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Old Gold & Black

"Covers the campus like the magnolias"

Old Gold & Black

"Covers the campus like the magnolias"

Old Gold & Black

2024 Election Edition
The Old Gold & Black presents the 2024 Election Edition
By James Watson & Maddie Stopyra
There are reasons to be more concerned about election misinformation this year than in years past. We need not look further than the last month of discourse on the social platform X, formerly Twitter, to figure out the public discourse we might expect after the polls close on Nov. 5.
Hurricane Helene resulted in a torrent of misinformation, culminating in Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) briefly pausing operations due to threats by a militia in the region. Many online recklessly speculated that FEMA was seizing land and homes in storm-battered Appalachia. FEMA, of course, was not there to impose eminent domain (nor do they have the power to do so). Those threats, spurred by false information, resulted in serious harm to already-hurting communities, undermining efforts to bring relief to the area. There's no other way to say it: it’s despicable. 
The truth is, the sunk-cost fallacy is a powerful drug. When you put time, resources and energy into believing in something or someone, it can be hard to divorce yourself from it — even if it's problematic or disappointing. Or, in the case of elections, even if your candidate loses. When you add misinformation to an already roaring blaze of passion and disappointment, the results can be explosive and dangerous. 
The Old Gold & Black is committed to combating the spread of false information. We are proud to present the 2024 election edition... (read more).
First-year Wake Forest students are preparing to voted in their first presidential election. Some students have registered in North Carolina instead of their home states. (Courtesy of Getty Images)
First-year students face their first of-age election
Skyler Villamar-Jones, News Editor • October 24, 2024

Many first-year students at Wake Forest are engaging with their home and school communities as they navigate another milestone: the first presidential election in which they are of voting age.  “I’m...

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"The right of naturalized citizens to vote is still constitutionally protected." (Courtesy of NCSBE)
NC ballot measure proposes seemingly redundant crack-down on voter eligibility
Malcolm Brown, Staff Writer • October 24, 2024

North Carolina voters are some of the most sought-after in the 2024 presidential election. Both the Democrats and Republicans are massively emphasizing winning over these voters positioned in the battleground...

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Greene Hall hosts politics, sociology, economics, language, psychology classes & more. Professors in various disciplines approach discussing the election in differing ways.
Students and professors weigh in: the role of election discussions in academic settings
Shaila Prasad and Skyler Villamar-Jones October 24, 2024

As election day approaches on Nov. 5, and politics continue to polarize the country, political dialogue will inevitably increase on campus. But what happens when these conversations surpass the privacy...

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"As a Wake Forest undergraduate student working in the Women’s Center, as an AmeriCorps Vista Member working locally and now as the leader of Deacs Decide, their work in ensuring social justice for all is abundant." (Courtesy of Wake Forest University)
Deb Marke directs Deacs Decide
Taylor Riley, Contributing Writer • October 23, 2024

In fourth grade Deb Marke’s parents, who immigrated from Sierra Leone, got their American citizenship. Since then, she watched them vote in every local, state and federal election — instilling...

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Wake Washington students heard former Speaker Kevin McCarthy about the state of politics today and what they can expect heading into November. (Courtesy of Elliot Berke)
Wake Washington students navigate the Capitol as Election Day approaches
Hope Zhu, Staff Writer • October 23, 2024

Orrin Jones stared down at the House Gallery, watching rows of suited representatives cast their votes. Jones was caught off guard by how much this scene reminded her of the crowded Waker Forest Pit at...

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A model generated by the website 270toWin shows the PS journal's prediction for the 2024 electoral map, showing Trump winning the residency.
Politics faculty-edited PS journal publishes 2024 election predictions
Andrew Braun, Sports Editor • October 23, 2024

With just weeks remaining until 2024’s elections, “PS: Political Science & Politics” has published its election models edited by Wake Forest University faculty.  The “Special Issue on Forecasting...

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"In 2024, we're not just choosing a president. We're deciding what kind of politics we want..."
Trump vs. Harris: Entertainment or Politics?
Orrin Jones, Contributing Writer • October 23, 2024

Picture this: two presidential candidates fighting for the world’s most powerful position agree to debate. The point? To showcase their policies on immigration, the economy, healthcare — you know,...

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"In particular, as young women voters increasingly turn toward the Democratic party, young men proportionally gravitate toward Donald Trump."
Streamers turn to politics as election looms
Adam Coil, Arts & Culture Editor • October 23, 2024

In the 2020 presidential election, Millennial and Gen Z voters favored President Joe Biden over former President Donald Trump by around 20%. According to a wide range of polls conducted in early October,...

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Stein has been campaigning around North Carolina in hopes of defeating Robinson for his seat. Robinson has faced controversy in recent months. (Courtesy of Axios)
Josh Stein is the obvious choice for governor
Caleb Pembele, Contributing Writer • October 23, 2024

This November, North Carolinians will make a choice: move forward into the future with someone who cares about all North Carolinians or get dragged back into the past with someone who is obsessed with...

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"Each year, the NCLCV releases a scorecard — the primary tool for tracking the environmental voting scores of North Carolina state legislators."
How to stay up to date on the environmental record of candidates
Beza Zelalem, Staff Writer • October 23, 2024

The time to vote for the 2024 presidential, state and local elections has arrived. With this it’s important to understand where current political candidates stand on pressing environmental issues and...

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Vice President Kamala Harris and her running mate, Minnesota governor Tim Walz, make their debut at a Harris rally in Philadelphia, P.A. on Aug. 6. (Courtesy of AP Photo/Matt Rourke)
One vote, two votes, red votes, blue votes
Mattie Stillerman, Staff Writer • October 23, 2024

I grew up in a family of Democrats in Charlotte, N.C., a blue city in a major swing state. It is difficult to remember a time when politics did not play a significant role in my worldview. This November,...

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Despite the impacts of Hurricane Helene, many continue to make voting a priority, as the polls for in-person, early voting in Black Mountain, NC remained busy on Oct. 17. (Courtesy of Stephanie Scarbrough/AP News)
Weathering the vote: The state’s election response to Hurricane Helene
Malcolm Brown, Staff Writer • October 23, 2024

On Oct. 7, The North Carolina State Board of Elections (NCSBE) convened to hold a remote meeting to address the emergency measures required for conducting voting in the affected counties in western North...

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As North Carolina is a highly contested swing state, voting here can prove more pivotal to this presidential election than nearly anywhere else in the country. (Courtesy of Forsyth County Board of Elections)
A guide to voting in the upcoming election
Miriam Fabrycky, Contributing Editor • October 22, 2024

As the election draws closer, Wake Forest students have likely noticed many recent initiatives on campus to register students to vote. However, registering is only one step towards exercising one’s constitutional...

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2024 Election Edition