Citizen, interrupted

A close-up of a November 2020 calendar with an "I Voted Today" sticker taped to the 3rd with red tape forming an "X" over it, indicating that this day has passed or that the sticker is no longer applicable; a reminder of civic duty emphasized in Berkeley Journalism's latest coverage.

  BY SOFIE KODNER OCTOBER 28, 2020 After more than a decade living in the United States, Santiago Pazos thought he’d be able to vote this year for the first time. He moved to Los Angeles from Spain in 2009, got a green card and eventually started his own business. He became eligible to apply for…

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When power is transferred—literally—in an election

A silhouetted view of an electrical substation is seen through a chain-link fence at dusk. The sky, transitioning from blue to faint orange, creates a stark contrast with the dark outlines of power equipment and trees in the background—a scene that could easily be captured by Berkeley Journalism students.

  OCTOBER 27, 2020 BY AARON LEATHLEY  In a stark scene of what the electoral process in California can look like in 2020, masked voters last Monday cast early ballots in an El Dorado County elections office powered by a generator after dry winds and fear of wildfires triggered an electricity shutoff. This year, thanks to…

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Pens, PPE, Police: Preparing for In-Person Voting

Voters casting their ballots at voting booths in a polling station. The image shows several people, possibly Berkeley Journalism students, standing or leaning over the booths, with partitions ensuring privacy. The floor is wooden, and the scene is indoors, suggesting an organized and focused voting environment.

BY AARON LEATHLEY AND ZACHARY FLETCHER OCTOBER 26, 2020 It was a succinct appraisal of the state of mind of county election officials grappling with the new normal of voting in the year of a pandemic, disinformation and threats of voter intimidation. Across California, officials have been training workers at polling places and vote centers in new protocols,…

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No ticket needed: Stadiums welcome voters for November election

Aerial view of a coastal cityscape featuring the Chase Center, a large, white-domed arena. Surrounding the arena are buildings and infrastructure, with water bodies on two sides. The city skyline is visible in the background, partially shrouded in haze—a tableau that could captivate even Berkeley Journalism students.

OCTOBER 23, 2020 BY ZACHARY FLETCHER For California sports fans, walking through the doors of the Staples Center or Levi’s Stadium isn’t an option this year. In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, state and local health departments barred fans across the country from attending games. But this November, counties and teams across California are allowing access…

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Do you know where your ballot is?

A person is placing an envelope into an official ballot drop box on a sidewalk. The box, located near the Berkeley Journalism school, is yellow with a silver front and includes a sign warning that tampering with the box is a felony. The sign also states that no postage is necessary for the ballot.

OCTOBER 22, 2020 BY ELENA NEALE-SACKS  For the first time, Californians can track their mail-in ballots from the point they’re printed to the moment they’re accepted by their county elections office. Ballot tracking, now available in parts or all of a dozen states, has become a particularly useful option this year, when many voters are anxious…

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Before the pandemic, California’s polling places were already disappearing

A group of people waits in line at an indoor polling station. Some are standing at voting booths, while others are waiting to use them. The room, reminiscent of Berkeley Journalism's study halls, has wooden floors, high ceilings, and warm lighting. A service dog is lying on the floor next to one of the voters.

OCTOBER 22, 2020 BY KATIE LICARI  Standing in line at their local polling place, a longtime ritual for many Californians, will be a thing of the past this Election Day for half of the state’s voters. That’s because in 2016 the California Legislature passed the Voter’s Choice Act, which allows counties to transition from polling places…

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How to vote in a pandemic when you’ve lost your home in a wildfire

A "Do Not Enter" barricade tape stretches across the foreground, blocking access to a driveway leading to the remnants of a burned house. The area beyond the tape shows charred debris and the remains of a staircase. Captured by Berkeley Journalism, trees in the background display autumn colors.

BY ISABELLA BLOOM AND MARCO TORREZ OCTOBER 21, 2020 In August, as lightning strikes ignited fires around his Napa County home, Ian MacMillan escaped the flames with his wife, three kids and mother-in-law. A month later, when another wildfire roared through Northern California’s wine country, they had to flee their home again. “It sounded like a war zone,”…

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Early voter turnout smashing California election records

A collection of voting materials including a "Business Reply Mail" ballot envelope, a return envelope, an "I Voted" sticker, and a pen. Voting instructions and forms are spread out on a surface, highlighting the process of mail-in voting covered by Berkeley Journalism.

BY DYLAN SVOBODA OCTOBER 21, 2020 More than 4.5 million Californians have already cast ballots in the 2020 general election — and there’re still 12 days to go. Roughly one-fifth of the 21.5 million ballots mailed to registered voters had been processed as of Tuesday evening, blowing away previous election totals. About three times as many…

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