Harvard Today: November 4, 2014

Today’s election day! Hopefully you’ve already sent in your absentee ballot if you live outside of Massachusetts, or are planning on voting today if you’re registered here! The Community Action Committee at the Institute of Politics put together some information about the Massachusetts ballot, and here some of the highlights:

Voting Locations

Mather, Leverett, Dunster: Putnam Apartments (2 Mt. Auburn St)

Quad: Graham and Parks School (44 Linnaean St)

Quincy, Lowell, Kirkland, Eliot, Winthrop & Apley Court: Quincy House

Freshman Dorms (except Apley Court): Gund Hall (48 Quincy St.)

Voting Issues

In addition to voting for which candidates you want filling positions like governor, state and U.S. Senator or House Representative, and more, you will also be voting on four different questions.

1. Gas Tax: Currently, MA law states that the gas tax must increase in accordance with yearly inflation, without legislature having to vote. Question one asks whether or not this law should be repealed.
2. Recycling Redemption: The proposed law would broaden the recyclable materials accepted at redemption centers to include water bottles, juice bottles, and sports drinks.
3. Casinos: Currently, plans for casinos in MA have been approved by law. This ballot question asks whether or not this law allowing casinos in MA should be repealed.
4. Earned Sick Time: This proposed law would require that employers provide all workers at least 5 sick days a year.

There are additional questions specific to different localities depending on your district, so check out those as well!

Make sure to bring a government I.D. to the polls, and don’t forget to pick up a chic “I Voted” sticker as you leave! How else is anyone going to be able to give you any credit? Happy voting!

By Daniel N. Yue

IN THE ATMOSPHERE

Today is going to be slightly warmer than yesterday, with a high of 59 degrees and 0% chance of rain all day, but lots of wind once again! We’re in that confusing-in-between-seasons time where a parka, a sweatshirt, or a t-shirt each seem like appropriate attire at different points during the same day. And by that “confusing-in-between-seasons time”, we just mean all the time. We love you too, New England.

IN THE D-HALLS

Lunch

Popcorn Chicken
Sausage Pizza
Seitan Fajitas

Dinner

Normandy Style Pork Loin
Swai with Honey Ginger Glaze
Portobello Mushroom with Quinoa Stuffing

ON FLYBY

1. Halfway Through the Semester?!: Yup, we’re there. Let the anxiety begin.

2. Seasonal Treats for the Busy, Broke, and ‘Culinarily Inept’: S’mores Nachos. S’MORES NACHOS. Basically everything we could ever want.

IN THE NEWS

1. In Midterms, Voters Can Weigh In on Close Races, Ballot Measures: As voters check off names down the ballot, they will find most local races either uncontested or, in the case of statewide positions, clearly in Democratic hands, but analysts expect that each vote will matter in the Massachusetts gubernatorial election and Question 1 of the ballot initiatives.

2. Hilfiger Recounts Business Obstacles, Successes: Fashion mogul Tommy Hilfiger and Tommy Hilfiger Executive Chairman Fred Gehring spoke to an audience of about 100 about the history of their company and the lessons they had learned during their long careers in business, among other topics, at Harvard Business School Monday afternoon.

3. Student-Led LGBTQ Photo Campaign and Fundraiser Launch: Campaign creators Curtis L. Lahaie ’15 and Kyle J. McFadden ’18 launched an online photo gallery Monday, along with a social media campaign and a 60-day fundraiser to raise $10,000 for three nonprofit organizations working on LGBTQ-related concerns.

EVENTS

An awesome study group happening this week is Governor Chris Gregoire’s session on Public Policy and Business in a Global Economy. Today’s session will feature guest Brad Smith, the Executive Vice-President for Legal and and Corporate Affairs at Microsoft, and will take place at 4 p.m. in L166 at the Institute of Politics.

Also stop by the Faculty Dining Room at the Institute of Politics at 4:15 p.m. for IOP Fellow Anton Gunn’s study group. This week’s session is called Too Black, Too Strong: The Politics of Race in Healthcare Reform, and will feature special guest Shavon Arline-Bradley, the chief of staff of the NAACP.

Harvard Sex Week continues to host events all week featuring free food, condoms, and more. Today, check out What What in the Butt (specially for you, Hurlbut residents) at 5 p.m. and/or #SellingSexy, a discussion of how social culture shapes entertainment, at 8 p.m. Both events will take place in Sever 113.

The IOP is also hosting Election Night 2014 tonight, showing results and providing commentary starting at 8 p.m. in the John F. Kennedy Jr. Forum.

PHOTO OF THE DAY

Voting season is just around the corner, and voters are choosing which locations they would like to cast their votes. Quincy House is a popular place for student voters.