Followers of Saratoga politics understand the complex and often stunted nature of implementing policy change within the city. It’s been seen through the lack of leadership surrounding initiatives to support the city’s unhoused populations, minority communities, and a diverse economy – outside of mainly tourism – which often barricades valuable change in Saratoga. On top of these issues, the events of the city council meetings this spring, in terms of their passage of a controversial resolution in response to the Police Reform Task Force have only further exemplified the divisiveness between Saratoga Springs leadership and their residents.
Read moreA Guide to the 2020 Election
Casting Your Vote: In-Person and By Mail
Oh no! I’m not registered yet!
There is same-day registration in 21 states and D.C.: refer to the National Conference of State Legislature’s page on Same Day Voter Registration.
How to Vote In-Person in Saratoga Springs
If you are registered to vote at with your Skidmore address (a.k.a. in Saratoga Springs), you can vote:
Early in Gavin Park (10 Lewis Rd, Saratoga Springs) on Thursday, Oct 29th and Friday, Oct. 20th from 9 AM to 5 pm; Saturday, Oct. 31st and Sunday, Nov, 1st from 9 AM to 2 PM
On Election Day (Tuesday, Nov. 3rd) in Case Center from 6 AM to 9 PM
On Election Day (Tuesday, Nov. 3rd) at Saratoga Springs City Center (522 Broadway, Saratoga Springs) from 6 AM to 9 PM
State-by-State Deadlines for Absentee Ballots
Refer to U.S. Vote Foundation, vote.org, or your state’s Division of Elections.
Your Vote: What Does it Mean?
Presidential Election
For a brief overview of the Electoral College, I recommend the TED-Ed video, “Does your vote count? The Electoral College explained” (2012), which can be found on YouTube.
How many electors does each state have in 2020? (Image from Wikipedia)
This is also the number of congressional representatives in each state.
What are Faithless Electors and why might that be important?
There is no federal law or constitutional provision which binds the electors to the winner of the popular vote in their state. However, the precedent is that the party who elects the electors gets their votes.
There were seven faithless electors in 2016 (WA, HI, TX), the most since 1972.
July 2020: Supreme Court ruled that states could make a law which binds electors to the winning party. 31 states and D.C. have enacted such a law for the upcoming election.
For a fun novel about where the Electoral College could all go wrong (in an almost too-timely situation), check out The People’s Choice by Jeff Greenfield (1995).
Congress
Members of the House of Representatives and the Senate are elected by popular vote. Congressional districts are redrawn every ten years during the redistricting process. For more information on redistricting, see Ballotpedia's page on redistricting.
Voter Suppression
Voter suppression takes form in many ways, such as the wait time at polling places, the number of polling places in an area, and voter ID laws, and is seen across the country. It is crucial to pay attention to your state’s election rules and how they can suppress the voting rights of millions of people of color, persons with disabilities, immigrants, the elderly, and students. For a deeper look into voter suppression from a historical and legal perspective, watch the New York Times video, “Why Voting in This U.S. Election Will Not Be Equal” (2020). Also check out my 2019 Skidmore News article titled “How Student Voter Oppression is Upending Democracy” which is still incredibly relevant in this election. For a Skidmore News article about broader themes in this election, see the October 2020 article by Eleanor Ketterer-Sykes, “2020 Presidential Election: A Conversation with Professor Christopher Mann.”
2020 Presidential Election: A Conversation with Professor Christopher Mann
The virus, combined with an array of variables, including a polarizing political divide, have made the 2020 Presidential Election incredibly extraordinary. Or, as Professor Mann puts it, “incredibly volatile,” marking it as one of the most unprecedented in recent history.
Read moreRecounting Stories of Black-Led Resistance: In Conversation with Professor Winston Grady-Willis
Black-led resistance to state and white vigilante violence is not new. Professor Winston Grady-Willis, chair of Black Studies at Skidmore, recounts stories of Black-led resistance from another period of widespread rebellion in U.S. history, the 1960s, in his book “Challenging US Apartheid: Atlanta and Black Struggles for Human Rights, 1960-1977.”
Read moreA Strong Skidmore Presence at the Saratoga Springs City Council Meeting
Just five days after peaceful Black Lives Matter protesters were met by excessive force used by the Saratoga Springs Police Department and Sheriff’s Department, the Skidmore community showed up and did not back down from questioning local council members and city officials.
Read moreOPINION: The Silent Hunger Crisis in Yemen
Genocidal war, 14 million people at the risk of starvation, an undeniable humanitarian crisis: this is what it looks like to live in Yemen currently. In what has become the worst famine the country has seen in 100 years, millions of Yemeni’s are on the brink of famishment in the world’s largest humanitarian crisis
Read moreOPINION: Jamal Khashoggi And The Selective Sympathy of American Media Outlets
The recent outrage regarding the murder of Saudi Journalist Jamal Khashoggi highlighted the media’s power in raising awareness. At the same time, a dozen of Saudi Feminist activists were silenced by the Saudi government, only to be largely ignored by many media outlets. What are the reasons behind that and who gets to be in the spotlight?
Read moreOPINION: Karam Dana Offers Intriguing Insights to The Palestinian Transitional Identity
Professor Karam Dana came to Skidmore last Thursday to talk about Palestine and its transitional identity. Supported by surveys and extensive research, he delivered a practical approach to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. Read our review of the latest Jacob Parlow lecture!
Read moreThe Sixth Extinction: An Unnatural History
This past month Skidmore College welcomed Elizabeth Kolbert, author of the Pulitzer Prize winning book The Sixth Extinction: An Unnatural History back to campus. Sponsored by the the Saratoga Springs Public Library, the Gannett auditorium was nearly full with an overwhelming majority of older members of the community, along with a smattering of Skidmore students and faculty.
Read moreViktor Orbán: EU’s Uncertain Future
On April 8, Hungary held its parliamentary elections, resulting in a victory for the Fidesz-KDNP alliance, with Victor Orbán selected as the country’s Prime Minister. Orbán’s radical platform is not only detrimental to Hungary, but also poses a risk to the stability of the European Union.
Read moreFeminist Fashion of a Muslim Woman
On April 7 Hoda Katebi, an Iranian fashion blogger and activist, visited Skidmore College as the Keynote Speaker for the first annual Envisioning LiberaT.I.O.N (This is Our Network) Conference. The Conference, which took place on April 7 and 8, was an opportunity for students of color to come together in order to share narratives and redefine liberation.
Read moreWomen in Business Conference 2018:“Breaking Societal Norms: Readdressed.”
On April 21, The Skidmore Women in Business (WIB) team hosted their third annual leadership conference, “Breaking Societal Norms: Readdressed”. The conference gave an opportunity for students and alumni from various industries to connect over strategic and successful techniques for achieving their career goals.
Read moreSaratoga Springs Honors Martin Luther King’s Legacy with a Silent March
April 4 marked the fiftieth anniversary of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s assassination. In towns all across the country, demonstrations were held to honor his legacy. Saratoga Springs was no exception to these sentiments, and held a silent march and vigil downtown.
Read moreWhat’s Missing from the Equation of Justice for Equal Pay?
On June 1, 2017, Iceland passed a law to tighten its gender wage gap. The country is leading the world in passing legislation to close the pay gap, but does Iceland see any positive effects because of this new law?
Read moreThe First Amendment: Our Obligation to Protest, Assemble, and Protect the Free Press
On Tues., March 27, the Saratoga Chapter of the League of Women Voters hosted a lecture on the First Amendment. This lecture was part of the three programs sponsored by the League and was given by Justin Harrison of the New York Civil Liberties Union’s legislative department.
Read more3 Years of Crisis: Why Are We So Ignorant to What’s Happening in Yemen?
On March 26, the Yemen war entered its fourth year, and the crisis is yet another bleak reminder of inhumanity in modern history. The significant civilian losses, which have reached over 10,000, have gone unnoticed by global media, especially by those in the United States.
Read moreA Weekend at the North American Model United Nations Conference
This February, Skidmore’s Model United Nations club sent thirteen delegates to the North American Model United Nations Conference (NAMUN) at the University of Toronto. Connor Batsimm ’18 reflects on his experience.
Read moreDying to Vote: Countering Strategic Efforts to Suppress Voting Rights
On Tuesday, Feb. 27, a lecture on voting rights in the United States was hosted by Chris Deluzio, a counsel of the Brennan Center for Justice’s democracy Program, who advocated for extending voting rights and implementing more effective methods.
Read moreReflecting on Saad Hariri’s Short Lived “resignation,” Lebanon's Future Remains Bleak
In November 2017, Lebanon’s Prime Minister resigned from his position while on a diplomatic trip to Saudi Arabia. Analysis of his sudden resignation and following events reveal how countries are being used as instruments to further the proxy war between Saudi Arabia and Iran.
Read moreFree Ahed Tamimi: The Protest for Palestinian Children Rights Comes to Saratoga
On Sunday, Feb. 18, the Palestinian Rights Committee and the Jewish Voices for Peace joined forces to rally together, holding a vigil in solidarity with Ahed Tamimi and all Palestinian children in Saratoga Springs.
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