Track your mail-in ballot in 44 states and D.C.

+ designing batteries for easier recycling US Edition - Today's top story: How to track your mail-in ballot [View in browser]( US Edition | 22 October 2020 [The Conversation]( Academic rigor, journalistic flair With so many Americans voting by mail, or considering doing so, a major question many voters have is how they can be sure their ballot arrived at their local election office and was accepted for counting. As election law scholar Steven Mulroy at the University of Memphis explains, different states have different rules for who is allowed to vote by mail, but 44 states and the District of Columbia have online systems letting anyone who can vote by mail make sure their ballot arrived and is ready to be counted. His article includes [an interactive map voters can use to go directly to their own state’s mail-in ballot tracking site](. Also today: - [Explaining the ongoing delays at the USPS]( - [The FDA warns pregnant women not to take over-the-counter pain relievers]( - [Could Purdue Pharma become a 'public trust'?]( Jeff Inglis Politics + Society Editor Make sure you know when your ballot is arriving, and whether it’s been accepted for counting back at your election office. erhui1979/DigitalVision Vectors via Getty Images [How to track your mail-in ballot]( Steven Mulroy, University of Memphis In 44 states and the District of Columbia, voters can keep an eye on where their ballot is through systems that track when a ballot is requested by, sent to and returned by the voter. Politics/Election '20 - [Silencing the debate mic won’t stop Trump from short-circuiting the democratic process]( Karrin Vasby Anderson, Colorado State University Functional political debates, like healthy democracies, require participants who respect the process and follow mutually agreed-upon rules. - [1968’s presidential election looks a lot like today’s – but it was very different]( David Stebenne, The Ohio State University There are similarities between the law-and-order language used by the 1968 and 2020 presidential candidates and the racial tension and political polarization both years. But much is different. Economy + Business - [OxyContin maker Purdue Pharma may settle legal claims with a new ‘public trust’ that would still be dedicated to profit]( David Herzberg, University at Buffalo The government has tried to harness profit-driven drugmaking to serve public health before. The results were underwhelming. - [Mail delays, the election and the future of the US Postal Service: 5 questions answered]( Jena Martin, West Virginia University; Matthew Titolo, West Virginia University Two legal scholars explain what's causing the USPS mail delays, what they mean for the election and the agency's deeper financial problems. Health + Medicine - [Why the FDA is warning pregnant women not to use over-the-counter pain relievers]( C. Michael White, University of Connecticut Popular pain medicines sold over the counter could be bad for a developing fetus. A pharmacologist explains why, and why the FDA is warning pregnant women to avoid these drugs. Environment + Energy - [When fracking moves into the neighborhood, mental health risks rise]( Stephanie Malin, Colorado State University Living near oil and gas production can affect mental health, driving stress and feelings of depression. - [Designing batteries for easier recycling could avert a looming e-waste crisis]( Zheng Chen, University of California San Diego; Darren H. S. Tan, University of California San Diego Batteries power much of modern life, from electric and hybrid cars to computers, medical devices and cellphones. But unless they're made easier and cheaper to recycle, a battery waste crisis looms. Education - [P-TECH high school model connects students to college and careers]( Stanley S Litow, Duke University An innovative school model, known as P-TECH, that enables high school students to graduate with a two-year college degree and get jobs with partner corporations is showing encouraging results. Arts + Culture - [What the rise of digital handouts on Venmo and Cash App says about our fraying social safety net]( Jenna Drenten, Loyola University Chicago The internet ushered in new ways of raising money, particularly with the rise of crowdfunding. But making appeals for cash on social media represents an entirely different phenomenon. - [Making music during a pandemic – a composer reflects on his experience]( Scott Wheeler, Emerson College A composer and performer talks about the impact of the pandemic on classical music performances and his experience composing in isolation. Science + Technology - [Disputes over when life begins may block cutting-edge reproductive technologies like mitochondrial replacement therapies]( Walter G. Johnson, Arizona State University; Diana Bowman, Arizona State University The nomination of Judge Amy Coney Barrett has implications for how assisted reproductive technologies, which can prevent the transmission of disease from parents to child, are regulated. - [Turbulent environment set the stage for leaps in human evolution and technology 320,000 years ago]( Richard Potts, Smithsonian Institution A new environmental record for a prehistoric site in Kenya helped researchers figure out how external conditions influenced which of our ancient ancestors lived there, with what way of life. - [A tiny circular racetrack for light can rapidly detect single molecules]( Judith Su, University of Arizona An optical sensor that can detect individual molecules promises early detection of diseases and environmental contamination. Most read on site - [The president’s term ends at noon on Jan. 20]( Donald Nieman, Binghamton University, State University of New York The framers of the Constitution were very clear that presidential terms have time limits. Not four years and a day. Not three years and 364 days. Four years. - [Lincoln Project’s anti-Trump ads show power of biting satire]( Chris Lamb, IUPUI A political action committee of longtime Republican strategists is using satire to attack President Donald Trump and influence American voters. - [NASA’s OSIRIS-REx will land on an asteroid to bring home rocks and dust – if it can avoid Mt. Doom]( Elizabeth Cantwell, University of Arizona OSIRIS-REx will touch down on asteroid Bennu, collect a sample of the dust and begin its journey back to Earth, where scientists will study it, hoping to learn secrets of the solar system's origin. You’re receiving this newsletter from [The Conversation](. Not interested anymore? 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