With just six days left until election day, AirTalk discusses how to make sure your vote counts. We also look at the phenomenon of paid protesters; share the most misunderstood Halloween costumes; and more.
T-minus 6 days: LA & OC County registrars answer your voting questions
More people than ever are returning their ballots by mail or dropping them off at a local election location rather than voting in a booth on Election Day.
Those developments make it easier to cast ballots and are designed to boost turnout. The trend also is raising concerns about whether voters can be assured their ballots will count or be notified in time if there is a problem. Voting rights activists want to ensure that voters are given a reasonable chance to fix any problems.
Earlier this month, the ACLU and other groups filed lawsuits in Georgia after an Atlanta-area county reported a comparatively high rate of rejected absentee ballots during the start of early voting. Those actions followed similar lawsuits in New Hampshire and California. Nearly one of every four ballots cast in 2016 came through the mail or was handed in at a drop-off location, according to the U.S. Election Assistance Commission. The commission's data show that 99 percent of completed absentee and mailed ballots are eventually counted.
Election officials use signature matching to verify a person's identity, but advocates say many election offices lack training and standards. Matching signatures is particularly fraught because a person's handwriting can change over time and be affected by age or disability.
Last month, California Gov. Jerry Brown signed into law the "Every Vote Counts Act," which requires local election officials to notify voters of mismatched signatures at least eight days before election results become certified. Voters then have several days to resolve the issue. Voters who are notified of a problem can request a new ballot or vote in person, but the law does not provide time after the election to resolve the problems. That potentially affects voters who drop off their ballots on or near Election Day. As concerns grow over rejection of absentee ballots, we discuss how to make sure your vote counts.
With files from the Associated Press
Guests:
Dean Logan, Registrar-Recorder/County Clerk for Los Angeles County, California
Neal Kelley, Registrar of Voters for Orange County, California
From their use in businesses to political campaigns, we look at the phenomenon of paid protesters
You may have heard about paid protesters in the form of accusation from President Trump, who has claimed, for example, that the demonstrators protesting Judge Kavanaugh’s confirmation to the Supreme Court were “
The very rude elevator screamers are paid professionals only looking to make Senators look bad. Don’t fall for it! Also, look at all of the professionally made identical signs. Paid for by Soros and others. These are not signs made in the basement from love! #Troublemakers
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) October 5, 2018
.”
While there’s no evidence to substantiate Trump’s claim, the phenomenon of paid protesters is real. As reported by LA Times reporter James Rufus Koren, one Beverly Hills firm called Crowds on Demand provides clients with rallies, flash-mobs and protests. (And the company is currently facing a lawsuit accusing them of extortion.)
We look at this company in Beverly Hills, as well as the larger phenomenon of “astroturfing,” or creating the illusion of grass-roots mobilization, as its used by businesses and political campaigns. How widespread is this phenomenon? How does it usually work, logistically, and to what end? Is the practice unethical?
Guests:
James Rufus Koren, reporter covering business for the LA Times, where his recent article is “Paid protesters? They're real — and a Beverly Hills firm that hires them stands accused of extortion in a lawsuit”; he tweets
Edward Walker, professor of sociology at UCLA; his book on “astroturfing” is “Grassroots for Hire: Public Affairs Consultants in American Democracy” (Cambridge University Press, 2014); he tweets
Garry South, longtime California Democratic political consultant; he tweets
California’s 48th Congressional District: Interview with Democrat Harley Rouda
The 48th District in Orange County, California, is bracing for a heated congressional race.
Voters will choose between incumbent Rep. Dana Rohrabacher (R-Costa Mesa) and Democrat businessman Harley Rouda in the general election on Nov. 6. Rohrabacher, who has been in Congress for three decades, is seeking what would be his 16th term in office.
California's 48th Congressional District runs along the Southern California coast from Seal Beach to Laguna Niguel and includes Huntington Beach, Costa Mesa, Aliso Viejo and Fountain Valley. It is one of the 23 Republican-held districts that voted for Hillary Clinton in the 2016 presidential election. And Democrats see the district as part of a rising Democratic tide in Orange County. Today, Harley Rouda joins Larry to discuss his campaign.
Ready for Election Day? Get up to speed on what you need to know with our Voter Game Plan at elections.laist.com. Read up on the candidates and ballot measures, find out about registration deadlines or ask us your questions.
Guest:
Harley Rouda, Democratic candidate for California’s 48th Congressional District which encompasses Huntington Beach, Costa Mesa, Aliso Viejo and Fountain Valley; he tweets
Chula Vista police are using drones for 911 calls -- how it works and what are the concerns
The Chula Vista Police Department announced last week that it will start using drones to respond to emergency calls in addition to the use of first responders.
Chula Vista, the second largest city in San Diego, is participating in the FAA’s Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS) Integration Pilot Program, where selected cities can test unmanned technologies with loosened regulations to advance the industry. The drones will provide real-time aerial footage and feed to both first responders on the scene and to the command center.
According to the Chula Vista Police Department, it typically takes up to six minutes for police officers to respond to 911 calls, a drone can do it in less than two minutes. Another advantage is that drones offer bird’s-eye view of inaccessible areas. Critics, however, are raising privacy concerns calling surveillance technology invasive. We look at what the pilot program is offering and what are its limitations.
Guests:
Phil Collum, police captain at the Chula Vista Police Department, where the drone pilot program is being implemented
Jesse Gipe, senior economic development manager for the San Diego Economic Development Corporation, which partnered with the cities of San Diego and Chula Vista in their joint application to participate in the FAA’s Unmanned Aircraft Systems Integration Pilot Program
Hamid Khan, organizer with Stop LAPD Spying Coalition, a watchdog group that studies police surveillance
You are a bird… a plane… or some kind of superhero?! What’s your most misunderstood Halloween costume?
Ahhh… Halloween is upon us, where creativity and frivolity flow.
Many of us who aren’t satisfied with the prefab, store-bought fare have struck out on our own to create the most one-of-a-kind costume — a work of art so original that people just don’t get what we’re trying to do sometimes.
For this special Halloween segment, AirTalk invites you to call in with the most misunderstood costume you have ever devised and donned. Regale us with your tales of misapprehension by calling us at 866 893 5722.