Election Day 2021: Watching Virginia 👀
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Season 2: Episode 27 Description
In today’s episode: 🗳️ Time to head to the polls for Election Day 2021.🎉 Get the lowdown on the importance of local elections and why a vote today could impact rules at your school. 🏫 Correspondent LizaBanks Campagna takes us to Virginia and its closely-watched race for Governor. 🗞️ In the news: Wild weather and a big spin. 🎡 And test your election knowledge in today's Trivia on the Ten. ✅
Sources for the episode:
local_office_description-an_explainer.pdf (campuselect.org)
Voting Laws Roundup: October 2021 | Brennan Center for Justice
FDA authorizes Pfizer's Covid-19 vaccine for kids 5-11 - CNN
West Coast slammed by record-breaking bomb cyclone | AccuWeather
Nor'easter sends enormous waves crashing over homes | AccuWeather
The Ain Dubai, world's tallest Ferris wheel, opens in Dubai : NPR
Victoria Woodhull | eHISTORY (osu.edu)
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TRANSCRIPT:
Bethany Van Delft 0:04
What does what you wear to school have to do with Election Day? More than you might think. It's those younger voters who are the stars. Today we'll find out why in our 2021 Election Day special. Realize your power at the ballot box, be that spark. I'm Bethany Van Delft. It's Tuesday, November 2nd, and this is The Ten News
Various Voices 0:24
10, 9, 8, 7, 6, 5, 4, 3, 2, 1.
Bethany Van Delft 0:32
Whether you realize it or not, local and state officials have a big effect on our day-to-day lives here in the United States. Democracy is a work in progress, and we all take part. So, who gets elected in local and state elections? The United States has 19,000 cities, towns, and villages and in each one, local people choose the leaders who make and enforce the laws, decide how to spend local tax money, and oversee transport. They even decide how schools should be run, don't you everyone may have your attention. School board members determine school policies and curriculum so if you wear a uniform at school, or if your school has a music program, the school board makes those decisions. Commissioners, judges, district attorneys, city or town council members, and mayors are a few of the other local representatives who are elected to make and enforce laws and budgets. These local leaders make decisions that affect everyone. And because fewer people vote in local elections, every vote counts even more. If voting in local elections is so important, then why are some states passing laws that make it harder to vote? After a record turnout in the 2020 elections and the spread of misinformation about election fraud, a number of Republican-controlled state legislators decided to pass laws that actually made voting harder. Are you kidding me? In the past year, 19 Different states have passed 33 new laws that impact people's access to the ballot box. For example, in Florida and Georgia, it's against the law to hand out snacks or drinks to people waiting in line to vote. Even though voting lines can take people hours to get through in some places. And, in Nevada voters now have to travel farther to reach their polling stations. Early voting and voting by mail which in some states had been expanded in response to COVID have been pulled back or restricted by new laws. And many people from voting rights advocates to Congress members and journalists have called out that specific rules, like requiring Voter IDs and reducing polling place access unfairly impacts Black, Latino, indigenous and disabled voters. This is terrible. The good news is that federal laws are in the works to protect people's right to vote. And many people including voting rights organizations across the country are engaging new voters and educating upcoming voters just like you. There are many tight races across the country this year. Correspondent LizaBanks Campagna takes us to the closely-watched and as yet, too close to call governor's race in Virginia.
LizaBanks Campagna 3:36
Election day is here. It's time for voters to head to the polls and cast their votes. While last year's presidential election was a really big deal. This year, there are some important state races like the governor's race in New Jersey that we are watching closely. The biggest race is in Virginia where I live. A lot of people around the country have their eyes on the Virginia race because it's a bit of a temperature check on how voters are feeling about President Biden and how he's doing as president. So this governor's race is kind of like a mini presidential race. I will fight every single day for you. Former Governor Terry McAuliffe, who's a Democrat, and Glenn Youngkin, who's a Republican, is running against each other to become the 74th Governor of the Commonwealth of Virginia
Various Voices 4:15
Right now, there are only two statewide races two here in New Jersey. As goes Virginia, so goes America. We know that and this is what's happening.
LizaBanks Campagna 4:24
I voted early along with 780,000 other Virginians. Wow. That's a lot of people. In the last governor's race in Virginia. Around 195,000 voters cast early ballots. The State of Virginia or as I should say, the Commonwealth is very unique. Once a governor finishes their term, they can't run for reelection consecutively. This rule has been around for 160 years. Terry McAuliffe was the governor of Virginia from 2014 to 2018. And because of this special rule, he was not allowed to run for governor again right after his term ended and had to wait four years before he got the chance to run for reelection. This rule was put into place by two founding fathers, Patrick Henry and Thomas Jefferson. Both of them hail from Virginia by the way, they came up with this rule because they didn't want the governor to be too powerful. After they experienced the all too powerful King George from Great Britain. While we're on the subject of Virginia and former President Thomas Jefferson, did you know that Virginia is nicknamed the Mother of Presidents? What does that mean? There are eight presidents that were born in Virginia, the most of any state in the country. Cool! Even though kids can't talk to the vote, you can still go with your parents to polling locations, and in some states, you're even allowed to go into the voting booth to help your parents cast their ballots. If you go with your parents, you can ask your local poll worker for an "I Voted" sticker, which gives you a badge of honor for participating in democracy. And don't forget to thank the poll worker for volunteering their time to help our democracy work.
Bethany Van Delft 5:52
Hey, you up for a quick joke? Which state gives out tiny soft drinks to voters? Minne-sota, get it? Minnesota. Big thanks to our silly producer for that one. Now let's check in on what else is happening. The countdown begins. As expected the Food and Drug Administration authorized Pfizer's COVID-19 vaccine for children 5 to 11 on Friday. Next up, the CDC will announce that it's cleared for emergency use. And then another 28 million children in the US will be eligible for the vaccine. Nice. The US has experienced some wild weather lately. Out west, a powerful bomb cyclone dropped record-breaking rain on places like San Francisco. But don't worry, there weren't any actual bombs involved. That's just a name for a fast-moving storm. In the northeast, a ton of rain and howling winds courtesy of a fierce nor'easter left many people without power. And if you want to take a spin on the world's biggest ferris wheel, you're gonna have to plan a trip to the Middle East. The Ain Dubai, which opened recently is a whopping 820 feet high. This ferris wheel is so big that a single ride takes 38 minutes. Luckily, you're allowed to bring a snack for this. Coming up next, it's time for...
Various Voices 7:35
What, what, what's the big idea?
Bethany Van Delft 7:38
Trivia on The Ten. Hillary Clinton was the first woman to represent a major political party in a run for president. She won the popular vote in 2016. However, she lost the election because she had too few Electoral College votes. But what year did the first woman ever run for President of the United States? Was it a) 1872? b) 1932? or c) 1972?Did you guess it? The answer is 1872. Victoria Woodhall, a women's rights activist, Wall Street trader, and writer was the first woman to run for President of the United States back when women couldn't even vote. Seriously? Fun fact. 1872 is also the year that blue jeans were invented.
Bethany Van Delft 8:41
Time's up. But before we go, here's a quick note for the grownups. Thanks for listening to The Ten News. Look out for our new episodes on Tuesdays, Thursdays, and extras on Saturdays. The Ten News is a co-production of Small But Mighty Media and Next Chapter Podcasts and is distributed by iHeartRadio. The Ten News creative team is drinking mini sodas and includes Tracey Crooks, Pete Musto, Nathalie Alonzo, and Tessa Flannery. LizaBanks Campagna contributed to this episode. Our production director is Jeremiah Tittle and our executive producers are Donald Albright and show creator Tracy Leeds Kaplan. I'm Bethany Van Delft, and thanks for listening to The Ten News. Tell all your grownups to get out there and vote!
