Campaigns & Elections

Do Older Taxpayers Balk at Supporting Schools?

COMMENTARY | In certain places, opponents to new school taxes are finding success by courting older voters.

  • By Katherine Barrett & Richard Greene

Do Older Taxpayers Balk at Supporting Schools?

COMMENTARY | In certain places, opponents to new school taxes are finding success by courting older voters.

  • By Katherine Barrett & Richard Greene
Campaigns & Elections

Do Older Taxpayers Balk at Supporting Schools?

COMMENTARY | In certain places, opponents to new school taxes are finding success by courting older voters.

  • By Katherine Barrett & Richard Greene

Even Before Iowa, Caucuses Were on Their Way Out

The chaos in Iowa exacerbated pressure to ditch party-run caucuses.

  • By Matt Vasilogambros, Stateline

Iowa Caucuses Did One Thing Right: Require Paper Ballots

COMMENTARY | Although there will rightly be a lot of retrospection about what went wrong with the Iowa caucuses, the use of paper ballots as a backup means the event will also be a case study in how to recover from a poorly run election.

  • By Herbert Lin, The Conversation

Why the Iowa Caucus Birthed a Thousand Conspiracy Theories

COMMENTARY | A panicked electorate is more susceptible to believing claims without evidence.

  • By David A. Graham, The Atlantic

With Big Spending on School Board Races, A State Lawmaker Seeks to Cap Contributions

Colorado currently does not have any limits in place for individual donors giving money to local school board candidates.

  • By Bill Lucia

For 2020 Election, States Debate Who’s Allowed to Vote

Lawsuits and new voting bills will dominate several states this year.

  • By Matt Vasilogambros, Stateline

A Reckoning Over Iowa

The privileged status of the early-voting states could come under threat if they elevate a candidate next month who ultimately loses to Donald Trump.

  • By Ronald Brownstein, The Atlantic

Seattle Passes Campaign Finance Restriction Targeting Corporate Donations

The bill approved by the city council would prevent any company with 5% of its stocks held by foreign individuals or companies from donating to local elections.

  • By Emma Coleman

Ensuring That People Can Easily Understand the Ballot Measures They’re Voting On

A Maryland bill would set new guidelines for describing proposals put on the ballot in plain language.

  • By Bill Lucia

Utah Tests Ranked-Choice Voting’s Conservative Appeal

If Utah embraces the system, other Republican-leaning states may follow.

  • By Matt Vasilogambros, Stateline

The Tumultuous Life of an Independent Redistricting Commissioner

The independent chairwoman of Arizona's citizen-led redistricting commission became the target of intense organized opposition from tea party-inspired residents and Republican lawmakers to her leadership and the new maps she supported.

  • By Matt Vasilogambros, Stateline

The Way America Votes Is Broken. In One Rural County, a Nonprofit Showed a Way Forward.

In Mississippi last week, a seamless performance by a new set of voting machines took place amid widespread anxiety about election integrity.

  • By Jessica Huseman, ProPublica

Featured eBooks

Law Enforcement and Security Tech
Preparing for the 2020 Census
Top State and Local Priorities for 2020

Voting in Local Elections Matters. This Is What Cities Can Do.

COMMENTARY | Cities need to work at encouraging voter turnout for local elections. Even small increases in participation can transform the political landscape.

  • By Brooks Rainwater and Olivia Snarski, CityLab

Off-Year Elections Test Democrats’ Strength in the South

Three governorships and control of a critical statehouse are up for grabs.

  • By Elaine S. Povich, Stateline

The Mississippi Governor’s Race Is Taking Place Under Jim Crow-Era Rules

COMMENTARY | Mississippi is facing its first close gubernatorial election since 1999.

  • By Gideon Cohn-Postar, The Conversation

Women Still Underrepresented in Elected Office at All Levels of Government, Report Says

Despite record numbers of women serving in Congress, women remain a minority at the local, state and federal levels of government, according to data released this week.

  • By Kate Elizabeth Queram

The Messy Politics of Voter Purges

Striking teachers and support staff pose for a group shot

  • By Matt Vasilogambros, Stateline

Seeking Attention For City Priorities From 2020 Presidential Candidates

A group of local officials is developing a platform of issues they want to see discussed during the race.

  • By Bill Lucia

Amazon Is Spending an Unprecedented Amount on City Council Races

In Seattle, Amazon has spent over a million dollars trying to get pro-business candidates elected to the city council.

  • By Emma Coleman

What Would Federal Preclearance Mean for State Abortion Laws?

Democratic presidential candidate Kamala Harris proposes requiring states that have a history of restricting abortion to submit new laws for federal approval before they can go into effect.

  • By Emma Coleman

‘It’s Time to Overhaul the System’: Why Socialists Are Taking Aim at City Councils

Across the country, members of the Democratic Socialists of America have been elected to city councils running on platforms that reject capitalism and promote working class interests.

  • By Emma Coleman