Staff Reports
Last Call — A prime-time read of what’s going down in Florida politics.
First Shot
With Election Day fast approaching, the AARP has started ramping up efforts to help older voters get registered and learn what options they have for casting a ballot.
AARP is a nonpartisan, nonprofit group — they don’t even operate a PAC — so voters who visit their “What You Need to Know” webpage will get the facts without the spin.
The page details where to download and mail-in voter registration applications; where they can be picked up in person, and the deadline for being eligible to vote in the general election. The page also explains how voters can request mail ballots, among other things.
The site is one of many actions AARP has taken this cycle to ensure voters are knowledgeable about the process and individual elections.
The organization also recently began hosting virtual Congressional Candidate Community Conversations. The events were held in Florida’s 3rd and 19th Congressional Districts and provided a forum for all candidates, regardless of party, to outline their campaign platforms.
AARP also announced it will be polling voters over 50 nationally and in Florida over the next few months and crunching numbers on the role those voters have on elections across the country.
Coronavirus Numbers
Positive cases:
— 497,181 FL residents (+5,408 since Tuesday)
— 5,558 Non-FL residents (+1 since Tuesday)
Origin:
— 3,832 Travel related
— 141,518 Contact with a confirmed case
— 3,897 Both
— 347,934 Under investigation
Hospitalizations:
— 28,573 in FL
Deaths:
— 7,751 in FL
Unemployment Numbers
As of Tuesday:
Total claims: 3,462,988
— Confirmed unique claims: 3,281,197
— Claim verification queue: 68,742
— Claims processed: 3,212,725
— Claims paid: 1,828,544 (+6,699 since Monday)
Total paid out: $12.87 billion (+$50 million since Monday)
Evening Reads
“Donald Trump campaign seeks early September presidential debate” via Alayna Treene and Stef W. Kight of Axios
“New report: Vote-by-mail fraud is rare and it doesn’t benefit Democrats” via Issac Morgan of the Florida Phoenix
“Trump’s nonsensical answer about why Florida and apparently no other state can vote by mail safely” via Amber Phillips of The Washington Post
“Virus aid: Where things stand in high-level Washington talks” via Andrew Taylor of The Associated Press
“Ron DeSantis continues to blame Rick Scott for unemployment failures” via A.G. Gancarski of Florida Politics
“Florida voters support extending $600 unemployment relief” via Scott Powers of Florida Politics
“Company that bungled Florida unemployment system gets new $135 million state contract” via Kirby Wilson and Lawrence Mower of the Times/Herald Tallahassee Bureau
“Businesses thought they were covered for the pandemic. Insurers say no.” via Mary Williams Walsh of The New York Times
“Florida hospital data shows good news. But here’s why the pandemic is far from over.” via Langston Taylor of the Tampa Bay Times
“Fight over face mask mandates goes to appeals court” via Jim Saunders of News Service of Florida
“Another 90 dead as South Florida records third-highest daily death toll of COVID-19 pandemic” via Ryan Nicol of Florida Politics
“Collier now 10th Florida county with more than 10,000 cases of COVID-19” via Jacob Ogles of Florida Politics
“Nikki Fried ‘looking into’ 2022 run for Florida Governor” via A.G. Gancarski of Florida Politics
“A female Black judge appeared to be a strong pick for the FL Supreme Court — until an unusual fight ensued” via Michael Moline of the Florida Phoenix
“Is this the beginning of the end of American racism?” via Ibram X. Kendi of The Atlantic
Quote of the Day
“So, it’s safe for schools to reopen, but it’s not safe to hold a Cabinet meeting? Makes sense.” — Agriculture Commissioner Nikki Fried, after cancellation of the August Cabinet meeting.
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