the little hawk Iowa City, IA
Vol. 81
December 18, 2020
Issue 2
thelittlehawk.com
Quick NEWS The newspaper that leads
back online Due to COVID-19 rates rising above 10% in Iowa City, the ICCSD temporarily moved all classes back online which started November 16, suspending the hybrid model until rates go back down.
ABOVE: The ballot drop box outside of the Johnson County Auditor’s Office. PHOTO BY REBECCA MICHAELLI
The closest race in the nation By Rebecca Michaelli
T
he 2020 November election was historic for a number of reasons, and the race to represent Iowa’s second Congressional District in the United States House of Representatives was no different. Mariannette Miller-Meeks (R) and Rita Hart (D) entered the race to replace Congressman Dave Loebsack (D), who is retiring after serving since 2007. After multiple recount requests from both campaigns, the Iowa State Election Board certified Miller-Meeks as the Congresswoman-elect. The congressional race was the closest national race in 2020 and one of the closest congressional races in modern history; it was decided by only six votes. “2020 has been such an unusual year, and I guess this must just be in keeping with how unusual 2020 is. We expected that this was going to be a very close race, but I don’t believe anybody on either side expected it to be this close,” Eric Woolson, communications consultant and spokesman for the Miller-Meeks campaign said. November 4, the morning after the election, Miller-Meeks had a total of 196,773 votes, with Hart’s total being 196,487. Jasper and Lucas counties then reported an error of vote counts for the Congressional race. Because of the miscounts that occured, and how close the results appeared, all 24 counties in Iowa’s second Congressional District began the recount process. If the results of a race are within one percent, candidates may request a recount to take place without needing to put up a bond to cover the cost. “We’re in a weird situation with this recount. This is only the second time it’s happened since I’ve been here for eight years. The first time was just a small University Heights recount, but in this case @instalittlehawk
we’re recounting 84,000 ballots, “They’re looking for under and every single one. It’s kind of over- over votes. An under vote means whelming,” Travis Weipert, John- somebody may have written in a son County auditor said. name in the write-in line but didn’t After the initial results of fill in the oval, so the machine the Congressional race were an- would not have caught that. An nounced, many organizers im- over vote would be that somebody mediately began curing ballots, filled in the oval on the write-in reaching out to people who voted line, and also wrote [the candiprovisionally, where there were date’s name]. The machine would questions about a ballot or voter’s say, ‘this doesn’t count, they voted eligibility. This is legal in Iowa if twice,’” Weipert said. the ballot was cast before polls It is up to each county to declose. Nick O’Connell worked as a cide if they will conduct a recount political field organizer for the Bat- through a machine or by hand. tleground Iowa campaign in Jasper Most counties opted for a machine County, working to elect Demo- recount, while some combined cratic candidates up and down the machine and hand recounts, Scott ticket. County using the term “hybrid ap“It felt like there was no break proach.” after November 3, we right away “We ran all these ballots got a sense that it was going to be through our high speed tabulator a very close on Election race. When Day. When “We expected that this was I realized they’re done that all this run going to be a very close race, being was happenthrough, ing in Jasper but I don’t believe anybody on they go into [County], I boxes, sealed felt like I had either side expected it to be this that can’t to keep dobe opened close.” ing this until unless someERIC WOOLSON the end. It thing like SPOKESMAN FOR THE MILLER-MEEKS CAMPAIGN felt like I had this happens not finished or a judge my job yet for the candidates that I orders us to do so,” Weipert exwas working for,” O’Connell said. plained. “In this case, we’re re“Being an organizer, then on this opening every single one. We have other side of the race was definite- to run every single ballot through ly different. It felt much more like again and then we hand those balwhat a Voter Protection team was lots over to the three board memdoing.” bers, and they go through it by To ensure both parties agree on, hand.” and are satisfied with the recount According to CNBC, the proprocess, each political candidate jected total votes in the United is allowed to pick a representative States reached record high numfrom their campaign in each coun- bers of ballots cast since the year ty to serve on a recount board. 1900, with at least 159.8 million Once both have chosen their rep- Americans voting. Just over 136.6 resentative, a third person is mutu- million votes were cast in the 2016 ally agreed upon. In all 24 counties Presidential election. The state of where recounts occurred, both par- Iowa also reached its highest votties agreed on an unaffiliated third er turnout record, with almost 1.7 party. million Iowans casting ballots. @thelittlehawk
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“We hit 84,000 votes [in Johnson County]. The old record was around 77-78,000 votes. We also set a record here in Johnson County for the most registered voters, we crossed the 100,000 registered voter line for the first time ever in the county,” Weipert said. Miller-Meeks’ final vote count is 196,964, with Hart’s being 196,958. As the race was won by just six votes, many are using the Mariannette Miller-Meeks, Rita Hart race as an illustration of why every vote cast impacts the outcome of an election. “This is a fantastic example of how every single vote matters and how important it is that we keep organizing and phone banking,” O’Connell said. According to Circle Research, the overall youth voter turnout was much higher this year than it was in 2016. Although a majority of students at City High are not yet eligible to vote, many closely monitored this year’s unprecedented election. “Even though I’m not eligible to vote, I’m aware of how important this election was, and this just proves how crucial it is for every citizen to exercise their constitutional right to vote,” Frances Bottorff ‘22 said. While the State Election Board has certified that Miller-Meeks is the winner and Congresswoman elect. Rita Hart announced on December 2, that she plans to appeal to the House to take into account votes that were not considered in the recount. Hart decided not to contest the election in court. “Think about the candidates themselves, and what a challenge this has been for both of them. Having a resolution is going to be very important. Congresswoman-elect Miller-Meeks appreciates everyone who took the time to go out and make sure their voice was heard,” Woolson said. @thelittlehawk
extracurricular activities suspended With the hybrid model suspended and no students allowed in school, all in-person extracurriculars activities, including sports, were suspended.
homecoming Joe Bacon ‘21 and Elliot Murray ‘21 were voted as Homecoming Kings by the senior class early November.
Wrestling Ben Keuter ‘23 ranked 9th for Sophomore pound for pound in the nation for wrestling.
model united nations MUN had their first meeting and made plans to attend the University of Northern Iowa’s online conference this spring.
mock trial The Senior and Junior Mock Trial teams held a virtual scrimmage against each other in preparation for regionals this spring.
swimming Mandi Kowal was named the new coach for the City High boys swim team.