One possible snag. The signature test. Its something all ballots must go through, especially right now as mailin ballots pour in by the millions to election offices. Good evening. Im ama daetz. And im dan ashley. Thanks for joining us. In the 2018 general election nearly 23,000 mailin ballots were rejected across the bay area. The big three mistakes, no signature on the ballot or envelope, signature doesnt match Voter Registration card, or ballot isnt returned in time. As President Trump erroneously claims that mailin ballots are not reliable, we wanted to look at the verification process, especially the signatures. Abc 7 News ReporterWayne Friedman is on the story. Reporter youre looking at the largest early voter turnout in marin county history with more than 100,000 ballots cast already. Thats more than half the registered voters. Panner lowe was one of them today but after talking with us she did have some questions. Are you worried . Well, now i am. Reporter and all because of her signature. This is how she signed her drivers license. And now on the ballot youll see its definitely changed. Will this vote even count . How will i know . Reporter the answer begins inside the Marin County Civic Center with a sorting machine nicknamed betsy ross. Every incoming early ballot goes through here. We get three passes. Three passes total. But not three votes . But not three votes, no. But not three votes. Only one vote. Reporter once every second the machine scans signatures and compares them with a data base. Roughly 25 do not make the first cut. Just because these ballots are challenged doesnt mean theyre disqualified. They move on. This is a process. I just want to count the votes. I just want to be sure the votes count. Reporter thats marin county registrar linda roberts, who showed us the process today. Challenged ballots go upstairs eventually and get the human touch from people like jenny salry. Well, we have a signature theory that we follow. Theory . Signature theory. Now its another check of data bases. They also look at the speed of the signature, maybe specific letters. Here, for example, are three signatures by the same person. Theres a similarity in the w. The speed. The ending terminal. The connection here. You can tell that this person is really organized and sane and a wonderful human being, right . It is the voter. Reporter as it turns out when analyzed 99 of signatures do eventually pass. The rest generate letters back to voters who can fix any problem before final certification. I do want to be a protector of democracy. Reporter and this is how its done. In marin county Wayne Friedman, abc 7 news. Meanwhile, San Mateo County today announced its Events Center will be used as a super vote center. Video from sky 7 today shows setup already under way. There will be 20 voting booths set up six feet apart. The center will also have drivethru voting where your ballot will be brought to you. It will open saturday through monday 9 00 a. M. To 5 00 p. M. , and on tuesday election day from 7 00 a. M. To 8 00 p. M. With next weeks election looming the ceos of twitter, facebook and google were scolded by republicans at a Senate Hearing today for allegedly censoring conservative viewpoints in the companys platforms. The hearing quickly turned contentious. Abc 7 News Reporter chris nguyen has the story from Silicon Valley. Reporter on capitol hill today it didnt take long for the bickering to begin as republicans accused three of Silicon Valleys most influential tech executives of alleged bias against conservatives while democrats voiced concerns over how they were handling violent extremists and misinformation. Both sides of the Senate Commerce committee on the attack. Mr. Dorsey, who the hell elected you and put you in charge of what the media are allowed to report and what the American People are allowed to hear and why do you persist in behaving as a democratic superpac . Were not doing that. And this is why i opened this hearing with calls for more transparency. We realize we need to earn trust more. We realize is that more accountability is needed to show our intentions and show the outcomes. Sxl one of your researchers warned Senior Executives that our algorithms exploit the human brains to divisiveness. The way i look at it more difference iiveness more time on the platform, more time on the platform the Company Makes more money. Does that bother you what its done to our politics . Senator, i respectfully disagree with that characterization of how the systems work. We design our systems to show people the content thats going to be the most meaningful to them. Which is not trying to be as divisive as possible. Most of the content on the systems is not political. Its things like making sure that you can see when your cousin had her baby or okay. Im going to move on to google here and mr. But im not talking about the cousins and babies. We approach our work without political bias. Full stop. To do otherwise would be contrary to both our business interests and our mission. Reporter lawmakers are split on ways to hold big tech accountable under section 230 of the Communications Decency act which protects companies from liability over content posted by its users. There is a lot of consternation about Silicon Valley and a lot of it comes from not understanding how it works and also seeing how poorly its handled a lot of things. Reporter Digital Rights activists say lawmakers need to be careful about any changes to the law and its impact not only on big tech but also smaller startups and businesses. Another step from the government toward possibly regulating the tech industry. In Silicon Valley chris nguyen, abc 7 news. Tonight a coalition of Community Groups will present a bold new plan that could mean big changes in how the Oakland Unified School district educates its black students. Abc 7 News Reporter ansar hassan explains how it would work. For our district to really create the kind of systems reporter pacolia manigault says for decades many black students have been stuck in a system that creates barriers to success. That its acceptable for black students to be suspended. That its acceptable for black students to be expelled. Reporter shes the executive director of bay area plan which is part of the justice for oakland Students Community coalition. According to their numbers, based on the 20172018 school year more than 50 of black students were below grade level in math and reading. Black students accounted for up to 60 of suspensions and 72 of black eighthgraders were not ready for high school. We have to begin to look at those things as a part of the design of the current system. Reporter the coalition will address the school board with their plan titled reparations for black students. They want lcff money, which is unrestricted state funding to be put toward state programs that target students who are struggling. The investment in police versus in restorative justice, counseling, programs that can keep you staying engaged in schools. Those are the types of investments that have not been made over the last several decades in oakland. Really thinking about how we can dismantle antiblack racism. Reporter an oakland schoolteacher. She says the coalition also wants more ethnic studies and for the district to hire more black teachers. She says these types of targeted plans have worked at other bay area schools. Our students are in a state of an emergency, and we have the power here to get this resolved together. Reporter in an email to abc 7 news the oakland School District says it looks forward to hearing the presentation on black sanctuary from our labor partners along with any other information they share with our board of education at wednesday evenings meeting. In oakland ansar hassan, abc 7 news. A Business Association in the south bay is getting heat this evening for a political attack ad. Its this image facing criticism. A 2018 photo with the words do you really want to sign on to this . The image was posted on the website of the political arm of the Silicon Valley organization, or svo and has since been removed. It targets San Jose District 6 City Council Candidate jake tonkll focusing on his participation in demonstrations following the killing of george floyd. The svo has apologized saying the image was insensitive and racist. In Alameda County theres a disagreement with the city of oakland over where its homeless residents should be able to park and find shelter. Abc 7s kate larsen explains why this issue goes beyond oakland. And i think youve got a stalemate here. Reporter abc 7 news contributor and chronicle insider phil matier is talking about the Alameda County fairgrounds here in pleasanton. The city of oakland sent Alameda County a letter on october 14th aasking to use the fairgrounds as a homeless shelter. Yesterday Alameda County responded and in a roundabout way said theyd like to help but not necessarily when it comes to using this countyowned property. I mean, homelessness, is it a city problem . A county problem . A state problem . A National Problem . All of the above. But when it comes to actually having to deal with them in the front yard, thats when everything gets local real quick. Reporter nate miley is an Alameda County supervisor. I just think it is preposterous for the city of oakland to be proposing to send unsheltered Homeless Individuals who have rvs and campers out to the fairgrounds. You would all feel like this is a not in my neighborhood issue, that the people of pleasanton dont want to take on a Homeless Population that doesnt exist in the area . I do not feel this is a nimby issue whatsoever. Reporter Alameda County fairgrounds is a good distance away from the city of oakland. And generally folks who are unsheltered like to be located in vicinities that are nearby. Reporter mylie thinks that oakland should shelter more homeless residents at the coliseum, but Oakland City Council member Lauren Taylor points out that the coliseum is being used to shelter Homeless People in 130 trailers. We cant have all of the services in one location. We need to spread that out. We have a growing number of homeless residents who are not from oakland. The reality is that this is a countywide issue. This is a regional issue. Reporter matier says to watch closely because this issue is not isolated to the east bay. Like it or not, this is one of the possible models for dealing with homelessness throughout california. Reporter kate larsen, abc 7 news. Alameda county announces a timeline for reopening schools. That story is coming up. Plus the timeline from dr. Anthony fauci. The countrys top coronavirus expert weighs in on when we really can expect some sense of normalcy. Also ahead, the controversial strategy of deliberately infecting volunteers with coronavirus. A critical look at whether the risk is worth they all endorse yes on prop 25. To end unfair, unjust, discriminatory money bail. Governor gavin newsom and van jones. Theyre voting yes on 25. The western center on law and poverty. The Dolores Huerta foundation. Californians for safety and justice. And the California Democratic party. They all agree that the size of your wallet shouldnt determine whether or not youre in jail. So, vote yes on prop 25. Now that Alameda County has moved into the orange tier, more schools will be allowed to reopen for inperson instruction. Starting november 9th, middle and high schools that complete a covid19 reopening plan will be allowed to reopen if ready. The county says the final decision will be up to each school and School District. Two weeks ago Elementary Schools in the county were allowed to reopen after getting permission. And as of today 58 schools either have opened or have made a plan to do so. Parents should contact their childrens schools for more information. Covid infection rates are soaring in europe and now two of the biggest economies are going to shut down. France is now reimposing a nationwide lockdown through december 1st to try to stop a wave of new covid cases. French doctors say 58 of the countrys intensive care units are now occupied by covid patients. And medical staff are under increasing strain. Germany is also imposing a fourweek nationwide lockdown starting next monday. Meanwhile, dr. Anthony fauci says the pandemic here in the u. S. Is getting worse and worse. I think it will be easily by the end of 2021 and perhaps even into the next year before we start having some semblances of normality. Thats a scary thought. On wall street the dow plunged 943 points over concerns about rising virus cases and election uncertainty. The nasdaq was off 426 points. The s p was down 120. Seems we have a long way to go. Meanwhile, there are signs that research on the covid19 vaccine could be taking a new turn. But there is debate over the strategy and possible ethical concerns. Across the United StatesCovid Vaccine trials are stretching toward the finish line now after months of patients receiving vaccines or placebos and returning home. But what if researchers could speed that process up by exposing them to the virus deliberately . Its known as a human challenge trial. You need less people because you can do hundreds of people instead of thousands because you know youre going to give them the infection. Reporter and now the uk has just approved its first human challenge trial for covid. While the technique is less common in the United States, a movement has been building in congress. Representative bill foster of illinois coauthored a letter to health and Human Services asking it to consider challenge trials to speed vaccine development. So scientifically its much more controlled than the large Clinical Trials where you get 30,000 people, you vaccinate half of them, you get the dummy vaccine. To the other half of them. And then you just wait. Reporter examples date back more than a century. When an english doctor successfully tested his own rudimentary vaccine for smallpox on an 8yearold boy by deliberately exposing him. And limited challenge trials are used with some flu vaccines. But the possibility of making someone sick with a dangerous virus for which there is no cure raises potential ethical issues for . Bay area researchers. We dont really know how much virus to give people or whether its enough or too much. Even if participants would be willing to undergo challenge, i think that would go beyond what i would consider a reasonable risk. Reporter but supporters argue that new covid treatments like the monoclonal antibodies given to President Trump are evidence of a changing landscape and could make any challenge trial much safer. And with standard trials advancing or nearing completion supporters believe smaller challenge trials could help scientists hone in on the most effective vaccines more quickly. Theres a big difference between deploying a vaccine that is 70 effective and one that is 90 or 95 effective. Right now there is no word of any official move in the United States. But several weeks ago dr. Anthony fauci confirmed to sources that government researchers are working on a weakened version of the covid virus, a version which could potentially be used if the u. S. Ultimately does decide to move ahead with a human challenge trial. Now, some advocacy groups have also tried to raise support for human challenge trials online, even collecting names of people willing to become volunteers. Sky 7 was in pacifica today and look. Found . Humpback whales. They are headed to the warmer water as we hit winter season. Abc 7 news meteorologist sandhya asof being stretched too thinar to do my job right. And its not Just Health Care workers. Our teachers and school staff are going the extra mile for our kids. Our firefighters are taking on unthinkable missions to keep us safe. How can we keep giving billions in tax breaks to rich corporations when our communities need that money . Prop 15 closes corporate loopholes and invests in our schools, health care, and public safety. Help us do our jobs. Vote yes on 15. Official ballot drop box near need to fiyou . He closest just visit vote. Ca. Gov to find your nearest location. Then drop off your ballot. Your vote will be secure and counted. There are other ways to vote too. Just return your votebymail ballot at your voting location or mail it back. Or you can vote safely inperson during early voting or on election day. Vote the way youre most comfortable but vote by 8pm on november 3rd. The delight of children and many parents, most playgrounds and parks reopened today in santa clara. City park staff has been Power Washing and sanitiz