PBS News Hour - Politics

In most recent American elections, about four in 10 eligible voters didn't cast ballots. Tens of millions are poised to do the same this year. What are non-voters saying about their rationale for sitting out the election -- one that both candidates and many Americans consider the most important in the country's modern history?

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NPR's Tamara Keith and Amy Walter of the Cook Political Report join Amna Nawaz to discuss the latest in politics, including which voter demographics will be critical in the 2020 election, how President Trump is reaching out to his supporters during the campaign's final days and the key Senate races to watch. PBS NewsHour is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders

The pandemic, a nationwide shift toward voting by mail and a flurry of pre-election lawsuits are upending how voters and election officials prepare for the election. Nowhere is that uncertainty more evident than in Pennsylvania PBS NewsHour is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders

As tens of millions of Americans and people around the world tune in on Election Day to watch the most expensive and extensive American election in recent memory, early clues can indicate which way the election is headed -- even if there is a delay in announcing the final winner. Jeff Greenfield joins Hari Sreenivasan to tell us what to watch out for. PBS NewsHour is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders

After a major push, voter registration in Philadelphia hit a 35-year high this election cycle. But with William Wallace Jr.'s death by police shooting weighing heavily on the Black community, local leaders are urging voters not to give in to disillusionment, and get out the vote. Christopher Booker reports as part of our ongoing series: Chasing the Dream: Poverty, Opportunity and Justice in America. PBS NewsHour is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders

The 2020 election cycle is by far the most expensive campaign year in U.S. history. Advertising spending for candidates running for federal office has reached unprecedented amounts, totaling at least $2.5 billion on TV ads so far. Erika Franklin Fowler, co-founder of the Wesleyan Media Project, which tracks political advertising, joins NewsHour Weekend's Christopher Booker to discuss the different purposes, priorities and methods for political ads. PBS NewsHour is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders

In the battleground state of North Carolina, young people under the age of 29 are turning out in large numbers to cast their vote. The Senate race here is also one of the most competitive, with big spending from both parties -- and a sexting scandal. Rusty Jacobs, politics reporter at WUNC, joins Hari Sreenivasan for more. PBS NewsHour is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders

North Carolina, a key swing state in this year's presidential election, has been hit by three major hurricanes in the last several years. Hari Sreenivasan reports on the race for Agriculture Commissioner, where a Democrat is making climate change a key issue as she challenges a four-term Republican incumbent. This segment is part of our ongoing series, "Peril and Promise: the Challenge of Climate Change." PBS NewsHour is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders

As the final weekend before Election Day dawns, the candidates are packing in rallies and other campaign events to try to win voter support in critical states. The focus was on the Midwest on Friday, with President Trump and Joe Biden both visiting Wisconsin -- a state setting single-day records for COVID-19 infections and deaths. Yamiche Alcindor reports.

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How do President Trump and Joe Biden plan to leverage their final four days before voting concludes? Both candidates turned their attention to the Midwest on Friday, but they have a flurry of additional stops to make prior to Election Day. Yamiche Alcindor and Lisa Desjardins join Judy Woodruff to discuss closing messages, campaign priorities and which states look to be the most competitive.

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