […]
A state-by-state look at the narrowing redistricting battle for the U.S. House
Virginia voters on Tuesday approved a constitutional amendment authorizing a Democratic redistricting plan that could help the party win several additional House seats in this year’s elections. Next up could be Florida.
US Army announces new Combat Field Test to enhance Soldier readiness
WASHINGTON — The U.S. Army today announced the implementation of the new Combat Field Test (CFT), a major update to its physical readiness program desig...
Constitutional Challenges to the False Claims Act: an Opportunity to Reconsider DOJ’s “Money Over Everything” Approach to Health Care Enforcement - Petrie-Flom Center
The False Claims Act — the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s (DOJ’s) efforts to combat health care fraud — is under constitutional attack.
What’s Happening With Tesla’s Battery Business
Plus, CATL’s sodium ion batteries will be rolling out on roads across China later this year.
With vaccine skepticism rising, Utah health officials face uphill battle on measles education
How the lessons Utah health officials learned from the COVID-19 pandemic are shaping how they respond to the state's measles outbreak.
Destigmatizing mental health for medical students
The COVID-19 pandemic exacerbated high rates of depression and anxiety in medical students. Medical schools are expanding mental health services to help.
Tesla’s Quiet Moneymaker, Its Battery Business, Suddenly Stalls
The company’s energy storage sales saw rapid growth, until an unexpected slowdown this year.
Why Business Leaders Need to Champion Democracy | MIT Sloan Management Review
Many leaders are unsure about what they can do to oppose the global rise of authoritarianism. Here are four options.
Austin Zero Waste Business Rebate: How it works, who qualifies
Here’s how Austin businesses can apply for up to $3,000 through the city’s zero-waste rebate program.
Virginia congressional map vote could embolden Florida Republicans to push for boundary changes, says Jeffries
House Democratic leader says result should serve as a warning to Ron DeSantis after latest blow to Donald Trump’s redistricting battle
Google Pixel's battery problems are unforgivable after 10 years
After 10 Pixel generations, five of which have shipped with Google's own Tensor processor, it's unacceptable to see this many battery issues still.
‘Big AI’s #1 target’: Candidate for Congress speaks out about battling AI CEOs
Dustin Poirier: Zuffa Boxing not an option for UFC fighters
In recent years. several former or retired UFC fighters have extended their combat sports careers by transitioning to boxing. Former champions Tyron Woodley, Anderson Silva and Francis Ngannou have. Ben Askren, Nate Diaz, Jorge Masvial, Mike Perry and Darren Till also have, among others. Former ...
Cougar science sidelined as pressure takes over
Editor’s Note: This is the final part of a three-part series. By the time Washington’s cougar debate reached its peak intensity, the conflict was no longer limited to public meetings or policy discussions. It had infiltrated the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife itself. What had started as pressure from outside — from parents, hunters,
Virginia voters back redistricting amendment after months of legal and political battles
Virginia voters on Tuesday approved a constitutional amendment allowing mid-decade congressional redistricting, a move expected to dramatically reshape the state’s political map and potentially shift its congressional delegation from a closely divided 6-5 split to a heavily Democratic-leaning 10-1 advantage.
A Previously Banned Apple Watch Health Feature May Soon Make a Comeback
Apple has been embroiled in a six-year legal battle over one of its Apple Watch health apps. The end may finally be in sight.
Walz: ‘Next Democratic president better figure out a way to get universal health care’
Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz (D) advised the next Democratic president to focus on passing universal healthcare, a policy measure that has been hotly debated within the party in recent years. “We have t…
Virginia election: Live updates and results on major redistricting vote
A high-stakes battle over congressional maps takes place in Virginia. Follow live updates.
Motorola Razr 70 listed ahead of announcement
It brings an updated 50MP ultrawide camera alongside a larger 4,800mAh battery compared to its predecessor. Motorola’s next-gen Razr 70 series is expected...
Framework’s New Ultra-Repairable 'Pro' Laptop Lets You Ditch Windows Entirely
The Framework Laptop 13 Pro comes with better battery life, a better chip, and—finally—a touchscreen.
Framework Laptop 13 Pro is the first major revision to the original Framework Laptop
Laptop includes Core Ultra Series 3 CPUs, a bigger battery, and a touchscreen.
Framework announces Laptop 13 Pro, ‘the MacBook Pro for Linux users’
Battery, rigidity, CAMM memory, and so much more.
Smith hits fifty as Rawalpindiz misery continues
Steve Smith's half-century helped Multan Sultans inflict an eighth straight defeat on Rawalpindiz. Australia's Smith struck 56 from 31 balls at the top of the order to set up Multan's chase of 167, while his compatriot Ashton Turner hit an unbeaten 37 to see them over the line with eight balls to spare. Rawalpindiz, who are already eliminated from the PSL, immediately struggled after choosing to bat first as Shahzaib Khan fell in the first over before skipper Muhammad Rizwan trudged to 26 from 29 balls.
Marathon On Sale For The First Time Amid Free-To-Play Debate
Bungie's shooter is going to need fresh players sooner or later
Volume 25 Science Of Speed
Our annual racing deep dive goes full engineering — from chassis and powertrains to tires, batteries, aero, and driver fitness, featuring machines like the new Corvette ZR1 and McLaren Solus GT.
Volume 25 Science Of Speed
Our annual racing deep dive goes full engineering — from chassis and powertrains to tires, batteries, aero, and driver fitness, featuring machines like the new Corvette ZR1 and McLaren Solus GT.
Chipolo’s Android Find Hub trackers actually have 1-year battery life, new wallet launches
Chipolo has a big update on its Find Hub trackers for Android, with the battery life rating having just doubled...
Pixel phones are seeing unusual battery drain after the latest update — and Google is looking into it
Google has acknowledged the issue and is investigating a fix.
Entertainment’s Battle Between Scale and Originality
Scale is not the enemy. The real danger is forgetting why people cared in the first place.
🚨 Line-ups ready: Mallorca and Valencia open the matchday
RCD Mallorca and Valencia CF kick off LaLiga Matchday 33 this Tuesday in a dramatic clash in the battle for survival. Separated by just one point, 14th and 15th in the table face off in one of the fir...
Markey at POLITICO Summit: Ready for ‘battle’ with Trump on health care
The Massachusetts Democrat also called on Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. to resign.
CMS to ask every state for new audits of health care providers
The Trump administration has been heavily focused on combating purported fraud in federal health care programs.
Inside the debate that sank a small business health insurance bill
With the state legislature focused this session on affordability, a proposal that aimed to lower health insurance costs for small and midsize businesses appeared to have momentum — including backing from Gov. Ned Lamont. But the bill stalled in the Appropriations Committee.
Big Sky Democrats Battle Over ‘Poison’ Brand
Montana Democrats thought they found a novel way to win control of the U.S. Senate—until the party faithful started fighting back.
Pixel phones hit with battery drain issue, Google investigating
Following the rollout of the April 2026 update on Google Pixel phones, a widespread battery drain issue has hit, but...
Angels received a positive health update on Grayson Rodriguez
The Los Angeles Angels received a positive health update on right-hander Grayson Rodriguez, who faced live batters on Monday for the first time since spring training.
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
Morocco debates electoral reform as key to restoring trust in politics |
Participants stressed that political participation, particularly among women and young people, remains a decisive factor in any successful democratic reform.
Soil that powers devices: Scientists create battery-free electricity from dirt
Science News: The researchers have developed a new type of microbial fuel cell (MFC) that provides a reliable and constant source of electricity generated by soil-d.
Mason Miller has top-five Cy Young odds -- here's what it would take for MLB's best closer to make a real run
Mason Miller hasn't allowed a run all season, and he's struck out more than 70% of the batters he's faced
Campus Politics in City Hall: The Civic Culture We Tolerated in Universities Is Now Shaping How Cities Are Governed.
New York does not need less debate. It needs a restoration of civic norms. The question is no longer what we tolerate on campus. It is what we are willing to accept from the people who govern us.
Is Seattle Mariners' Julio Rodríguez off to better start?
Julio Rodríguez isn't tearing the cover off of the ball, but there is a difference to his early production for the Seattle Mariners this season.
Leaked memos reveal how Supreme Court steamrolled Obama climate plan in 2016 showdown
Supreme Court memos obtained by the New York Times reveal a fierce ideological battle over blocking Obama's Clean Power Plan on the emergency docket.
From The Sports Desk: Pistons in peril?
Detroit is the only higher seed to lose in the first batch of NBA playoff games.
Brooklyn Park launched ‘ambitious’ small-business incubator. Now the city is rethinking the costs.
Half full and struggling to market itself, the city’s Small Business Center has had a slow start.
Battle over Ingles heats up as April 30 meeting looms
Activist investor Summer Road is continuing its fight to win a board seat at Black Mountain-based Ingles Markets, stressing its view that the company should split off its real estate into a separate business.
Virginia Sen. Mark Warner's daughter dies after long health battle
Virginia Senator Mark Warner is mourning the loss of his daughter, Madison, who died following a decades-long health battle
Dominic Fike ‘Comedy Tragedy Parody’ tour: How to secure tickets to limited U.S. run during hectic presale
After a successful performance at Coachella this month, Dominic Fike is continuing his time on the road with an intimate batch of headlining shows part of his Comedy Tragedy Parody tour.
U.S. Sen. Mark Warner’s daughter dies after decades-long health battle
The 36-year-old daughter of U.S. Senator Mark Warner has died after experiencing a decades-long battle with juvenile diabetes, the Warner family said Monday.
Trump tells Maria ‘deal will be signed tonight’ as tensions explode in Strait of Hormuz
Rep. Ro Khanna, D-Calif., joins ‘Mornings with Maria’ to debate the escalating U.S.-Iran conflict, clash over oil exports and gas prices, and challenge President Donald Trump’s strategy as tensions surge in the Strait of Hormuz.
April 20 "Colorado Chamber Office Hours": The housing debate from a business lens | The Sum and Substance
A leader in the homebuilding industry and a Senate Republican offer opposing viewpoints on this year's housing package.
M&C Saatchi predicts hit to sports and entertainment arms from Iran conflict
The advertising giant held off from handing shareholders a dividend as it battles ‘tough’ macroeconomic conditions.
Revealed: Scientists tell Colombia fossil-fuel transition summit to ‘halt new expansion’
Around 50 nations will gather in Colombia to debate ways to “transition away” from fossil fuels, in the face of worsening climate change and high oil prices
CoatingSolution4U Wins Bronze at the 2026 Edison Awards in Materials Science
Korean Deep-Tech Startup Earns Global Recognition for Battery Manufacturing AI CoatingSolution4U Receives Bronze Edison Award 2026 CoatingSolution4U accepts the Bronze Edison Award in the Materials Science category at the 2026 Edison Awards ceremony in Fort Myers, Florida. SAN JOSE, Calif., April 20, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- CoatingSolution4U, a South Korean deep-tech company founded by Seoul National University Professor Kyung Hyun Ahn, has won the Bronze Edison Award in the Materials Science c
Israel’s critics are winning the battle for the Democratic Party
Democratic voters turned against Israel. Now their politicians are following.
Welcome to the 'Funky' Politics of the Tech in Schools Debate
The Trump administration is cheerleading AI in schools as GOP lawmakers crack down on ed tech.
Romania Faces Fresh Political Crisis With Premier Under Fire
Romania is bracing for fresh political turbulence with Prime Minister Ilie Bolojan poised to defy a call by the biggest ruling party to resign in a showdown that may lead to a collapse of the ruling alliance.