时代周刊:揭秘拯救2020年大选的"影子运动秘史"(7)

In March, activists¹ appealed to Congress to steer² COVID relief money to election administration.

今年3月，活动人士呼吁国会将COVID - 19救灾资金拨给选举管理部门。

Led by the Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights, more than 150 organizations signed a letter to every member of Congress seeking $2 billion in election funding.

在民权与人权领袖会议的领导下，150多个组织签署了一封致国会每一位议员的信，要求获得20亿美元的选举资金。

It was somewhat successful: the CARES Act, passed later that month, contained $400 million in grants to state election administrators³.

这在一定程度上是成功的:当月晚些时候通过的《关爱法案》为州选举管理人员提供了4亿美元的拨款。

But the next tranche of relief funding didn't add to that number. It wasn't going to be enough. Private philanthropy stepped into the breach⁴.

但下一笔救助资金并没有增加这个数字。这还不够。私人慈善机构填补了空缺。

An assortment⁵ of foundations contributed tens of millions in election-administration funding. The Chan Zuckerberg Initiative chipped in $300 million.

各种各样的基金会为选举管理提供了数千万美元的资金。陈-扎克伯格倡议也捐助了3亿美元。

"It was a failure at the federal level that 2,500 local election officials were forced to apply for philanthropic grants to fill their needs,"

“2500名地方选举官员被迫申请慈善资助以满足他们的需求，这是联邦层面的失败，”

says Amber⁶ McReynolds, a former Denver election official who heads the nonpartisan National Vote at Home Institute.

前丹佛选举官员、无党派全国选举协会主席安布尔·麦克里诺兹表示。

McReynolds' two-year-old organization became a clearinghouse for a nation struggling to adapt.

McReynolds成立两年的组织变成了一个努力适应的国家的信息交流中心。

The institute gave secretaries of state from both parties technical advice on everything from which vendors⁷ to use to how to locate drop boxes.

该研究所向两党国务卿提供技术建议，涉及从使用哪家供应商到如何定位投递箱等各个方面。

Local officials are the most trusted sources of election information, but few can afford a press secretary, so the institute distributed communications tool kits⁸.

地方官员是最值得信赖的选举信息来源，但几乎没有人负担得起新闻秘书的费用，因此研究所分发了通讯工具包。

In a presentation to Podhorzer's group, McReynolds detailed⁹ the importance of absentee ballots¹¹ for shortening lines at polling places and preventing an election crisis.

在向Podhorzer的小组做报告时，mccreynolds详细阐述了缺席投票对缩短投票站排队和防止选举危机的重要性。

The institute's work helped 37 states and D.C. bolster¹² mail voting. But it wouldn't be worth much if people didn't take advantage.

该研究所的工作帮助37个州和华盛顿特区支持邮寄投票。但如果人们不利用这一点，它就不值钱了。

Part of the challenge was logistical: each state has different rules for when and how ballots should be requested and returned.

部分挑战是后勤方面的:每个州对于何时以及如何请求和返回选票都有不同的规定。

The Voter Participation¹³ Center, which in a normal year would have deployed¹⁴ canvassers door-to-door to get out the vote, instead conducted focus groups in April and May to find out what would get people to vote by mail.

在正常情况下，选民参与中心会派出游说者挨家挨户地动员选民投票，但今年4月和5月，中心组织了焦点小组，找出什么可以促使人们通过邮件投票。

In August and September, it sent ballot¹⁰ applications to 15 million people in key states, 4.6 million of whom returned them. In mailings and digital ads, the group urged people not to wait for Election Day.

在8月和9月，它向关键州的1500万人发送了投票申请，其中460万人返回。该组织通过邮件和数字广告敦促人们不要等待选举日。

"All the work we have done for 17 years was built for this moment of bringing democracy to people's doorsteps," says Tom Lopach, the center's CEO.

该中心的首席执行官Tom Lopach说:“我们17年来所做的一切都是为了把民主带到人们家门口的这一刻。”

1 activists   

n.（政治活动的）积极分子，活动家( activist的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• His research work was attacked by animal rights activists . 他的研究受到了动物权益维护者的抨击。
• Party activists with lower middle class pedigrees are numerous. 党的激进分子中有很多出身于中产阶级下层。 来自《简明英汉词典》

2 steer   

vt.驾驶，为…操舵；引导；vi.驾驶

参考例句：

• If you push the car, I'll steer it.如果你来推车，我就来驾车。
• It's no use trying to steer the boy into a course of action that suits you.想说服这孩子按你的方式行事是徒劳的。

3 administrators   

n.管理者( administrator的名词复数 )；有管理（或行政）才能的人；（由遗嘱检验法庭指定的）遗产管理人；奉派暂管主教教区的牧师

参考例句：

• He had administrators under him but took the crucial decisions himself. 他手下有管理人员，但重要的决策仍由他自己来做。 来自辞典例句
• Administrators have their own methods of social intercourse. 办行政的人有他们的社交方式。 来自汉英文学 - 围城

4 breach   

n.违反，不履行；破裂；vt.冲破，攻破

参考例句：

• We won't have any breach of discipline.我们不允许任何破坏纪律的现象。
• He was sued for breach of contract.他因不履行合同而被起诉。

5 assortment   

n.分类，各色俱备之物，聚集

参考例句：

• This shop has a good assortment of goods to choose from.该店各色货物俱全，任君选择。
• She was wearing an odd assortment of clothes.她穿着奇装异服。

6 amber   

n.琥珀；琥珀色；adj.琥珀制的

参考例句：

• Would you like an amber necklace for your birthday?你过生日想要一条琥珀项链吗？
• This is a piece of little amber stones.这是一块小小的琥珀化石。

7 vendors   

n.摊贩( vendor的名词复数 )；小贩；（房屋等的）卖主；卖方

参考例句：

• The vendors were gazundered at the last minute. 卖主在最后一刻被要求降低房价。
• At the same time, interface standards also benefIt'software vendors. 同时，界面标准也有利于软件开发商。 来自About Face 3交互设计精髓

8 kits   

衣物和装备( kit的名词复数 )； 成套用品； 配套元件

参考例句：

• Keep your kits closed and locked when not in use. 不用的话把你的装备都锁好放好。
• Gifts Articles, Toy and Games, Wooden Toys, Puzzles, Craft Kits. 采购产品礼品，玩具和游戏，木制的玩具，智力玩具，手艺装备。

9 detailed   

adj.详细的，详尽的，极注意细节的，完全的

参考例句：

• He had made a detailed study of the terrain.他对地形作了缜密的研究。
• A detailed list of our publications is available on request.我们的出版物有一份详细的目录备索。

10 ballot   

n.（不记名）投票，投票总数，投票权；vi.投票

参考例句：

• The members have demanded a ballot.会员们要求投票表决。
• The union said they will ballot members on whether to strike.工会称他们将要求会员投票表决是否罢工。

11 ballots   

n.投票表决( ballot的名词复数 )；选举；选票；投票总数v.（使）投票表决( ballot的第三人称单数 )

参考例句：

• They're counting the ballots. 他们正在计算选票。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• The news of rigged ballots has rubbed off much of the shine of their election victory. 他们操纵选票的消息使他们在选举中获得的胜利大为减色。 来自《简明英汉词典》

12 bolster   

n.枕垫；v.支持，鼓励

参考例句：

• The high interest rates helped to bolster up the economy.高利率使经济更稳健。
• He tried to bolster up their morale.他尽力鼓舞他们的士气。

13 participation   

n.参与，参加，分享

参考例句：

• Some of the magic tricks called for audience participation.有些魔术要求有观众的参与。
• The scheme aims to encourage increased participation in sporting activities.这个方案旨在鼓励大众更多地参与体育活动。

14 deployed   

（尤指军事行动）使展开( deploy的过去式和过去分词 )； 施展； 部署； 有效地利用

参考例句：

• Tanks have been deployed all along the front line. 沿整个前线已部署了坦克。
• The artillery was deployed to bear on the fort. 火炮是对着那个碉堡部署的。