October 29, 2020 News Summary
Updated: Oct 31, 2020
US Politics and Economics
Early voting turnout continues to boom, with 79 million ballots cast, 58% of the number cast in 2016. California leads with 8.47m votes, with Texas in a close second with 8.45m, and Florida in third with 7.4m. However, Texas still has the highest turnout rate, with a whopping 94% of 2016 ballots already cast during early voting, and some Texas counties, such as Travis county, in a state that normally has low voter turnout, already have more ballots cast than 2016 even with two days left of early voting. Out of the states that report party registration, Democrats still lead with 47% of the vote with Republicans at around 30%, though the Republicans have narrowed the gap and are expected to turn out in big numbers on election day. Conservatives also have a lead when considering only the roughly 28 million in-person votes, with 41.6% to the Democrats’ 36.6%. Still, with 5 days until election day, the 2020 election is still predicted to have record turnout, and already holds the highest number of early votes in U.S history.
Texas Politics
The rule stating that Texans must wear face masks when at the voting booth has been removed by the federal appeals court. Texas Tribune writes, “The governor’s mandate for Texans to cover their mouths and noses in public does not apply to polling places, an exclusion that has been challenged as discriminatory against Black and Latino voters who are more likely to be harmed by the coronavirus… Under Abbott’s order, poll workers are also not required to wear masks.” The state’s filing states, “Texas is on track to smash its prior turnout record, even during the pandemic and in counties with large minority populations.”
Health
According to CDC’s COVID Data Tracker, as of October 29, 2020, 12:15 PM, there are over 8.83 million cases and almost 227k deaths nationwide. California leads with the most cases at a total of 904k, and Texas follows by a total of 874.3k cases.
(FOX) Researchers are studying the genetic mutations of COVID-19 in Spanish farmworks, which caused the second wave of COVID-19 in Europe. The Financial Times reports that scientists are trying to determine the effects of the mutation found in cases across the continent, including more than 80 percent in Spain.
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Writers:
US Politics and Economics: Dylan and Caleb
Texas Politics: Stephanie, Vicki, and Megan
Health: Matthew, David, and Owen
Editor: VIA
(All writers and editors are in middle to high school)