St. Pete City Hall

Joe Biden is President-Elect; St. Pete celebrates

Dozens of people gathered across from St. Petersburg City Hall Saturday afternoon. It came hours after the Associated Press and several other news organizations projected that Joe Biden would earn more than 270 Electoral College votes and therefore has defeated President Donald Trump. At the street party in downtown St. Petersburg, Joan Thurman said her… Read more »

by Seán Kinane WMNF 2020 Nov 3 Election Day Gulfport (Pinellas County) Florida. Florida's most densely populated county. A swing county along the I-4 corridor in the country's largest swing state. vote sign precinct election 2020 Biden Harris Edmond Santana Rouson

CountOnUs rallies Saturday in Tampa, St. Pete

Saturday is a national day of action for groups pushing for, in their words, a “national celebration of the values underpinning our democracy: counting every vote, a peaceful transition of power, and putting and maintaining power in the hands of the people.” There are events in Tampa and in St. Petersburg. WMNF interviewed one of… Read more »

‘Keep calm and count on’ Experts say the election was never going to be decided on Nov. 3, but that’s normal and good

Experts are urging Americans to remain calm as votes in crucial states continue to be counted in a heavily contested presidential election. There’s no evidence of fraud or tampering, despite President Donald Trump’s premature claim of victory. LISTEN: The Red Mirage It’s being called the ‘Red Mirage,’ an effort by the Republican Party to give… Read more »

Photojournalist Zach D Roberts

Radioactivity Election Day Tuesday: Photojournalist Zach D Roberts tracking far-right groups in Florida and across the US

November 3, 2020 Good Morning, welcome to Radioactivity.  I’m Rob Lorei. Zach D Roberts is an investigative photojournalist who covers far-right extremism, and voter suppression in America. He is famously known to go to the epicenters of hell to get his story.  For the past two years, he’s been traveling–sometimes openly, sometimes under cover–with the… Read more »

After record early voting, Election Day turnout looks light in Tampa Bay

Florida experienced record early voting this year with early-in-person and mail-in voting ballots nearly surpassing the total number of ballots cast in 2016. With most votes being cast early, even historically busy polling sites around Tampa Bay are seeing light turnout. LISTEN: Jeremy Gloff stood just outside St. Petersburg’s Coliseum Tuesday, a usually bustling home… Read more »

Video shows Pinellas deputies repeatedly punching, elbowing Biden supporter during political rally in Palm Harbor

A video showing the arrest of a Clearwater man during a political rally in Palm Harbor has raised concerns over a deputy’s use of force.  The video shows deputies punching a Joe Biden supporter in the head and elbowing him in the back multiple times as he’s being held to the ground. LISTEN: Whitney Wentz… Read more »

Four Traumatic Years Later

In the aftermath of the 2016 presidential election, we asked a panel of distinguished guests to share their opinions on the outcome. Dr. Jennifer, Mercieca, professor of communications at Texas A & M University questioned the media’s involvement, “They put the camera in front of Donald Trump for a year and a half and they gave… Read more »

Radioactivity Thursday: Disinformation, Conspiracy Theories, QAnon and Voter Manipulation with Melissa Ryan

October 29, 2020 In her latest article for Right Wing Watch, “Disinformation, Coronavirus, and the 2020 Presidential Election“, Melissa Ryan writes: In the 2016 presidential campaign, a robust disinformation effort fueled by Russia’s intelligence agencies provided a new turn in the narrative of United States politics. Now, as the 2020 presidential election approaches in a… Read more »

Radioactivity Wednesday: A Deep Dive into the Latest Florida Poll numbers with Steve Schale

October 28, 2020 In 2008, Steve Schale directed the Obama/Biden campaign in Florida, leading the largest political operation in Florida history to a win for President Obama, and in 2012, served as a Senior Advisor to the re-election.   Earlier in his career, Steve ran the Florida Democratic Party’s House Democratic Caucus, during which Florida Democrats picked… Read more »

Vern Buchanan and Margaret Good debate in Florida’s 16th Congressional District

Here is a link to many coronavirus resources Florida’s 16th Congressional District includes all of Manatee County, plus northern Sarasota County and southern Hillsborough County. It has been represented by Republican Congress member Vern Buchanan since a redistricting in 2013. He’s being challenged by Democratic State Representative Margaret Good, and we heard part of their… Read more »

On 100th anniversary, Ocoee Massacre comes into focus

Nov. 2 marks the 100th anniversary of the Ocoee Massacre, considered our country’s most deadly Election Day. But this little-known tragic moment in Florida’s history has been coming into focus. Dozens of African American residents of Ocoee, a town just outside of Orlando, were murdered and their property destroyed after one of them attempted to… Read more »

Considering America’s Soul

In his new book, American Rule – How A Nation Conquered The World But Failed Its People writer and political analyst Jared Yates Sexton takes us on a journey through the history of the United States, from the nation’s founding to the twenty-first century. He examines and debunks the American myths we’ve always told ourselves…. Read more »

Experts say results won’t come election night and that’s okay, no matter what the White House says

Election experts say it’s highly unlikely that the results of the Presidential Election will be known on Nov. 3. Experts told reporters vote count deadlines extend well beyond Election Day. Taking the time allowed to make sure every vote is counted means the process is working, especially in battleground states like Florida. LISTEN: Rumors of… Read more »

Amid record early voting, election officials, leaders urge voter confidence despite misinformation

Voters turned out in record numbers Monday to begin casting ballots in person for the presidential election. Political leaders and election officials are urging voter confidence amid misinformation. Meanwhile, a bill from Marco Rubio aimed at ensuring an accurate vote count is set to die in committee. Listen: Bernard Zielinski lost confidence in absentee voting… Read more »