Elections
Covering topics such as governors, legislatures, local government, redistricting and voting.
People outside of government aren’t the only ones who could benefit from a better understanding of election processes.
A Shasta County supervisor was nearly recalled and the county’s longtime elections chief stepped down last month, with stress from death threats causing her heart problems.
Justices found that a federal statute that bans bribery does not apply to “gratuities” paid to elected officials for past acts. The case pertained to a former mayor but has implications for charges against former Illinois House Speaker Michael Madigan.
A federal judge has ordered the state to release unrepresented defendants, with about 2,500 now out of custody as a result. The state is now hiring more attorneys rather than relying on contracts with private defenders.
The liberal/moderate/conservative labels we give ourselves reveal little about what Americans actually want out of policy and government. More progress can be made at the community level, where tribal labels are less relevant.
A new poll found that roughly three-quarters of registered voters would like to see term limits enacted or shortened for county supervisors, district attorneys and sheriffs.
Last year’s contest for Allegheny County, Pa. executive drew $1 million in funds from secretive groups that skirted disclosure requirements.
Political independents — those who don’t vote consistently for one party or the other — have views that align with their lived experience. Democrats and Republicans? They just follow the party line.
The decision bars judicial hopefuls from declaring partisan affiliation but not positions. “To describe oneself as a ‘conservative’ does not signal bias, pro or con, toward anyone or on any issue,” the court found.
Kentucky’s Republican-controlled Legislature is sending hundreds of millions of dollars to Louisville this year. Local leaders hope strong cross-partisan relationships will help the city over the long term.
Instead of indulging in the sugar high of tough-on-crime legislation, lawmakers should provide the treatment solutions that dramatically reduce deaths, especially in correctional settings.
Future in Context
A former mayor of Compton, Calif., who oversaw the country’s largest experiment with universal basic income, thinks a new software platform can help bootstrap underserved communities.
The current transportation budget falls short of the state’s litany of needs. As lawmakers prepare to craft a major transit package next session, they will need to figure out how to increase revenue streams despite logistical and political challenges.
One resolution would eliminate most judicial re-elections, essentially giving judges lifetime appointments.
Republican Jeff Landry has gotten his way on issues including crime, education and the political operations of the state. His ultimate goal is rewriting the state constitution.
Aldermen are set to consider the city’s largest police misconduct settlement ever. Four men were imprisoned after allegedly being coerced by the police to give false confessions of a 1995 double murder.
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