‘Better Party’ to give Missourians a new third party option
DYLAN HEMBROUGH editor-in-chief
A new candidate joined the race in April when Missouri approved the creation of the Better Party for state offices.
The Better Party was founded by Joplin, Missouri, resident Jared Young, who is running for a seat in the U.S. Senate to represent Missouri. To get a new political party approved in Missouri, the petitioner must gather at least 10,000 signatures by registered voters.
Young believes “[political] parties stop at nothing to keep power” and are “tearing America apart with extremism.”
Young claims that 70 percent of Missourians are willing to vote for an independent or third-party candidate over a Republican or Democrat.
He also says 43 percent of Missourians “don’t affiliate” with the Republican or Democratic Party.
A Pew Research Center poll says just 18 percent of Missourians have “no lean” toward Republicans or Democrats but does not specify if those who “lean” either way are actually members of their respective parties.
Regardless, Young has pledged full commitment to the race.
“I’m not running to make a statement,” Young were on his website. “I’m running to win this.”
Young has leaned into his lack of a political background as a strength for this race, positioning himself as an outsider.
“I don’t have to please national party agendas or extremists. I can just be myself, a normal Missourian,” Young wrote
on his website. “I guess that makes me a pretty likable guy, at least according to my mom.”
Though he does have a party affiliation, Young still refers to himself as an independent. The Better Party’s website corroborates this.
“The Better Party was created in Missouri to provide reasonable ballot access for independent political candidates at all levels of government. The party will make it easier for independent candidates in the state to get on the ballot,” their website says.
Young is running against incumbent Republican Josh Hawley, Democrat candidate Lucas Kunce and Green Party candidate Nathan Kline, according to The Beacon.
incest and medical emergencies.
Several of Young’s political views are listed in an article by The Beacon as well. Young supports a ban on abortion after 15 weeks with exceptions for rape,
Edwardsville Polling Precincts
Young also fully supports Ukraine in its war with Russia and believes America’s “hesitation” in providing support is the reason “our allies no longer trust us and our enemies no longer fear us.” Young believes lowering drug prices can be better achieved by finding cheaper methods of drug production and distribution instead of “villainizing” pharmaceutical corporations. On climate and renewable energy, Young believes we must eventually transition to green energy, but not on the fast-tracked timeline some have proposed.
Young did not respond to The Alestle’s requests for comment.
The Better Party can be found on Missouri ballots with the “BTR” abbreviation.
Polling Locations Voting
Divine 9 empowers potential voters
AUBREE NOLES reporter
On campus, the Divine 9 have been combining efforts to help students understand voting and its importance. Through tabling, educational workshops and social media posts, they have been leading the charge in educating voters.
Recently, Delta Sigma Theta held a “Black Women Vote” seminar in the MUC where they discussed the candidates’ policies and backgrounds while answering any questions attendees had. They collaborated with the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People on this event.
Junior nursing majors Adrianne Gines and Ciaunna McCoy are members of the sorority and were speakers at the seminar.
Gines said that every Tuesday, the members of Delta Sigma Theta wear shirts with a QR code linking to an Illinois voter registration page to inform potential voters. McCoy said they began wearing the shirts at the start of September.
“We chose Tuesdays to wear the shirts because it leads up to the last day to register to vote,” Gines said.
McCoy said that voting is important for enforcing change, and she believes her sorority has successfully informed voters, especially following their “Black Women Vote” event.
“I feel like it was the icing on the cake for voting, because it just raised awareness to everything and it was an opportunity to get a lot of education in,” Gines said.
Gines said that her sorority has also made social media posts regarding the election. She said they mostly share posts from Delta Sigma Theta’s national headquarters social media.
They closed out the seminar with a faux ballot, teaching everyone how to fill it out.
Alandra Parram, senior political science major and a member of the Alpha Kappa Alpha sorority, said she believes it is important for people to vote because it directly impacts the type of government we have in America.
Parram said Alpha Kappa Alpha held an event called “Fright for your Right to Vote” on Oct. 8 where they discussed the importance of voting and held a mock election using Halloween costumes.
Parram said she believes she and her sisters in Alpha Kappa Alpha have successfully informed potential voters, noting many have scanned their QR code to register. She also said they distributed a list of important election dates and that the graduate chapter put up a billboard in East St. Louis saying “We’re soaring to the polls.”
“I feel like, not just my sorority, but the D9 in general have [done] a really good job of promoting voting and letting people know how important it is to vote,” Parram said.
Garrison Hill is a junior biology medical sciences major and a member of Omega Psi Phi fraternity on campus. Hill said that the fraternity is back after a few years of not having one, so they have not been able to host any recent events regarding voting. However,
once things are settles, they would love to do more collaborative events on campus in the future Hill said.
“I think [the Divine 9] have been doing really well. Especially [the] Delta Sigma Theta sorority inc. I think they have been doing a really good job. But I think as a whole, everyone has been doing a really good job at promoting voting among themselves as well as among the student body,” Hill said.
Hill said he believes it is important to vote because everyone should have a say in their future. Even if they say their vote doesn’t matter or that they’re just one person, it is still important to have a say in what is going on and be educated Hill said.
President of the Alpha Phi Alpha fraternity, Ashton Carter, talked about what their fraternity has been doing to inform potential voters. Carter said that they have been making a lot of posts on Instagram regarding voting. They have been posting infographics about why your vote matters, how your vote matters and what you are voting for to educate everyone Carter said.
“I think it is important for people to vote because this is the world we live in, [and] if we never participate in voting then how can we ensure our voice is heard?” Carter said.
Carter said that to even be a member of the Alpha Phi Alpha fraternity, you must be registered to vote.
Carter said that the NPHC, which governs the Divine 9, has been doing a lot to promote voting. He said he believes everyone has been doing great. A lot of the members of the Divine 9 have been doing tabling regarding voting and the election Carter said. He said that they have been doing a lot of things that you don’t really see on other campuses.
They had a congressmen from both the Democratic and Republican parties come to campus for a few days and a lot of members of the Divine 9 attended events with them, such as the panels and lunches they hosted Carter said. They attend to express their concern over some legislation as well as learn more about it.
Because SIUE is in a more isolated population, sometimes we forget what goes on outside a 30-mile radius Carter said. It is important to update people with news and current events he said. For more information on the Divine 9 and the informational voter activities they are hosting head over to Get Involved at SIUE.
Methods to vote in 2024 MISSOURI ILLINOIS
Early voting in Missouri lasts from Oct. 22 through Nov. 4. Residents must show a photo ID to vote early. Acceptable forms include a driver’s license issued by the State of Missouri or a U.S. passport.
Voter registration is closed in Missouri Online registration has closed, but Illinois allows same-day registration. To register to vote in person, make sure to have two forms of identification, one of which must show name and current address. Acceptable forms of identification include a state ID or driver’s license, a paycheck or a student ID and mail addressed to the residence of the voter.
If you don’t have an accepted photo ID, you can request a provisional ballot, which after election day can be counted by matching your signature to your voter registration signature.
On Nov. 5, polling places are open from 6 a.m. to 7 p.m. You still have a right to vote if you are in line before 7 p.m.
Remote Voting
Absentee voting ballot requests are now closed.
Accessible voting
Curbside voting is available. Go to your polling location, ask someone to request a ballot for you and a ballot will be brought out to you by a poll worker in a reasonable time.
If your polling place is not accessible to you, contact your local election authority to request a different location.
Illinois has varying early voting options available in each county. Visit the Illinois State Board of Education to find out when and where you can register. Election day is Nov. 5. Polling locations in Illinois open at 6 a.m. and close at 7 p.m. If you are in line before 7 p.m., you still have the right to still vote.
Remote Voting
Anyone in Illinois may request an absentee ballot to vote by mail. You must request a ballot by Oct. 31.
Once you have received a ballot, your ballot, it must be postmarked by Nov. 5 to be counted.
For people with print disabilities, Illinois offers electronic transmission voting. To vote this way, you must fill out an accessible vote-by-mail application.
ABORTION
- Supports codifying abortion rights into federal law
- Has criticized abortion bans and promised to veto national abortion ban proposals
CLIMATE
- Supports financial incentives for electric vehicles and green energy projects
- Has implemented Biden administration efforts to move toward greener energy
- Opposed offshore drilling in 2020, but has since adopted more moderate beliefs
DEMOCRACY
- Has denounced Trump for his refusal to accept election results
- Has assured supporters that the courts will bring Trump to justice for his charges
ECONOMY
- Has promised tax cuts for more than 100 million lower- and middle-class homes
- Supports a child tax credit of $3,600 and a $6,000 tax credit for new parents
- Supports raising the maximum corporate tax rate from 21 to 28 percent
IMMIGRATION
- Supports pathways to citizenship for migrants, especially children
- Has been blamed by Republicans for the current immigration crisis
- Has denounced Trump for his calls to veto a bipartisan immigration bill that would have provided more funding to border security
ABORTION
- Supported the overturning of Roe v. Wade and states deciding abortion rights
CLIMATE
- Has called climate change a “hoax”
- Supports offering tax breaks to oil, gas and coal producers and overturning the Biden administration’s efforts to get people to switch to electric vehicles
- Says he could cut energy prices in half within a year of his return to office
DEMOCRACY
- Has promised pardons for people who participated in the Jan. 6, 2021, insurrection at the Capitol
- Has threatened lawyers and election officials with imprisonment
- Has threatened to deploy the National Guard at protests in cities like Chicago
ECONOMY
- Has promised to expand his 2017 tax cuts, which many economists have said were most beneficial for the upper class
IMMIGRATION
- Supports ideological screenings for migrants
- Has pledged to carry out the largest domestic deportation in American history
- Supports eliminating citizenship for people born on U.S. soil to non-citizens
SAMPLE BALLOT 2024
from Wentzville to Marissa and Highland to Oakville, The Alestle has you covered this election season 2
MADISON COUNTY
- CANDIDATES - - PROPOSITIONS -
FEDERAL
For President and Vice President of the United States
Donald J. Trump
JD Vance Republican
Kamala Harris
Tim Walz
Democrat
Robert F. Kennedy Jr.
Nicole Shanahan
Independent
CONGRESSIONAL
For Representative in the 13th Congressional District
Joshua Loyd
Republican
Nikki Budzinski
Democrat
For Representative in the 15th Congressional District
Mary E. Miller
Republican No Candidate Democrat
LEGISLATIVE
For Senator in the 55th Legislative District
Jason Plummer
Republican
No Candidate Democrat
REPRESENTATIVE
For Representative in the 100th Representative District
Christopher “C.D”
For Representative in the 109th Representative District
Charlie Meier
For Representative in the 111th Representative District
Amy Elik
Republican
Nick Raftopoulos Democrat
Should any candidate appearing on the Illinois ballot for federal, State, or local office be subject to civil penalties if the candidate interferes or attempts to interfere with an election worker’s official duties?
Should the Illinois Constitution be amended to create an additional 3% tax on income greater than $1,000,000 for the purpose of dedicating funds raised to property tax relief?
Should all medically appropriate assisted reproductive treatments, including, but not limited to, in vitro fertilization, be covered by any health insurance plan in Illinois that provides coverage for pregnancy benefits, without limitation on the number of treatments?
SANITARY DISTRICT
For Holiday Shores
Sanitary District Trustee
Jeff Hebenstreit
Brennan Murphy
For Rosewood Heights
Sanitary District Trustee
Billie D. Jacobs
JUDICIAL
Shall the board of Madison County correspond with the boards of other counties of Illinois, outside of Cook County, about the possibility of separating from Cook County to form a new state and to seek admission to the Union as such, subject to the approval of the people?
Shall the Board of Education of Staunton Community Unit School District Number 6, Macoupin and Madison Counties, Illinois, build, alter, repair and equip school buildings and facilities, including installing safety and security improvements, increasing accessibility with Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) compliance measures, renovating classrooms and other instructional areas and installing air conditioning in the District’s main gym, build and equip auxiliary gym and classroom additions to the Staunton High School Building and improve school sites, including relocating the bus parking area, and issue its bonds to the amount of $26,100,000 for the purpose of paying the costs thereof?
FEDERAL
For
Kamala
Donald
Robert
CONGRESSIONAL
ST. CLAIR COUNTY
- CANDIDATES - - PROPOSITIONS -
For County Board Member County Board District 16
C. J. Baricevic Democrat
For County Board Member County Board District 18
David B. Langford Democrat
EDUCATION
Board Member County Board District 6
Marty Crawford Democrat
For County Board Member County Board District 7
Courtney Moore Democrat
Jessica McClelland Republican
For County Board Member County Board District 7
Ken Easterley Democrat
For County Board Member County Board District 10
Scott Greenwald Democrat
David P. Loebner
Republican For County Board Member County Board District 11
Kenneth G. Sharkey Democrat
Michael O’Donnell Republican
For County Board Member County Board District 24
Kevin Dawson Republican
For County Board Member County Board District 27
Matthew Smallheer
Republican
For County Board of Review Member-at-Large
Amanda Warma
Democrat
Tyler Thompson Republican
For County Board of Review Member-at-Large
Irma G. Golliday
Democrat
Brian Triska
Republican
For Circuit Clerk
Kinnis Williams Sr.
Democrat
Cindi McDonald
Republican For Coroner
Dean Darnall
Democrat
Calvin Dye Sr.
Democrat
For Recorder
Michael P. Crockett Jr.
Democrat
Jason Madlock
Republican
For State’s Attorney
Jim Gomric
Republican
JUDICIAL
Andrew Gleeson
Chris Kolker
Should any candidate appearing on the Illinois ballot for federal, State, or local office be subject to civil penalties if the candidate interferes or attempts to interfere with an election worker’s official duties?
Should the Illinois Constitution be amended to create an additional 3% tax on income greater than $1,000,000 for the purpose of dedicating funds raised to property tax relief?
Should all medically appropriate assisted reproductive treatments, including, but not limited to, in vitro fertilization, be covered by any health insurance plan in Illinois that provides coverage for pregnancy benefits, without limitation on the number of treatments?
John O’Gara
ST. LOUIS COUNTY
- CANDIDATES -
FEDERAL
Donald
Kamala
Chase
Mike
Jill
Rudolph
CONGRESSIONAL
W. C.
Gregory
Democrat
Joe Pereles
Republican
Jeff Coleman
Libertarian For State Representative District 66
Marlene Terry
Democrat For State Representative District 67
Tonya Rush
Democrat For State Representative District 68
Kem Smith
Democrat
Stephanie Boykin
Democrat
Dustin Coffell
For State Representative District 75
Chanel Mosley Democrat
For State Representative District 83
Ray Reed
Democrat
Andrew Bolin
Republican
James Annala
Green
For State Representative District 85
Yolonda Fountain
Henderson
Democrat
For State Representative District 86
Jeff Hales
Democrat
For State Representative District 87
John Rommel
Republican
Connie Steinmetz
Democrat
For State Representative District 88
Holly Jones
Republican
John Kiehne
Democrat
For State Representative District 89
George Hruza
Republican
Eric Morse Democrat
For State Representative District 90
Scott Mathewson Republican
Mark Boyko Democrat
For State Representative District 95
Michael A. O’Donnell
Republican
Deb Langland Democrat
For State Representative District 96
Brad Christ Republican
Leslie Derrington
Democrat
For State Representative District 98
Carol Veillette
Republican
Jaclyn Zimmermann
Democrat
For State Representative District 99
Ian Mackey Democrat
For State Representative District 100
Philip Oehlerking
Republican
Colin Lovett
Democrat
For State Representative District 101
Ben Keathley
Republican Jacqueline Cotton
Democrat
For State Representative District 110
Justin Sparks Republican
Josh Thackston
Democrat
JUDICIAL
SHALL EACH OF THE PERSONS LISTED BE RETAINED IN OFFICE AS JUDGE OF JUDICIAL COURT NO. 21?
Brian May
Heather R. Cunningham
Jeffrey P. Medler
COUNTY BOARD
Libertarian For State Representative District 71
LaDonna Appelbaum
Democrat
Democrat For State Representative District 70
Doug Clemens
For State Representative District 72 For State Representative District 73
Raychel C. Proudie
Democrat
For State Representative District 74
Jack Howard
For State Representative District 91
For State Representative District 92
Kenneth Abram
Michael Burton Democrat
For State Representative District 93
Bridget Walsh Moore Democrat
James O’Donnell Libertarian
For State Representative District 94
Jim Murphy
Republican
Kyle W. Kerns
Democrat
For County Council District 2
Sudhir Rathod
Republican Gretchen Bangert Democrat
For County Council District 4
Rhonda Linders
Republican
Shalonda Webb Democrat
Theo Brown Sr. Libertarian
For County Council District 6
G. Michael Archer
Republican
Kevin Schartner
Democrat
Nicole S. Zellweger
David Lee Vincent
Stanley J. Wallach
John (J.B.) Lasater
ST. LOUIS COUNTY
- CANDIDATES -
Ellen H.
Megan H. Julian
- CITY PROPOSITIONS -
Shall the City of Bel-Ridge be authorized to amend its merchant, occupation, and business license fee structure to increase all existing flat rate fees by up to 25% of the current license fee amount?
Proposition S
Shall the Village of Hillsdale impose an annual fee of fifty dollars ($50.00) on residential property for the purpose of funding repairs of sewer lateral lines on residential property containing six (6) or fewer dwelling units?
Yes
Jason A. Denney
Daniel J. Kertz
Natalie P. Warner
John F. Newsham
OLIVETTE
Shall the City of Olivette ban all non-medical microbusiness dispensary facilities and comprehensive marijuana dispensary facilities from being located within the City of Olivette and forego any additional related local tax revenue?
1
Shall the City of Bella Villa be authorized to levy an ad valorem tax on real property in an amount not to exceed One Dollar per one hundred dollars of assessed valuation in order to maintain the level of services provided by the City?
U
Shall the City of Berkeley impose a local use tax at the same rate as the total local sales tax rate, provided that if the local sales tax rate is reduced or raised by voter approval, the local use tax rate shall also be reduced or raised by the same action?
Proposition U
Shall the City of Jennings, Missouri, impose a local use tax at the same rate as the total local sales tax rate, provided that if the local sales tax rate is reduced or raised by voter approval, the local use tax rate shall also be reduced or raised by the same action?
Yes No
Shall the Board of Directors of the Florissant Valley Fire Protection District be authorized to levy an additional tax of not more than twenty-five cents on the one hundred dollars of assessed valuation to provide funds for the support of the district to increase staffing to meet current and future growth and service demands for fire and emergency services?
Proposition R
WEST OVERLAND
Krista S. Peyton
Robert Heggie
M
Shall the City of Des Peres ban all non-medical microbusiness dispensary facilities and comprehensive marijuana dispensary facilities from being located within Des Peres and forgo any additional related local tax revenue?
Shall Section 3.13(a) of the Kirkwood Charter be amended to eliminate the City Attorney residency requirement, to read as follows: The council shall appoint an officer who shall have the title of City Attorney. The City Attorney shall be licensed to practice law in the State of Missouri.
Yes No
To keep pace with rising costs related to emergency medical response, fire protection and population growth of the district, shall the board of directors of the West Overland EMS and Fire Protection District be authorized to levy an additional tax of not more than fifty cents on the hundred dollars assessed valuation to provide funds for the support of the district?
M
Shall the City of Green Park, Missouri, impose an additional sales tax at a rate of three percent (3.0%) on all retail sales of adult use marijuana sold within the City?
Shall there be organized in the municipal boundaries of the City of Kirkwood, within the State of Missouri, a transportation development district, to be known as the Kirkwood CityWide Transportation Development District for the purpose of developing the following transportation project: the repair, rehabilitation, maintenance, enhancement, construction and reconstruction of the following, all as located within the City and/or the Downtown Kirkwood Special Business District: streets, alleys, roadways, sidewalks, curbs, and public parking that are owned, leased, or within dedicated easements maintained by the City, and be authorized to impose a transportation development district-wide sales tax at a rate of one-half of one percent (.50%) for a period of up to 15 years from the rate on which such tax is first imposed for the purpose of funding the transportation projects?
ST. LOUIS CITY
- CANDIDATES -
FEDERAL
For President and Vice President of the United States
Donald J. Trump
JD Vance
Republican
Kamala Harris
Tim Walz
Democrat
Chase Oliver
Mike Ter Maat
Libertarian
Jill Stein
Rudolph Ware Green
CONGRESSIONAL
For U.S. Senator
Josh Hawley
Republican
Lucas Kunce
Democrat
W. C. Young
Libertarian
Jared Young
Better
Nathan Kline
Green
For U.S. Representative
Representative District 1
Andrew Jones
Republican
Wesley Bell
Democrat
Rochelle A. Riggins
Libertarian
Blake Ashby
Better
Don Fitz Green
STATE
For Governor
Mike Kehoe
Republican
Crystal Quade Democrat
Bill Slantz
Libertarian
Paul Lehmann
Green
For Lieutenant Governor
Dave Wasinger
Republican
Richard Brown
Democrat
Ken Iverson
Libertarian
Danielle (Dani) Elliott Green
For Secretary of State
Denny Hoskins
Republican
Barbara Phifer
Democrat
Carl Herman Freese
Libertarian
Jerome Bauer Green
For Treasurer Vivek Malek
Republican
Mark Osmack
Democrat
John A. Hartwig Jr. Libertarian
Reagan Haase Green
For Attorney General Andrew Bailey Republican
Elad Jonathan Gross Democrat
Ryan L. Munro Libertarian
For State Senator District 5
Robert Vroman Republican Steve Roberts Democrat
For State Representative District 76
Marlon Anderson Democrat
Cameron McCarty Libertarian
For State Representative District 77
Kimberly-Ann Collins
Democrat
For State Representative District 78
Jim Povolish
Republican
Marty (Joe) Murray
Democrat
For State Representative District 79
Lakeysha Bosley
Democrat
For State Representative District 80
Kirk Hilzinger
Republican
Elizabeth (Lilly) Fuchs
Democrat
For State Representative District 81
Jake Koehr
Republican
Steve Butz
Democrat
For State Representative District 82
Donald W. Flecke
Republican
Nick Kimble
Democrat
For State Representative District 84
Richard (Ricky) Cowell
Del Taylor
Democrat
For Circuit Attorney
Gabe Gore
Democrat CITY
For Sheriff
Alfred Montgomery
Democrat
Joy Denise Dabney
Libertarian
For Treasurer
Jerry Vanderweir
Republican
Adam Layne
Democrat
Don De Vivo Green
JUDICIAL
SHALL EACH OF THE PERSONS LISTED BE RETAINED IN OFFICE AS JUDGE OF THE MISSOURI SUPREME COURT?
Kelly C. Broniec
Ginger K. Gooch
Yes No
SHALL EACH OF THE PERSONS LISTED BE RETAINED IN OFFICE AS JUDGE OF THE EASTERN DISTRICT COURT OF APPEALS?
Robert M. Clayton
Yes No
Gary M. Gaertner Yes No
Renee Hardin-Tammons
Yes No
Cristian M. Stevens
Yes No
Michael S. Wright
Yes No
SHALL EACH OF THE PERSONS LISTED BE RETAINED IN OFFICE AS CIRCUIT JUDGE OF JUDICIAL CIRCUIT NO. 22?
Theresa Counts Burke
Yes No
Lynne R. Perkins Yes No
Craig K. Higgins Yes No
Jason M. Sengheiser Yes No
Joan L. Moriarty Yes No
Michael W. Noble Yes No
Paula Perkins Bryant Yes No
Thomas Adrian McCarthy Yes No
SHALL EACH OF THE PERSONS LISTED BE RETAINED IN OFFICE AS ASSOCIATE CIRCUIT JUDGE OF JUDICIAL CIRCUIT NO. 22?
Nicole Colbert-Botchway Yes No
Catherine A. Dierker Yes No
Michael J. Colona Yes No
Rochelle Monea Woodiest Yes No
Shall the Charter of the City of St. Louis be amended to change the Department of Streets into a Department of Transportation with the authority and duty to maintain and repair public streets, sidewalks, alleys, bridges, streetlights, and traffic lights; to perform waste removal services; and to plan, engineer, and design City transportation projects and transportation programs relating to safe travel for all modes of transportation?
Shall Article XVI, Section 3, Paragraph 2 of the Charter of the City of St. Louis be changed to permit the Board of Aldermen to add or remove items in the appropriations proposed in the City of St. Louis’ annual budget ordinance and to increase, as well as decrease, the amount of any items in the appropriations proposed in the City of St. Louis’ annual budget ordinance without needing approval or consideration from the Board of Estimate and Apportionment. Any increase made to the amount of an item in the appropriations proposed in the City of St. Louis’ annual budget ordinance shall be offset by a reduction to an item or items in the appropriations proposed in the City of St. Louis’ annual budget ordinance in an amount that is equal to the amount of the increase. The proposed change shall not apply to items or amounts fixed by Missouri State Statute, or for the payment of principal or interest of the City’s debt, or for meeting obligations established by City ordinance.
Shall the City of St. Louis impose a fee of 3% of the nightly rate on short-term rentals, to be paid quarterly by Short Term Rental operator, by both Occupied Short-Term Rental and NonOccupied Short Term Rental properties, with at least 50% of such proceeds to be deposited in the Affordable Housing Trust Fund and the remaining such proceeds to fund other affordable housing initiatives such as relocation assistance or counsel eviction defense provided by the Department of Human Services to prevent homelessness, and promote and advance affordable housing in the City of St. Louis?
In order to make the City of St. Louis more effective in the enforcement of laws pertaining to vacant and deteriorated property, shall the City of St. Louis Charter be amended to add an exception to the $500 maximum fine for ordinances relating to vacant and non-owner-occupied deteriorated property?
Yes No
ST. CHARLES COUNTY
- CANDIDATES -
For Secretary of State
FEDERAL
For President and Vice President of the United States
Donald J. Trump
JD Vance Republican
Kamala Harris
Tim Walz
Democrat
Chase Oliver
Mike Ter Maat
Libertarian
Jill Stein
Rudolph Ware Green
CONGRESSIONAL
For U.S. Senator
Josh Hawley Republican
Lucas Kunce
W. C. Young
Libertarian
Jared Young Better
Nathan Kline Green
For U.S. Representative
Representative District 2
Ann Wagner
Republican
Ray Hartmann
Democrat
Brandon Daugherty
Libertarian
Davis
For U.S. Representative
Representative District 3
Bob Onder
Republican
Bethany E. Mann
Democrat
Jordan Rowden
Libertarian
William Hastings Green
Mike Kehoe
Republican
Crystal Quade Democrat
Bill Slantz
Libertarian
Paul Lehmann Green
For Lieutenant Governor
Dave Wasinger
Republican
Richard Brown
Democrat
Ken Iverson
Libertarian
Danielle (Dani)
Denny Hoskins
Republican
Barbara Phifer Democrat
Carl Herman Freese
Libertarian Jerome Bauer
Malek Republican Mark Osmack
Democrat John A. Hartwig Jr. Libertarian Reagan Haase
L. Munro
State Senator District 23 Adam Schnelting
Williams
For State Representative District 63
Tricia K. Byrnes
Roberson
For State Representative District 64
Deanna Self
Republican
For State Representative District 65
Wendy L. Hausman
Republican For State Representative District 69
Scott A. Miller
Republican
Chris Chapman Democrat
For State Representative District 102 Richard William West
Republican
Alex Hissong
Democrat
For State Representative District 103
Dave Hinman
Republican
Amanda Taylor Democrat
For State Representative District 104
Tara L. Murray Democrat
For State Representative District 105
Colin Wellenkamp Republican
For Circuit Judge Circuit 11 Division 3
Erin S. Burlison Republican
For Circuit Judge Circuit 11 Division 4
For State Representative District 106
Travis Wilson Republican
Rod Odenthal Democrat Karen Edge Democrat
For State Representative District 107
Mark Matthiesen
Republican
Matthew Thornhill Republican
For Circuit Judge Circuit 11 Division 5
Chris McDonough Republican
For Circuit Judge Circuit 11 Division 7
Dwayne Johnson Republican
For Circuit Judge Circuit 11 Division 13
For State Representative District 108
Mike Costlow Republican
Gary Wester Democrat Susan Shumway Democrat
Patrick Andrew Miller Green
JUDICIAL
Ginger K. Gooch
Gwendolyn Goeke
For Circuit Judge Circuit 11 Division 14 Lawrence (Larry) Chrum
SHALL EACH OF THE PERSONS LISTED BE RETAINED IN OFFICE AS JUDGE OF THE EASTERN DISTRICT COURT OF APPEALS?
Robert M. Clayton
Gary M. Gaertner
Renee Hardin-Tammons
Cristian M. Stevens
Michael S. Wright
COUNTY BOARD
Council District 2
Council District 4 Dave
For County Council District 6
Patti
PROTECTION DISTRICT BE AUTHORIZED TO LEVY AN ADDITIONAL THIRTY-ONE ($0.31) CENT TAX PER ONE HUNDRED DOLLARS ASSESSED VALUATION FOR THE GENERAL FUND, IN ORDER TO PROVIDE FAMILIES AND BUSINESSES WITH ENHANCED LIFE-SAVING MEDICAL SERVICES WHICH MEET AND ADHERE TO THE NATIONAL STANDARD OF CARE AS IT PERTAINS TO PROVIDING ADVANCED LIFE SUPPORT (ALS) SERVICES, TO PROVIDE FUNDING TO SUSTAIN EMERGENCY OPERATIONS AND RETAIN QUALIFIED AND EXPERIENCED FIREFIGHTERS/PARAMEDICS?
IN ORDER TO KEEP PACE WITH THE RISING COSTS OF GOODS AND SERVICES RELATED TO PROVIDING FIRE PROTECTION AND EMERGENCY MEDICAL RESPONSE, REDUCED REVENUE, AND RISING CALL VOLUME, SHALL THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS OF THE COTTLEVILLE COMMUNITY FIRE PROTECTION DISTRICT BE AUTHORIZED TO LEVY AN ADDITIONAL TAX OF NOT MORE THAN TWELVE CENTS PER ONE HUNDRED DOLLARS ASSESSED VALUATION TO PROVIDE FUNDS FOR THE SUPPORT OF THE DISTRICT?
MISSOURI AMENDMENTS
- CONSTITUTIONAL AMENDMENTS -
2
Do you want to amend the Missouri Constitution to:
- Allow the Missouri Gaming Commission to regulate licensed sports wagering including online sports betting, gambling boats, professional sports betting districts and mobile licenses to sports betting operators;
- Restrict sports betting to individuals physically located in the state and over the age of 21;
- Allow license fees prescribed by the Commission and a 10% wagering tax on revenues received to be appropriated for education after expenses incurred by the Commission and required funding of the Compulsive Gambling Prevention Fund; and
- Allow for the general assembly to enact laws consistent with this amendment?
State governmental entities estimate onetime costs of $660,000, ongoing annual costs of at least $5.2 million, and initial license fee revenue of $11.75 million. Because the proposal allows for deductions against sports gaming revenues, they estimate unknown tax revenue ranging from $0 to $28.9 million annually. Local governments estimate unknown revenue.
3
Do you want to amend the Missouri Constitution to:
- Establish a right to make decisions about reproductive health care, including abortion and contraceptives, with any governmental interference of that right presumed invalid;
- Remove Missouri’s ban on abortion;
- Allow regulation of reproductive health care to improve or maintain the health of the patient;
- Require the government not to discriminate, in government programs, funding, and other activities, against persons providing or obtaining reproductive health care; and
- Allow abortion to be restricted or banned after Fetal Viability except to protect the life or health of the woman?
State governmental entities estimate no costs or savings, but unknown impact. Local governmental entities estimate costs of at least $51,000 annually in reduced tax revenues. Opponents estimate a potentially significant loss to state revenue.
5
Do you want to amend the Missouri Constitution to:
- Allow the Missouri Gaming Commission to issue one additional gambling boat license to operate on the portion of the Osage River from the Missouri River to the Bagnell Dam;
- Require the prescribed location shall include artificial spaces that contain water and are within 500 feet of the 100-year base flood elevation as established by the Federal Emergency Management Agency; and
- Require all state revenues derived from the issuance of the gambling boat license shall be appropriated to early-childhood literacy programs in public institutions of elementary education?
State governmental entities estimate one-time costs of $763,000, ongoing costs of $2.2 million annually, initial fee revenue of $271,000, ongoing admission and other fee revenue of $2.1 million annually, and annual gaming tax revenue of $14.3 million. Local governments estimate unknown revenue.
Shall the Missouri Constitution be amended to preserve funding of law enforcement personnel for the administration of justice?
State and local governmental entities estimate an unknown fiscal impact.
7
Shall the Missouri Constitution be amended to:
- Make the Constitution consistent with state law by only allowing citizens of the United States to vote;
- Prohibit the ranking of candidates by limiting voters to a single vote per candidate or issue; and
- Require the plurality winner of a political party primary to be the single candidate at a general election? State and local governmental entities estimate no costs or savings.
PROPOSITION A
Do you want to amend Missouri law to:
- Increase minimum wage January 1, 2025 to $13.75 per hour, increasing $1.25 per hour each year until 2026, when the minimum wage would be $15.00 per hour;
- Adjust minimum wage based on changes in the Consumer Price Index each January beginning in 2027;
- Require all employers to provide one hour of paid sick leave for every thirty hours worked;
- Allow the Department of Labor and Industrial Relations to provide oversight and enforcement; and
- Exempt governmental entities, political subdivisions, school districts and education institutions?
State governmental entities estimate onetime costs ranging from $0 to $53,000, and ongoing costs ranging from $0 to at least $256,000 per year by 2027. State and local government tax revenue could change by an unknown annual amount depending on business decisions.
Atmosphere
Navigating polarization improves quality of political discussions
MICHAL KATE CASTLEMAN online editor
The approaching election can cause difficult conversations for Americans. Finding compromise and understanding within conversations could lead to more fruitful dialogue.
Student Body Vice President Lucia Knapp, a junior political science major, said she prefers to tactfully approach the conversation when involved in a political discussion.
“You never know the other person’s views, or even sometimes, your own [views] and how they will change within that conversation,” Knapp said. “I usually try to stay tactful and emotionally sensitive and policy-focused, instead of character-focused whenever it comes to politicians.”
Knapp said staying policy-focused involves highlighting what politicians have done in the past that may be detrimental or beneficial to support the conversation.
Senior mechatronics and robotics major Liam McGuire is the president of SIUE’s Turning Point USA, a national conservative organization on college campuses. McGuire said his approach to political conversations is to have an open mind.
“When someone disagrees
with me politically, it’s not the end-all-be-all,” McGuire said. “It’s okay [that] this person has a different viewpoint than me. We all get different beliefs from certain viewpoints of life. We’ve all had different walks [of life], [so] I always try to understand where they’re coming from.”
Student Senator for the School of Education, Health and Human Behavior Nicholas Young, a senior psychology major, said acknowledging and understanding another person’s perspective can improve difficult discussions. To fully understand people’s viewpoints and perspectives, Young said he likes to ask structured questions.
“It’s about really listening,” Young said. “It’s about trying to make a connection instead of proving our own point.”
Young said viewing others as an “out-group,” or someone outside of your circle, can obstruct our dialogue about politics.
“It feels like you have to be either one side or the other,” Young said. “There’s not a spectrum where you can be leaning towards one side, but still have similar opinions [to the other side].”
Young said people often do not lean to the extreme side of their political stance. Instead, he said people can share similar opinions, but resonate with one
particular group.
“Thinking of people as ‘the other side’ definitely makes discussions more difficult and harmful,” Young said. “I think that when we view others through the lens of an outgroup, we tend to think everyone in that group thinks the same way, which fuels stereotypes and deepens that division.”
Young said oversimplifying groups will make it harder to empathize and engage with others respectfully.
“I think it’s important to separate people from the problem,” Young said. “Relationships shouldn’t be conflated with the issues that are handed to them. Rather than seeing the party as one and taking personal attacks, people in that kind of conversation should maintain respect.”
Knapp said the nation’s two-party system can strain conversations about politics.
“It’s kind of like ‘you’re on my side or you’re against me,’” Knapp said. “I think that has definitely pitted people against each other and put them automatically on the defensive whenever it comes to conversations like these. That’s why I try to stay emotionally sensitive — you don’t know where they’re coming from.”
McGuire said in discussions, people need to still view each
other as human beings. He said people not coming together to have better conversations has led to loss of friendships.
“We shouldn’t define people in our friendships and characterize them based on a decision they make every four years,” McGuire said. “We’re all human beings. Having a disagreement is not the end of the world, it just means you have different perspectives.”
McGuire said people are not willing to hear other perspectives, creating conflict within conversations.
“Because of the polarization and the divide, we aren’t willing to hear people out,” McGuire said. “We’re so busy trying to get a ‘gotcha’ or interrupting. We’re so focused on what we want to say. We’re not listening and soaking in what they’re saying to us.”
Knapp said social media hinders political conversations due to built-in algorithms. Because people only see what they interact with, she said people are never exposed to different viewpoints.
“You won’t get to put yourself in the other side’s shoes,” Knapp said. “You think everyone sees the world through your same rose-colored glasses, versus taking a step back to see the other side.”
McGuire said he believes
social media misinforms people about candidates. He said conducting your own research by looking at both sides of an issue is a better way to stay informed.
Knapp said she reads publications such as The Wall Street Journal, The New York Times, The Washington Post, The Guardian and NPR to educate herself on issues.
“I think to have more fruitful discussions, people honestly need to be better educated about the issues,” Knapp said. “I definitely think [reading the news] would be more beneficial for students, or people in general, who are looking to formulate their own opinions.”
While researching political topics may be daunting, Young said it is crucial to engage in discussions with others and listen to what different political parties are discussing.
“No party is going to be perfect,” Young said. “Educating yourself on the pros and cons and deciding which way is not just best for you, but for your community and those around you — I think that’s the way you should go.”
Young said Student Government hosts Sustained Dialogue meetings through the Kimmel Engaging and Belonging Center, which can help inform students about election topics. For more information, visit its website.
Voter fraud: ‘Dangerous consequences in our democracy’
AUBREE NOLES reporter
The recent surge of attention placed on voter fraud has many Americans worried about the outcome of the 2024 election, creating a distrustful political environment.
Voter fraud refers to the unlawful interference with the election process, which is an occurrence that Political Science Interim Chair Laurie Rice said is extremely rare.
“Over the last 40 years, the number of documented cases of voter fraud is somewhere around 2,000 incidents,” Rice said. “Compare that to the number of votes cast in every single election over that time period … It’s [an extremely low] rate of voter fraud.”
Despite no evidence of widespread voter fraud found in the 2020 presidential election, a new NPR/PBS News/ Marist Poll conducted earlier this month reveals 58 percent of Americans say they are either very concerned or concerned that voter fraud will occur
this year.
Elle Woodman, sophomore and recent transfer, said she is concerned about the potential impact voter fraud could have on elections.
“I think it’s really important,” Woodman said. “It can really affect who comes in as president or who is running the country.”
Sophomore Student Senator for CAS David Ferrier said he believes voter fraud is a substantial issue within our democracy.
“I think, in a democratic system, it’s a very severe problem,” Ferrier said. “I think the most important thing, especially [for] us as students, is to stay educated so that we can avoid situations that might lead to [voter fraud].”
Rice said a reason for the increased belief is that people often seclude themselves in bubbles with other like-minded individuals.
“If that’s the case, they might be really surprised by an election outcome because they don’t know anybody who voted for the person,” Rice said. “That doesn’t mean that no one voted for them. It might be that a majority voted for that individual,
but if they don’t know anyone who voted for them, sometimes people might suspect fraud.”
When voter fraud is attempted, Rice said it is usually shut down immediately before it can have any real effect.
“There are a lot of precau-
tions in place that if someone does attempt voter fraud, they get caught pretty quickly and easily,” Rice said. Rice said the biggest impact of voter fraud isn’t seen within the ballots themselves, but rather in the distrust the ideology promotes.
“There is a substantial portion of the public that believes it’s far more common than it is,” Rice said. “That leads to distrust in election outcomes and also distrust of election officials, and that can have dangerous consequences in our democracy.”
AUDREY O’RENIC sports editor
Opinion
Fresh faces, new ideas: Term limits are crucial for dynamic leadership
THE ALESTLE STAFF editorial board
Term limits are essential, as they prevent the concentration of power in one individual and encourage fresh ideas and perspectives.
Term limits have been a major point of contention for many Americans, with approximately 82 percent supporting their enforcement.
When discussing term limits, it’s important to consider the age factor. You wouldn’t want someone who’s been in office for 15 years before you were born to continue serving as you enter adulthood.
Society is constantly changing, and as more people enter government positions, the more diverse laws and bills will become, ensuring we keep up with the current social climate.
A perfect example of this is Sen. Chuck Grassley. He
was first elected into office in 1975 and still holds a seat in the Senate. He is still serving our country at 91 years old — 47 years of holding a powerful position.
To give some perspective, this means Grassley was in office when cable news first emerged in the United States. Considering that cable is almost non-existent now, that is concerning.
The height of his political career took place in a much different atmosphere than the one we are faced with now. This applies to many in the Senate. Grassley is only one of the many elected officials who have represented us over multiple decades. According to the Pew Research Center, the median age of voting House lawmakers is 57.9 years, while the Senate’s median is 65.3 years. Combining the terms of the op 5 longest serving congress members gives a total of 216 years. HAVE A COMMENT?
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It’s important to recognize the disconnect between us and the current members serving in the Senate and Congress. While it’s valuable to have older representatives who can be a voice for their generation, they shouldn’t be the only voices. We have little way of relating to them, and vice versa.
Older members of Congress and the Senate are enacting laws that won’t affect them in the future, highlighting the need for term limits and new leadership to ensure fair and future-focused policies for us.
Don’t get out of line: You should
CHLOE WOLFE lifestyles editor
We put a lot of focus into the presidential candidates, but the other people and ballot measures we’re voting on this November have a much larger effect on our lives.
Not only should we pay attention to local elections and our local representatives, but we should also be voting in those elections.
In 2020, 66 percent of the voting-eligible population voted in the general election. In 2022 — a midterm year — only 46 percent of the population voted. Although the amount of people voting in these elections had more participation compared to previous years, there is a clear difference in participation between the two elections.
During the 2022 election, important things were decided. In Illinois, Governor J.B. Pritzker and Sen. Tammy Duckworth were re-elected. A vote was also held to amend the State Constitution regarding workers’ rights.
Along with these choices, many counties also voted for their sheriff and oth-
er local representatives, like school board members and city council members.
These things affect Illinoisans’ everyday lives. Pritzker signs bills into law, such as a recent law making it a civil rights violation for employers to discriminate against employees based on their familial responsibilities.
But the people we voted into office to represent our counties at the State Senate and House of Representatives initially passed this bill and gave it to Pritzker to sign into law.
On a local level, city officials like school board and city council members decide how state and federal grants are spent to upkeep our schools and cities.
In 2019, the Edwardsville City Council passed an ordinance requiring that stores charge 10 cents for every plastic bag used. This ordinance affects us anytime we purchase something in a store, and it was decided by people the city voted for.
Missouri residents also elected state and local officials in 2022 who have made influential decisions. Not only did they
The framers of the Constitution did not want “career politicians.” They intended to have people from all walks of life serve their temporary amount of time.
We have term limits for the presidency, established by the 22nd Amendment. So, why would we make an exception for those serving directly under them?
Term limits are a crucial step toward a more fair and effective government that truly serves its citizens.
be voting in local elections
vote on representatives, but they also voted on an amendment that legalized cannabis usage in the state.
If we are deciding on these types of measures in years when over half of the voting population does not vote, does it truly represent what citizens want?
The general election is not the only important election. We need to build up the habit of voting so that we have a say in how our government runs. The democratic system is nothing without the people it represents, so we should be actively going out and voting for the people we want to see representing us.
According to Pew Research Center, about 51 percent of Americans are thinking about abortion as a driving force behind
their vote. While the president ca n have sway in what happens on topics like these, following the overturning of Roe v. Wade in 2022, the issue of abortion has mostly been left up to states. This is another instance of local elections being important.
Along with voting for the president this year, Missouri will be voting on whether or not to legalize abortion with Amendment 3.
Before you go to the polls, look up your ballot. Research the people you will be voting for, and research the ballot measures you will also be voting on. Build up the habit of participating in your civic duty, and ensu re that your voice is heard on more things than just the president.
BRANDI SPANN Opinion Editor
SAM MUREN Managing Editor
DYLAN HEMBROUGH Editor-in-Chief
AUDREY O’RENIC Sports Editor
CHLOE WOLFE Lifestyles Editor
HANNAH
Why Everyone Should Vote
Chloe Wolfe Special Guest: Laurie Rice
What do you look for in a presidential candidate?
“I look for someone who is willing to tell the truth — looking out for our human rights for every individual in America ... a candidate who shows the passion of progress.”
ELLA LAWRENCE she/her Junior | Mass Communications Maryland Heights, Missouri
“In a presidential candidate, I look for somebody with character — somebody who’s concerned with Americans’ well-being, and not so much everybody else’s … A president who’s putting Americans first right now.”
TRELLE HALL he/him
Sophomore | Electrical Engineering Chicago, Illinois
“What I look for in a presidential candidate is somebody who’s not just going to talk about it, somebody who’s going to be about it ... Someone who is caring about what’s going to look good for the community and the economy.”
LAUREN MORGAN she/her Senior | Criminal Justice Chicago, Illinois
DYLAN HEMBROUGH editor-in-chief
In the past, anyone could come up with a conspiracy theory. While this is still true today, conspiracies have taken on a much more dangerous form in the age of social media.
Parts of the southeastern U.S. were devastated by two major hurricanes, Helene and Milton, a couple of weeks ago.
Some members of the Republican Party in Congress, including ardent Trump supporter Marjorie Taylor-Greene, have claimed that “they” — presumably the Democrats — created these hurricanes to harm the South, which generally leans conservative.
This would be just another wacky conspiracy if it weren’t for two major things: a member of Congress is peddling it, and it has resulted in threats of violence.
It is true that misinformation, to a
“I’m looking for someone who’s going to favor medical staff and hospitals in general and also, as someone who’s a minority, a presidential candidate who’s gonna support my people and people like me.”
DIAMOND GLADNEY she/her
Sophomore | Nursing St. Louis, Missouri
“When I look for a presidential candidate, I look for a leader and someone who listens to the people — someone who’s making sure that everything is running smoothly.”
DESANI SUTTON she/her
Freshman | Nursing Belleville, Illinois
“I look for someone who advocates for the LGBTQ+ community and women’s rights.”
ELLA ACKMAN she/her
Senior | Graphic Design BFA Frederick, Illinois
Conspiracies add fuel to the dumpster fre
degree, is protected by the First Amendment. What isn’t protected is speech that incites violence, or “fighting words.”
Federal Emergency Management Agency workers on the ground in these
This is what many of these theories boil down to: cherry-picked coincidences rearranged to ft a predetermined narrative.
Dylan Hembrough Editor-in-Chief
states, like Tennessee and North Carolina, have reported being harassed and threatened by armed groups.
Some Republicans, like Trump, have bashed the Biden administration for supposedly spending federal aid to house
migrants instead of delegating it to these areas — claims which have been proven untrue. Others, like Taylor-Greene, have attempted to block that very same aid.
Accusations are sometimes confessions — when Donald Trump was president, he withheld federal aid from states that voted Democratic, according to an ex-staffer.
The left is not immune to conspiracies either. After the attempted assassination of former President Donald Trump, theories circulated quickly on the internet speculating that it was a ruse.
The core of this theory is that the shooting was staged in an attempt to boost Trump’s approval ratings, which historically has been the case for presidential candidates who survived assassination attempts.
Scrolling through social media and online forums, I’ve seen claims that the shooter was “too close to miss” and that Trump used a razor blade to simulate
a bullet wound. These claims resonated with many on the left, and the conspiracy bloomed within minutes of the attempted assassination.
The sheer amount of coordination — and luck — to accomplish this on live TV is unthinkable.
This is what many of these theories boil down to: cherry-picked coincidences rearranged to fit a predetermined narrative. It is a fact that Thomas Matthew Crooks nearly assassinated Donald Trump.
It is the voter’s duty to be informed and seek out the truth. It is the politician’s duty to accurately represent the American people, not manipulate them.
Read news from multiple sources and fact-check. If something seems amiss, do some research and think critically about what it is you’re being told. Staying in the echo chamber is how radicalization happens, and it can happen quickly.
Stay tuned: Where you get your news matters this election season
BRANDI SPANN opinion editor
The rise of social media has changed how Americans find their news — and how reliable news actually has evolved.
According to the Pew Research Center, in 2024, 58 percent of adults report “often” using digital devices as their main source of news, and 91 percent of adults aged 18-29 get their news “at least sometimes” from digital devices.
Of the same age group, only 18 percent use print publications “at least sometimes.”
While the way people consume news has changed, so has the news.
The shift from objective reporting to independent information-sharing is a relatively new phenomenon.
Laurie Rice is a professor and interim chair of the political science department. She gets her news from a variety of national and international sources like the Associated Press, BBC, ABC, CBS and NBC.
they began to observe potential profit in catering to a particular political audience.
“[News channels] didn’t just have news shows with journalists who were trying to be objective, but they started to have all of these entertainment shows where hosts have political perspectives,” Rice said. “Often, those sorts of shows are cheaper to produce than to hire a bunch of skilled journalists to go out and tell the news.”
Mark Poepsel is a professor of mass communications. He is currently writing a textbook on media writing that emphasizes accuracy.
“If you’re going to talk to mass audiences, you first and foremost need to not be somebody who shares false information,” Poepsel said.
Poepsel said that people often want to confirm the biases they have. Social media outlets sometimes take advantage of this for profit.
“The media landscape has changed dramatically over the last two to three decades, and so a lot of Americans’ — especially older Americans’ — media literacy skills are based on a very different media environment where most sources were using an objective reporting model, where most sources could be trusted,” Rice said.
“We’ve seen an explosion of different types of sources and no clear education about how to navigate those,” Rice said.
Rice said that 30 years ago, cable channels were taking an objective approach to reporting. But, in the early 2000s,
“You can’t just blame people for bias confirmation, because algorithms are designed to feed you what you already like. Our entire social media system is built around keeping people viewing and consuming,” Poepsel said.
Poepsel said that people need to verify the news that they are consuming and sharing. This applies to news outlets as well.
“It bugs me when mass media professionals … make a product out of everything, including our politics, so that it becomes a game to be covered and keeps people excited,” Poepsel said. “Social media is doing a better job at keeping people’s attention, that being something that commercial mass media have been trying to do forever.”
Anushiya Ramaswamy is a professor in the Department of English. She does not use social media, and she does not have a television in her home. She gets her news from The Atlantic, The New Yorker and The New York Times through email newsletters and physical print.
“Fundamental literacy is crucial to a democracy,” Ramaswamy said. “People are reading, but they’re reading in different forms. Even if no one is getting the newspaper delivered in their home and opening up those sheets and reading it, it does not mean that people are not reading news.”
Ramaswamy said that literacy and critical thinking are especially important during an election year. She said that public education has been under attack for the past decade, limiting what can be taught and talked about in schools.
Critical race theory has recently been a topic of debate, as states are banning conversation about racism and sexism from classrooms.
These issues are part of a modern culture war against “wokeness” — a sometimes derogatory term for a concern for social justice and discrimination.
“Anytime you have a population that is disregarding the value of knowledge and the value of learning, systematically, how the world functions and teaching the value of that to their children … when a society does not do that, I think that is very dangerous,” Ramaswamy said.
“An uninformed population then becomes a docile population,” Ramaswamy said. “That allows for governments that are oppressive and allows for true democracy to be imperiled.”
Ramaswamy said that she’s worried about conspiracy theo-
media but it’s different and it tells you its biases
allsides is a website dedicated to telling consumers the biases present in media
to find out if the news you consume is slanted, and which news sites are middle ground, scan this qr code
ries and their grasp on the public.
“Somebody is able to propose a particular narrative — a bogus narrative — and have that take off because certain ideological components in those narratives fit in with what we find seductive,” Ramaswamy said.
Ramaswamy said that social media allows for a variety of voices to be represented, creating a more sophisticated, civilly engaged and democratic world. Lucia Knapp is the student body vice president and a political science major. She gets her news from The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, The Washington Post, The Guardian and NPR.
Knapp recommends that students subscribe to mailing lists from reliable news corporations.
“You can get little blurbs emailed to you. You don’t have to go looking on the website every day, and it’s like the newspaper is showing up on your doorstep. The news is still coming to you, and it’s still gonna be about stuff that’s happening and relevant,” Knapp said.
She said that she uses the website AllSides — a website dedicated to avoiding bias and providing balanced news — to check that she’s properly practicing media literacy when reading the news.
“I think it is important to have a truthfully educated public. I think it’s important, especially when it comes to politics, because without knowing what you’re voting for, then is your vote really counting for what you want it to?” Knapp said.
Editor’s note: Alestle Program Director Tammy Merrett is an editor of Poepsel’s media writing textbook.
Social media now a permanent fixture in election campaigns
AUDREY O’RENIC
sports editor
From Barack Obama being dubbed “the first social media president” to Kamala Harris’ “brat summer,” social media has cultivated a public sphere where debates and discussions shape voters’ decisions in real time.
DIRECTLY COMMUNICATES TO THE PUBLIC
In recent years, social media platforms have revolutionized the way political figures interact with citizens. Social media enables politicians to communicate and connect with the public personally. English Professor Anushiya Ramaswamy said this starkly contrasts with traditional news outlets.
“There is a whole team of people who would be checking the sources, who would be providing, at multiple levels, a way to see that the story is as factual as possible,” Ramaswamy said. “On social media, anyone can tell a story.”
In the 2008 presidential election, former President Obama became the first candidate of a major party to utilize social media to expand his campaign and subsequently earned the title of “the first social media president.”
During his presidency, Obama directly communicated with his audience through public forums on Twitter, now known as X. Before his 2012 re-election, he participated in “Twitter Presents Town-
hall at the White House,” moderated by Twitter co-founder Jack Dorsey. Dorsey said afterward that Twitter received over 110,000 #AskObama tweets. Obama’s community-building efforts landed him among the world’s most followed social media users and paved the way for future election engagement.
Facilitates information and disinformation
The rate and speed at which social media facilitates information is unmatched compared to traditional media outlets. Engaging with these posts inadvertently allows information to be seen, shared and disseminated far more than news content that lacks the same reach.
While the practice is crucial, it can also harbor the risk of misinformation and disinformation. Fake news stories can spread just as quickly — or sometimes even faster — than factual information. This makes it difficult for users to distinguish truth from falsehoods, especially when “facts” come straight from a candidate.
Social media platforms have long struggled with this issue.
In 2016, the Russia-based Internet Research Agency attempted to sabotage the presidential election in favor of Donald Trump by creating thousands of false social media accounts to promote positive information on Trump and negative information on Hillary Clinton.
A Special Counsel investigation in May of 2017 concluded that the Russian
interference violated U.S. criminal law and the integrity of the election, tightening social media political regulation. One such effort was introduced in 2019 by Instagram, which uses third-party fact-checkers across the globe to flag false information.
Despite these efforts, conspiracy theories still manage to flourish. Hurricanes Helene and Milton, which recently devastated thousands of Americans, have been subjected to theories across social media.
“The conspiracy theories are kind of proposing that the hurricane was created by [the government],” Ramaswamy said. “I mean, what kind of a person would believe this … and you realize, ‘Oh, lots of people are believing it.’ So, each time a new conspiracy theory is on the horizon, and they come one after another — that’s when I’m worried.”
Encourages participation among voters
Younger generations are becoming more involved in politics due to an increased political atmosphere on social media, with the influence of TikTok argued to have increased voter participation for Generation Z.
When news of a Trump re-election rally broke out on social media in 2020, TikTok users banded together to purchase tickets to the Oklahoma rally. With an influx in numbers, Trump took to X, formally known as Twitter.
“Almost One Million people request tickets for the Saturday Night Rally in
Tulsa, Oklahoma,” Trump posted.
Only around 6,200 seats were filled. In a turn of events, TikTok “trolled” Trump in response to his attempt to ban the app. Despite the atypical approach, the rally demonstrated to young voters that their civic engagement was impactful. With the aid of social media, Gen Z can be more empowered to participate like coordinating actions and voicing concerns. According to the U.S. Census, 2020’s general election marked one of the highest youth voting rates in recent history. Amplifies otherwise unheard voices
With a phone in most Americans’ back pockets, access to political discussion is easier than ever.
“You hear voices that [haven’t] gotten any traction or representation being heard now,” Ramaswamy said. “Those voices may not be the voices that I would like to hear, but in a democracy, they also need to be heard.” Ramaswamy said that these amplified voices are a good thing for democracy.
“It’s good to be able to present our point of view and be willing to listen to what the other person is saying, and be exposed to experiences that I would otherwise never have a chance to experience,” Ramaswamy said. “At the same time, value the election. Value the kind of structures that we have in place in a civic society for that to happen.”