Local grievances and public resources drive voter decisions and recovery

by Claire Dunmore About Claire DunmoreNovember 8, 20266 links · ~47 min read · ~1 min for the TL;DR

The Committee Room by Claire Dunmore: six links on Politics every day.

TL;DR

Seven Days and ProPublica are investigating the cleanup of algae blooms in Lake Champlain and seeking accounts from affected local residents.
A viral candidate information website spoofing the show "Love Island" engages voters by matching them with Senate candidates.
Libraries, synagogues, schools, parks, and local businesses are serving as the primary front line of recovery as disaster aid turns into a political lottery.
The Labour government is weakening Margaret Thatcher's landmark Right to Buy policy amid debates over Britain's social housing shortages.
Five women across rural Texas and Southwest Virginia are casting their ballots based on their bipartisan opposition to data center developments.
Interior Secretary Doug Burgum holds tens of millions of dollars in AI investments while pushing to let tech companies build data centers on public lands.

From the curator

Local concerns and public resources directly drive how citizens organize, recover, and vote. Jessica Kutz's 11-minute article for The 19th reports that five women across rural Texas and Southwest Virginia are letting opposition to data centers guide their ballots. Meanwhile, Mark Olalde's 11-minute article for ProPublica reports that Interior Secretary Doug Burgum, who holds tens of millions of dollars invested in the artificial intelligence industry, is pushing to permit tech companies to build data centers on public lands under his oversight. From Daniel P. Aldrich's 5-minute article for The Conversation detailing how libraries and synagogues step in when disaster aid falters, to local reporting partnerships seeking resident input on Lake Champlain's cleanup, community well-being repeatedly collides with official policy and political campaigns.

Claire Dunmore

Curated for this issue

ProPublica1 min readDo You Live Near Lake Champlain? Help Seven Days and ProPublica Investigate Algae Blooms.
Seven Days and ProPublica have teamed up to investigate the cleanup of Lake Champlain. Have you been affected by this issue? We’d like to hear from you.

The 19th6 min readNeed help voting today? Find your match on Senate Island
Voting heads to the Villa: The creator of a viral candidate information website spoofing "Love Island" talks about her unique approach to voter engagement.

Chabeli Carrazana · curated 1 time

The Conversation5 min readDisaster aid has become a political lottery – libraries, schools and places of worship are stepping into the breach
Libraries, synagogues, parks and local businesses are becoming the real front line of recovery.

Daniel P. Aldrich · curated 1 time

BBC News11 min readRight to Buy split my estate. Now its days could be numbered
Labour is weakening Margaret Thatcher's landmark housing policy. Will it really fix Britain's social housing woes?

The 19th11 min read‘Hideous’ and ‘devastating’: Data centers are shaping how these women vote
From rural Texas to Southwest Virginia, five women on both sides of the aisle explain how their opposition is guiding their choices at the ballot box.

Jessica Kutz · curated 1 time

ProPublica11 min readTrump Official Who Wants Data Centers on Public Lands Has Tens of Millions Invested in AI Industry
Interior Secretary Doug Burgum, who is heavily invested in the AI industry, is leading the charge to allow tech companies to build data centers on the public lands he oversees.

Mark Olalde · curated 1 time

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From the curator

ProPublica1 min readDo You Live Near Lake Champlain? Help Seven Days and ProPublica Investigate Algae Blooms.Seven Days and ProPublica have teamed up to investigate the cleanup of Lake Champlain. Have you been affected by this issue? We’d like to hear from you.

The 19th6 min readNeed help voting today? Find your match on Senate IslandVoting heads to the Villa: The creator of a viral candidate information website spoofing "Love Island" talks about her unique approach to voter engagement.

The Conversation5 min readDisaster aid has become a political lottery – libraries, schools and places of worship are stepping into the breachLibraries, synagogues, parks and local businesses are becoming the real front line of recovery.

BBC News11 min readRight to Buy split my estate. Now its days could be numberedLabour is weakening Margaret Thatcher's landmark housing policy. Will it really fix Britain's social housing woes?

The 19th11 min read‘Hideous’ and ‘devastating’: Data centers are shaping how these women voteFrom rural Texas to Southwest Virginia, five women on both sides of the aisle explain how their opposition is guiding their choices at the ballot box.

ProPublica11 min readTrump Official Who Wants Data Centers on Public Lands Has Tens of Millions Invested in AI IndustryInterior Secretary Doug Burgum, who is heavily invested in the AI industry, is leading the charge to allow tech companies to build data centers on the public lands he oversees.