October 17, 2020 News Summary
US Politics and Economics
25 million ballots, 18% of the entire number of votes in the 2016 election, have been cast so far. California, Texas, and Florida lead with 3 million, 2.6 million, and 2.4 million respectively. Furthermore, 24 states have a greater than 20% turnout.
With the major development of mail-in voting this year, citizens request for ballots to be delivered to their mailbox. However, there have been multiple reports of voters not receiving their requested ballots. This has led some to question the legitimacy of mail-in voting, and a preference of going to physical voting sites, relying on the safety precautions put in place. For instance, Josh Stacks, chose to go to the polls after failing to receive his ballot twice. He “want[ed] to get it done and get [his] vote in the books” (Citizen Times). Although casting a vote in person is a definitive way to ensure that it gets registered, it is ultimately the voter’s choice whether they want to use mail-in voting or rely on in-person safety measures.
Meanwhile, with less than 3 weeks until election day and roughly 25 million ballots already cast, a poll from FiveThirtyEight, a website that utilizes a multitude of sources, estimates Biden to have an 87% chance of winning the 2020 Election. The model also estimates that Democrats have a 95% chance of retaining control of the House, and a 73% chance of winning a simple majority in the Senate. The chance of all three wins occurring is about 60%.
Texas Politics
Based on a survey released at the International Economic Development Council (IEDC) Annual Conference, U.S. corporate executives ranked Texas as the number one state for business in 2020. 48% of survey respondents preferred Texas’ business environment compared to Georgia’s second-place 25% favorability. Additionally, North Carolina was number 3 with 22%, Florida with 18%, and Tennessee with 13%. Texas has placed first for the eighth consecutive time since 1996. Thus, Governor Greg Abbott affirmed that “as we safely and strategically mitigate the spread of COVID-19, Texas will continue to expand economic opportunity for all Texans and build a more prosperous future for the Lone Star State."
Health
According to CDC’s COVID Data Tracker, as of October 17, 2020, 12:21 PM, there are over 8.02 million cases and almost 218k deaths nationwide. According to the data, California leads with the most cases at 861.47k, and Texas follows at 815.6k cases.
(CNBC) On Friday, the Trump administration announced a deal with CVS and Walgreens to ensure that COVID-19 vaccines will be delivered to the elderly and staff in long-term care centers. The Department of Health and Human Services announced that vaccines will also be free for residents in high-risk areas, including skilled nursing facilities, nursing homes, assisted living facilities, residential care homes, and adult family homes.
Southeast US Weather
(Atlantic) A subtropical low near Bermuda is forecasted to become a subtropical depression or a storm. An area of low pressure is also expected to form near the WCAR with a 30% chance of formation.
(Pacific) There are no present disturbances in the Pacific.
(Local) The temperature today is a bit cooler, and rain showers can be expected within the next few days.
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Writers:
US Politics and Economics: Dylan and Annabelle
Texas Politics: Stephanie, Vicki, and Megan
Health: Matthew, David, and Owen
Science and Technology: Bryan, Yiqi, Amelia, and Joseph L.
Southeast US Weather: Jade, Aiden, and Simon
Editors: VIA, Isabel, and Susanna
(All writers and editors are in middle to high school)
HYNC-October-17-2020
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