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Zuckerberg wants to help 4 million people register to vote in 2020

Mark Zuckerberg. Photo: Drew Angerer/Getty Images

CEO Mark Zuckerberg wrote Tuesday in an op-ed that Facebook's 2020 goal is "to help 4 million people register to vote."

Why it matters: Facebook has faced scrutiny over the last four years for the way its platform was unwittingly used in spreading misinformation during the 2016 election cycle. Now, the company is doing everything in its power to bolster civic engagement ahead of the November election.

Detail: In an opinion piece for USA TODAY, the largest newspaper by circulation in the U.S., Zuckerberg said he believes Facebook "has a responsibility not just to prevent voter suppression — which disproportionately targets people of color — but to actively support well-informed voter engagement, registration, and turnout."

  • The chief executive also doubled down on Facebook's decision to not fact-check political ads, noting that in his opinion "the best way hold politicians accountable is through voting, and I believe we should trust voters to make judgements for themselves."
  • Zuckerberg's announcement comes amid a nationwide reckoning around racial inequality across the U.S.

What's next: Zuckerberg says that the company expects more than 160 million people in the U.S. will see authoritative information, like reminders to register and information about voting by mail in the general election from July through November.

  • It also plans to soon launch a tool that allows people in the U.S. to see fewer political and issue ads on Facebook, a move originally announced in January.

Go deeper

Fadel Allassan
Sep 24, 2020 - Politics & Policy

Schumer on peaceful transfer of power: "Trump is not a dictator"

Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) on Wednesday responded to President Trump's refusal to commit to a peaceful transition of power should he lose the November election, telling CNN that Trump "is not a dictator, and the American people will not allow him to be one."

What he's saying: "The American people are wedded to democracy," Schumer said. "We believe in democracy, and the kind of thing Trump is talking about just will not happen."

Go deeper (<1 min. read)Arrow
Alexi McCammond, Margaret Talev
Sep 24, 2020 - Politics & Policy

Democrats' mail voting pivot

Illustration: Sarah Grillo/Axios

Democrats spent the early months of the coronavirus pandemic urging their base to vote absentee. But as threats of U.S. Postal Service delays, Team Trump litigation and higher ballot rejection rates become clearer, many are pivoting to promote more in-person voting as well.

Why it matters: Democrats are exponentially more likely to vote by mail than Republicans this year — and if enough mail-in ballots are lost, rejected on a technicality or undercounted, it could change the outcome of the presidential election or other key races.

Go deeper (2 min. read)Arrow
Orion Rummler
Sep 24, 2020 - Politics & Policy

Christopher Wray: FBI has not seen evidence of national voter fraud effort by mail

FBI Director Christopher Wray responded to a question on the security of mail-in voting to the Senate Homeland Security Committee on Thursday by saying that the agency has "not seen, historically, any kind of coordinated national voter fraud effort in a major election, whether it's by mail or otherwise."

Why it matters: President Trump has ramped up his claims, without evidence, that widespread mail-in voting would rig the 2020 election against him. On Wednesday, after declining to say whether he would commit to a peaceful transition of power if he loses the election to Joe Biden, Trump said that "the ballots are out of control."

Go deeper (<1 min. read)Arrow

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