How Can You Win Support for Your Policies? Focus on the Quiet Middle

COMMENTARY | The best way to gain backing for your ideas—in election season or beyond—is to know how to court the undecided.

Biden Calls on Governors to Pardon Marijuana Possession Offenses

He did so after issuing a blanket pardon for all federal convictions for simple possession of the drug.

This Year's Hottest Contests to Control State Legislatures

Democrats hope concerns about abortion access will bolster their chances to retake key chambers. But Republicans say President Biden's flagging poll numbers will give GOP candidates an edge.

The Battle Over a 'Millionaires Tax' Heats Up in Massachusetts

Voters will decide this November on a measure that would impose the tax on income over $1 million. Supporters say it would raise needed revenue for roads, transit and schools, while opponents argue it will revive the state's reputation as “Taxachusetts.”

Transgender and Nonbinary Candidates for State Legislature are Poised to Gain Ground This Year

Prompted to run by a wave of anti-transgender legislation, they are running for statehouse seats in at least eight states, but remain underrepresented in legislative chambers around the country.

Election Officials Have Been Largely Successful in Deterring Cyber Threats, CISA Official Says

The head of CISA’s National Risk Management Center pointed to public-private partnerships and enhanced resource sharing activities as key to defending against outside threats to voting systems.

Local Election Offices Often Are Missing on Social Media

COMMENTARY | But election boards that use their social media accounts to share information may improve voter registration and participation, especially among young voters, two professors write.

The Problem With Homeowners Being More Likely to Vote

COMMENTARY | Homeownership boosts voter turnout. But is that a good thing?

What Brought Down One Texas County’s Entire Elections Department? It Was Something in the Water

Aggrieved anti-fluoride activists, low pay and understaffing eventually drove away Gillespie County’s election officials.

Rank-choice Voting Advances as Election Deniers, Voting Right Limitations Gain Traction

Two states and dozens of other jurisdictions have adopted ranked-choice voting for at least some elections.

Voters in This State Could Take Away Governor's Regulatory Authority

The Kansas measure, which will be on the November ballot, would amend the state constitution to give the legislature veto power over everything from police certification to banking regulations to the sale of wild mushrooms.

Elected Officials Past ‘Child-bearing Age’ Bristle at Lawmaker's Tweet

A New York state senator suggested older officials won’t fight as hard for reproductive rights. It reignited a longtime debate over what ageism looks like for people who hold political office.

Voters Will Decide This Fall on Whether to Add the Right to Unionize to One State's Constitution

The proposed amendment would guarantee workers in Illinois the "fundamental right" to collectively bargain over wages, hours and working conditions as well as to protect their "economic welfare."

Republican Election Deniers Rack Up State Level Primary Wins

Former President Trump's clout in state elections was on display this week. In Arizona, his picks for governor and five seats in the legislature won their primaries. In Michigan, five of 10 Trump-endorsed legislative candidates on the ballot prevailed.

Independent State Legislature Doctrine Could Take Power Away From the People

The U.S. Supreme Court will determine whether state legislatures have the power to regulate congressional elections.

The Rise of the State and Local Climate Candidate

With action at the federal level stalled and their communities hit by drought and extreme heat, a growing cohort of down-ballot candidates are prioritizing climate policy. Donor and activists groups are taking notice and lining up to back them.

The Rise of the Trump Agenda in This Year's Governors Races

Republicans in a number of key gubernatorial contests want to pursue priorities in state government aligned with the former president's platform. Will the strategy work to win over voters?

Election Laws in Red and Blue States are Changing. Here's How

With primaries underway and this year's November elections approaching, lawmakers in Republican and Democratic states have overhauled laws to both increase and tighten ballot access.

How Right Wing Candidates Fell Short Trying to Overtake a Solidly Republican Legislature

A primary fight that played out in Indiana on Tuesday pitted social conservatives against establishment GOP incumbents.

Election Officials Say Safety Threats May Drive Away Poll Workers

Three out of five administrators in a new study said they worried that threats, harassment and intimidation would make it harder to recruit new workers. Officials nationwide back that up.

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