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.
ALEC and a group of conservative economists rate the governors of Texas, Georgia and South Dakota best in the nation. Measured largely on spending and tax rates, Democrats fare poorly in their ranking.
The Federal Emergency Management Agency said earlier Friday that California's request did not meet threshold requirements for aid for a disaster declaration related to six wildfires that broke out in September.
King, Snohomish and Thurston counties are all taking extra steps to ensure that the November election’s voting is secure. Officials are confident that they will be able to take in, process and count ballots.
Despite widespread Republican claims that mail-in voting systems will greatly increase the amount of election fraud, an analysis reveals that for Harris County, vote-by-mail has historically favored Republicans.
California’s governor has called for police to avoid provoking protesters, not to look too militaristic and to only use rubber bullets and tear gas as a last resort.
Republican women fared poorly in 2018, but this year there's been an increase in the number running at both the congressional and state levels.
The state’s early voting options opened on Monday, and eager voters were met with hours-long lines and election machine glitches. By Election Day, more than two-thirds of Georgia voters will have cast their ballot.
Thousands of absentee ballots were rejected during the state’s primary election in August due to a number of issues. But the 2 percent rejection rate isn’t unusual because it matches the historical rejection levels.
The anti-government groups that were allegedly plotting to kidnap Gov. Gretchen Whitmer also had plans to “target and kill police.” Some members had been targeting officers when they were off duty.
The crippled response to COVID-19 is just one example of why we need to revive our ability to sort out the roles of the federal government and the states.
There are only 11 races for governor this year. The pandemic has increased the incumbency advantage, giving most governors a high-profile chance to display leadership in a crisis.
The city is hoping that the 30 drop-off boxes will ease voters’ worries ahead of the general election. But the state is still encouraging voters to cast their ballots early to avoid build up on Election Day.
Election officials are working to ease public confusion about changes in the voting process, and to counter campaigns undermining trust. High- and low-tech strategies are helping to reduce worries.
The FBI has arrested at least six men for their plans to overthrow the state government and kidnap political leaders. The group considered several ways of achieving its goals, including peaceful and violent options.
The City Council approved a decision to redirect some 911 calls away from the police and to mental health clinicians or crisis teams. They will also utilize trained civilians for low-priority calls.
The state’s Supreme Court ruled that Gov. Whitmer’s COVID executive orders were unconstitutional but Michigan’s workplace safety administration says the workplace safety violations for COVID shouldn’t be invalidated.
Eight former GOP governors are supporting the Democrat for president. They may not change many minds but could provide cover to wavering Republican voters who don't want to re-elect Trump.
As newsrooms shut down across the country, good governance takes a hit and partisanship worsens. It's more important than ever to find ways to preserve local journalism.
Experts predict that over the next two years the state will see a population loss of 19,000 as residents emigrate to find better economic opportunity. COVID continues to exacerbate the issue.
More than half of voters felt that it would be unlikely that the upcoming November election will be fair and open, according to a recent poll. It also found that 4 in 10 Californians don’t trust the Postal Service to deliver ballots on time.
Farmers are taking their own lives in greater numbers as they cope with falling commodity prices, bad weather and isolation. To help, a small, dedicated group of health-care workers dole out hope and support.
It’s a tragedy for tenants when they can’t pay the rent. It can also be a disaster for small landlords who need that rent money to live on, not to mention local governments that depend on property tax revenue.
Some data says that 98 percent of Seattle’s students have reliable access to online learning, while other data says only 84 percent have access. Spotty data makes it difficult for education officials to bridge the gaps.
Trump's coronavirus diagnosis has triggered an outpouring of glee and animosity from many Democrats. Biden and other politicians have wished the president well, but social media shows no sympathy.
The Los Angeles School District’s superintendent has a deal with a former business partner’s startup to provide the nation’s second-largest school system with next-day results for as many as 40,000 tests a day.
Utah Gov. Gary Herbert took office during the depths of the Great Recession and is leaving while a pandemic is raging. For all that, he remains optimistic about his growing state.
With a month still to go before the absentee ballot request deadline, there have already been 1.2 million absentee ballot requests across the state. There were only 495,520 ballot requests for the entirety of 2016.
U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement will resume its pre-COVID apprehension and detention practices. The agency is confident that its officers can properly and safely carry out operations.
As the pandemic has unfolded, technology has proved its value as never before. There is much more to be done, and IT leaders should have a role at the level where the big decisions are made.
It needn't be a November Nightmare, in which many thousands of votes are rejected. State and local election administrators can look to evidence-based science for ways to minimize problems.
