John McHugh, MD, FACOG, FACLM’s Post

My kids have asked me why I’m so into politics. I tell them it’s because I care deeply about our world. I care about making the world a better place and the people we elect are the ones who make the decisions that determine what happens in our lives. Just today I canvassed for a local school board candidate because I care deeply about who is making decisions about my kids’ education. If you’re not into politics and not voting every chance you get, then someone else is making those decisions for you. Taxes go up? New law goes into effect? Judge determines a case with far-reaching effects? Books get banned from schools? All of these things happen because of someone who was elected, which means you have the power to change those outcomes by voting and supporting candidates who are moving society in the direction you want to go. #Vote #EveryVoteCounts #EveryElectionMatters

Wisconsin Voters! Our politicians don’t work together and that needs to change! On August 13th, vote YES on Questions 1 & 2 to ensure legislative oversight on state spending. Let’s work together as one Wisconsin. Learn More: https://lnkd.in/gsH_3Sxn #voteyes #constitutionalamendment #separationofpowers

This article in JAMA about the importance of LOCAL elections (and their impact on health and quality of life) is a great, brief read. Check it out!

Like other processes involving randomness, elections can be predicted with data. Polls are one thing, but primaries and special elections give reliable data on where voters are for a snapshot in time. Comparative turnout between the parties can (with proper context) be a measurement of voter enthusiasm on the day of the primary. Michigan held its primary election on August 6th, and the results are in--Democrats are activated and energized. Compared to the 2022 primary election, Democratic candidates received higher shares of the vote relative to Republican candidates. Further, in most competitive Michigan House races, Democrats are winning the head-to-head battle for fundraising. The question that remains is what will change between August 6th and November 5th? A forecaster's role is to interpret existing data and current events to read the tea leaves on how people will be feeling in late October and early November. Find out below if Republicans can make up enough ground over the next few months or if Democrats will ride high to maintain a majority in the Michigan House!

Investing in young people and their careers ensures we have the leaders of tomorrow!

Like most states, Tennesseans currently can request an absentee ballot up to 7 days before an election. However, unlike every other state (except Mississippi), Tennesseans voting absentee have just one option to return their ballot: by mail. What’s more: those mailed-in ballots must be received (not just postmarked) by Election Day to count. Whether a Tennessean’s vote is counted shouldn’t depend on the speed of the mail. Our new fact sheet describes how in-person delivery would enhance opportunities for Tennessee voters and increase civic engagement. Read it here: https://lnkd.in/ex7u7dNr #absenteeballot #absenteevoting #TNvotes

🚨 ATTN: STR owners, hosts, and managers: 2024 is a big down-ballot election year, too. Do you know which of your policymakers’ seats are at risk of turning over to someone who wants to shut down STRs? Do you know your local deadline for ballot measure petitions and whether a NIMBY group is gathering signatures as you read this? Those who aren’t involved in local and state elections don’t get to gripe on November 6 when the path to fair and effective STR laws gets a lot steeper. Thankfully, it’s not too late to get off the bench and into the game. ✋ We’re officially tagging you in! No experience needed. Join me and Dana Lubner with special guest Matthew Benson at next week’s free leader seminar Winning Election Strategies >> https://lnkd.in/eBazHshp It’s not too late, but consider this your “It’s 10 pm. Do you know where your children are?” reminder. #shorttermrentals #vacationrentals #airbnb #vrbo #election2024 #advocacy #noexcuses

🔍 Enhancing Public Safety and Election Security: Key Resources 🔍 How can public safety agencies effectively manage election security? The National Policing Institute's webpage houses their new report, "Policing in a Time of Elections," and references two crucial guides from CJI for both election and post-election periods. 1️⃣ CJI’s Election-Related Public Safety Framework: This structured approach, developed in collaboration with Georgetown University Law Center, is designed to manage risks and ensure a secure electoral process. Explore the full framework here: https://lnkd.in/guAXETSx 2️⃣ Managing Driver Activity Around Elections: Our guide, created in collaboration with States United Democracy Center, Georgetown University Law Center, and 21st Century Policing, LLC DBA 21CP Solutions, provides detailed laws and best practices for law enforcement responding to politically motivated driving that may threaten public safety or violate laws. Read the guide here: https://lnkd.in/gAB4kqix Safe and secure elections are vital for democracy and public trust. We appreciate the National Policing Institute for spotlighting these evidence-based approaches to improve public safety during these critical events. Find more CJI election safety resources here: https://lnkd.in/geCTeiJW     Visit 'Policing in a Time of Elections': https://lnkd.in/gb-kQKER #PublicSafety #ElectionSecurity #LawEnforcement

POLICING THE VOTE: ELECTION INTEGRITY UNITS IN FLORIDA AND OHIO -PDF: https://lnkd.in/gNkbxHin Key Findings: ✔ Florida and Ohio created their election integrity units in the dark, without transparency, and purposefully avoided collaboration with civil society actors. This warrants deeper investigation. ✔ Election integrity units, or “election police,” were created without consulting or acknowledging the insights of election experts embedded in the local-level bureaucracies of the respective states, specifically Supervisors of Elections (SOEs) in Florida and members of the Board of Elections (BOEs) in Ohio, who are directly involved in the administrative aspects of conducting elections locally. ✔ Initial analysis of the work carried out by integrity units indicates a disproportionate focus on Black and Brown voters and those registered as Democrats. ✔ Given the complexity of running elections and the constantly evolving nature of election laws in the U.S., it is unsurprising that we will see some manner of human error and genuine mistakes. Given the incredibly small scale at which these errors occur, there is little reason for investigation from a state-run election integrity unit. ✔ Establishing integrity divisions that instill fear among voters and penalize election officials or the public for genuine mistakes does more harm than good in the pursuit of safeguarding democracy. #MAGA #Democracy #backsliding #antimajoritarian #authoritarian #Trump #USPolitics #insurrection #electiondenialism #radicalright #AmericanConservatives #trumpism #collectivenarcisism #autocracy

Civic Nebraska has a lot of exciting legislation this year addressing elections and artificial intelligence, protecting our poll workers, making elections more accessible for our Native American voters, and fighting against disinformation! Check out the link below to find out more and take action. #Elections #Policy #Legislation #Nebraska #Legislature #Civics #Democracy