News
Paloma Wu, a Mississippi Center for Justice attorney who filed one of the two lawsuits to keep polling places open later than usual in Hinds County after some polling places ran out of ballots and voters had to wait for them to be restocked during Tuesday’s election. One precinct in Clinton had 100 people in line but only 14 ballots left at 6:45 p.m., while another ran out of ballots three times throughout the day but only received 100 more each time. At one precinct in Byram, there were no ballots for two hours, and at another, voters were told to leave because the precinct would not receive more ballots and the poll workers would not allow voting by affidavit ballot. (Associated Press — Nov. 8, 2023)
Democrat Andy Beshear wins re-election in a state that otherwise elects only Republicans to statewide office, the particular challenges facing Black women mayors and other election fallout.
Dealing with undeserved hostility and threats may be the most unexpected new task for election officials, but the skills their jobs require have been expanding for years.
The growing green economy is creating millions of jobs, but demand is outpacing the number of workers prepared to fill them. Promising new programs provide an opportunity to create a more equitable workforce.
Insurers have begun pulling out of high-risk states, like Florida and California, due to increased climate risks; some are also beginning to depart from Texas, leaving homeowners and buyers with coverage challenges.
Households in rural areas that earn less than $60,000 for a family of four can receive up to $75 per month for a broadband subsidy, but if those funds run out, many homes will be unable to afford continued Internet connection.
Nadia Mohamed, regarding her victory in the St. Louis Park, Minn., mayoral race on Tuesday evening; she is believed to be the first Somali American mayor in the U.S. Mohamed won with 58 percent of the vote and had served on the City Council since she was elected at age 23 in 2019. (Associated Press — Nov. 8, 2023)
In a busy year for ballot initiatives, Ohio voters approved abortion rights and marijuana legalization, while voters elsewhere were wary about taxes, public ownership of major assets and participatory budgeting.
The tilt of major cities to the left continued, with progressives winning key races in Boston, Minneapolis, Philadelphia and other cities. The few bright spots for the GOP were in the Northeast.
This time next year, Americans will be casting votes in the 2024 general election. State and local races (and issues) will take place in the long shadow of a carefully watched presidential rematch.
New research suggests that transit agencies see ridership gains when they adopt monthly fare-capping policies, which are primarily intended to make fares more equitable.
Ohio voters approved an abortion rights measure while Virginia Democrats won control of the legislature, guaranteeing rights there will be preserved.
The $4.5 billion Sites Reservoir in Glenn and Colusa counties would be the state’s first major reservoir in nearly 50 years and would be able to hold up to 1.5 million acre-feet of water, which is enough to supply 3 million households annually.
The Black Economic Prosperity Dashboard includes data on population, health, education, economic well-being and business ownership that can be used to better address racial wealth gaps in the state.
Preliminary data, which is current through Sept. 30, shows that more than 6,079 residential property and personal motor vehicle claims were filed for losses in West Maui and Upcountry Maui.
James Scribner, a retired teacher and Marine veteran, regarding the civic duty that many Lewiston, Maine, residents felt to participate in Tuesday’s election less than two weeks after 18 people were killed by a gunman in their city. (Associated Press — Nov. 7, 2023)
Virginia Democrats have made abortion central to their campaign for legislative control. Gov. Glenn Youngkin and other Republicans believe they've come up with a rejoinder.
Dissident counties are joining quixotic efforts to secede from their states in much of the country. They’re a manifestation of real political resentments and a way to attract some attention.
The program is for residents who struggled to provide documents for federal IDs, including homeless people, immigrants or victims of domestic abuse and was approved in 2016. A committee will discuss the issue on Wednesday.
Since fall 2020, West Coast inflation has risen nearly 18 percent, while Portland Public Schools’ funding has risen just 12 percent. About 70 school districts and teachers unions across the state will negotiate contracts this fall.
Police stations have long served as entry points for Chicagoans in need of social services. As the city tries to maneuver the influx of thousands of migrants, some homeless residents are also using the city’s police stations as shelters.
The state was among 25 states that received an “F” grade for gun safety from the Giffords Law Center; of the Northeastern states, Maine and New Hampshire were the only ones to receive a failing grade.
Lewis County, Ky., Clerk Leslie Collier, regarding the fact that the 500-square-mile county that serves 13,000 people will have only four centralized polling sites for the general election that ends Tuesday. The county allots just $50,000 annually. Lewis County isn’t the only Kentucky county that has had to reduce polling locations; in this year’s race, 64 of the state’s 120 counties have reduced their polling locations to just a few centralized voting centers. Voting rights activists are concerned that consolidating voting locations could disenfranchise voters. (NPR — Nov. 5, 2023)
Lack of human connection is bad for your health. Responding to an advisory from the U.S. Surgeon General that a loneliness epidemic is affecting half of all Americans, San Antonio has been pushing out resources to help build bonds between community members.
Gov. Phil Murphy signed a bill on Wednesday, Nov. 1, that will require public schools across the state to teach media literacy as a way to combat misinformation. The law goes into effect immediately.
A federal judge excoriated two high-ranking officials within the state’s Department of Homeland Security for their roles in the state’s efforts to intentionally destroy evidence in a class-action lawsuit.
Most Read
