Saying Bye to the Bias: Race Polling, Midterm Elections, TikTok

Local

Absentee ballots and registered voters compared to 2020

Who, what, when and where?

Wisconsin is only two days away from election day and the number of people ready to vote is higher than any previous midterm election. Over half a million Wisconsinites have either already voted as of Nov. 2 or returned an absentee ballot. Data from the Wisconsin Elections Commission also shows the number of absentee ballots requested and used have decreased since 2020, including fewer early votes before election day. Three races in Wisconsin will be decided on election day this Tuesday, Nov. 8– governor’s race between Tony Evers and challenger Tim Michels, U.S. Senate race between Ron Johnson and challenger Mandela Barnes, and the attorney general’s race between Josh Kaul and Eric Toney. Click here to see who’s on your ballot.

Why does it matter?

Marquette Law School recently released polling results for the election races in Wisconsin and numbers show a tossup, especially in the governors’ race– every vote counts. Election results going three decades back show Wisconsin to be a nearly perfectly divided state. According to a Pew Research Center Poll, 16% of Wisconsinites surveyed identified themselves as independents– enough to sway any state election. Register to vote here!

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National

New developments, talk around TikTok ban

Who, what, when and where?

Midterm elections approaching also means new movement developments in legislation and regulation– including talk surrounding the ban of TikTok– a somewhat continuation of former President Donald Trump’s plans to ban the app in 2020.

Why does it matter?

For millions in the United States, TikTok is a vital part of a daily routine to consume information and entertainment yet a research report has found misinformation in TikTok’s search engine results. Critics of the app believe the Chinese government has access to information of those who use the app, however Yahoo and Google seem unconcerned. As we approach midterm elections, discussion could become changes. Oh, and if you’re one of those TikTok news connoisseurs– here’s a link to help you get started on your unbiased, truthful information news journey.

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