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      Meet the Electoral College’s Biggest Critics: Some of the Electors Themselves

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      AdvertisementContinue reading the main storySupported byContinue reading the main storyMeet the Electoral College’s Biggest Critics: Some of the Electors Themselves“Do we really want 538 Bob Nemanichs electing our president?” Bob Nemanich, a former elector, doesn’t. And he is hopeful that 2020 might put future electors out of a gig.Polly Baca serves as one of the Electoral College’s 538 electors, while all but calling for the group to be abolished.Credit…Daniel Brenner for The New York TimesDec. 12, 2020Updated 7:06 p.m. ETFew critics of the Electoral College are quite like Polly Baca.Ms. Baca believes the Electoral College, which has chosen American presidents since George Washington, “has absolutely no reason to be.” This year, she brought, and lost, a Supreme Court case challenging her state’s rules over how electors vote. Before electors cast their ballots for president in 2016, she invited several members to her home to plot a way — also unsuccessful — to circumvent the outcome.But unlike Donald J. Trump, whose raft of legal filings and maneuvers has failed to change the result of this year’s election, Ms. Baca is a Democrat. And she even serves as one of the body’s 538 electors while all but calling for the group to be abolished.“There’s absolutely no reason why the world’s strongest democracy doesn’t elect its C.E.O. with the popular vote,” said Ms. Baca, who will cast one of Colorado’s nine electoral votes for Joseph R. Biden Jr., the president-elect. “I’ve been on the outside, but I prefer to go on the inside to see what I can do.”It is the Electoral College, not the direct vote of the American people, that will decide the next president on Monday, when its 538 electors, chosen mostly during state party gatherings earlier this year, sign their ballots and send them to Washington.For generations, the body was viewed as a rubber stump to the will of the voters — but as with many things, scrutiny came only when things seemed to go wrong. The 2000 contest between Al Gore and George W. Bush showed that a mere 537 popular ballots could tip Florida’s Electoral College votes, and with it, the presidency. The 2016 election proved that a president could lose by millions of popular votes, yet be handed the White House anyway.“The head of the student council in your middle school was elected by a popular vote,” said Alexander Keyssar, a Harvard historian and the author of a book called “Why Do We Still Have the Electoral College?” “I know it’s an old-fashioned notion, but the most fundamental democratic value is that all votes should count equally.”(He is not a fan.)Yet it’s hard to think of a time before this year that dragged the Electoral College, and American democracy with it, into such dangerous territory.The election, where it was clear by evening on Election Day that Mr. Biden had won the popular vote, turned into a nail-biter that stretched on for days — largely because of the high volume of mail ballots in a few states rich in Electoral College votes. President Trump used the delay to make false claims from the White House that fraud was underway and that he had actually won.Mr. Trump then turned to the courts to swing the Electoral College his way, backing lawsuits in Pennsylvania, Nevada, Georgia, Arizona and Wisconsin. The president’s lawyers appeared to hope that a friendly judge would overturn the results in one or more states that would allow him the 270 electors he needed to remain in office.As judges dismissed his suits, the president urged Republican state lawmakers to send delegations to the Electoral College who would vote for him anyway. He then brought White House influence to bear on a county election body in Michigan — one more last-ditch effort to stall the state from sending electors for Mr. Biden.That has left electors like Ronda Vuillemont-Smith, a conservative Oklahoma activist who will cast her vote for Mr. Trump on Monday, believing the president will stay in office.“I’m going to be quite honest with you, I think Donald Trump will be president for a second term,” she said, citing continued attempts to overturn the results.Yet for other electors, the frantic moves by a sitting president — indeed, most of the election itself — has led to soul-searching, not just on who should be president, but also on how the president should be chosen.“These tactics are tantamount to those in authoritarian governments,” said Alan Kennedy, a presidential elector in Denver. He said the election reminded him of a stint when he lived in Uganda and its president jailed his main opponent ahead of an election, something Mr. Trump also has repeatedly called for during his campaigns.Mr. Kennedy plans to dutifully cast his vote on Monday for Mr. Biden. But for Mr. Kennedy, a captain in the Colorado Army National Guard who served in the Middle East, a question still looms large behind the task ahead of him: Is such a system really in keeping with the nation’s ideals?“What’s terrifying is how close we came to another election of a president who won the Electoral College while losing the popular vote,” he said.Robert Nemanich is quick to point out that he had no professional qualifications for being an elector other than being a high school math teacher.Credit…Daniel Brenner for The New York TimesRobert Nemanich, a former elector from Colorado Springs, puts it another way.“Do we really want 538 Bob Nemanichs electing our president?” he asked.Mr. Nemanich is quick to point out his only professional qualification for the job was being a high school math teacher. After volunteering as a Bernie Sanders primary delegate in 2016, Mr. Nemanich landed the job after giving out credentials at a state Democratic convention where selecting the electors was one of the agenda items.“I was one of the few asking to be an elector, and I would say 90 percent of people didn’t know what that was,” he said.And while this year’s electors include respected party officials and well-known activists — Hillary Clinton said she would be an elector for New York State — there have also been some unexpected names recruited for the task.They include Terri Hodge, a former state representative in Dallas who was sentenced to a prison term after pleading guilty to corruption charges in 2010, whom Texas Democrats selected as an elector this year. (As Mr. Trump won Texas, Ms. Hodge will not cast a ballot.)Tracking Disinformation More

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      The Blue Flame of ‘Hotlanta’

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      AdvertisementContinue reading the main storySupported byContinue reading the main storyThe Blue Flame of ‘Hotlanta’Young entrepreneurs, artists and activists are building on a Southern capital’s long, rich history.Up and comers in Atlanta. Clockwise from top left: Ryan Wilson, an entrepreneur; Genesis Be, an activist; Maddison Brown, an actress; and Sanithna Phansavanhj, an artist.Credit…Clockwise from top left: Braylen Dion for The New York Times; Peyton Fulford for The New York Times; Braylen Dion for The New York Times; Peyton Fulford for The New York TimesDec. 12, 2020, 5:00 a.m. ETWhen Georgia went blue for Biden last month, some traced it to Stacey Abrams and her nonprofit Fair Fight, whose get-out-the-vote playbook electrified the state. Others cited more college-educated and older suburban voters.And though the election (and the upcoming Senate runoffs on Jan. 5) have focused new eyes on the state, it has long been a force of tradition and change. Atlanta, the capital, has a storied civil rights legacy, an influential hip-hop scene and booming film studios. It is the birthplace, after all, of Martin Luther King Jr., the home of Tyler Perry Studios and where such as artists as Childish Gambino, Migos and Gucci Mane made their mark.Nicknamed ”Hotlanta” or the ATL (after its bustling airport) by some, the city is also welcoming arrivals from New York, Los Angeles and elsewhere, drawn to not only to Atlanta’s history and culture, but also its affordable spaces, agreeable weather and fantastic food.Here are six Georgians, newcomers and natives, who exemplify modern Atlanta. They are entrepreneurs, actors, artist and activists.Interviews have been edited.Ryan WilsonRyan Wilson at the Gathering Spot, a members-only club for professionals he founded with TK Peterson.Credit…Braylen Dion for The New York TimesAge: 30Occupation: co-founder and chief executive of the Gathering Spot, a members-only club for young professionalsHometown: AtlantaNow Lives: in a single-family home in the artsy West Midtown section of the city, with his wife and daughter.Why did you move back to Atlanta?I’m from Atlanta, but attended undergrad and law school at Georgetown University in Washington, D.C. I moved back to Atlanta in 2015 to open the Gathering Spot. I specifically chose to start the business here because I think Atlanta is the best city in the country right now for Black entrepreneurs to thrive.What was the impetus for the Gathering Spot?I started the Gathering Spot in the wake of Trayvon Martin’s murder with the belief that Black people should have a place to be more than tolerated, but celebrated. I also missed the access to community and thought leadership that I experienced during my university years and wondered why I couldn’t find a place where that continued to happen. The club has hosted everyone from Joe Biden and Kamala Harris to Drake. My partner TK Petersen and I are in the middle of opening a Gathering Spot in D.C.What makes Atlanta unique?In Atlanta, our biggest export is our culture. In this city, we know each other across traditional lines of difference and have successfully brought thriving start-up, big business, college and university, and creative communities together. Atlanta is also a city that is distinctly Black. This is one of the few cities where topics like diversity, representation and political power for Black people aren’t aspirational talking points, but our historic and present reality.What did the 2020 elections reveal about Georgia?Georgia is a true battleground state, and more diverse and more progressive than what we get credit for. This election cycle is also showing that Georgia, like our country, is deeply divided. I’m optimistic though that what is happening in Georgia will inspire other communities to see that they, too, can mobilize new voters, shift their politics and successfully navigate tough conversations about their collective future.Maricela VegaMaricela Vega is a chef at 8ARM, a community-focused cafe and wine bar.Credit…Braylen Dion for The New York TimesAge: 31Occupation: activist, founder of Chicomecoatl, a seed-to-plate catering company; chef at 8ARM, a community-driven restaurantHometown: Fullerton, Calif.Now lives: In a two-bedroom apartment in the Grove Park neighborhood of Atlanta with her partnerWhy did you move to Atlanta?My family moved us to northwest Georgia from Fullerton, Calif., in the mid-90s (they are originally from Mexico) and I moved to Atlanta in 2008. I was in and out of state colleges as a pre-law student until I finally dropped out in 2010 and landed my first cooking experience as an intern at the former Tierra by the Atlanta Botanical Garden in Ansley Park. I’ve been cooking in this city ever since.Your cooking crosses over into activism. How did that start?In 2014 I was a chef for a University of Georgia summer program that traveled across the country. We were crossing through California’s central valley, where many of the farm workers are from Mexico. This is where we harvest so much of the country’s food and yet, for the locals, it is a food desert. This was a big moment for me. I realized as a chef you don’t see all the hands that are behind your food orders. You don’t know their cost of living or what wage they receive. After educating myself more, I started to take on roles having to do with food justice.What did the 2020 elections reveal about Georgia?The elections are demonstrating that there have been many groups of people that have been ready to be a part of the conversations that shape institutional change. They are also indicating that the youth is finally able to vote and that they will be heard.Tell us something surprising about Atlanta.There are many urban farms here that are also platforms for racial justice and activism, like Grow Where You Are, an organization that’s been actively working in our communities for over a decade, and emphasizes the importance of land stewardship and food sovereignty as a human right.Maddison BrownMaddison Brown, an actress, at the Ponce City Market.Credit…Braylen Dion for The New York TimesAge: 23Occupation: actress (currently stars on CW’s “Dynasty”)Hometown: Sydney, AustraliaNow Lives: The upscale district of Buckhead in northern Atlanta.Why did you move to Atlanta?I moved here in 2018 when I was booked for the second season of “Dynasty.” I thought initially I would be in the city for three and a half months but now, two and a half years later, I am still here, shooting the fourth season.How does it compare to other cities?I’ve lived In New York City and Sydney. In 2015 I moved to L.A. and enjoyed the outdoor lifestyle. It reminded me of Sydney, but because L.A. is the center of Hollywood and celebrity, there is an oversaturation of social media that gives it an underlying sense of superficiality. It feels like everyone is an influencer. Atlanta is a bit of an outlier. I really appreciate that Atlanta has a hustle, but on the flip side there is a slower pace and a day-to-day reality that feels more wholesome and authentic.What surprised you about Georgia?I thought the South was a place where everyone had a thick drawl and where I could find a lot of barbecue and Spanish moss dripping from the trees. I thought that it would be somewhat conservative and feel 50 years behind other international cities. But Atlanta feels very much in the center of everything and extremely progressive. After all, it’s the birthplace of Martin Luther King. I’m reminded of that every day I drive by his childhood home on the way to work.What do you think the 2020 elections will mean for the future of Georgia?People outside the state are now seeing its potential. I think we’ll be seeing more film production here, more people following in Tyler Perry’s footsteps, more people moving here. Those of us who have been living here have known this, but the election is showing the results of this shift. It’s really exciting to be here at this moment.Genesis BeGenesis Be, an art activist who is trying to change the Mississippi state flag.Credit…Peyton Fulford for The New York TimesAge: 33Occupation: art activistHometown: Biloxi, Miss.Now lives: In a one-bedroom apartment in Tucker, Ga., about 15 miles northeast of Atlanta.Describe your work.I am best known for my work spearheading the movement to change the Mississippi State flag.I recently returned from a five-month national tour with Vote Common Good, of which I am the poet laureate. In Atlanta, my next project, Bars & Blue Cups, will explore the intersection between hip-hop and health. As a blueprint, I’ll be using my own journey as an independent rap activist — my failures, my triumphs and my journey of self-discovery through health literacy, empowerment, mindfulness and self-actualization.Why did you move to Atlanta?In 2017 while living in Brooklyn, my friend and fellow artist, Chris Wilson, introduced me to an organization called Breakout. After meeting co-founder, Michael Farber, they flew me out to host an event in Atlanta and I fell in love with the city. Within a couple months, I relocated from Brooklyn to Atlanta to see how my talents can be of service here.How does Atlanta differ from other cities?I’m still new to the city, but so far I have seen flourishing Black businesses, collaboration within our community, sharing of resources and queer visibility on a level that I’ve not seen in other cities. Being from Mississippi, I’m used to the slower pace of the south, the complex history of institutional suppression and the erasure of anything that isn’t straight, white, male or wealthy. Atlanta has some of those same components, like every American city, but it’s not denied or hidden.What did the 2020 elections teach us?The elections proved what many of us have known and have been screaming about for years: that the survival of our nation is dependent on the intellect, power, magic and leadership of people of color and especially Black women. We’ve seen Georgia leaders like Wanda Mosley, LaTosha Brown, Stacey Abrams, Tamieka Atkins, come to the forefront of media attention fairly recently. Black women have always led movements from the back, but now the overdue acknowledgment, credit and visibility has caught up.How are recent transplants like yourself changing Atlanta?Their presence and investments could be destroying the very spirit that attracted them to the city in the first place. I’ve been meeting a lot of people moving here from N.Y.C. or the West Coast excited about buying property and starting businesses here in Atlanta. I understand the excitement. However, during my time in Brooklyn I’ve seen the devastation caused by outsider investment and corporate expansion, how it displaces family and sucks the soul out of entire communities. I’d just say be mindful of your presence, learn about the city’s people and history, and respect those who are already doing great work here.Jason BurkeyJason Burkey, an actor, at the Trilith, a mixed-used development where he lives.Credit…Peyton Fulford for The New York TimesAge: 35Occupation: actor (in the Lifetime Christmas movie “My Sweet Holiday”)Hometown: ChicagoNow lives: A single-family house in Trilith, a mixed-used development with homes, shops, parks and a film studioWhy did you move to Atlanta?I was living in Nashville and consistently driving to Atlanta for auditions. Having done one too many country music videos, I decided it was time for a change, and I knew I needed to start establishing myself in Atlanta. That was 2012, before there was a huge influx of actors moving from L.A. and New York.How does Atlanta compare to other cities?I grew up outside of Chicago and have lived in Los Angeles and Nashville. But I have to say, Atlanta is definitely my home. I think it’s the perfect size when it comes to cities: it’s big without being overwhelming, yet there are pockets that make it feel small, each with incredibly diverse backdrops and experiences.What is it like to work as an actor here?What really makes Atlanta unique is that there is a strong and encouraging support system; in other cities there was always an underlying feeling of competition and desperation that I just couldn’t thrive in.How does Atlanta defy stereotypes of the South?Atlanta is a melting pot. The people here are unapologetically unique in their appearances, in their beliefs and the way they live their lives. They are bold and kind. They are creative risk takers. I’ve found Atlanta to be open and welcoming to anyone and everyone. It’s OK to be both different and friendly here. That’s not true of most cities.Sanithna PhansavanhSanithna Phansavanh, in front of his mural in the Cabbagetown section of Atlanta.Credit…Peyton Fulford for The New York TimesAge: 40Occupation: artistHometown: Kansas City, Mo.Now lives: In a two-bedroom house in Decatur, Ga.How long have you been in Atlanta?My parents moved to Atlanta when I was 3, so I’m as native as you can get without being born here.Why have you stayed?As an artist you always think about moving to New York or Los Angeles because they are the country’s important centers of art and culture. But I personally like that Atlanta has had to prove itself over the last 15 years or so. I love being the underdog. Without being cutthroat, artists in Atlanta have been able to build a community the way we want it to be. I’d rather be part of something that is in the middle of shaping itself rather than force myself into an existing ecosystem.Tell me about the city’s art scene.There is a big D.I.Y. art movement in the city that includes small galleries and nonprofit art projects like The Bakery, Dashboard, Notch 8 and ABV, an agency and art gallery founded by artist Greg Mike. When I am out painting walls for OuterSpace, the streets are lined with people. I just finished a mural for Living Walls, a nonprofit started by Monica Campana to celebrate art in Atlanta that has over time turned into a juggernaut.How has race evolved for you here?Historically for me, the only colors that have mattered in the South, and especially in Atlanta, are Black and white. As a person that is neither shade, I had to blend into both those communities. But now there’s a lot more acceptance of diversity. Southern hospitality is a legit thing: if you are a decent person you are typically welcomed with open arms, at least in Atlanta.Were you politically engaged in the 2020 elections?I tried to encourage people to register to vote by giving free portraits of John Lewis to those who did. Through that process, I met so many passionate people engaged in civic activity. It was so heartening for me to witness that firsthand. I think there is a common idea out there that one vote doesn’t matter, but we saw just how some counties were won by just a few hundred votes.AdvertisementContinue reading the main story More

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      A Guide to Georgia’s Senate Runoffs

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      AdvertisementContinue reading the main storyThe DailySubscribe:Apple PodcastsGoogle PodcastsA Guide to Georgia’s Senate RunoffsGeorgia flipped blue for Joe Biden. Now two costly battles there will decide control of the Senate.Hosted by Michael Barbaro; produced by Jessica Cheung and Austin Mitchell; and edited by Paige Cowett and Lisa Tobin.More episodes ofThe DailyDecember 11, 2020  •  More

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      Lawsuit Seeks to Halt Debut of Ranked-Choice Voting in New York

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      AdvertisementContinue reading the main storySupported byContinue reading the main storyLawsuit Seeks to Halt Debut of Ranked-Choice Voting in New YorkThe new system was approved by voters in 2019, but critics, including at least one top mayoral candidate, fear that it may disenfranchise minority voters.Under the new system being challenged in court, when New York City voters go to the polls for next year’s mayoral primary, they would be allowed to choose as many as five candidates, ranked in order of preference.Credit…Amr Alfiky/The New York TimesDana Rubinstein and Dec. 9, 2020Updated 9:03 a.m. ETNext year was supposed to be when New York City would revolutionize how voters choose their mayor — not merely selecting one candidate, but picking as many as five and ranking them in order of preference.New York’s take-no-prisoners political landscape was to be remade: Candidates would most likely be more collegial and would be obliged to reach out to voters beyond their bases in the hope that other candidates’ supporters would list them as a second or third choice. Runoff elections, often expensive and with limited turnout, would be eliminated.But just as the city is poised to implement the ranked-choice voting system, opposition is mounting. Black elected officials have raised objections, arguing that absent substantial voter education, the system will effectively disenfranchise voters of color.At least one leading Black mayoral candidate — Eric Adams, the Brooklyn borough president, who once supported the system — now says it’s being rushed and suggested that New York should emulate Minneapolis, which took years to slowly implement ranked choice.Critics also question whether it makes sense for the city’s problem-prone Board of Elections to roll out such a complicated system during a once-in-a-century pandemic.Now that opposition has coalesced into a court challenge.Six New York City Council members filed suit in State Supreme Court in Manhattan late Tuesday night against New York City, its Board of Elections and its Campaign Finance Board, contending that the city and the two boards had violated the law by failing to adequately explain the software that will be used tabulate the votes and by failing to conduct a sufficient public education campaign to familiarize voters with the new system.The suit seeks to prohibit the city from starting the new system in a February special election, a race that was poised to be a trial run for the June Democratic mayoral primary, which will use the same system and is likely to determine the city’s next mayor.“The board does not comment on pending litigation,” said Valerie Vazquez, a spokeswoman for the elections board. “However, as we have previously stated we will be ready to implement ranked-choice voting just as we successfully implemented a new voting system in 2010 and launched early voting in 2019.”The litigants include the two leaders of the Council’s Black, Latino, and Asian Caucus, who, with their colleagues, criticized the new system during a contentious City Council hearing on Monday.“They say all throughout the country that ranked-choice voting is working well for communities of color,” Laurie A. Cumbo, a Black Democratic councilwoman from Brooklyn, and one of the litigants, said during the hearing on Monday. “Well, New York City is a totally different city.”New York City voters approved ranked-choice voting in 2019. Under the new system, if a candidate wins a majority of first-choice votes, that candidate wins outright. If no candidate wins a majority, the last-place winner is eliminated. The second-choice votes of those who had favored the last-place candidate would be counted instead. The process continues until there is a winner.Among the mayoral candidates who already seemed to be factoring the new voting system into their campaign strategies was Shaun Donovan, the former Obama administration cabinet member who formally announced his run on Tuesday. An “electability” slide show circulated on his behalf argued that “Shaun’s broad appeal makes him a natural second and third choice for voters, even when they are already committed to another candidate.”Good-government groups say that the new system enhances democracy.“This reform will foster more positive, issue-focused campaigns, give voters more choice, ensure that elected officials are accountable to a broader spectrum of their constituents and avoid costly, time consuming and unnecessary runoff elections,” Betsy Gotbaum, executive director of Citizens Union, said in a recent statement.But critics of the system argue that without adequate public education, the system confuses voters and thus disenfranchises them. They also contend that the voting system targets a party system heavily populated by leaders of color.Kirsten John Foy, president of the activism group Arc of Justice, said he was exploring a lawsuit with Hazel N. Dukes, the president of the New York State chapter of the NAACP, arguing that Black and other minority voters would be disenfranchised by ranked choice voting.“Some progressive white folks got together in a room and thought this would be good, but it’s not good for our community,” Ms. Dukes said. “The voters did vote, so we can’t overturn that, but we want a stay because there’s been no education about this in our community.”Mr. Foy also questioned the motives of those leading the effort to enact ranked-choice voting.“The primary argument for ranked-choice voting is that it expands access to elected office for Black and brown officials, but we don’t have that problem,” said Mr. Foy, who listed a string of positions from state attorney general to borough presidents that are held by Black and Latino elected officials. “This is a solution in search of a problem.”Ranked-choice voting has a long and complicated history in the United States.“There was a period over 100 years ago when it was in use in some cities,” but it fell out of favor around World War II, according to David C. Kimball, a political-science professor at the University of Missouri-St. Louis.In the past two decades, it has gained traction in places including San Francisco and Oakland, Calif., and in Maine.The research on its impact on voter turnout is, however, mixed, he said, and voter education is a must, as American voters are accustomed to voting for just one candidate, not five.“I don’t know quite how to put this politely, but the New York City elections board has trouble tying its shoes, metaphorically speaking,” Professor Kimball said. “So asking them to roll out new voting rules in a matter of months is a big ask.”Emma G. Fitzsimmons contributed reporting.AdvertisementContinue reading the main story More

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      Romania’s Leader Is Tested by a Close Election

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      AdvertisementContinue reading the main storySupported byContinue reading the main storyRomania’s Leader Is Tested by a Close ElectionPrime Minister Ludovic Orban will need to maintain his alliance with a smaller party to stay in power after a surprisingly tight race.Voting in Bucharest, Romania, on Sunday. Turnout was low because of the pandemic.Credit…Vadim Ghirda/Associated PressBy More