Politics
Polarized politics has changed the dynamics of legislation and policymaking at the state and local level. Political parties with supermajorities are increasingly in control in many states and cities. These stories explain what that means for legislators, governors and mayors and how politicians can navigate this new political landscape.
Urban Democrats and state-level Republicans have long been at odds. Could what’s happening in Charlotte signal a ceasefire?
The city’s own study about Mayor London Breed’s proposal to make it more profitable to turn empty offices into new homes found that it is unlikely to drive significant savings under current market conditions.
California workers are allowed to sue employers for themselves and others if they believe they’ve been victims of wage theft under a unique state law. But a new ballot measure would replace the law if approved in November.
A total of eight African Americans are serving as the top chamber leaders in state legislatures. Meanwhile, the fallout from an Oregon Supreme Court ruling that barred some state senators from seeking re-election won't be as great as you might think.
State Rep. Jon Hansen has proposed making it easier for people who have signed a ballot initiative petition to be able to remove their signatures, which he says is “practically impossible” now.
Special elections offer some clues about the mood of the electorate. Recalls might be an even better predictor.
Bomb threats, misinformation, AI advancements and ransomware are just some of the challenges election officials will deal with this year.
Legislatures across the nation are confronting several social issues including crime, drug use, immigration and poverty. These issues will continue to hold resonance, of course, in the November elections.
The city of 28,500 has become a ground zero in the nation’s political fight over border and immigration issues after the state took over the 47-acre Shelby Park on Jan. 10 without notifying city leaders. The future of the Texas small town is unclear.
There are some delightful, lively small towns, but let the numbers do the talking: In Illinois, downstaters and their city “cousins” live in different worlds of expectations and aspirations.
So far this year in Michigan, Democrats have done practically nothing. Also, let's not call it the Texas GOP Civil War and the Oregon Supreme Court ruled that 10 Republican senators are not eligible to run this year.
Even with the lessons from 2020, election administrators find themselves in unknown territory this time around.
Since the last presidential election, 16 million Americans have reached voting age for the first time. Some experts believe millennials and Gen Z voters will bring a lot of sway to November.
The court’s unanimous decision means one-third of the Oregon’s Senate cannot run for re-election. Republicans have slammed the decision, calling the court “Democrat-stacked.”
The low-profile primary races in state House District 108 and the contest for Dallas County Republican Party chair will have wide-reaching impacts.
Legislatures and governors are not afraid of undermining — or even downright repealing — citizen initiatives that win at the ballot box.
Between 2002 and 2018, the state had one of the lowest turnover rates of any state legislature in the nation. In the past four election cycles, the average number of legislators who did not run for re-election has nearly doubled.
Last year was one of the Missouri Legislature's least productive sessions in decades. Meanwhile, the Assembly speaker in Wisconsin faces a recall attempt.
Ron DeSantis started his presidential run as a Republican rock star. As he returns to Florida, it’s not clear what he’ll do next.
More than 20 percent of Hispanic adults in the U.S. rely on social media for news consumption, where discerning between fact and fiction, especially in Spanish, will be crucial ahead of this year’s elections.
Better pay for legislators is on the table in several states. It’s a sticky subject, even when their work is compensated below the minimum wage.
A record number of women were elected to statehouses last year. But in the Southeast, where some legislatures are more than 80 percent male, representation is lagging as lawmakers pass bills that most impact women.
The GOP has usurped Democrats among working class voters, increasingly including those who aren't white. Also: Several states will have new maps due to redistricting court fights, while Joe Arpaio decides to run for another office at 91.
Gov. Jeff Landry wants to end Louisiana’s jungle primary as early as next week. The change is opposed by some other top Republicans.
State lawmakers will be rushing to address crime, AI, housing and a host of other issues – including growing budget gaps – ahead of elections this year.
New rules would bring back silencing provisions and create a new system to limit the debate time on certain pieces of legislation.
To get ahead of the state’s fundraising freeze, which bars state elected officials from raising money during the 90-day legislative session, nearly 80 fundraising events were scheduled this week.
Kshama Sawant, who just left office, became famous nationally for her fights for workers' rights. But her party had no one to replace her and the council became more conservative in last year's elections.
The complaints accused judges of showing bias, disregarding civil rights and engaging in personal misconduct. Yet state officials sided with the judges 98.5 percent of the time, dismissing the complaints.
Spencer Cox knows people are going to disagree politically, but calls on Americans to find ways to express their differences without resorting to hatred or violence.
AI can generate vast numbers of public comments masquerading as citizen input. Other methods of public consultation can improve confidence in government.
