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.
Bill author state Rep. Dodie Horton argued that the Ten Commandments are the “basis of all laws in Louisiana” and the legislation honors the country’s religious origins. The bill must be signed by the governor before it becomes law.
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.
One-third of the state’s legislators have collectively reported at least $14 million worth of investments. But analysis has found that their stocks don’t always align with their political stances.
Only 75,490 votes were cast nationally for a candidate other than Joe Biden or Donald Trump in the 2020 presidential election. And yet, 1,500 voters have already registered with Oregon's newest party: the No Labels Party.
A poll found that 42 percent of North Dakota Republicans ages 18-34 said climate change was human-caused, as compared to just 11 percent of those ages 50-64. But this wouldn’t be the first GOP generation to prioritize the environment.
A new poll of the state’s Hispanic voters found that 53 percent said inflation was the most important policy ahead of the 2024 election with the economy ranking second. Latinos are the state’s second-fastest growing group.
The state has not been able to find an adequate successor program after leaving ERIC in October. Texas officials are now considering how they might build their own voter roll cleaning system.
More than 95 percent of PAC spending from the four biggest public-sector unions went to Democrats, according to the Commonwealth Foundation.
Government centers can be more than simply places where official business is conducted. They can be places for residents to meet, interact and celebrate each other.
Republican-led states that withdrew from the Electronic Registration Information Center are now struggling to find new ways to adequately update their voter rolls. Prior to 2022, more than half the states participated in the program.
The Dallas native was the state’s first Black district attorney and used DNA testing in cases, leading to about two dozen exonerations. His Conviction Integrity Unit has been nationally and internationally recognized.
