NEWS BRIEFS

 

NO WITNESS NEEDED IN MAIL BALLOTS -- To all Virginians voting by mail/absentee ballots for the November 3, 2020 elections: If you believe you may not safely have a witness present while completing the absentee ballot for this election, you are not required to have a witness present or have a witness sign your ballot envelope. Your ballot will not be rejected due to a missing witness signature. These instructions override any instructions on your ballot envelopes regarding witness signatures.

GETTING INVOLVED IN THIS ELECTION – You can connect with the campaign and get involved in this election. Here are the ways to do it:

·      I Will Vote – a web page outlining all the ways you can make sure your vote is counted

·      Unite America Phonebank – spend a couple of hours calling fellow voters

·      Put Up a yard sign – you can request a yard sign using this form

·      Record a video – you can make a video on your phone and upload it to the campaign using this link

EARLY VOTING PROCEEDS SMOOTHLY – Early voting in Nelson County either by mail or in person began September 18, and as of the time the newsletter has been posted, 2,460 early votes have been cast in the county.  This amounts to roughly 35% of the total votes cast in the previous 2018 election in Nelson County.  You can follow the vote totals here. 

GOVERNORS RELEASE STATEMENT ON THREATS TO DEMOCRACY -- A coalition of 11 governors, including Governors Ralph Northam  (VA), Jay Inslee (WA), Kate Brown (OR), Gavin Newsom (CA), Phil Murphy (NJ), Gretchen Whitmer (MI), Tony Evers (WI), Tim Walz (MN), John Carney (DE), Steve Sisolak (NV) and Michelle Lujan Grisham (NM) in a statement said: “Any efforts to throw out ballots or refuse a peaceful transfer of power are nothing less than an assault on American democracy. There is absolutely no excuse for promoting the intimidation or harassment of voters. These are all blatant attempts to deny our constituents the right to have their voices heard, as guaranteed in the U.S. Constitution, and to know the will of the people will be carried out.

“As governors, it is our solemn duty to protect the people of our states. Today, we affirm that all votes cast in the upcoming election will be counted and that democracy will be delivered in this election. That means all valid ballots cast in accordance with state and local laws must be counted, and that all states must properly appoint electors in accordance with the vote. We will not allow anyone to willfully corrupt the democratic process by delegitimizing the outcome or appointing fraudulent electors against the will of the voters.”

WEBB CLOSING IN ON GOOD -- The House race in Virginia’s usually red 5th District appears within reach for Democratic candidate Dr. Cameron Webb, with two nonpartisan political analyst sites saying he is proving competitive against Republican Bob Good. Between last Wednesday night and Thursday afternoon, both Sabato’s Crystal Ball at the University of Virginia and Inside Elections shifted their race ratings in Webb’s favor.

GOOD REPORTS NO ASSETS – 5th District congressional candidate Bob Good reported no assets and no unearned income on the financial disclosure report he was required to file as a stipulation for his candidacy. All candidates running for a House seat are required to disclose assets (such as savings accounts, retirement funds, insurance plans, income from real estate and capital gains) to the House Committee on Ethics. It is unlawful to willfully fail to disclose or file a false report.

BIDEN RAISES BIGLY -- Last month, Joe Biden raised almost $4 million in Virginia, four times the amount Trump reported. Caveat: Trump's total may be under-counted because of a joint fundraising agreement with the Trump Make America Great Again PAC, which files its next quarterly report in October.

BIDEN/HARRIS HOLD STEADY LEAD -- With an edge of 53 to 43% among registered voters, according to the latest Post-ABC News poll. 

ELECTORAL COLLEGE MAP -- Who actually votes, and who do they vote for? Explore how shifts in turnout and voting patterns for key demographic groups could affect the presidential race.

 
VIRGINIA HEALTH METRICS TRENDING UP — Record low statewide positivity at 4.7 percent; 7-day average of new cases is 779, the lowest since early July; Second lowest transmission rate in the nation.

 

BUT NELSON COVID INCREASES -- As of 5 p.m. on October 1, we had 110 cases, 2 deaths. Because of limited testing, the actual number of cases in Nelson County is likely much higher.

PANDEMIC MILESTONE -- The world is on the brink of a terrible milestone: 1 million people dead as a result of the coronavirus pandemic. It has divided countries from within, yet unites the world in common anguish and loss. From the first days of mass deaths in China to the United States eclipsing 200,000 fatalities last week, this visual story explains how we got here.

 

TRUMP DRIVES COVID MISINFORMATION -- A Cornell University study of more than 1 million news articles concluded that “the President of the United States was likely the largest driver of [a] covid-19 misinformation ‘infodemic.' ” Reporters shared some blame, too.

 

ERROR DELAYS VIRGINA UNEMPLOYMENT BENEFITS -- Out-of-work Virginians had marked their calendars for Sept. 30. That was supposed to be the date an additional but limited-time $300 a week in jobless benefits, backdated to the week ending Aug. 1, was supposed to arrive in depleted bank accounts, just in time to pay first-of-the-month bills and rent. Then, with no notice, the date changed to Oct. 15 on the Virginia Employment Commission’s website.

 

VIRGINIA JOBLESS CLAIMS DROP, SLIGHTLY -- Virginia saw a small decrease in the number of initial jobless claims last week, the Virginia Employment Commission reported Thursday, but the number of initial claims filed from mid-March through the Sept. 26 filing week totaled 1.167 million, or 28.4% of pre-pandemic payroll employment. For the week ending Sept. 26, 9,377 Virginians filed initial claims for unemployment, a decrease of 1,205 from the previous week, continuing the overall trend of lower claims volumes seen in recent months following April’s peak, according to the VEC.

 

GOTV POSTCARDS AVAILABLE FOR SALE -- 25% of proceeds donated to help Democrats in down-ballot races across the country. Made by Lauren Boggs Meslar, VA-5 Virginia For Pete Co-Lead. Printed locally. Available here.