Illustration by Be Boggs.
Letters to Zócalo
Two Pennsylvanias, One Drive, No Connections?
My Commute Into Pittsburgh Traverses the Political Divide That Defines My State
My wife and I live in a rural farming area in Western Pennsylvania. We moved here five years ago because we’re country people, and it’s only 20 minutes from where I grew up and where my mother still lives.
Here we have chickens, a big garden, and a wood-burning stove but no broadband internet, which sometimes makes it hard on my wife, who works from home.
Each week, I commute about an hour to a small liberal arts college in Pittsburgh where I specialize in U.S. labor history. When I drive to …
In Georgia I Trust
A Cobb County Poll Worker Is Confident Voting Is Safe, Secure, and Fair—Despite What Election Deniers Might Say
For a dozen or so elections since 2020, I have worked as a poll worker in Cobb County, Georgia. It has been an eye-opening experience that has made me more …
How I Became a One-Way Pen Pal for Democracy
I Write Postcards to Try to Reform Ballot Scofflaws. All the While Wondering, Who Are These People Anyway?
Oh, you beautiful souls in Battle Creek, Michigan: the teacher, the pipelayer, the barista, the big-hearted tech at the vet’s office checking in a scared family’s pug. How I wish …
What’s at Stake for Northern Ireland in the U.K. Elections?
Changing Demographics and Post-Brexit Tensions Could Mean a Reconciled and Reunified Ireland
Working in media I walk a tightrope every day trying to adequately reflect the nuance of life and political perspectives on the island of Ireland, in particular Northern …
What Was Macron Thinking?
Snap Elections and Political Turmoil Put France at a Critical Juncture, and Voters in an Uncomfortable Place
Here in France, we had all expected the far-right Rassemblement National (National Rally)—or the RN—to outperform in the European elections earlier this month. At 8 p.m. on June 9, the …
What Kind of European Future Do Romanians Want?
On the Eve of Elections, Voters and Candidates Alike Are Vague on the Issues
To be Romanian is to live as a denizen of your city or town, of Romania, and of Europe.
In 2024, almost 19 million of us will choose elected officials to …
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