Matter of Fact Newsletter

We hear from voters in Lebanon, Kansas.


Returning to Lebanon, Kansas


Denise Marcum is voting this year in her hometown of Lebanon, Kansas. Since we talked to her in 2017, she’s become more active in the election process. She’s now a clerk at the city’s polling station and says turnout is high. The city, which sits in the middle of the lower 48 states, has voted for Donald Trump in both the 2016 and 2020 elections. We’ll learn tomorrow which way the city votes. Either way, residents there want to send a message to Washington. Correspondent Leone Lakhani has more on what that message is. Watch here.

Check out our swing state stories here.


Extending Voter Enthusiasm

Early voting records have been shattered across the country and Beth Lynk wants to keep that momentum going. She’s the executive director of the nonprofit When We All Vote and wants to make sure everyone exercises their right to vote in every election. She sits down with Soledad to explain her plan to keep the enthusiasm going. Watch here.


“Wars that have been fought just to have the right to vote.”

At the age of 84, Henry Pachnowski is a first-time voter. Why? The Holocaust survivor and his family moved the United States and built a life here. However, along the way, Henry ran into some trouble that was only recently expunged from his record. Special Correspondent Joie Chen has his story. Watch here.


More on Matter of Fact

Elections officials in at least 24 states rely on ERIC, or Electronic Registration Information Center, to keep their voters rolls updated. A couple of years ago, Correspondent Dan Lieberman showed us how the partnership worked. Since then, several states have left the program, after far-right conspiracy theorists falsely claimed it helps Democrats win. We talk to ERIC’s executive director, Shane Hamlin, about the program’s role this election.

Bald eagles, song lyrics, and Abraham Lincoln portraits. Ballots from the Civil War era are patriot miniature works of art. We’ll show you some the intricately designed versions that hoped to win voters’ attention.

Watch the entire episode here.

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