It’s been a busy two weeks in America! In this double digest roundup, read our 2020 Election statements, first urging states to count every properly postmarked and received ballot (published before a projected winner was declared) and then congratulating the incoming Biden/Harris administration. And if that’s not enough election news, our members are reminded that voting is now open for our annual Advisory Council elections—be sure to cast your ballot by Nov. 23!

Americans for the Arts wants you to elect art professionals from the field to serve on one of four network advisory councils: Arts Education, Emerging Leaders, Private Sector, and Public Art. Voting closes November 23, 2020 at 1:00 PM ET and is restricted to members of Americans for the Arts at the Colleague level or higher. 

To keep voters safe during the Coronavirus public health crisis, every state adopted some form of special voting accommodations this year, such as mail-in ballots and expanded early voting. These changes have yielded historically high voter turnout and many states passed legislation to allow for an extended counting period for all properly postmarked and received ballots by each state’s approved deadline. Americans for the Arts Action Fund urges all government officials to honor the United States Constitution that specifically empowers states and the District of Columbia with the authority and procedures to elect the president and vice president.

On Sept. 22, 2020, President Trump issued an Executive Order (EO) banning federal contractors from conducting training “based on race and sex stereotyping,” as well as training that “portrays certain races as oppressors.” Americans for the Arts strongly opposes this EO and has subsequently signed onto two coalition letters that request President Trump rescind the EO.