Can You Separate Federal Issues from State Elections?

States have wildly different policies when it comes to voting rights for convicted felons. Some say those discrepancies may impact the outcome of elections. BY Lauren Henry

As cities seek new ways to save money, more and more are requiring their employees to bid against the private sector for work in a process known as “managed competition.” BY Ryan Holeywell

According to the four major sports leagues and the NCAA, the state violated a 1992 federal law that prohibited sports gambling and is ruining the fun for fans. BY Ryan Holeywell

Which areas have the worst traffic on Friday afternoons? View data for 100 metro areas. BY Mike Maciag

Social impact bonds are a relatively new financial instrument that promises to earn returns for investors while giving state and local governments the upfront capital they need to pursue money-saving programs. BY Ryan Holeywell

One man’s test of the electric vehicle charging infrastructure along the West Coast highlights the hurdles ahead for states and localities in meeting the Obama administration’s new fuel efficiency rules. BY Paul W. Taylor

State and local governments have sued banks, claiming that they cheated them out of enormous investment returns at a time when their budgets were already badly damaged from the recession. BY Donald F. Kettl

The state wants to end federal oversight of its elections. BY Ryan Holeywell

The more than 30 states that are scrambling to set up health insurance exchanges as mandated by the federal health-care law have several options for meeting a Nov. 16 deadline. BY David Levine

The concept has been used for the past 40 years as a means of restoring the health of rivers, streams, lakes and oceans -- but it's getting new attention. BY Elizabeth Daigneau

Things we take for granted today -- public police, roads and libraries -- were only achieved through long, hard political battles that lasted decades and sometimes centuries. BY Alex Marshall

As the economy continues to take big bites out of arts and city planning budgets, this bottom-up approach is changing the look of some cities. Are governments ready to embrace these grassroots ideas? BY Tod Newcombe

In Virginia, where parents owe more than $2 billion, a program helps solve the underlying issues that keep them from paying up. BY Caroline Cournoyer

Less than a decade after the state enacted its first real performance measurement plan, it -- like a number of other similar programs in the states -- has fallen on hard times. BY Katherine Barrett & Richard Greene

Partnering with the social media site and Microsoft, the state has created an application that it hopes will boost voter registration. BY Brian Peteritas

The state is going to pay school districts $1,000 for every student that graduates with credentials in high-need jobs. BY Brian Peteritas

The ‘Best of the Web’ winners showcase must-have features for effective public-sector sites. BY Steve Towns

Consolidating governments is hard to do, but the idea keeps coming up. BY Mark Funkhouser