Political Science | Penn Today

Why are lines at polling places so long? Math

Stephen Pettigrew of the School of Arts & Sciences explained why the voting process can take longer than expected. “The steps in the system in most states are: You have a check-in step where they verify your voter registration status, and then there’s the step of actually voting. Lines out the door can be a consequence of bottlenecks at any of those steps,” he said.

Trump paints apocalyptic portrait of life in U.S. under Biden

Kathleen Hall Jamieson of the Annenberg Public Policy Center compared claims about the future of democracy made by Democratic and Republican campaigners. “Those who are making the argument about Trump are offering evidence from his rhetoric and actions,” she said, whereas arguments against Joseph Biden are “not justified by what he’s said or done.”

Map of United States that reads 'Elections,' 'I voted today,' and 'Breaking news'

Election night 2020: What to expect

Penn professors address what election night might look like, as well as how the culture of elections came to feel like a pop culture event.

Agree to disagree? How to talk politics in a politically divided household

Diana Mutz of the Annenberg School for Communication and School of Arts & Sciences offered advice for discussing politics with those who have different views. “It’s better for people to take turns, let the other person speak, don’t interrupt, just focus on listening. And then let them, you know, have a turn to do the same,” she said.

Proposition D seeks to remake St. Louis elections

Jack Nagel of the School of Arts & Sciences commented on a St. Louis proposition that would establish approval voting in local primaries. “It may be that some people only approve of one candidate,” he said. “But if there are genuinely two or more candidates that you think would do a good job, but you only vote for one of them, if everybody does that the system collapses to the conventional voting and you may get narrowly supported winners again.”

Large crowd wearing masks protesting in the streets of D.C., person in foreground holds a sign reading BREONNA’S LIFE MATTERED.

Protests matter, and here’s why

As part of the Provost’s Lecture on Diversity, political science professor Daniel Gillion gave insight into how demonstrations affect elected officials, shape policy, increase engagement, and motivate voter turnout.

A Hoover study claiming Biden would harm the economy has critics

Richard Prisinzano of the Penn Wharton Budget Model said a study from the Hoover Institution attributes post-2026 tax increases to Joseph Biden, when in actuality the increases are already a part of existing laws. “I’m trying not to be overly partisan, but I think they’ve put their thumb on the scale in that way,” he said.

A group of protesters kneels holding signs aloft on a city street at night

Four things to know about violence erupting in Nigeria

Osagie Imasogie of the Law School, who earned his early legal education in Nigeria, shares his take on the escalating unrest in the country.

Statue of Liberty in shadow in New York Harbor as the sun sets behind

Q&A

Is American democracy at a breaking point?

Amidst a backdrop of protests, the pandemic, and presidential politics, historian Anne Berg shares her thoughts on whether American democracy is at risk, historical parallels to the current situation, and what ordinary people can do.

Calling it: Brian Rosenwald

Brian Rosenwald of the School of Arts & Sciences was interviewed about how November’s election might play out. “They’re going to try to get people to think that there’s something wrong because we don’t have results, that anything that comes in after Election Day is somehow tainted. That’s going to be the big argument,” he said.

Filters