What Next

New York’s Mail-In Ballot Failure

Officials wanted to help New Yorkers vote safely. They created a mess.

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Episode Notes

At the height of New York City’s “hot spot” status during the coronavirus pandemic, Gov. Andrew Cuomo made absentee ballots available to a wider array of voters than ever before. But state and federal agencies weren’t remotely ready for the deluge of ballots that would be mailed in.

Guest: Washington Post reporter Jada Yuan

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Podcast production by Mary Wilson, Jayson De Leon, and Danielle Hewitt, with help from Daniel Avis.

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About the Show

The problem with the news right now? It’s everywhere. And each day, it can feel like we’re all just mindlessly scrolling. It’s why we created What Next. This short daily show is here to help you make sense of things. When the news feels overwhelming, we’re here to help you answer: What next? Look for new episodes every weekday morning.

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  • Mary Harris is the host and managing editor of What Next, Slate's new daily news podcast. She has reported throughout the public radio system, for NPR, Marketplace, and WNYC.

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