Weekday

With just over a week to go, news outlets are inundated with polling results gaging voter sentiment in the presidential election — up to 20 state and national polls are coming out every day, often with different results. Which ones can you trust? How are they conducted? Washington Post polling director Jon Cohen helps us separate the signal from the noise.

Journalist Will Schwalbe worked for years in publishing, most recently as vice president and editor-in-chief of Hyperion Books. When his mother Mary Anne was diagnosed with terminal cancer, their relationship turned not to her illness, but their shared love of reading. His new book documents their conversations, the difficulty of sometimes not knowing what to say, and the power of reading to shape us. Will Schwalbe joins us to talk about "The End of Your Life Book Club."

It’s Friday — time to talk over the week’s news with Joni Balter, Eli Sanders, Knute Berger and C.R. Douglas. What stories caught your attention this week? What hasn’t been covered? What’s your take on the news? Call us at 206.543.5869 or write to weekday@kuow.org.

Former state Senator Kathleen Drew wants to become the first Democrat in nearly 50 years to hold the office of Washington's Secretary of State. She faces Thurston County Auditor Kim Wyman in November. Both candidates join us in the studio.

Seattle police are hoping to dispel concerns about privacy and encourage community support for their newly acquired drones by inviting the public to a Q&A at Garfield Community Center tonight. We hear more about the SPD's drones, what they would be used for and how their use would be monitored.

The voters in the cities and towns on the east side of Lake Washington are a diverse bunch. Gone is the red swath that once ran up the I-405 corridor. Changing economics and demographics have created patches of blue and a purple hue where the outcomes of statewide elections are determined. We talk with Knute Berger about how Democrats and Independents are reshaping Eastside politics and where Republicans are digging in.

Vancouver Sun political correspondent Vaughn Palmer brings us the latest news from Canada. Film critic Robert Horton talks zombie movies and zombie metaphors. Then, we’ll get a look at what's happening in tech with Geekwire’s Todd Bishop.

We’ve been focused on local elections and the presidential race; today we'll look at the national picture and how the balance of power in Congress may shift. How many seats do Republicans need to take the Senate? Can Democrats win back the House? Jill Jackson of CBS News joins us with a look at the races to watch.

Earth is an always-changing planet. Earthquakes thrust new mountains upward, sea ice melts, oceans rise, deserts spread, species die, civilizations collapse. Award-winning writer and commentator Craig Childs traveled to the desolate places on Earth where forces of nature are forever remaking the planet. He joins us to discuss his newest book, “Apocalyptic Planet: Field Guide to the Everending Earth.”

Democratic Rep. Jim McDermott has represented Seattle and its suburbs in Congress since 1989. He faces a Republican challenger, attorney Ron Bemis, at the polls in November. Both candidates join us in our studio for a discussion of the issues at hand in Washington's 7th District.