November 5, 2020

THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 5, 2020

A Nation Divided A close race to the finish line Incumbent Steve Stivers reelected to U.S. 15th District PG 6

Ohio 94th District candidate alleges election fraud PG 13

Here’s how political signs have affected the 2020 elections PG 19

FROM THE EDITOR’S DESK

Even during COVID-19, Election Night is a newsroom staple for journalists

E MOLLY SCHRAMM EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

lection Night has always been a memorable night for newsrooms across the country. Broadcast pundits have been rehearsing their programs, data visualists are ready to code graphics and results maps and even student journalists are gearing up to report in their college towns, counties, states and beyond. Here at The Post, that’s what we aimed to do for Athens and Southeast Ohio.

The COVID-19 pandemic has affected not only how Election Day has run for voters, but also impacted the way we as journalists covered the polls. During times of normalcy, The Post newsroom would be packed with journalists, photographers, designers, copy editors and more on Election Night. Nevertheless, that wasn’t the reality this year.

Despite our immense amount of social media live coverage, our social media director worked remotely, most of our news reporters worked remotely and we had to shift how we attacked the night’s coverage.

This year’s election coverage from The Post heavily featured data visualization and live coverage. Reporters started social media coverage at 6:30 a.m. Tuesday, and the final

EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Molly Schramm MANAGING EDITOR Baylee DeMuth DIGITAL MANAGING EDITOR Matthew Geiger EDITORIAL NEWS EDITORS Abby Miller, Nolan Simmons ASST. NEWS EDITOR Ian McKenzie LONG-FORM EDITOR Shelby Campbell SPORTS EDITORS Jack Gleckler, J.L. Kirven CULTURE EDITOR Riley Runnells ASST. CULTURE EDITOR Keri Johnson OPINION EDITOR Noah Wright ASST. OPINION EDITOR Mikayla Rochelle THE BEAT EDITOR Madyson Lewellyn ASST. THE BEAT EDITOR Emma Dollenmayer COPY CHIEF Bre Offenberger SLOT EDITORS Eli Feazell, Anna Garnai, Katey Kruback, Molly Powers ART ART DIRECTOR Mary Berger ASST. ART DIRECTOR Olivia Juenger DIRECTOR OF PHOTOGRAPHY Kelsey Boeing PHOTO EDITOR Nate Swanson DIGITAL WEB DEVELOPMENT DIRECTOR Brianna Lender SOCIAL MEDIA DIRECTOR Taylor Burnette DIRECTOR OF MULTIMEDIA Ethan Sands BUSINESS STUDENT MEDIA SALES INTERNSHIP MANAGER Andrea Lewis MEDIA SALES Grace Vannan

2 / NOV. 5, 2020

people to leave the newsroom on Wednesday walked out the door shortly after 10 a.m. The night and election were long — it’s not over, actually — but these are the kinds of nights that make memories.

Though Election Night was filled with the necessary socially distanced pizza eating and mask wearing, it was still a night where Posties could bond and really delve into the experiential learning side of The Post. Last night, Post reporters weren’t simply students studying journalism — they were full-fledged journalists reporting important election results and news to their audience and readers.

Furthermore, Election Night provided The Post staff with some much-needed bonding and camaraderie. Last night was the first time a couple Post staff members were able to step foot into and experience the newsroom. For others, it was the first time they had met any other Posties face-to-face instead of over Zoom. Either way, it was a nice time to safely break away from isolation, see some friendly faces and do something we all love and enjoy.

Nevertheless, Election Night is turning into Election Week. Early during Wednesday morning, President Trump gave a White

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ISSUE 11, VOLUME 122

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House address on the status of the election.

There, the president not only alleged voter fraud, but affirmed that he had already won the election. Factually incorrect at the time, Trump’s assertions heightened tensions among the American people, as he promised to involve the U.S. Supreme Court in the election results.

As of Wednesday night, complete election results aren’t in. Regardless of that, journalists and news publications — including The Post — will continue to report on the election as the future of America hangs in the balance.

Molly Schramm is a senior studying journalism at Ohio University and the editor-in-chief of The Post. Have questions? Email Molly at ms660416@ohio.edu or tweet her @_molly_731.

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Ohio Votes Red Trump wins Ohio General Election

GRANT RITCHEY FOR THE POST Sitting U.S. President Donald Trump will receive the state of Ohio’s 18 electoral votes after winning Ohio’s general presidential election.

53.3% of Ohioans voted in favor of Trump, while 45.1% of Ohioans voted in favor of Biden.

In Athens County, 41.8% of voters cast their ballots for Trump, and 56.5% voted for Biden.

Eighty-one counties voted for Trump, while seven counties voted for Biden.

Trump won Ohio by 8% in 2016 and won by about 8.4% this year.

Early voting began in Ohio on Oct. 6, setting a record breaking month for early absentee voting.

In 2016, Trump won by about 51%, while Clinton lost with about 43% of the votes.

Chase Conklin, the president of Ohio University College Republicans and a junior studying environmental geography, said he thinks the nation will still be divided, no matter who ends up being president. However, he thinks that division will be larger if Trump is elected.

With COVID-19 being one of the key issues for the 2020 election, Trump and Biden have two different models when it comes to battling the virus. Trump wants to have a vaccine available by the end of the year, though he hasn’t released a COVID-19 action plan for his second term. The White House plans on creating 300 million doses of the vaccine by January 2021.

Biden’s plan is to increase federal spending by letting essential places like schools and hospitals have access to PPE materials. Biden would also be an advocate for a treatment and vaccine for the coronavirus and also wants to help communities and ethnicities that are disproportionately being affected by COVID-19.

Trump’s plan for taxes is to keep the individual income tax, which will cost the federal government $1.5

4 / NOV. 5, 2020

trillion, according to the Committee for a Responsible Federal Budget.

Biden’s tax plan includes a tax increase for people who make earnings above $400,000. Biden’s tax plan

also includes a rise in income tax rate of 39.6% from 37%. Biden’s tax plan will increase revenue by $4 trillion between 2021 to 2030, according to the Tax Policy Center.

“I will be sorely disappointed,” Andrea Reik, a volunteer with the Athens County Democratic Party, said of a Trump victory. “We have a lot to work on.”

@RITCHEY_GRANT GR619615@OHIO.EDU

President Donald J. Trump speaks at his Make America Great Again Rally in Circleville, Ohio, on Saturday, Oct. 24, 2020. (JOE TIMMERMAN | FOR THE POST)

Hoagland Wins Reelection Republican Ohio State Sen. Frank Hoagland reelected SOPHIA YOUNG FOR THE POST Ohio State Sen. Frank Hoagland beat Democratic opponent Michael Fletcher in the election Tuesday and will serve a second term as the Ohio District 30 state senator.

Hoagland received 103,612 total votes in the state, defeating Fletcher by a landslide margin of 33%.

In Athens County, the largest county in the 30th district, Hoagland received 8,887 votes, while Fletcher claimed 13,267.

Chase Conklin, Jr., a junior studying environmental geography and the president of Ohio College Republicans, was unsurprised

by Hoagland’s victory.

“It was bound to happen. He has proven leadership as a Navy SEAL. He knows his path, and he obviously knew his path tonight in this election,” Conklin said.

Hoagland, 57, is a former Navy SEAL and small business owner from Mingo Junction.

He was first elected in 2016 and spent his first term focusing on helping local schools, small businesses and law enforcement develop emergency situation procedures.

Hoagland has served as chair of the Agriculture and Natural Resources Committee and sat on other committees, including the Government Oversight and Reform Committee; Local Government, Public Safety, and Veterans Affairs Committee; Transportation, Commerce, and Workforce Committee; Energy and Public Utilities Committee and the Finance-General Government and Agency Review Subcommittee.

Hoagland’s main goals for his 2020 term include bringing more jobs to an economically impoverished region, continuing to improve safety in schools, reducing drug users and dealers and improving outdated infrastructure.

Charlie Continues as Commissioner Charlie Adkins elected for a third term as an Athens County Commissioner CLAIRE SCHIOPOTA FOR THE POST Democratic incumbent Charlie Adkins was voted in to fill the Athens

County commissioner’s empty seat for his third term, defeating Independent opponent Bill Hayes.

Adkins received 14,131 votes, or about 62.6%, from Athens citizens, while

However, Hoagland has faced criticism as the primary sponsor of Ohio Senate Bill 33, which modified criminal and civil law with respect to infrastructure damage. Anyone deemed complicit in damage to critical infrastructure faces a $100,000 fine — 10 times that for a felony of the third degree. Section 2917.32 (A)(1) of the bill also makes it illegal to warn of the known risks and possible catastrophes associated with the natural gas industry. Critics credit the bill as an attempt to stifle protest and curb first amendment rights, according to the Columbus Dispatch.

Though he had no political experience prior to running in 2016, Hoagland believes his military experience and values make him a good public servant.

“Navy SEAL training prepared (Hoagland) for a life of service by focusing on the notion that success comes when people focus on helping others before they focus on helping themselves,” according to his website.

His passion for helping veterans inspired the creation of a pilot therapy program through The Ohio State University. His time served during the war on drugs also helped inspire his actions to address addiction in

Hayes only received 8,442 votes, or about 37.4%.

Adkins’ goals are to continue evaluating contracts and services used by the county. In the past, Adkins has reduced costs for public defenders and cut costs for the Southeastern Ohio Regional Jail.

To activate the economy in the future, Adkins plans to work with different groups, including Athens County Economic Development Council, Ohio University Innovation Center, Rural

Ohio through purposeful rehabilitation of addicts and heightened punishment for dealers.

Hoagland also recognizes the need for improved digital infrastructure to provide greater broadband access to underserved regions of Ohio.

He will begin serving his next term in January 2021.

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Action and the Hocking Athens Perry Community Action Agency, or HAPCAP. Adkins platform also emphasizes safety with the use of 911, EMS and the sheriff’s office.

@CSCHIOPOTA CS123719@OHIO.EDU

THEPOSTATHENS.COM / 5

Stivers Stays Steve Stivers will be the U.S. Congressional Representative for Ohio’s 15th District JILLIAN CRAIG SENIOR WRITER Steve Stivers continues to hold the position of U.S. Congressional Representative for Ohio’s District 15 after defeating Democratic opponent Joel Newby.

Stivers received 63.6% of the votes with all districts reporting at least 95%, beating Newby, who received 36.4% of the votes. In Athens County, however, Newby beat Stivers with 57.8% and 42.18% of the votes, respectively, at 100% reporting.

In a video on Twitter, Newby said, “I feel the weight of this loss, but I will not break under it.”

“I think almost everyone expected that he was going to win,” Pete Couladis, chairman of the Athens County Republicans Executive Committee, said.

Stivers, who will be serving his sixth term as representative, has focused his time spent in office battling the opioid epidemic in Ohio, trying to balance the federal budget and advocating for veterans and their families.

Stivers was the lead cosponsor of the Reducing Unused Medications Act (H.R. 4599). The bill, which is a law as of 2016, attempts to reduce the availability of opioids to abuse by allowing patients and doctors to request for a partial refill of prescriptions.

“According to the National Institute on Drug Abuse, more than 70 percent of adults who misuse prescription opioids get them from friends or relatives,” Stivers said on his campaign website. “This legislation would reduce the number of unused painkillers. I am proud that this legislation was included in the final passage of the Comprehensive Addiction and Recovery Act (CARA), which was signed then signed into law by President Obama.”

Stivers is currently a lead sponsor for a balanced budget amendment to the constitution that would restrict the federal government from spending more money than it makes.

“The BBA will bring accountability to our government by forcing Congress to rein in the out-of-control spending and adhere to a balanced budget,” Stivers said

6 / NOV. 5, 2020

on his campaign website. “The debates over the budget in the last few years has only strengthened my resolve, and the fight to address the critical issues facing our nation is not over.”

As a veteran himself, Stivers has passed two different pieces of legislation to aid those who have served and are now trying to reacclimate to being home again.

Stivers passed the HIRE at Home Act and the TRICARE for Kids in his first term in office. The HIRE at Home Act helps returning soldiers find jobs, and the TRICARE for Kids helps provide better health care for their children.

“As a Brigadier General in the Ohio Army National Guard, I understand the importance of showing our appreciation for the service and sacrifice of our veterans,” Stivers said on his campaign website. “We need to do everything we can to support those who have given us our freedoms.”

@JILLIANCRAIG18 JC986517@OHIO.EDU

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Four Years Later President Trump’s first term strengthens voter sentiments, energizes voting efforts ABBY MILLER NEWS EDITOR

It’s a brisk Monday morning before Election Day, and Mary Farris stands outside the Athens County Board of Elections sporting a fall jacket — and a mask.

Farris, an Athens County resident, opted to vote early. She’s one of many others in the line snaking down the Board of Elections’ brick alleyway on the last day early voting is permitted.

As she waits, Farris feels confident in her safety amid the pandemic and her vote.

“I feel good,” she said. “I’m 68, and it’s probably one of the most serious elections I feel that I’ve voted in.”

The seriousness of the election is felt by more than just Farris. Other Athens County individuals and groups have seen increased political participation from those living in the county ever since President Donald Trump was elected in 2016. For those who are politically active, the past four years have sparked their motivation to further advocate throughout the county.

ILLUSTRATIONS BY MARY BERGER 8 / NOV. 5, 2020

COUNTY CONTINUATION In 2016, Athens County was a blue island surrounded by a sea of red counties. To Barry Tadlock, a political science professor at Ohio University, that symbolizes one of the most important aspects of Appalachia: it’s not monolithic.

“Among the 32 counties, there is a lot of variety in terms of poverty rate, education levels, median household income, rurality,” Tadlock said in an email. “So the voters across the 32 counties would therefore not hold uniform views regarding the 2 candidates.”

Even within Athens County, Tadlock’s sentiments ring true. Outside of the city of Athens — which is home to OU and a younger, liberal demographic — the county holds greater Republican sentiments.

John Haseley, chairman of the Athens County Democratic Party, is optimistic the county will continue to swing in democrats’ favor and vote for Democratic presidential candidate Joe Biden. He said the strong support for Biden in Athens County could help offset some of the losses in neighboring counties.

“I think our region will do its part to make sure that Joe Biden wins Ohio,” Haseley said.

Pete Couladis, chairman of the Athens County Republican Party, predicted Biden carrying Athens County but most likely not other counties in Appalachia.

Overall, Tadlock believed Trump would end up having slightly less support in Appalachia this year. He said Biden’s campaign probably doesn’t expect to win the region but hopes the small erosion of Trump’s success in Appalachia combined with support in urban areas will help him deliver Ohio.

Haseley said he’s seen a shift in the voter sentiments of some people in Athens County. He partially credits

this to Trump’s actions that have harmed Appalachia while in office.

“He came into office talking about ‘war on coal’ and all that stuff, but I think we’ve actually seen that Donald Trump is engaged in a war on Appalachia, and he has shown that he is no friend to our county and to our region,” Haseley said. “People that are paying attention I think are well aware of that fact.”

Trump has done nothing to help restore the coal industry in Appalachia like he said he would, Haseley said. He has also devastated the clean energy industry in Appalachia through his policies. Solar energy has created many jobs in Athens County and beyond, and Trump has not supported policies that help the industry, Haseley said.

Trump also toyed with the idea of defunding the Appalachian Regional Commission in his 2018 budget proposals. Although the ARC, a federal-state partnership that invests in resources in Appalachia, has not been defunded, Trump’s advocacy for its elimination was still hurtful to the region, Haseley said.

“Athens County has benefited greatly from the work of the ARC, and for somebody like him to say that he is for our region, but then his first act on his first budget is to defund an economic development tool that our region has relied on, was really insulting,” Haseley said.

Tadlock said he doesn’t think Trump’s unfulfilled promises to Appalachia will make a large difference. Couladis agreed, saying he hasn’t directly seen a shift in voter sentiment in the county.

more engagement within their respective county parties.

New people have shown up at the Athens County Democrats’ office to ask how they can volunteer, help drop off contributions or otherwise help push Trump out of office.

“The COVID crisis I think has really helped to highlight just the utter incompetence of Donald Trump,” Haseley said. “I think it’s really motivated a lot of additional people that maybe politics wasn’t quite so important to them but … Donald Trump has made it a life and death issue.”

Haseley has also talked to former Trump voters who are now working with the office to unseat the current president.

Inversely, Couladis has also seen former Clinton voters and Democrats engaging with the Athens County Republicans. Individuals tell Couladis they voted for Trump in the primary because they view the party as moving too far to the left.

“I hear people saying ‘it’s not my grandparents’ Democratic Party,’” Couladis said. “It’s really shifted on a lot of these issues. It’s turning a lot of people off. I know I’ve had people calling me for Trump signs, and they say they’re Democrats.”

Despite the personal and county dissonances between the two major parties, both Farris and Shaw are feeling good about the election’s results. Shaw said she’s unsure if some people are able to change their mind on politics, but others seem to be “waking up” to Trump and voting blue.

“I’m feeling cautiously optimistic,” Shaw said. “I’m a little anxious, but I’ll be glad when it’s over, I think, and we have final results, but also, I recognize that it’s not going to happen tomorrow.”

INDIVIDUAL INTERESTS Farris has been a Democrat her whole life.

After Trump’s first term in office, Farris only felt her political opinions grow stronger. She said it’s led to some disagreements with family members who are more conservative, but she’s never wavered in her ideology.

“I try to respect their opinion,” Farris said. “I can’t change anyone’s mind. I just know in my heart what I need to do.”

Similarly, Kerri Shaw, an Athens County resident and a field education instructor for social work at OU, had her political beliefs reaffirmed over the past four years. The past presidential term has inspired her to make others aware of why it’s important to be civically engaged and vote.

That awareness has been actualized in Athens County. Shaw spent part of her Monday being a poll monitor for the Ohio Women’s Alliance, making sure no voter intimidation was taking place during early voting and reminding students walking by to vote. She saw good results during the day.

“I’ve been impressed by the number of students who’ve walked by and said that they’ve already voted,” Shaw said. “We kind of assume that a lot of students don’t vote.

I would say that at least 75% of people are saying they’ve already voted, so I think early voting turnout is really high.”

Both Haseley and Couladis have also seen

@ABBLAWRENCE AM166317@OHIO.EDU

THEPOSTATHENS.COM / 9

Edwards Reelected Jay Edwards will continue to be the state representative for Ohio’s 94th District LYDIA COLVIN FOR THE POST Republican incumbent Jay Edwards will keep his seat in the Ohio House of Representatives for the 94th District, defeating democratic challenger Katie O’Neill on Tuesday night.

Edwards received 28,793 votes district-wide, defeating O’Neill by 9,321 votes with about 96% of precincts reporting results. O’Neill received 19,472 votes.

Meigs, Vinton and Washington counties all went to Edwards by a margin of at least 30 percentage points, while Athens County went to O’Neill by only about 10 percentage points.

“Continually, it seems like every year my support is growing … from the time I took office, I made it a point to be accessible and to work for the area, not in a partisan way, but in a very bipartisan way for the district, which means building a broad coalition of support and trust,” Edwards said. “I can’t stress enough how humbled and honored I am to have the people’s support of the 94th District.”

O’Neill virtually thanked her supporters on election night once the polls closed.

“They’ll Never Keep Us Down! Cheers, Voting Polls have closed. Thank you all, this was a good year. We did everything we could,” O’Neill said in a Facebook message to her followers after the polls closed.

During the election Tuesday, O’Neill alleged election fraud took place after there were reports of signs that said votes for O’Neill would not be counted. O’Neill confirmed on Facebook that she did contact her lawyer, Louis Grube, due to this potential election fraud.

Edwards is the current sitting representative for the 94th District in the Ohio House of Representatives. He was born and raised in Southeastern Ohio and attended Ohio University, where he received a Bachelor of Science in mathematics.

His campaign and his campaign’s website stressed the idea that Edwards knows what the people of Southeast Ohio need and will fight for them, as he is one of them.

10 / NOV. 5, 2020

“Our local schools need fair funding and more local control so teachers can teach and students can learn.

And we need more funding for job training, including our vocational schools and the skilled trades. We need strong, new leaders like Jay Edwards to give our region the voice it deserves and to get the job done,” according to the Jay Edwards’ campaign website.

Edwards has the support of many, including endorsement from many labor, education and business groups, including the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees; the Ohio Education Association; and the National Federation of Independent Business.

Edwards’ bipartisan approach to politics has also led him to receiving support all across the aisle. Edwards is the majority whip in the Ohio House of Representatives and has supported bills that he believes have helped Southeast Ohio as a whole and especially during the pandemic.

“Since taking office, I have worked to keep and create jobs, and improve education and healthcare. I have also worked to help safely and responsibly reopen Ohio in the wake of COVID-19, and have consistently supported our first responders, healthcare professionals and others serving our community,” Jay Edwards said in an article for The Daily Sentinel.

Edwards has sponsored and supported many bills in his time in office, including most recently supporting the CARES Act, which provided $650 million in funding to counties in Ohio for COVID-19-related expenses.

Currently serving his second term in office, Edwards, having won the election on Tuesday, will now be able to continue to serve his constituents in the 94th District for a third term. His next term in office will start Jan. 1, 2021.

Republican Rep. Jay Edwards during a debate against challenging Democrat Taylor Sappington on Oct. 29, 2018. (BLAKE NISSEN | FOR THE POST)

@COLVIN_LYDIA LC844519@OHIO.EDU

NEWS BRIEFS

COVID-19 case confirmed in Child Development Center; Halloween weekend sees much smaller crowds EMMA SKIDMORE STAFF WRITER OU’s Child Development Center closes classroom after caregiver tests positive for COVID-19

A toddler classroom in Ohio University’s Child Development Center will be closed until Nov. 16 after a caregiver tested positive for the coronavirus.

Families were notified, and the classroom was closed immediately, according to a university news release from Monday.

If no further cases are reported, the classroom will be able to reopen after a two-week period under recommendations from the Athens City-County Health Department. Child

Development Center Director Lisa Frasure said the center apologizes for the inconvenience and is working to maintain a safe experience for everyone.

Halloween celebrated in much smaller crowds

Court Street and Mill Street, popular locations for partygoers during a normal Halloween season, saw smaller gatherings and fewer people overall during Ohio University’s Halloween weekend.

Students were also seen wearing masks.

Mia Darnell, a junior studying communication sciences and disorders, said while normally people could join any of the numerous parties going on, it was important this year to stay with people you have already been in contact

with because of COVID-19.

Julia Mattox, a sophomore studying marketing, said having parties would result in them getting shut down by police. However, Mattox still feels the parties at OU were not as risky as compared to other schools.

Andrew Lau, a sophomore studying mechanical engineering, said he feels like because parties were already going on before Halloween, there won’t be a spike in cases.

Construction on Richland Avenue bridge finished after several pandemic delays

A bridge and pedestrian passageway has successfully been constructed on Richland Avenue after five years of planning, completing the Richland Passageway Project.

While the pedestrian bridge has been open, the vehicle bridge opened the week of Nov. 25. A joint press release from the city and Ohio University said the project is an example of how Athens and OU are able to partner to use local, state and federal resources to add to the public.

In total, the project cost $3.2 million, partially funded by a $2 million grant through the Ohio Department of Transportation and the Transportation Alternatives Program, Jessica Adine, the project manager, said. Jon Cozad, executive director for design and construction said the project proceeded as expected.

@E_SKIDMOREGS ES320518@OHIO.EDU

POLICE BLOTTER

“Creepy Joe” sign gets stolen; poaching season begins GRANT RITCHEY FOR THE POST

The caller reported they could see people in their field using red lights. The possible poachers got into their vehicles and left the area. Deputies patrolled the area but had no contact with any vehicle or suspicious hunting behavior.

Sign Stealing

The Athens County Sheriff’s Office responded to a call in Coolville about a political sign being stolen that read “say no to creepy Joe.” The sign was red with blue stars and white lettering.

Poaching Season

The Athens County Sheriff’s Office responded to a trespassing complaint at Fisher Road, involving possible poachers.

Bill Collector

The Athens County Sheriff’s Office responded to a call in The Plains of a suspicious woman knocking on the caller’s door and asking about her electric bill. The woman was described as being in her 20s with dirty blond hair and wearing a pink sweatshirt. A unit patrolled the area but was unable to locate

the woman.

Stealing at Speedway

The Athens Police Department responded to a theft at Speedway on East State Street. A monster energy drink, two bottles of soda, seven packs of Marlboro cigarettes, a package of cookies and a six pack of Newports were stolen. APD obtained surveillance video and a name from the employee.

Charges are pending.

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Political Relationships In polarizing times, political differences are deal breakers for many young people MOLLY WILSON FOR THE POST As politics hold an ever increasing importance in the daily lives of Americans, many are beginning to cut off friendships or even judge the potential compatibility of a relationship due to differences in political beliefs.

Katie Gold, a junior studying communication, political science and journalism, has been in many situations where she has cut off friends due to differences in political values.

“I have distanced myself from a lot of friends from high school specifically because of how hateful they are,” Gold said.

Gold also contends the physical distance between her and old friends, paired with a difference in political opinions, has strained many of her relationships.

“It’s very hard to keep those connections when they’re so distanced as it is and then when you disagree with someone so strongly on things that you would think to be just morals,” Gold said.

Camryn Mere, a sophomore studying adolescent young adult education, has not yet had to drop a friendship due to political differences, but political compatibility is an important factor in her relationships.

“I’ve never dropped a friend because of this, but I’ve definitely looked at them differently,” Mere said.

For example, if Mere had a friend who did not support the Black Lives Matter movement, she would reconsider their relationship, she said.

Equating political opinions to morals is one of many aspects of personal politics that strains relationships.

Lauren Elliott-Dorans, an Ohio University political science professor, contends that politics are becoming very personal for many people.

“We’re not arguing about whether or not pineapple belongs on pizza; these are real issues that have real impacts,” Elliott-Dorans said. “A vote for many people is seen as a signal of your values because these aren’t arbitrary decisions we’re making.”

Morals aren’t the only aspect pushing people to end friendships. Compatibility and comfortability are two major factors that also affect this trend.

“Research in psychology shows that we are more comfortable when our views are reinforced, rather than challenged,” Elliott-Dorans said.

Mere has experienced this lack of comfortability firsthand.

“I personally don’t like talking about politics around people that I know disagree with me because it just makes me so uncomfortable,” Mere said.

Gold even went as far to end a possible romantic relationship last year due to differences between her beliefs and party alignment compared to that individual’s.

“I feel like often I see discrepancies within people’s morals,” Gold said. “I’m like ‘OK, if you’re aligning with this party, are we compatible with generally our life views and how we see the world and what we see as being right versus wrong?’”

Oftentimes, people tend to voice their opinions on controversial political topics in hopes to educate those with different views and strengthen their potential compatibility with others.

Setting boundaries while being willing to understand a counterargument is important when going into these conversations, Elliott-Dorans said.

“Both sides really care about their country; both sides are deeply concerned; polls are showing that both sides are very worried about what will happen if they lose this election,” Elliott-Dorans said. “I

think it’s important to kind of empathize with that fear and that concern.”

Those who live around Mere have what she calls a “small-town perspective” and are unable to change their mindsets due to the environment in which they have isolated themselves, rather than broadening their perspectives, Mere said.

“A lot of people tend to just vote how their parents vote or vote the way that they were brought up because that’s just the easy way,” Mere said.

Similarly, Gold tends to open up conversations in hopes of opening up the eyes of those that disagree with her to

the issues that she views as important.

“Oftentimes, I’m the most educated person in the room about these issues and so I feel like if I do not voice my opinions, these people may be interpreting information wrong or may not be understanding the wider picture of it,” Gold said.

As a young person growing up in an increasingly polarized world, Mere is one of many to be vocal about what she believes in.

“I feel like I should speak up … and raise awareness,” Mere said. “I have a voice. Why not use it?”

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A poll worker at the Alexander Wellness Center polling location posts results on the door in Albany, Ohio, on Nov. 3, 2020. The polling location was under apparent election fraud with a sign being posted in one of the booths saying that Katie O’Neill votes would not be counted. (KELSEY BOEING | DIRECTOR OF PHOTOGRAPHY)

Election Fraud Alleged Democratic State Rep. candidate Katie O’Neill alleges election fraud following reports of signs in voter booths saying votes for her would not be counted ABBY MILLER NEWS EDITOR NOLAN SIMMONS NEWS EDITOR Democratic State Rep. candidate Katie O’Neill alleged election fraud Tuesday after receiving reports that voters had seen neon orange signs hung in voting

booths that said votes for O’Neill would not be counted.

O’Neill asked on her campaign’s Facebook page Tuesday night that anyone who had seen the signs while voting should contact her campaign. O’Neill called the incident election fraud and said she is currently in contact with her lawyer.

“I have contacted my lawyer, Louis Grube, due to election fraud. I need

anyone and everyone that saw a sign saying not to vote for Katie O’Neill on or off election board properties or voting locations to contact me immediately at ohiohouseoneill@gmail.com,” O’Neill wrote on Facebook. “We are told neon orange signs that said votes for Katie O’Neill would not be counted were seen at voting booths today. Please contact me if you have seen it. We are gathering witnesses and evidence now.”

Of the 448 votes cast for the 94th district representative at the Alexander Wellness Center in Albany, Rep. Jay Edwards, R-Nelsonville, received 336 votes, and O’Neill received 112 votes.

The 26th, 27th, 42th and 43th Athens County precincts vote at the Wellness Center.

A voter in Alexander who wishes to remain anonymous said in a Facebook message that she had seen one of the signs in her voting booth when she voted at about 1:45 p.m.

When the voter asked a poll worker when O’Neill had dropped out of the race, the worker said that she hadn’t and that the sign was left over from the primary election, the voter said on Facebook. The voter also said the worker told them most of the signs were taken down at about 10:30 a.m., but workers must have missed their booth. “(There are poll) workers sanitizing booths after every single voter so it would be difficult for one to claim no one saw it prior to 10am,” the voter said in a Facebook comment.

Athens County Republican Party Chair Pete Couladis said a poll worker he talked to said only one voting booth had the sign posted in it. Couladis said the worker also told him the sign was leftover in the booth from the primary election.

Debbie Quivey, director of the Athens County Board of Elections, said the Board had no comment on the situation.

Signs were previously hung in voting booths during the primary after the Athens County Board of Elections unan-

imously voted to protest O’Neill’s candidacy because she did not live in the Ohio 94th district for the required time period, according to a previous Post report.

The Ohio Supreme Court ruled in April that O’Neill could run because she lived at multiple addresses a year before the election, including a friend’s residence in Athens County.

In its majority opinion, the Ohio Supreme Court said the Board of Elections “abused its discretion by rejecting O’Neill’s petition” to be added to the ballot as a state representative for the 94th district.

O’Neill was the sole Democratic candidate during the primary election following the decision.

Andrea Reik, a volunteer with the Athens County Democratic Party, said she has not yet been in contact with O’Neill about the situation, but she did see posts on Facebook.

“I’ve heard that rumor. That’s about all I can say right now,” Reik said. “I don’t know anything more.”

Edwards was not aware of the situation when contacted for comment.

Matthew Geiger and Noah Wright contributed to this report.

@ABBLAWRENCE AM166317@OHIO.EDU @NOLANSIMMONS37 NS622217@OHIO.EDU

THEPOSTATHENS.COM / 13

Precinct Predictions 2016 voter precinct data to be strong indicator of Athens’ 2020 voting patterns ANNA MILLAR FOR THE POST Past data from the city of Athens’ voter precincts shows the city’s strong liberal majority and is expected to be mirrored during the election Tuesday.

In every voting precinct in the city of Athens during the last presidential election, the majority voted for democratic candidate Hillary Clinton, according to data from the Athens County Board of Elections website. This was not an uncommon result and is expected to be the same in this coming election, political science professor Lauren Elliott-Dorans said.

Although the city of Athens leans toward the liberal side, Athens County leans more toward the conservative side, Elliott-Dorans said. Within the city, there are not many differences between the direction each precinct swings. More differences can be seen when comparing precincts at the county level.

“I feel that overall the vote will lean towards Joe Biden as Athens and (Ohio University’s) student body is very liberal,” Sarah Houpt, a sophomore studying commercial photography, said in an email.

With this election, however, the lack of students could prove to be a big difference, Elliott-Dorans said.

14 / NOV. 5, 2020

Some of the voting precincts are small and almost only include student dorms. In other precincts, the lack of students on campus paired with Athens residents still residing in the city could make some precincts swing.

Students who are currently on campus can vote at Baker Center or vote through mail-in ballots this year, Houpt said in an email.

“From what I’m hearing … voter turnout among students who are registered in Athens is pretty high this year, but we’re just going to have fewer students,” Elliott-Dorans said. “So those precincts—like that precinct that basically covers Jefferson Hall—there aren’t a ton of people living there right now, so we’re going to expect that there just will be fewer votes in that precinct.”

Although the lack of students may make a difference in city races, it is unlikely to change the leanings of the city overall, Elliott-Dorans said. The citizens of Athens tend to be liberal.

Voting precincts are the smallest measurement of the electorate throughout the country, Elliott-Dorans said. There are several precincts within each ward of a city or county, and they determine where you go to vote as well as who is on your ballot.

Presidential candidates and county-wide levies will

be included on everyone’s ballot. However, positions such as ward City Council member are only included on the ballots of those located in the area that candidate is running for, Elliott-Dorans said.

“If you’re voting early, you just go to one centralized location in your county, but if you wait until Election Day, you have to show up to the correct precinct,” Elliott-Dorans said.

For anyone unsure of which polling place they should go to, they can put their address in the Board of Elections’ Polling Location Search.

“You can’t just show up to any polling location, and the reason for that is they’re not going to have your ballot to provide to you,” Elliott-Dorans said. “That’s specific to your precinct, so just a big caveat for anybody who’s waiting until Election Day to vote. If you’re going to do that, make sure you look up your polling location beforehand so you show up to the right one.”

@ANNAMILLAR16 AM157219@OHIO.EDU

How the election looks different because of COVID-19 This election has been changed in many different ways by COVID-19, both throughout the country and in Athens County been public distrust that has been going around regarding mail in ballots, which has caused a potential lack of voter confidence in the election.

Lysa Burnier, a political science proThe implications of COVID-19 have caused this Election Day to look different fessor, said she doesn’t believe it was the than it has in the past, with an increase virus that affected voter confidence but in mail-in and early voting happening more President Donald Trump himself.

“I don’t think the fact of the virus itself across the country as well as more precautions being taken by voting centers has affected voter confidence,” Burnier said in an email. “What has caused a lack to limit the spread of the virus.

The Athens County Board of Elections of confidence is President Trump claiming has seen a major increase in the number with no evidence that somehow the voting of people who have requested absentee process won’t work and therefore the reballots as well as around 4,000 people sults should not be viewed as legitimate.”

Many people are voting in person to who have already come to the Board of make sure that their vote is counted. This Elections to cast an early vote.

“If you take three years ago and 2016, includes Athens County voter and Ohio we had around 4,200 people that re- University student Emily Van Meter.

“I wanted to make sure my vote would quested and had mailed out absentee ballots,” Debbie Quivey, the director of be counted, no matter what,” Van Meter, the Athens County Board of Elections, a freshman studying art history and stusaid. “Right now, we’re already over dio arts, said.

Quivey wants to reassure people, 10,000. We have never had that many people vote by absentee before request- however, that if they are voting in Athens ing them by mail. And I’ve been here 29 County, their vote will count.

“I have no problem with thinking or years, and we’ve never had this many.”

In 2016, 30,042 residents voted, telling people that in Athens County, if whether voting in person or by mail. Al- your ballot is returned, and it’s about most half the number of people that vot- valid, your ballots are going to be counted in 2016 have either requested a mail- ed,” Quivey said.

The Athens County Board of Elecin ballot or have already cast their vote tions has been taking precautions bein person.

Even though these numbers are much cause of COVID-19 during early voting higher than they were in 2016, there has and will continue to take these precautions at the 19 polling loMolly Schoenhoff (L) and Anne Brown (R) review their cations in Athens during sample ballots and paperwork outside a voting location Election Day. at the Ohio Means Jobs office in Athens, Ohio, on Tues“We’re trying to and I day, Nov. 3, 2020. (NATE SWANSON | PHOTO EDITOR) feel that we are accomplishing being compliant with the CDC,” Quivey said. “We are wearing masks at the office, we are sanitizing, we have wipes spray, we wipe down the tables after every use, we wipe down the machine after everyone. And we’re going to be doing this at the polls ... We’ve taken a lot of concern time and tried to prepare for this.”

Mary Nally, director of the Center for Cam-

LYDIA COLVIN FOR THE POST

pus and Community Engagement at OU, which has been working to get students to vote, understands that COVID-19 has created many complications for Election Day, including long lines, where they just ask everyone to be prepared for wait times and to be patient.

Patience will also be needed as the results of the election come out of the Board of Elections. Quivey said the first results that will come out of the Athens precinct come out at 7:30 p.m., and that will include any returned absentee ballots.

According to a directive from the Ohio Secretary of State, “Election Night reporting begins with the first upload of absentee results by 8 p.m. and will continue at the assigned time throughout the night.”

These results that come out during election night are unofficial results. According to the directive from the Ohio Secretary of State, official results need to be reported from polling centers by no later than 2 p.m. on Wednesday, Nov. 18.

There is the possibility of not knowing the results until several days later, if not longer. Though official results are due Nov. 18 from Ohio polling locations, there still is the possibility of court challenges or recounts depending on the nature of the election and the choices of each campaign.

Because of this uncertainty, people

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will have to be patient and be on the lookout for disinformation that may occur on social media and in the news.

“It’ll be important to be vigilant against disinformation in the news and on social media,” Nally said. “Be sure to consider the source, read beyond the headline and check the author and their sources to see if they are reputable. Avoid reposting or re-tweeting unless you fully trust the validity of the information.”

The coronavirus has had an impact on the election, seen through an increase in mail-in and early voting and the possibility of delayed election results. However, as a major political issue, the handling of COVID-19 has also influenced many voters’ decisions on who they are voting for.

“Trump’s handling of the virus has certainly influenced voting — in both directions,” Burnier said. “His Republican base feels he has done a good job while Democrats feel Biden will do a much better job… The big question is how independent voters view the Trump’s Administration’s handling of the virus because the election could be very close.”

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1. Ohio Senator Rob Portman speaks with the press at the Ohio Republican Party’s Election Night at the Renaissance Hotel in Westerville, Ohio, on Tuesday, Nov. 3, 2020. (COLIN MAYR | FOR THE POST) 2. Election workers file in on Court Street in Athens, Ohio, to deliver the ballots to the Athens County Board of Elections on Tuesday, Nov. 3, 2020.

(ASHLYNN MCKEE | FOR THE POST) 3. Douglas Francis puts his ballot into a ballot drop box outside of the Athens County Board of Elections building on Court Street on Tuesday, Nov. 3, 2020. (ANTHONY WARNER | FOR THE POST) 4. Kristen Jaeck stands with information on the Democratic Party outside of Baker University Center on Tuesday, Nov. 3, 2020. Jaeck was happy to stand with the Democratic Party, saying she supports the candidates who “support the good of all Americans.” (MIDGE MAZUR | FOR THE POST) 5. Tristan Olson brings ballots into the Athens County Board of Elections from various polling precincts on Tuesday, Nov. 3, 2020. (CARRIE LEGG | FOR THE POST) 6. Dr. Jill Biden, wife of presidential nominee Joe Biden, speaks during a Women for Biden event in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, on Monday, Nov. 2, 2020. (KELSEY BOEING | DIRECTOR OF PHOTOGRAPHY)

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7. Over 1,000 people took to I-275 around Cincinnati, Ohio, on Saturday, Oct. 24, 2020, in support of President Trump’s re-election. This is the second time this campaign season that I-275 has hosted such an event, the first being on Saturday, Sept. 12.

(JESSE JARROLD-GRAPES |STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER)

A Look into Election Night 16 / NOV. 5, 2020

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THEPOSTATHENS.COM / 17

Third-party Voters in Athens Third-party voting persists despite tight election EMMA SKIDMORE STAFF WRITER Though many Americans feel that third-party candidates don’t have a chance to win, some still see them as the best option when exercising their right to vote.

Adam Cahoon, a sophomore studying entrepreneurship, said he is voting for Libertarian Candidate Jo Jorgensen in this election.

“As a libertarian, I find both candidates equally unlikeable,” Cahoon said in an email. “I think it has become abundantly clear that America needs some serious change in how it fundamentally runs things.”

While Cahoon understands Jorgensen will not win the election, the Libertarian party can be granted “Minor Party Status,” should she receive 5% of the votes. Jorgensen is currently standing at 4% in most polls Cahoon said he has found. Cahoon said if the Libertarian Party gets this status, it can be eligible to receive some federal funding and ballot access in all 50 states.

“This would be pivotal into destroying the two-party system in the long run as it would give enough momentum for the Libertarian party in both local, state, and federal elections all around the country,” he said in an email.

Cahoon feels that voting for a candidate who is a “lesser evil” isn’t a good excuse to vote for someone you don’t agree with and that there are plenty of other candidates individuals can support. He said before someone decides to abstain from voting because they don’t agree with either major candidate, they should explore options in all parties.

“As soon as I heard of the (libertarian) party back when I was twelve, I was always interested in its beliefs but never really investigated it,” Cahoon said in an email. “Then in comes the (2016) election and I really get into politics like I never had before. Then after doing a lot of research on many of the candidates actions in public office and historical backgrounds, I noticed a pattern that a lot of what both parties promoted in campaigns were not quite reflective in their legislation habits.”

Cahoon said the idea of a third-party vote being a “wasted vote” is common, but voters are the ones who decide the outcome. He said the idea that third-party candidates steal votes from other candidates isn’t really valid.

“Well yeah, that’s the point of running for office, to muster as (many) votes as you can,” Cahoon said in an email. “So by that logic, either every candidate is a spoiler, or none of them are. In short, the wasted vote line is basically voter’s mob mentality.”

Damon Krane, who ran as an independent in Athens for mayor last year, said he will be voting for Democratic candidate and former Vice President Joe Biden in this election.

“When we have races that are close races between Democrats and Republicans, then I think the best thing that progressives and leftists can do is to make a tactical, lesser evil vote for the Democrats,” Krane said. “So, for me, I don’t see any contradiction between me running against 18 / NOV. 5, 2020

the democrats here in Athens but voting for a Democrat in this presidential election.”

Krane said he understands that people just don’t want to vote for the “lesser evil” but feels that Biden is the better option.

“The fact remains that Biden’s the nominee, (and) somebody is going to win this election,” he said. “It’s better for the world, and it’s certainly better for leftists if the winner is not Trump.”

However, Krane is still critical of the Democratic party and thinks the candidates they have chosen to nominate in the last two presidential elections have been “extremely weak.” He said this is because the party is more concerned with defeating progressives and leftists than it is with the Republican party.

Krane also said the idea of abstaining from voting is a popular position on the left.

“It’s a popular position among people who identify as Marxist,” he said. “(Marxist ideas about voting) just says that people should vote their consciences, as if voting occurred in some kind of vacuum, and not within the existing constraints in the capitalist state. So therefore, if you don’t like either candidate, just don’t vote, or vote for a

candidate who has no chance of winning, but who does align with your views. Honestly, I think that’s exactly the sort of thinking Marx would have denounced as bourgeois idealism because you’re acting as though the systemic context doesn’t matter.”

Krane said even if someone views Biden as the lesser evil but still chooses not to vote for him, it increases the chances that current U.S. President Donald Trump will win.

“That’s just the nature of institutional constraints in which we’re operating,” he said. “And so pretending as if those constraints don’t exist doesn’t make them go away.”

While Krane said he has not voted for a third-party candidate for president since he voted for former Green Party Candidate Ralph Nader in 2000, in local Athens elections, he always votes from progressive independents rather than Democrats.

“The reasons I voted for Nader, I don’t think they’re good reasons,” he said. “In retrospect, the argument that I bought into was that basically, voting for a protest candidate is like going to a protest. You know, you show that a certain number of people feel a certain way. It’s just a way to attract attention to that. But I think protest candidates make bad protests because most people recognize the constraints in which we’re operating and are afraid of voting for a third party progressive spoiling an election that they don’t do it.”

The Athens County Revolutionary Socialists declined an interview request.

@E_SKIDMOREGS ES320518@OHIO.EDU

The Athens County Board of Elections located at 15 S. Court St. in Athens, Ohio. (NATE SWANSON | PHOTO EDITOR)

The Effects of Political Signs Political signs have been more effective this election cycle, but also more controversial BEKAH BOSTICK FOR THE POST Political signs have been more effective in inspiring political discussions during this election cycle than in past years, but they have also caused more controversy, Athens political activists say.

Both the Athens County Democratic and Athens County Republican parties have experienced a high demand for political signs from Athens residents during the course of the election. John Haseley, chairman of the Athens Democratic Party, said political signs matter to voters now more than ever.

“I worked in campaigns throughout my life, and there used to be the old adage that yard signs don’t vote, and people used to kind of make fun of the obsession with yard signs, that they’re not that helpful to actually winning a campaign,” Haseley said. “I think things have changed. I think we’re in a different place in our political lives where I think yard signs are something that matter to voters right now.”

Yard signs often encourage political discussions between residents about candidates who will be on the upcoming ballot. But while some residents simply put up political signs to show support for their favored candidates, others put up signs in spite of those who disagree.

Hannah Adkins, an Athens resident, currently has 13 political signs in her yard.

She originally had one sign that said “Support Small Businesses, Go Democrat.” After a neighbor said something negative about the sign, she added nine more, all supporting different candidates, save for duplicate Biden-Harris signs.

She added several more after two signs were stolen from her yard last week, Adkins said in an email.

“I had planned to put up one or two more, but I don’t appreciate being told

Signs supporting Democratic candidates along East State Street in Athens, Ohio.

(KELSEY BOEING | DIRECTOR OF PHOTOGRAPHY)

my opinions don’t matter, and that I shouldn’t share them on my property,” Adkins said in an email. “Hence the overabundance of signs.”

Though they may have been added out of spite, Adkins believes, at worst, her signs will inspire discussions about the elections that will affect those who see them, which are often for local and state positions or local levies.

Adkins wants to encourage people to vote down the ballot. If someone sees a name in Adkins’ yard they don’t recognize, it could cause them to look up and learn more about the candidates in the election, she said.

“Those discussions are important, seeing a previously unknown candidate’s name might lead to research into local politicians,” Adkins said in an email.

Some voters use political signs to show that it is OK to not stick to only one political party. If there is a Democratic sign in someone’s yard who is known to vote Republican, it could encourage others to cross over the political line, Haseley said.

Pete Couladis, chairman of the Athens County Republican Executive Committee, said it would depend on the person. While some people might be influenced based on the number of signs that they see, others could get mad at neighbors who have different political views than them.

Residents are able to get their signs through a candidate’s website or at a party’s county headquarters. Trump signs are in high demand, and the Athens County Republicans gave out several hundred Trump signs from their headquarters before running out, Couladis said.

Many residents went back to the Republican county headquarters once or twice after signs were stolen out of their yard, Couladis said. Signs being stolen is not new to this election, though. It has been a problem in the past for Athens, Couladis said.

The county Democrats have also had a constant flow of residents looking for signs supporting Democratic candidates, Haseley said.

“I think it gives voters that comfort that if somebody that they respect is displaying a sign of who they support,” Haseley said.

@BEKAHBOSTICK RB442218@OHIO.EDU

THEPOSTATHENS.COM / 19

BENNETT’S BALLOT

Democrats can’t seem to win Athens County in the House KAYLA BENNETT is a freshman studying journalism

Steve Stivers has secured his spot in the House of Representatives in Ohio’s 15th Congressional District. Stiver’s win over Joel Newby, an attorney and Ohio University graduate, secured his sixth term. The win was a landslide with Stivers receiving 63.44% of the votes and Newby trailing far behind with 36.56% of the votes.

Stivers’ repeated domination of the district proposes a question: Why can’t the Democrats win Athens County?

It was expected that Ohio would be less red this year. However, Ohio played out differently this year and added Electoral College votes toward Trump. The same thing happened in 2016 when Stivers beat his Democratic opponent, the same way Trump beat Hillary Clinton.

Democrats are not failing to tackle issues but merely have not been given the chance. With Ohio being one of the greatest swing states in the election,

Trump is able to launch reelection campaigns in hot spots, while Democrats are elsewhere trying to win smaller votes.

These same methods have been shown locally with Stivers versus Newby.

Stivers, a millionaire residing in Upper Arlington, might not be the way to Athens’ heart, but the Democratic candidate, Newby, may not have enough effective methods of succeeding in the first place.

Newby’s campaign consists of repetition that he is a hometown hero and that he knows Athens through and through, but this persistence is not enough. Stivers has the trust of upper-middle class suburbs, and that allows him to ignore poor, rural counties in his district.

Stivers also has history on his side.

He’s been a representative for well over a decade. Newby, on the other hand, is fairly young and new to politics.

Gerrymandering plays a huge role in the defeat of Newby and the success of

the Republican majority. Gerrymandering itself is the manipulation of electoral boundaries to favor one side of politics or hurt the other side.

Franklin county has a 15.5% poverty rate, while Athens County has a 30.7% poverty rate. Overall, the median household income is higher in Franklin than Athens. This correlation could be made with the rising political stance Franklin holds and the benefits it held on Stivers campaign.

Does Stivers have Athens’ best interest? At a Columbus Metropolitan Club event in early 2018, Stivers attended and had some strong words for Athens.

“I tell people they made all the other districts, and I got what was left,” Stivers said. “It’s not like I wanted Athens; believe me.”

He claimed that he does not get to pick his district, but his job is to represent them. Unfortunately, the lack of focus on Athens County has caused major differences in employment as well.

Athens county, last reported, has employment for 13, 468 people. Frank-

lin County has employment for 664, 545 people. The unemployment rate in Athens is high, but Stivers seems to continue growing the more wealthy areas of the 15th district.

Will Stivers develop a soft spot for Athens County and start concerning himself to the poverty issues, or will that become all the reason to avoid them?

Kayla Bennett is a freshman studying journalism. Please note that the views and ideas of columnists do not reflect those of The Post. Want to talk to Kayla? Tweet her @kkayyben.

HONEST ADONIS

Again, America has failed its Black citizens ADONIS FRYER is a sophomore studying communications

As of Nov. 4, the 2020 election isn’t decided yet. It’s still unknown which party will win the Presidency, Senate or House due to states still needing time to accurately count and process ballots.

As a result, news outlets and television stations who predicted a Joe Biden blowout are scrambling to understand the discrepancy in the polls.

They’re analyzing everything from the way different demographics voted, re-evaluating campaign messaging and speculating different scenarios that would lead to victory for either candidate.

Regardless of whether Donald Trump wins or not, the election being this close sends a clear message: America does not and may never ever care about Black people. Throughout all the chaos of 2020, that’s the one thing that has remained remarkably stable.

20 / NOV, 5 2020

It seems like months ago now, but when George Floyd died, there were countless academics, columnists, news reporters and personalities who described the moment as a “racial reckoning.” In some ways, they were right because Black Lives Matter became a mainstream movement, protests broke out around the world in solidarity and discussions around police brutality intensified.

In most ways, I’d argue those commentators were right, but clearly, this election has shown that there was a far more reactionary reckoning than expected, one not concerned with making races equal but in conserving America’s racial hierarchy.

The people in that movement have been progressively normalized for years. Extreme right-wing commentators like Tucker Carlson, Laura Ingraham and Rush Limbaugh are given national platforms through Fox News and social media. Even Alex Jones, a person

who was banned from major platforms, was recently featured on the Joe Rogan podcast, one of the most popular shows in America.

Further examples of this country’s disregard for Black lives comes from the Blue Lives Matter flags that Trump supporters wave, a clear support of their demagogue’s authoritarian aspirations. George Washington and Abraham Lincoln would be rolling in their graves if they saw those flags, which stand against American ideals.

Black leaders from the past, though, wouldn’t be surprised.

Americans need to take a harder look at themselves, their values and our history at large. We have not made the progress that we think we have. This is not a nation of the promises that it’s supposed to hold, and no one knows that better than the Black Americans who are consistently betrayed in every election.

The fate of this country rests not on

the words that we say, but on the actions that we take and, currently, the fact that the incumbent is still in the race — which speaks volumes about how many Americans don’t care about their fellow Black citizens.

Adonis Fryer is a sophomore studying communications at Ohio University.

Please note that the views and opinions of the columnists do not reflect those of The Post. Do you agree? Tell Adonis by emailing him at af414219@ohio.edu.

HERE’S THE TEA

IANA FIELDS

Joe Biden is better for the future of Black America

is a sophomore studying English creative writing

It has been made clear that the Black community has had enough with systemic racism.

As one of the key issues on this year’s ballot, in casting a vote, black people had to consider which candidate would listen and truly heed their concerns and start the process for change. With former Vice President Joe Biden in the lead of electoral votes, it is safe to assume that he will be the new president of the U.S. So, what does Black America look like under Biden?

For starters, the Black community, especially Black women, would feel more empowered in having Kamala Harris as vice president.

Similar to the feeling of having the Obamas in office, having Harris in the White House would make Black women feel proud and confident as she would be the first Black and first woman to become vice president.

Biden has a clear plan to address the disparities that the Black community faces in all aspects of society, from the economy to the criminal justice system. Although his plan appears cohesive, there is an extreme emphasis on economic mobility for the Black community.

With Biden’s emphasis on improving the economy for African Americans, Biden places his focus on small businesses, as he plans to double the funding for the State Small Business Credit Initiative. Biden will also protect and expand the funding for the Minority Business Development Agency, since the Trump Administration cut the budget about 75%. In placing his focus on small business owners in the Black community, Biden will increase the wealth and success in the community.

For employees, Biden plans to fight for equal pay on addressing pay gaps, especially since Black women make 61 cents to the dollar.

He will focus his legislation on pushing com-

panies to acknowledge and start practicing diversity and inclusion.

Besides his focus on small businesses and workers, Biden has a plan to make housing equitable by making it affordable. Biden will place emphasis on low-income communities by focusing on investing in low income housing. There will also be a focus on creating legislation that will eliminate exclusionary zoning, keeping minorities out of specific communities.

With all this focus on the economy, the Black community can prosper under Biden.

His focus on the economy within the Black community overshadows the other important aspects, such as criminal justice reform. With the surge of Black Lives Matter protests, the call for criminal justice reform has been a huge concern for the Black community. Biden will work with the U.S. Justice Department to address the misconduct of law enforcement and focus on the idea of rehabilitation as opposed

to punishment.

Biden’s plan for Black America appears to have a heavy focus on the economy, even though the main concern for the Black community is criminal justice reform. While Biden’s plan for criminal justice reform is not as detailed as his plan for improving the economy, Black America can be excited to have him as president. The Black community will finally see change and prosperity with Biden and Harris in the White House.

Iana Fields is a sophomore studying English creative writing at Ohio University. Please note that the views and opinions of the columnists do not reflect those of The Post. Want to talk to Iana? Tweet her @FieldsIana.

UNCLE SAM

SAM SMITH is a senior studying geography

The scene isn’t hard to imagine: political clubs camping out on College Green to register voters. Your friends imploring you to vote through their Instagram stories and tweets.

Celebrities making appearances all over the media to tell us to get involved. It seems such hard-core mobilizations occur with almost every election cycle nowadays.

Indeed, American democracy isn’t quite as vivacious as it used to be — which is why it requires such a robust mobilization apparatus.

Between 1840 and 1900, voter turnout in presidential elections hovered between 70% and 80%. After the 1970s, however, that figure has scarcely gone above 60%. Today, America has some of the lowest voter turnout rates in the developed world.

And while substantial efforts to register voters and to “get out the vote” are laudable and must continue, we must also acknowledge the social context that requires such great pushes to get people to vote is symptomatic of something larger: that America has entered a post-democratic era.

Political scientist Colin Crouch first described a post-democratic society in his book.

“A post-democratic society is one that continues to have and to use all the institutions of democracy, but in which they increasingly become a formal shell,” Crouch said. We are taught in grade school that, etymologically speaking, democracy roughly means “rule of the people.” Governments are supposed to respond to citizens and be reflective of the larger public. But to what degree is American government really being driven by the people?

There are many points of bifurcation between public will and government action.

While Pew Research Center finds that over two-thirds of all American adults think the federal government is not doing enough to ad-

America has entered a post-democratic era dress climate change, the current government has backed out of the Paris Agreement, has rolled back dozens of environmental regulations and has slashed funding for environmental programs.

While 58% of Americans recognize that White people have access to benefits to which Black people do not simply because of their Whiteness, the federal government further dismantled an already weak affirmative action policy in schools, supported measures to silence Black voters and has generally perpetuated systems of racist violence nationwide.

Climate change and racism are just two examples. According to CNBC, the majority of American adults support all these initiatives: paid maternity leave (84%), public funding for childcare (75%), increasing the minimum wage (60%), free public college (57%) and even Medicare for all (54%). The fact that all these programs share majority support demands, we ask an obvious question: why don’t we have them?

The answer is we are living in a post-democratic society in which the government has been captured by voices who don’t care to listen to the American people.

Sometimes, to keep the public will at bay, governments mobilize institutionalized violence. This, of course, means the police. In 2020, U.S. police have killed 28.4 people for every 10 million citizens. Among the world’s developed countries, that rate is by far the highest: Luxembourg has a rate of 16.9. Canada is at 9.7.

Countries like Switzerland, Denmark, Iceland, Japan and the U.K. all have fewer than one annual police killing for every 10 million citizens.

While more developed, more democratic nations tend to have lower rates of police killings, unstable, autocratic countries tend to have more. Curiously, in terms of annual rates of police killings, the U.S. is more similar to countries like Sudan (32.1) and Iran (36.6) than it is to countries like Australia (1.7) and Switzer-

land (0.0).

The reason that higher rates of police killings correspond with more despotic regimes is fairly clear: state-sanctioned violence is necessary to maintain oppressive systems. In the U.S., police violence is leveraged to maintain the status quo on many fronts, but the most significant is racism: Black people are over three times more likely than white people to be killed in police encounters. Obviously, the use of violence to maintain systems that run against the public will is not a democratic practice; rather, it is a key symptom of post-democracy.

Rather than listening to the people, the U.S. government tends to listen more to corporations. In the Trump Administration, this is no accident: his cabinet has an abnormally large group of people who have spent all or most of their careers in big business, creating a cabinet that is quantitatively “one of the most business-heavy in U.S. history.” And then there is Trump himself, who has spent all of his life as the epitome of big business. While the “revolving door” between business and government has gotten larger and faster under Trump, it has always been present in American history.

Corporate influence in politics is also ubiquitous. In Citizens United v FEC (2010), the Supreme Court blocked measures to limit “outside” spending from corporations, unions, wealthy individuals and other groups in political campaigns. The ruling was “a major victory for big oil, Wall Street banks, health insurance companies and the other powerful interests that marshal their power every day in Washington to drown out the voices of everyday Americans,” President Obama said of the decision.

Because average citizens cannot keep up with the extremely wealthy and big business in terms of political donations, politicians are generally going to listen to the extremely wealthy and big business more. Therefore, America seems to be slipping from a “one person, one

vote” model toward a “one dollar, one vote” model — another major indicator of post-democracy.

The very election of Donald Trump is an iteration of post-democracy: through the Electoral College, Trump carried the presidential victory while losing the popular vote by 2.8 million votes. And, today, he could lose the popular vote by up to 5 million and still win the presidency. Cutting through the ridiculousness of the regime of its justification, the Electoral College, by design, has removed the popular significance of voting such that a man who received almost three million fewer votes than his opponent can still be president. That is nothing short of bizarre.

Still, while Hillary Clinton carried 28.43% of eligible voters in 2016 compared to Trump’s 27.20%, if “Did Not Vote” had been a candidate, it would have won by a landslide: 44.37% of eligible voters did not vote at all. In a post-democratic society, that disinvestment comes as little surprise. That is post-democracy in action.

To reverse these startling trends, we must take political power away from the dollar and return it to the vote. And, almost ironically, that starts by voting. A movement back to democracy must demand change: limiting contributions to campaigns, regaining control of the lobbying industry, reinvesting in the public sphere and abolishing the Electoral College are just a few. Not only are these changes necessary to fix the crisis of disinvestment from politics, but they are also necessary to address the defining crises of our time.

Sam Smith is a senior studying geography at Ohio University. Please note that the views and opinions of the columnists do not reflect those of The Post. Want to talk more about it? Let Sam know by tweeting him @sambobsmith_.

THEPOSTATHENS.COM / 21

the weekender Bishop Educational Gardens to host the first Cirque Du Macabre KAYLA BENNETT FOR THE POST

Cirque Du Macabre is making its way to Rockbridge for the first time. The event will be hosted at Bishop Educational Gardens, 13200 Little Cola Road, on Saturday, Nov. 7, at 2 p.m. Including local performing artists, dancers and regional musicians, Cirque Du Macabre is an event for people of all ages.

With the intent to entertain and spark curiosity of the new creative dance and song in the minds of young ones, dancers from different backgrounds have come together to create this show.

“I’ve always kind of liked strange things, too, like Macabre,” Jess Bouffioux, creator of her band, Shadow in the Moon, said. “It can be kind of gory. For me, it’s like a strange-whimsical –– sort of like the Nightmare Before Christmas.”

Shadow in the Moon will do a live performance for the audience and plan to excite them with its originality and new music. Dancers will also perform to song recordings by Megan Wren, The Bloodthirsty Virgins, Caitlin Kraus and Electro Cult Circus.

“Shadow in the Moon is a band I formed with my life partner, Kurt McGinnis,” Bouffioux said. “We went to a ghost concert in Fort Wayne, and on the way there, we were like, ‘We should probably form a band.’ It kind of started there. It was in 2017. We didn’t know what to name it. And we really love Nightmare Before Christmas, and we were just watching it one night, and it’s from a song lyric in ‘This is Halloween’ –– the opening song. So that’s where we got that name.”

Bouffioux first came up with the idea when delving into her past. She was in a dance routine called “Cirque Du Macabre” and had a jester costume.

From that moment on, she fell in love with the circus and contortion. She 22 / NOV. 5, 2020

wanted to share her love for her art with a bigger audience.

Horror is not the intention for this event. In fact, the intention was to allow the feeling of being in the woods and to utilize the imagination. It’s a dip of the toe into the world of fantasy.

The event’s main feature will be a pumpkin-lined trail. While walking the trail, singing, dancing and music will guide the participants. The artists will bring stories to life and make Bishop Gardens feel alive.

“We wanted people to feel like they were going to the circus, and everything is happening very close to you, and there’s just fantastical things happening,” Robyn Lindsay, a dancer in charge of the event, said.

Lindsay and Bouffioux added that different types of dance will be involved so the performers can introduce more to the children. These dance styles include belly dance and tap dance, along with some physical theater and circus tricks.

When finding a location, Bobbi Bishop, owner of Bishop Educational Gardens, was willing to provide her garden for this event.

“I think one of my greatest things about the garden is that I watch people come in all stressed and leave calm,” Bishop said.

IF YOU GO WHAT: Cirque Du Macabre WHERE: Bishop Educational Gardens, 13200 Little Cola Road WHEN: Saturday, Nov. 7, at 2 p.m.

ADMISSION: Pay what you can/ donations

“So it’s such a refreshing place.”

Bishop is excited to share her garden with anyone and everyone. Likewise, the performers expressed excitement and dedication. In fact, they choreographed everything on their own and put work into this production with multiple practices.

Tickets will be “pay what you can” and an encouraged donation to the performers for their time and contribution.

“We wanted to mark it as the week

after Halloween because I know there’s so many things going on,” Bouffioux said. “It’s one last Halloween hurrah.” @KKAYYBEN KB084519@OHIO.EDU

WHAT’S GOING ON? Learn about speleology; support Athens County Child Advocacy Center ISABEL NISSLEY FOR THE POST

FRIDAY, NOV. 6 Colloquium: How Caves Gather: An Ode to Speleology at 12:55 p.m., hosted virtually by the Department of Geological Sciences at Ohio University. Learn about speleology, the study or exploration of caves, with Maria Perez. A passionate researcher, Perez discusses the diversity of caves, the range of explorations and the interdisciplinary nature of the field. Perez illustrates these points with cases from Venezuela and Cuba, whose speleologists push the boundaries of the “for what, how, and for whom” of speleology.

Admission: Free Virtual Shabbat at 6 p.m., hosted by Hillel at Ohio University via Zoom.

Join OU Hillel for a student-led, virtual Shabbat. Although the event is online, students are still encouraged to lead prayer, offer a D’var or contribute musically.

event features the work of local artists and, of course, Passion Works.

Admission: Free Third Annual Harvest Hoedown at 3 p.m., hosted virtually by the Athens County Child Advocacy Center.

Support the Athens County Child Advocacy Center at its fall fundraising event. Although virtual, participants can still view “the cow plop” and hear remarks from some friends of the center.

Passion Works Pop Up at 12 p.m., hosted by Passion Works Studio, 20 E. State Street. Visit Passion Works Studio for a socially distanced pop up sale in their parking lot. This

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Admission: $25 for non-members, $15 for members Beginner Crocheting at 4 p.m., hosted by Community Makerspace - UpCycle Ohio, 751 W. Union Street.

Learn to crochet with Nadine and Nancy. During this class, participants will learn the basics of crochet and, in the process, produce a scrunchie. Skills such as creating a slipknot, chain, single crochet and double crochet will be taught.

Participants should bring approximately 100 yards of worsted weight yarn and a size F or G crochet hook.

Kits are available for purchase before class.

Admission: $25 for non-members, $15 for members

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THEPOSTATHENS.COM / 23

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