Elections
Covering topics such as governors, legislatures, local government, redistricting and voting.
The explosive growth of data centers, fueled partly by the AI race, has some states scrambling for a piece of the action and some localities trying to pump the brakes.
The persistently low salaries of state legislators often discourage citizens from serving in public office, especially as lawmakers face heavier workloads and greater demands on their time than in the past.
Some parts of Fort Lauderdale saw 2 feet of rainfall in a single day, which is more than any city is built to withstand. It’s likely extreme weather cases will become more frequent with climate change.
Lancaster County election officials reported that thousands of mail-in ballots sent to voters last week were printed with an error, requiring them to be voided and replaced. Already, 15,000 ballots have been recovered.
The nation’s second largest school district and the teacher’s union have reached a tentative agreement that would avert the possibility of a second strike this year. The agreement includes raises for several position types and reduced classroom size.
None of the 17 candidates on the April 4 ballot received more than 50 percent of the vote, triggering a runoff election on June 6. Advocates argue that ranked-choice voting would make the process quicker and more streamlined.
The nation’s first biometric smart gun will use both fingerprint and facial recognition technology to ensure that only authorized users can fire the weapon. The creator hopes it will help reduce accidental deaths and gun suicides.
The winning combination these days is Black and Hispanic voters aligned with white progressives with college degrees.
More than 10 percent of statehouse reporters are university students, and in some states they are a significant presence in the statehouse media corps. They have stepped up coverage at a time when newspapers are pulling back.
A four-bill package will renew the Alabama Jobs Act and Growing Alabama Act and will increase the caps on benefits that can go to companies. The package will also require the state to publicize the benefits paid to companies.
Voter turnout is lower in rural places, something researchers say is a symptom of unequal amounts of civic infrastructure.
Jay Ashcroft was elected secretary of state in 2016 and re-elected in 2020. He has assured the state’s elections are safe and secure while also uplifting and supporting conspiracy theories about voter fraud.
The L.A. school district implemented four “acceleration days” for their students that aimed to fill the gaps in student learning, exacerbated by the pandemic. But less than 8 percent attended and the overall cost of these sessions remains unclear.
More than $1.73 billion will go to 603 Community Development Financial Institutions nationwide, with three in San Diego County receiving funds. Much of the money will go to small-business lending in low-income regions.
Some conservatives want to rein in journalists’ protections established long ago by the Supreme Court. That would be a blow to the news coverage that aims to keep state and local governments accountable.
Only a few states require judges to sit out cases involving their campaign contributors. The Wisconsin Supreme Court's new liberal majority has expressed support for strengthening recusal rules. Will other states follow its lead?
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