Ballot questions are often written to be confusing and take advantage of psychological principles. Because of that, Pennsylvanians and Americans in general are unlikely to vote them down. This week, we’ll take a closer look at how the PA legislators are about to grant themselves more power without ever needing a super-majority to do it. (And remember to request your ballot if you haven’t already!)
Disproportionate attention is given to our presidential elections every four years, and we’re so exhausted afterwards that we never want to think about politics again. However, state and local elections are full of important decisions, which is why ignoring them has made presidential elections increasingly more dire. The ballot measures in this year’s PA primary are open to all voters and need our attention.
Halloween is the time of year when we think of death and of natural cycles coming to an end. But what is Halloween like when we’ve already been thinking about death all year? This post examines our attraction to the expression of death in art. Watching outbreak movies during a pandemic and laughing at dark humor during times of crisis may actually be a psychological necessity.
Four years ago, I wished that people would pay attention to their elections and get involved wherever possible. For better or worse, it would appear that I got my wish. Pennsylvania is seeing record voter registration and overwhelming activity at the polls already. Here is what you need to know as a PA and Allegheny County voter before heading to the polls (or your mailbox).
Presidential elections have become more divisive in recent years, in part because of our perceptions, which are shaped by social media and the 24-hour news cycle, but also because we seem to be investing more authority in the executive office and federal government. Both sides of the aisle have been skewing economically right and socially authoritarian over time, making each subsequent election more critical.
In the time of the internet, information is at the tip of our fingers, but how that information is prioritized in reaching us is less straightforward. Our internet searches and social media feeds are individually tailored based on our unique data profiles – and the implications are much broader than what we see. How we are informed impacts how we act, and how we vote.
In the lead-up to the 2020 general election, our country seems more polarized than ever. What if I were to tell you that the divisions aren’t as big as they seem, and the candidates are closer, ideologically speaking, than you could possibly imagine? Using information from The Political Compass, see where our candidates stand on economic and social issues – and where you do too.
Primaries have historically-low voter turnout as compared to general elections, and the current global pandemic is not helping. Pennsylvanians have the option of mailing in their ballots, but how many will participate? Many voters don’t care, and those who do don’t engage elected officials effectively. How do we cut through our apathy and/or channel our passion to affect real change in the political sphere?
This time every year, I’m usually feeling fired up about my well-researched and carefully-selected candidates. It could be the isolation or the lack of inspiring options, but I’m very unenthusiastic about the upcoming PA primary. I will still vote, but I imagine others may not. Here we examine some of the factors that could contribute to very low voter turnout this June.
This week’s installment is the second half of my November 2019 Pennsylvania election guide. The post includes information on our statewide ballot amendment (Marsy’s Law), a heated Allegheny County race (District Attorney), and the roles of local elections, such as school board and borough council. Also attached at the bottom is my election spreadsheet with information on the candidates for various races.