Elections
If a presidential nominee drops out, what happens to states’ ballots?
Experts say it’s likely the Supreme Court would settle the resulting mess.
If you’re in the military, voting this year could be tricky
Military families move often and have to navigate varying state laws, administrative hurdles and a lack of resources for access to the ballot.
More states consider voter ID laws amid conflicting research on their impact
As of now, 36 states require some form of identification to cast a ballot.
Supreme Court rules that government can ask social media platforms to remove misinformation
Justices said in a 6-3 decision that Louisiana and Missouri did not have standing to sue. The ruling comes as a relief to state and local officials as they look to crack down on election-related misinformation ahead of November.
At a time money for local elections is scarce, this city found savings
An analysis of different voting model in Michigan's February primary found that communities that joined forces reaped economies of scale. But encouraging voter turnout was another matter.
Mayoral candidate pledges ‘digital by default’ city services
In his bid to become the next mayor of San Francisco, Mark Farrell promised to digitize government services within two years.
3 more states could see marijuana legalization on November ballots
In some states, lawmakers don’t want legalization, so advocates turn to ballot measures.
These federal grants can help ease multiplying election threats
Cyber and physical threats are some of the biggest issues local election officials face ahead of the November presidential contest. Researchers said while there is a finite amount of funding, federal grants can help ease the pressure.
How a common election integrity law is keeping Idaho from fixing its crumbling schools
An influential conservative group is targeting local bond and levy elections, which districts rely on heavily to build and repair schools.
Why so many election officials are leaving
Some states are seeing high rates of turnover among local election officials, according to new research. It’s a troublesome trend that may have a silver lining.
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Legislative inaction and dissatisfaction with one-party control lead to more ballot initiatives, with 60% of them in 6 states
COMMENTARY | Citizen-led ballot measures have been used in various states to expand Medicaid, preserve abortion rights and raise minimum wages, but over the past five years, lawmakers have increasingly made it harder to get these initiatives and referendums on the ballot.
GOP attorneys general charge into battle over state election rules
If the 2024 election is contested, Republican AGs look well-placed to push conservative legal arguments that could directly influence court decisions and infiltrate the broader public debate, experts say.
Supreme Court appears wary of restricting government action to control misinformation
The justices' skepticism in the case has state and local election officials breathing a little easier as they worry about misinformation efforts ahead of November elections.
In rural Arizona, Maricopa County uses tech to make voting more secure
Providing voting access in rural areas has long been a challenge in the state, and across the country. Now, Maricopa county is hosting a big test of its efforts to improve access to the ballot in remote polling locations.
There are 100,000 fewer Election Day polling places in 2024
A major Supreme Court decision, a pandemic and localized issues have all conspired to reduce the number of physical voting locations. Advocates say that’s bad for democracy.
What does a state’s secretary of state do? Most run elections, a once-routine job facing increasing scrutiny
COMMENTARY | As the chief election official, a secretary of state’s influence over the democratic process can extend to every single elected office.
A transparent, open-source vision for U.S. elections
Voting technology in the U.S. is secretive and often expensive. Can an open-source alternative take its place?
West Virginia’s top election official on trust, social media and secure elections
Ahead of what promises to be a hectic election season, Secretary of State Mac Warner spent part of his last National Association of Secretaries of State Winter Conference touching on conspiracy theories, among other topics.
Feds preach vigilance amid multiple physical, cyber threats against election officials
In response, agencies as varied as CISA and the Postal Inspection Service are offering a slew of free and low-cost resources in a bid to help states and localities keep issues under control.
Counties want more money for elections. Washington is unlikely to provide it.
“I just don't want anybody to walk out of here thinking that all of a sudden a massive flow of funds is going to come forward,” a House committee chairman told county officials.
