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.
Chief U.S. District Judge William P. Johnson ruled that the state’s limits on how much political parties can contribute to political candidates and local political parties was unconstitutional but upheld other state campaign finance limits.
Spalding County’s election board voted last month to require a manual tally before results are certified, but experts are concerned about the accuracy and efficiency of a hand count.
This week in state and local politics: San Francisco Mayor London Breed is in real trouble while there's handwringing over hand-counting ballots.
Some states have taken steps to shield their election workers from intimidation and harm, but there’s a lack of urgency at the federal level. A nationwide threat requires a nationwide response.
The state lets workers own and register their vehicles, but they aren’t allowed to drive them, forcing many farm workers to risk fines and arrest. “It’s a Catch-22 for a lot of folks,” advocates say.
One-time county prosecutor, state lawmaker, state attorney general and auditor Betty Montgomery has been a vocal critic of the state’s failed proposal, known as Issue 1, to require a supermajority for constitutional amendments.
The local figures who used to move their communities forward are in painfully short supply.
Gov. Laura Kelly appointed Col. Erik Smith to head the state law enforcement department, which has been a consistent source of troubles for years, including allegations of domestic violence, sexual harassment, retaliation and wrongful termination.
Advocates are resisting a police program intended to curb gun violence, claiming it targets young Black men. A report found that three in 10 stops and four in 10 searches by the teams had no legal basis.
Currently, abortion is legal in Ohio until 22 weeks. Meanwhile Michigan Democrats' have a fragile majority, other election action and the death of a trailblazer.
As a new Arizona survey shows, voters want to take the partisanship out of how top state and local election officials are chosen. The system we use now erodes public trust.
The state’s governor is trying to make policy for many generations from now. It’s hard enough to get it right for even a decade or two. How’s your flying car working out?
There are signs that Gov. Tate Reeves' reelection is in trouble, but he has an outstanding track record. Meanwhile, turning New Jersey red and a failure to comply.
Despite Americans’ pessimism about the state of our democracy, Democrats and Republicans agree on policies to protect election workers, expand voting access and strengthen election integrity.
The study of more than 6 million cases found that 46 percent of traffic stops were of Black or Hispanic motorists, far more than their share of the state’s population. Officials called the findings “deeply troubling.”
A new audit found that there is a “high likelihood” that hundreds of state troopers collectively falsified tens of thousands of traffic ticket records over the last decade. The state has launched an investigation into the matter.
After a decade, the state’s open, nonpartisan primaries still have their critics, but it’s clear that they have steadily reduced polarization. The system could do the same for other states.
It's one thing to try to impose discipline within the party; punishing members of the other party involves a different set of dynamics. Plus, can you fire a non-appointee?
Kim Reynolds was relatively unknown when she served as lieutenant governor and even after becoming governor. She's since emerged as a powerhouse.
Rivas often presents himself as a humble, soft-spoken person, but many who know him see the balanced policy, pragmatism and calculations that have led him to one of the state’s top political offices.
The U.S. Supreme Court recently ruled that Alabama’s congressional map was a violation of the Voting Rights Act, and plaintiffs in two Florida court cases are optimistic that the ruling will set a precedent.
A state ethics complaint and a state elections complaint have been filed against the Florida governor for using state official business to advance his political aspirations. But DeSantis isn’t the first to blur the political and campaign lines.
The feminist, documentary filmmaker and wife of California Gov. Gavin Newsom has had several traumatic experiences that have shaped her life. Now she lets her past help guide her impact on the state through advocacy.
There used to be a time when voters had to choose from a much smaller pool of candidates. Meanwhile the Voting Rights Act lives and ways to encourage poll workers.
Attorneys of outgoing chairman of the state’s GOP David Shafer argue that an “act of statesmanship” in Hawaii in 1960 is justification for Shafer’s 2020 decision to convene a meeting of “alternate” electors in favor of Donald Trump.
The state’s Judicial Tenure Commission will hire an auditor to review the racial composition of judges who were subject to complaints and how the organization resolved the issues. Since 2016, five of nine public complaints have involved Black judges.
The numbers are still at historical lows. Civic engagement is the most important factor in building trust in our institutions, and our communities need to find better ways to encourage active participation in civic life.
It took a long time for the state’s unique system of governance to fall into the hyperpartisanship that so many states have experienced. Can Nebraska find a way back?
Many bills die during the end-of-session rush. Some people like it that way.
Imagine political technologists develop a machine called Clogger, a political campaign in a black box. Clogger relentlessly pursues just one objective: to maximize the chances that its candidate prevails in an election.
