Elections and Voting: Behind the Scenes
Casting a ballot is a sacred and increasingly contested act. Elections face more scrutiny on issues of security and accuracy, as people wonder not just if every vote was counted, but if every eligible voter was allowed to reach the polls. Hear from Kim Wyman, senior election security advisor for the federal Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA), Stephen Richer, who runs elections for Maricopa County, Arizona, and Rick Hasen, a law professor specializing in election law and campaign finance. Chris Krebs, the former director of CISA, moderates as they walk us through how our voting system works, where people’s misconceptions might come from, and what could make the process even stronger.
Aspen Ideas Guide to the 2022 Political Landscape
Politics are a frenzy right now, with bombshell headlines dropping so often that it’s hard to know what to focus on. Even when you can cut through the noise, what you hear is grim. Culture wars are dividing schools and dinner table conversations. Voting rights are threatened across the country. Distrust of news media is at an all-time high. Political discourse is fraught with hatred and inflammatory rhetoric. Hear from speakers at the Aspen Ideas Festival and Aspen Ideas: Health as they take stock of where we are, what we might expect from the upcoming midterms, and dig into big-picture questions. Can politicians work across the aisle to deliver public policy? What are the issues that Americans really care about? How is this new Supreme Court shaping our lives? And is there any hope for a united United States?
Can We Rebuild Trust in News?
“Sixty-two percent of the public say it’s not possible to produce a news story today that nearly everybody finds accurate,” says Amy Mitchell, director of journalism research at Pew Research Center. “That’s a bad sign.” Trust in the news media, once a given, is fractured — presenting a danger not only to democracy but to the fabric of society itself. Mitchell speaks with Errin Haines, editor-at-large for The 19th, and Robby Soave, senior editor for Reason. Dafna Linzer, executive editor of Politico, moderates as they discuss what’s behind the erosion of local news, how non-establishment journalism is changing the landscape, and how to restore faith is this critical pillar of our country.