Every Voter’s Voice, New Approaches

Sunday Solutions – Oct. 2, 2022

October brought fall temperatures and ushered Hurricane Ian up to South Carolina. Here’s hoping you are only a bit windblown from a monster that sadly terrorized the western coast of Florida. Now you need a different storm plan: We’ve got 5 full weeks until the General Elections. Gear up.

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A voice for every voter

Americans like to say every vote counts, but the Georgia Council on Developmental Disabilities sponsored an event last week to go one step further: Every voter counts. The event spotlighted the electoral clout of people with disabilities and encouraged members of this community to speak up and be heard in the political space. Georgia doesn’t track how many registered voters have disabilities; nationally, the community represents about 20 million voters. All candidates for statewide office were invited. Three showed up, others sent video to address policies and issues important to the community of disabled voters and advocates. Jill Nolin from Georgia Recorder describes the questions and the answers.

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Young adults and gun violence

We often bring you well-reported information and data from The Trace, non-profit news site dedicated to gun violence and firearms policy. Here’s a new, noteworthy read breaking down a July survey of 1,000 people aged 13-25 nationwide. It views the data through a public health lens to try to unravel the all-time high number of gun deaths in 2021. Among these 48,832 deaths, people of color were disproportionately represented as homicide victims, while youth suicide has steadily increased particularly among children of color. Nearly a third of the young respondents said they have experienced gun violence personally; more than half say they think about mass shootings at least once a week.

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Considerable

If Hurricane Ian submerged your week’s news consumption, we completely understand. Here are a few things you may want to catch:

• Mining permits get attention: The Georgia Department of Natural Resources chairman said this week that the group will look for a sign from the federal government after the public comment period for the permit to mine near the Okefenokee Swamp. Reporter Mary Landers attended the meeting and talked to plan critics outside after the meeting.
• A sign for the future? In west Georgia — already home to a Kia auto plant — officials are scurrying to figure out how to house workers for the expanding manufacturer. The automaker is adding a production line but affordable housing for the 500 workers required is scarce. A story from Georgia Recorder describes the options and creative housing and development solutions in discussion that could spark ideas in Coastal Georgia as the new Hyundai electric vehicle project builds out in north Bryan County.

• EVs and the Inflation Reduction Act: Disagreements continue over the actual effects of the new law on the new Hyundai plant set for Coastal Georgia. The point — like almost everything else right now — has become politicized amid the very real work local officials are doing to prepare the site and area for the $5.5 billion investment for the auto plant. Their combined effort, and associated support industries, could add 10,000 jobs locally. In the meantime, at least one representative has filed a bill to delay the requirement that’s causing the angst: that only EVs built in the U.S. can qualify for a $7,500 tax rebate. The cars manufactured at the new plant set to open in 2025 will qualify, but critics say it will cut sales now.
• Online help for voting: One of the many court complaints filed against state’s new voting law ended this week when the Georgia secretary of state’s office confirmed that online help for filling out requests for absentee ballots remains legal. VoteAmerica’s online tool prefills the request for a ballot — not the ballot — and sends it to the voter to submit. Read the details here. Go here to request your own ballot from the state, register to vote or get info on early voting.

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A new approach for suicide prevention

• Larger toll on veterans: New data show a much bleaker picture of an already dark situation. A story from Military Times describes the widening landscape of veterans’ deaths from 2015 to 2019 with suicides and overdoses that go unreported or incorrectly noted. Instead of 14 suicide deaths a day, the number may be closer to 44. Many drug deaths were classified as accidents or unknown intent even though indications were that the fatalities should be grouped alongside suicides. Experts say it’s hard to address the epidemics without clear numbers on deaths and causes. They are calling on coroners, families and law enforcement and others to work for better data.

• A new plan of attack: Utah, Washington state and Virginia now address suicide by firearm in a novel way: a voluntary do-not-sell list. 53% of all suicides nationally used firearms. The law allows a person to voluntarily and confidentially request to be listed on the states’ background system to prevent them from impulsively purchasing a gun. Anybody can sign up, no questions asked. If they want to buy a gun, they can file a request to have their name removed after a 21-day waiting period. The idea is to reduce access to lethal means for people who are working through mental health challenges. Experts agree that delaying access to firearms in times of crisis is a life-saving strategy. We’ve linked a story about the woman, Katrina Brees, who is shepherding the movement and why she thinks it would’ve saved her mother.

If you or someone you know may be considering suicide, dial 988 from any phone. If you are a veteran, you may call 1-800-273-8255 and select Option 1. Or veterans or family members can text 838255 for assistance.

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Your second cup: Promises offer more than college

What if someone stepped into your life at a time when you were weighing what’s next and changed your options? That’s what promise programs do: They set up once-unmanageable trails to success for students by creating college scholarships for those who work hard toward a productive adulthood. Recent studies show that college promise programs offering coaching and other methods of financial support have the largest impact on low-income students’ graduation rates, setting up strong pathways for them and their communities. From the Solutions Journalism Network and Prism, read how some of the 400 programs in 33 states and Washington, D.C. are sharing success with the next generation.

Enjoy.

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