Campaigns & Elections

House to Vote on Elections Bill That Would Set New Standards For States

Supporters say the legislation will protect voter access. Republican officials argue that it will encroach on states’ rights.

  • By Andrea Noble

Despite Security Concerns, Online Voting Advances

Online voting is likely to become more popular as technology improves and as election officials seek ways to expand access to the ballot. But security experts warn of hacking threats.

  • By Matt Vasilogambros and Lindsey Van Ness, Stateline

Republicans Target Ballot Access After Record Turnout

GOP lawmakers in at least 28 states have introduced more than 100 bills to tighten voting rules.

  • By Matt Vasilogambros, Stateline

State Lawmakers Begin Once-a-Decade Redistricting Fight

Every 10 years, after a new census count, states adjust the boundaries of state legislative and U.S. House of Representatives districts. Struggles between Democrats and Republicans over how those lines are drawn are looming in a number of states.

  • By Tim Henderson, Stateline

The Political-Reform Movement Scores Its Biggest Win Yet

Election changes such as ranked-choice voting and nonpartisan primaries are popping up across the country—and are already upending national politics.

  • By Russell Berman, The Atlantic

'We Can't Have Different Facts': Why Lt. Gov. John Fetterman Still Believes in Universal Truths

The Pennsylvania Democrat received national attention for his blunt takedowns of voter fraud claims in the wake of the November election. He's now pondering a U.S. Senate run.

  • By Kate Elizabeth Queram

Voters Are Starting to Act Like Hard-Core Sports Fans—With Dangerous Repercussions for Democracy

COMMENTARY | Fandom can go beyond outfits. It can become a core component of a person's identity, making losses feel personal.

  • By Michael Devlin and Natalie Brown Devlin, The Conversation

States Should Lead the Effort to Reform the Electoral College

COMMENTARY | The 2020 presidential election has underscored the need to overhaul the Electoral College.

  • By Joshua Holzer

'It's All Gone Too Far:' A State Election Official Takes on Trump and the Age of Misinformation

Gabriel Sterling, Georgia's voting system implementation manager, called out his fellow Republicans for failing to condemn threats and conspiracy theories in the wake of the election. The world heard him.

  • By Kate Elizabeth Queram

State and Local Republican Officials Shy Away From Trump's Efforts to Overturn Election Results

STATE AND LOCAL ROUNDUP | Illinois House speaker’s power slipping amid federal probe … Milwaukee health workers face death threats … Florida sheriff’s office keeping list of kids seen at risk of “life of crime” … state-local spat over charity venison.

  • By Bill Lucia and Emma Coleman

'Good, Honest, Capable, and Willing People:' A Take on Election Administrators Goes Viral

James Young, Louisville's former director of elections, took to Twitter to defend the integrity of election workers. Twelve thousand retweets later, he explains why.

  • By Kate Elizabeth Queram

Trump Turns to State Legislators in His Bid to Overturn Election Results

STATE AND LOCAL ROUNDUP | CDC recommends avoiding Thanksgiving travel … Biden meets with governors … Third Cincinnati council member arrested on corruption charges … Las Vegas tries to lure tech workers from Seattle and San Francisco

  • By Bill Lucia
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Top Tech Companies Begin Pushing Priorities for Biden Administration

Microsoft, IBM and other companies urged the president-elect to consider policies for boosting workforce development, solving the pandemic and addressing biometrics in surveillance.

  • By Brandi Vincent

Few Big Changes—But Lots of Newcomers—In State Legislative Elections

Voters elected roughly 1,500 new state lawmakers in last week's election, but only one state legislature flipped party control.

  • By Kate Elizabeth Queram

Report: State Election Officials Find No Evidence of Fraud

STATE AND LOCAL ROUNDUP | Oregon sex workers and strippers can apply for grants to help them through the pandemic … CDC says masks protect wearers from others … Texas rolls out mobile pollution monitoring.

  • By Laura Maggi

Georgia to Hand Recount All 4.9 Million Votes in Presidential Race

The state’s Republican secretary of state says the recount is not being driven by requests from the Trump campaign, but rather the narrow outcome in the contest. The current count shows Democrat President-elect Joe Biden leading.

  • By Bill Lucia

In One Kentucky Community, Dogs Rule—Literally

Wilbur, a 6-month-old French bulldog, is the latest canine mayor of Rabbit Hash, an unincorporated community in Kentucky that's been led by dogs since the late 1990s.

  • By Kate Elizabeth Queram

State and Local Leaders Tapped to Assist With Biden Transition

The president-elect’s “agency review teams,” including one focused on transportation, will in some cases be led by state and local government officials.

  • By Bill Lucia

The Big Success Story of the Election Is the One You Didn’t Hear

COMMENTARY | Government employees were the unsung heroes of the voting process.

  • By Tom Shoop

QAnon Is Winning

Conspiracy thinking in America had a huge night on Tuesday.

  • By Kaitlyn Tiffany, The Atlantic

Pelosi Touts Possible Bipartisan Cooperation on Infrastructure After Election

The House speaker also said she has no plans to stop pressing for a big coronavirus relief deal. Meanwhile, at least one top Senate Republican also indicated it’s possible Democrat and GOP lawmakers could come together on a public works plan.

  • By Bill Lucia