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Seg. 1: Election Words. Seg. 2: National Novel Writing Month.

Segment 1: Where does the word vote come from?

Voting and elections have their own vocabulary, with words like poll, tally, ballot, and candidate. We discuss with scholars to learn the origins of voting words and how they came to be associated with the election season. We also check in with a KCUR reporter out at the polls on this election day.

  • Virginia Blanton, English professor, UMKC
  • Max Skidmore, politics professor, UMKC
  • Laura Spencer, KCUR reporter

Segment 2, beginning at 37:52: Writing over 1,000 words a day for a month.

November is National Novel Writing Month, which challenges participants all over the world to write 50,000 words in 30 days. We talk with local writers about the experience and the community it builds. 

Copyright 2021 KCUR 89.3. To see more, visit KCUR 89.3.

Gina’s background combines print and broadcast journalism, live event hosting and production, creative nonfiction writing and involvement in the arts. Early in her career, she followed a cultural beat for The Pitch, where she served as an editor and art writer in the early 2000s.
Chris Young
Sofia Gillespie