An election notable for what didn't happen

+ why people gravitate to superstitions US Edition - Today's top story: Midterms 2022: 4 experts on the effects of voter intimidation laws, widespread mail-in voting – and what makes a winner [View in browser]( US Edition | 9 November 2022 [The Conversation]( Voting in the 2022 midterm elections may be over, but the legal battles are not. State courts and election officials are bracing for challenges on the smallest of issues such as the missing dates on some mail-in ballot envelopes. But despite concerns that new state voting laws and intimidation would suppress minority – and mostly Democratic – votes, constitutional law scholar Bertrall Ross of the University of Virginia notes [in our election panel today]( that turnout among Black and Latino voters appears to have been robust. The factors determining who wins an election are not what voters normally think. Political science professor Jeffrey Lazarus says it’s not individual characteristics of candidates or their abilities. What determines who wins an election is very simple: what’s happening with the economy and the president’s approval rating. That may well drive the final outcome of the 2022 midterms. While the political issues were pretty clear during the midterms, the results are less certain. Election law scholars Mara Suttmann-Lea and Thessalia Merivaki, from Connecticut College and Mississippi State University respectively, write that scrutiny over mail-in ballots may mean the outcome of some races is not known for days or even weeks. Also today: - [Reliving Maradona’s iconic “Hand of God” goal]( - [A business class that explores what gives people purpose]( - [How dung beetles are adapting to climate change]( Howard Manly Race + Equity Editor Voters cast their ballots in Madison, Wisc., on Nov. 8, 2022, as numerous close races draw to a close. Jim Vondruska/Getty Images [Midterms 2022: 4 experts on the effects of voter intimidation laws, widespread mail-in voting – and what makes a winner]( Thessalia Merivaki, Mississippi State University; Bertrall Ross, University of Virginia; Jeffrey Lazarus, Georgia State University; Mara Suttmann-Lea, Connecticut College Some election results will take days or longer to materialize – but on election night, a panel of scholars offer initial takeaways on mail-in voting, how to win an election and voter suppression. Ethics + Religion - [Why magical thinking is so widespread – a look at the psychological roots of common superstitions]( Dimitris Xygalatas, University of Connecticut An anthropologist explains why we all have some irrational beliefs and the reason they give us comfort. Arts + Culture - [Why Maradona’s ‘Hand of God’ goal is priceless – and unforgettable]( Stefan Szymanski, University of Michigan As the ball that Maradona’s fist helped on its way to the back of the net – with some divine help – goes up for auction, a scholar of soccer explains why that goal means so much. Politics + Society - [Native American children’s protection against adoption by non-Indian families is before the Supreme Court]( Kirsten Matoy Carlson, Wayne State University A case before the Supreme Court will determine whether a federal law meant to protect Native American children from being forcibly removed from their families is constitutional. - [Environmental justice has the White House’s attention, building on 40 years of struggle – but California suggests new funding won’t immediately solve deeply entrenched problems]( Tracy Perkins, Arizona State University Poor communities of color have spent decades battling US industrial and agricultural pollution. A new EPA office is designed to support their struggle, but history suggests reason for caution. Education - [Business management doesn’t always have to be about capitalism – this course shows how it can also be a calling]( Andrew J. Hoffman, University of Michigan Is business education too focused on money and not humanity? A business professor weighs in. Environment + Energy - [Dung beetle mothers protect their offspring from a warming world by digging deeper]( Kimberly S. Sheldon, University of Tennessee Everyone is feeling the heat these days – even species that develop underground. - [Birds evolve different body temperatures in different climates – new study of 53 African species]( Marc Trevor Freeman, University of Pretoria; Andrew McKechnie, University of Pretoria Birds species vary greatly in the way they handle heat – an important finding for predicting vulnerability to global warming. Trending on site - [How asexuals navigate romantic relationships]( - [How winning record $2 billion Powerball jackpot could still lead to bankruptcy]( - [Former math teacher explains why some students are ‘good’ at math and others lag behind]( Today's graphic [A chart comparing how warm child-free people and parents feel towards other child-free people and/or parents.]( From the story, [Parents have very warm feelings toward other parents – here’s why that could be bad news for the child-free]( - - About The Conversation: We're a nonprofit news organization dedicated to [helping academic experts share ideas with the public](. We can give away our articles thanks to the help of foundations, universities and readers like you. [Donate now to support research-based journalism]( [The Conversation]( You’re receiving this newsletter from [The Conversation]( 303 Wyman Street, Suite 300 Waltham, MA 02451 [Forward to a friend]( • [Unsubscribe](