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.
The issues that drove the winning campaigns reflected a mix of local and national concerns, and the results pointed to divergent, sometimes contradictory, priorities for big-city voters.
Oakland, Calif., Mayor Sheng Thao gave her first State of the City address on Tuesday, marking the first opportunity to present her vision for how best to tackle the city’s major issues, including crime, homelessness and sports.
Next month, residents will cast ballots on 14 proposed changes to the state Constitution that could impact infrastructure, recreation and higher education. Early voting begins on Oct. 23.
A poll found that 63 percent of Americans agree that the two main political parties do "such a poor job" of representing the public that a third party is needed. Meanwhile, a Republican's home state advantage and demanding input into redistricting.
Pre-emption of local authority has been a major concern over the past decade. Now, states are not only blocking specific laws but stopping cities and counties from addressing entire areas of policy.
The latest numbers show that Republicans now have 588,930 more registered voters than Democrats while independents and no party affiliation voters make up 27.2 percent of the state’s registrations.
The county is mostly white, mostly Republican, has No Party Preference voters and is the latest of California’s counties that is trying to raise support to secede from the state. But none of the past efforts have worked.
The California city’s council passed a resolution on Tuesday, Oct. 3, that declares mask and vaccine mandates are banned within city jurisdiction, with exception for those who test positive for COVID-19.
Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger has approved the new version of the voting equipment’s software to be implemented and piloted in municipal elections in five counties. The upgrade is intended to prevent potential malware and hacks.
Following Ken Paxton's acquittal on corruption charges, the attorney general is seeking revenge against House members who voted to impeach him. He'll likely claim some victories but not change the overall balance of power within that body.
Sami Graham, a former chief of staff to Mayor Dave Bronson, and Daniel Smith denied allegations that they coordinated with Mark Dahl on false city policy to challenge the November election results.
Are we really as divided as we’re being told we are? A new paper from the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace takes up that question. Its answer may surprise you.
Louisiana attorney general Jeff Landry is the clear favorite to succeed Gov. John Bel Edwards, but will he prevail? Meanwhile, there seems to be no end to redistricting fights as prominent cases continue in Alabama, Florida, Kentucky, New Mexico and New York.
For the first time since 1885, the county’s Board of Supervisors may have more than just five members as the Board considers expanding its membership to better serve the region’s 10 million residents and a $712 billion economy.
Three former public officials in Morrow County, who own a small telecommunications company, which provides fiber-optic service to Amazon data centers, failed to acknowledge that they stood to profit when they gave tax breaks and arranged land sales.
A lot, says one prominent political scientist. But most of all, they aren’t accountable to anyone.
The Colorado county’s sheriff’s office recently mandated that a notarized form is required to obtain public records. But critics worry the new rule is an unprecedented and unlawful burden.
The state’s Supreme Court will consider whether gerrymandering in congressional district maps is unconstitutional. According to some analysis, only seven House districts had a 25 percent chance of going for either party.
His acquittal makes Paxton a dominant player in Republican primary politics, where hard-right conservatives that share his ideology influence the small primary electorate.
The Greater Idaho movement, which wants to secede from the Beaver State and become a part of its neighbor to the east, had sputtered along for years, gaining little traction. But then, the coronavirus hit in the spring of 2020.
The state faces a potential impeachment battle. As in Washington, the battle lines are nakedly partisan.
Virginia is one of just two states in which legislative control is divided between the parties. Then, what makes special elections so special, Pennsylvania Democrats' struggle to maintain control and attorneys general keep getting in trouble.
It once was widespread in the U.S. We should try it again, at least in a limited way. The advantages outweigh the disadvantages.
The state Supreme Court dismissed two lawsuits, ending legal challenges against the use of 2022 congressional district maps previously deemed unconstitutional. The move could benefit both parties, especially three Democrats who won competitive races last year.
A task force has recommended making cash payments to the descendants of American slaves to address over-policing, mass incarceration, housing discrimination and health disparities. But a majority of voters oppose the idea.
There’s much that state lawmakers can do to prevent it from undermining democracy. Some states are already putting stronger safeguards in place, and more should do the same.
A review by the state attorney general found that safeguards to prevent double counting of votes were not in place, resulting in a miscount of Monmouth County’s ballots that declared the wrong winner for an Ocean Township school board seat.
Second Judicial Circuit Judge J. Lee Marsh rebuffed Gov. Ron DeSantis’ claim that mandatory protections for Black voters violated the Equal Protection Clause of the U.S. Constitution, which could pave the way for Democrats.
Why has the state's Republican Legislature descended into chaos and hostility? Plus, it's probably too late to beat Trump and Richard Russo and the humor of mergers.
Keeping election workers and voters safe in a politically charged environment is an expensive challenge. Federal resources are available, and local election officials should take advantage of them now to get ready for 2024.
The advocacy group for press freedom has called for a “thorough investigation” into the Marion, Kan., Police Department after its raid at a local newspaper, which many claim was a violation of state and federal laws.
