State and Local Politics and Policy
It’s especially hard to get low-income Americans living in multifamily buildings across the digital divide. But states and nonprofits are finding ways to do it.
A white-supremacist mob's attack on the Capitol diverted attention from some dramatic electoral victories, a rejection of authoritarianism and the continuing need to confront racism and inequality.
After the storming of the Capitol last week, several social media platforms have enacted bans on President Trump’s accounts; Twitter suspended Trump for 12 hours, while Facebook blocked him through Inauguration Day.
How much authority should governments have to protect people misbehaving in ways that are, in most cases, dangerous only to themselves?
It's the only way to undo the damage the Supreme Court did when it overturned laws regulating the raising and spending of campaign money. It has bipartisan support, and states should lead the way.
The state health department reported pandemic-related fatalities have risen to nearly 300 with more than 22,000 cases. The state hopes 15 percent of the population will download the mobile alert tool.
Some think the rollout of vaccines means we've turned the corner, but things are likely to get worse before they get better. Public officials have a role, and messaging is more important than ever.
For months, protesters have been targeting government buildings and even the homes of public officials, with some making death threats. Their actions reflect a growing acceptance for political violence.
The state’s regional jails have had more than 800 inmates test positive for COVID-19, due in part to over capacity by 1,300 inmates, making virus control extremely difficult.
The state’s vaccination rollout has been far from perfect. Local officials have asked Gov. Cuomo to allow county leaders to activate their vaccination plans that have been carefully crafted and prepped.
We need to give the public servants who manage safety-net systems the technology tools and incentives to track critical outcomes and meet people where they are.
Gov. Baker signed a law that requires police officers to recertify every three years and subjects them to losing their certification if they violate certain standards that will be set by an independent state entity.
When California enacted its statewide lockdown, it was praised for its quick and effective response. Now, months later, hospitals are full and residents are tired of the restrictions.
Around the country, legislative leaders are still scrambling to figure out the safest way to meet in person. At least a half-dozen legislators have died from COVID-19, with dozens more infected.
Political polarization has become so familiar and entrenched that we barely think how it came about. The backstory is more than a half-century long, involving race, media and a diverging economy.
Attorney General Ken Paxton and his team spent more than 22,000 staff hours on voter fraud cases this year but only ended up resolving 16 of them, all of which were due to false addresses.
Join the Center for Digital Government Co-Executive Directors Teri Takai and Phil Bertolini as they gather (virtually) with CIOs to share their favorite holiday recipes.
The Wisconsin state senator has set a record of service that is unlikely to be broken. The 93-year-old lawmaker started his career when Dwight D. Eisenhower was in the White House and Alaska and Hawaii were still territories.
The state is one of several to receive federal notice that there will be less doses of the vaccine delivered than originally estimated. It is unclear as to why there have been cutbacks.
Thanks to a major storm in mid-December, New York City has already seen more snowfall than in all of last year. Governing was on the ground as a similar storm descended a few years earlier.
When a small bump in salary costs more in needed social services than the pay hike brings in, something's wrong. Using broad partnerships, state and federal policymakers are beginning to address the issue.
Lawmakers in much of the country will be doing their work next year by remote control. That will make a tough job even tougher.
Officials at all levels of government are receiving increased threats. They're not getting as much support as they should from officials at the highest levels or, in some cases, from law enforcement.
The continuing problems with COVID-19 data illustrate why we need to do a better job. Initiatives by some states and local governments are showing how to make that happen and derive greater value.
Social media posts are a new contribution to the archive of political discourse. A historian discusses how they affect the current moment and how it will be remembered.
A survey found that Michiganders believe COVID-19 is a major public health risk, but there is division as to why the state’s economy has slumped and whether or not state officials could be doing more to combat the virus.
South Carolina has refused to name the 15 receiving sites, making it unclear when health-care centers will receive the vaccines for distributions. Some believe the state is keeping the plan quiet to mitigate security risks.
Surrendering to Republicans on Black Lives Matter and reforming policing isn't the way to motivate voters and win control of the Senate in Georgia's runoffs.
With new threats of 'faithless legislatures' ignoring the popular vote, reform is more urgent than ever. Allocating electoral votes proportionately would avoid election disasters and could have bipartisan appeal.
A three-bill package titled the “Black Workers Matter Economic Recovery Package” will provide job security for thousands of Black tourism and hospitality workers. The three bills passed unanimously.
A victim’s rights organization advocates on behalf of the only unwilling participants in a criminal justice system that overflows with unsolved and cold cases.
