Voter Education: The Key to Election Reform Success Lessons from Florida

Over a dozen national task forces and commissions have analyzed the 2000 presidential election and concluded that electoral system reforms are imperative not just in Florida, but nationwide. Among the common recommendations are elimination of punch card ballots, enhancement of registration procedures and outreach, provision of more accurate voter lists, clear delineation of appeals processes, establishment of voter rights and responsibilities, clarification of recount rules and procedures, securing of accessible polling places, better facilitation of voting and proper counting of absentee ballots, and ensuring provisional ballots available at each precinct. For these reforms to be most effective, the reports say, better voter education is needed, and elections officials and poll workers must receive better training. Florida has passed laws mandating better voter education, along with many other electoral reforms, in both the 2001 and 2002 legislative sessions. The sweeping Florida Election Reform Act of 2001 requires all 67 county supervisors of elections to file voter education plans with the Division of Elections in the Florida Department of State in order to qualify for state funds. (The Act appropriated nearly $6 million for voter education in fiscal year 2001-2002 in addition to$24 million for purchase of new voting equipment, fiscal years 2001-2003.) Laws passed in the 2002 session broaden the scope of voter education responsibilities, more definitively spell out voter rights, and ensure that Florida\u27s electoral system conforms with the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990. This Article details the content and thrust of Florida s voter education efforts and examines the creative educational efforts underway at the local level that other states\u27 communities would do well to follow, lest they become the objects of major litigation, the sites of political furor, and the objects of unwanted national attention

The Cannabinoid Use in Progressive Inflammatory brain Disease (CUPID) trial: a randomised double-blind placebo-controlled parallel-group multicentre trial and economic evaluation of cannabinoids to slow progression in multiple sclerosis.

This is a freely-available open access publication. Please cite the published version which is available via the DOI link in this record.The Cannabinoid Use in Progressive Inflammatory brain Disease (CUPID) trial aimed to determine whether or not oral Δ(9)-tetrahydrocannabinol (Δ(9)-THC) slowed the course of progressive multiple sclerosis (MS); evaluate safety of cannabinoid administration; and, improve methods for testing treatments in progressive MS.The National Institute for Health Research Health Technology Assessment programmeMedical Research Council Efficacy and Mechanism Evaluation programmeMultiple Sclerosis SocietyMultiple Sclerosis Trus

Bridging pre-surgical endocrine therapy for breast cancer during the COVID-19 pandemic: outcomes from the B-MaP-C study

Purpose: The B-MaP-C study investigated changes to breast cancer care that were necessitated by the COVID-19 pandemic. Here we present a follow-up analysis of those patients commenced on bridging endocrine therapy (BrET), whilst they were awaiting surgery due to reprioritisation of resources. Methods: This multicentre, multinational cohort study recruited 6045 patients from the UK, Spain and Portugal during the peak pandemic period (Feb–July 2020). Patients on BrET were followed up to investigate the duration of, and response to, BrET. This included changes in tumour size to reflect downstaging potential, and changes in cellular proliferation (Ki67), as a marker of prognosis. Results: 1094 patients were prescribed BrET, over a median period of 53 days (IQR 32–81 days). The majority of patients (95.6%) had strong ER expression (Allred score 7–8/8). Very few patients required expedited surgery, due to lack of response (1.2%) or due to lack of tolerance/compliance (0.8%). There were small reductions in median tumour size after 3 months’ treatment duration; median of 4 mm [IQR − 20, 4]. In a small subset of patients ( n = 47), a drop in cellular proliferation (Ki67) occurred in 26 patients (55%), from high (Ki67 ≥ 10%) to low (< 10%), with at least one month’s duration of BrET. Discussion: This study describes real-world usage of pre-operative endocrine therapy as necessitated by the pandemic. BrET was found to be tolerable and safe. The data support short-term (≤ 3 months) usage of pre-operative endocrine therapy. Longer-term use should be investigated in future trials

Voter Education: The Key to Election Reform Success Lessons from Florida

Over a dozen national task forces and commissions have analyzed the 2000 presidential election and concluded that electoral system reforms are imperative not just in Florida, but nationwide. Among the common recommendations are elimination of punch card ballots, enhancement of registration procedures and outreach, provision of more accurate voter lists, clear delineation of appeals processes, establishment of voter rights and responsibilities, clarification of recount rules and procedures, securing of accessible polling places, better facilitation of voting and proper counting of absentee ballots, and ensuring provisional ballots available at each precinct. For these reforms to be most effective, the reports say, better voter education is needed, and elections officials and poll workers must receive better training. Florida has passed laws mandating better voter education, along with many other electoral reforms, in both the 2001 and 2002 legislative sessions. The sweeping Florida Election Reform Act of 2001 requires all 67 county supervisors of elections to file voter education plans with the Division of Elections in the Florida Department of State in order to qualify for state funds. (The Act appropriated nearly $6 million for voter education in fiscal year 2001-2002 in addition to$24 million for purchase of new voting equipment, fiscal years 2001-2003.) Laws passed in the 2002 session broaden the scope of voter education responsibilities, more definitively spell out voter rights, and ensure that Florida\u27s electoral system conforms with the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990. This Article details the content and thrust of Florida s voter education efforts and examines the creative educational efforts underway at the local level that other states\u27 communities would do well to follow, lest they become the objects of major litigation, the sites of political furor, and the objects of unwanted national attention