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Webinar rewind: What you can do to stop voter suppression

Webinar rewind: What you can do to stop voter suppression
When early voting got started in some states, coverage of the long lines was accompanied by stories of voter intimidation — protesters blocking access to polling places or verbally harassing voters. Social media platforms have taken steps to crack down on calls for unlawful voter interference and intimidation, and the FBI has issued warnings. But there are sure to be instances of attempted voter suppression on Election Day.

What can an individual do to stop it?

The Fulcrum convened a panel of experts to discuss how everyone can help put a stop to unlawful voter suppression and intimidation — threats to the already troubled democracy we're dedicated to covering. The Fulcrum's editor-in-chief, David Hawkings, moderated a discussion with:
  • Mindy Finn, CEO of Citizen Data and co-founder of Stand Up Republic
  • Nsé Ufot, chief executive officer, New Georgia Project

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The Power of Outrage and Keeping Everyone Guessing

Question marks on a stack of small blocks.

Getty Images / Sakchai Vongsasiripat

The Power of Outrage and Keeping Everyone Guessing

Donald Trump loves to keep us guessing. This is exactly what we’re all doing as his second term in the White House begins. It’s one way he controls the narrative.

Trump’s off the cuff, unfiltered, controversial statements infuriate opponents and delight his supporters. The rest of us are left trying to figure out the difference between the shenanigans and when he’s actually serious.

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To help heal divides, we must cut “the media” some slack

Newspaper headline cuttings.

Getty Images / Sean Gladwell

To help heal divides, we must cut “the media” some slack

A few days ago, Donald Trump was inaugurated. In his second term, just as in his first, he’ll likely spark passionate disagreements about news media: what is “fake news” and what isn’t, which media sources should be trusted and which should be doubted.

We know we have a media distrust problem. Recently it hit an all-time low: the percentage of Americans with "not very much" trust in the media has risen from 27% in 2020 to 33% in 2024.

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Meet the Faces of Democracy: Tommy Gong

Tommy Gong is the deputy county clerk-recorder for Contra Costa County, San Francisco Bay Area—home to over 700,000 registered voters.

Photo Courtesy of Issue One

Meet the Faces of Democracy: Tommy Gong

Californian Tommy Gong is the deputy county clerk-recorder for Contra Costa County which is located in the San Francisco Bay Area and home to over 700,000 registered voters. He has been an election administrator for over two decades, having served in other California counties including San Luis Obispo and Stanislaus.

Gong, who is not affiliated with any political party, has received wide recognition throughout his tenure as an election official. He led efforts to coordinate communication tactics to increase public trust in election processes across the Bay Area by forming the Coalition of Bay Area Election Officials. This initiative received awards from the National Association of Election Officials and the U.S. Election Assistance Commission.

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