Several states could change how their elections are run
Six states and Washington, D.C., will vote on ranked choice voting. Is the increasingly popular voting method’s honeymoon over?
California’s rent control ballot measure could reverberate across the US
Proposition 33 would allow cities to limit rent increases. Some economists doubt that’s a good idea.
Election-year politics color hurricane recovery efforts
A week after Hurricane Helene struck the Southeast, some elected officials have been reluctant to put on a united front.
In this battleground state, a fight is raging over ballot drop boxes
In one city, the mayor faces a criminal investigation for carting away its lone drop box. Others are citing claims about fraud and opting out of using drop boxes for November’s election.
Abortion is on the ballot in 10 states this year. Here's why that matters.
Voters have approved every ballot measure initiative protecting the right to abortion since the reversal of Roe v. Wade. Could voters in Missouri reverse the trend?
Flood-ravaged North Carolina races to restore voting access after Helene
With voting underway, election officials must mail new ballots and replace destroyed polling places.
Democrats cast doubt on whether the ‘Montana Miracle’ is making housing affordable
Gov. Greg Gianforte spearheaded a bipartisan and widely applauded effort to make it easier to build homes, but his Democratic opponent says housing shortages and high property taxes are still hammering Montana residents.
Election workers may need to become whistleblowers this fall
Legal groups stand ready to help election workers navigate the legal realities of “see something, say something.”
Eight states to vote on amendments to ban noncitizen voting
It is already illegal under state laws and rare, but Republicans in some states say the language needs to be clearer in their constitutions.
Haitian immigrants find new footholds, and familiar backlash, in the Midwest, South
Jobs are drawing Haitians from traditional communities in Florida and New York.
Little-noticed statehouse races could reshape election policies next year
In several swing states, control of legislative chambers—and agendas—is on the ballot in November.
Climate impacts put insurance commissioner races in the spotlight
As premiums skyrocket, voters are starting to pay attention to one of the most obscure positions on the ballot.
How Route Fifty is covering the 2024 general election
With several decades of experience covering state and local government, our staff looks for stories that resonate most with those working in cities, counties and states.
In the tightest states, new voting laws could tip the outcome in November
Pandemic protections offer more ballot options. Election lies are driving new restrictions.
Mayors rally to support Springfield amid 'unprecedented' situation
Local leaders have experience responding to crises that attract national attention, from natural disasters to shootings, but the politics and threats of violence in the central Ohio town make this situation different.
A record-breaking number of Native Americans are running for state and local office
Native candidates see holding office as a chance to fight back following several national events that challenged treaty rights, protections for land and wildlife, and even adoption.
USPS issues could undermine mail-in ballots, letter warns
The bipartisan letter raised several “ongoing concerns” that it warned could disenfranchise voters. In response, embattled Postmaster General Louis DeJoy rejected many of the issues listed.
This governor is about to become mayor
Delaware’s current two-term governor won the Democratic primary for mayor of Wilmington, a first in modern U.S. history. Plus, highlights from this week’s other primaries.
Threats to election workers as November nears detailed at congressional hearing
Michigan Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson said lies and misinformation about election results make election workers afraid to go about their daily activities "because we don’t know what might be lurking in the buses.”
No, local election officials can’t block certification of results—there are plenty of legal safeguards
COMMENTARY | There isn’t one weird trick to steal a presidential election.
Do Not Sell My Personal Information
When you visit our website, we store cookies on your browser to collect information. The information collected might relate to you, your preferences or your device, and is mostly used to make the site work as you expect it to and to provide a more personalized web experience. However, you can choose not to allow certain types of cookies, which may impact your experience of the site and the services we are able to offer. Click on the different category headings to find out more and change our default settings according to your preference. You cannot opt-out of our First Party Strictly Necessary Cookies as they are deployed in order to ensure the proper functioning of our website (such as prompting the cookie banner and remembering your settings, to log into your account, to redirect you when you log out, etc.). For more information about the First and Third Party Cookies used please follow this link.
Manage Consent Preferences
Strictly Necessary Cookies - Always Active
We do not allow you to opt-out of our certain cookies, as they are necessary to ensure the proper functioning of our website (such as prompting our cookie banner and remembering your privacy choices) and/or to monitor site performance. These cookies are not used in a way that constitutes a “sale” of your data under the CCPA. You can set your browser to block or alert you about these cookies, but some parts of the site will not work as intended if you do so. You can usually find these settings in the Options or Preferences menu of your browser. Visit www.allaboutcookies.org to learn more.
Sale of Personal Data, Targeting & Social Media Cookies
Under the California Consumer Privacy Act, you have the right to opt-out of the sale of your personal information to third parties. These cookies collect information for analytics and to personalize your experience with targeted ads. You may exercise your right to opt out of the sale of personal information by using this toggle switch. If you opt out we will not be able to offer you personalised ads and will not hand over your personal information to any third parties. Additionally, you may contact our legal department for further clarification about your rights as a California consumer by using this Exercise My Rights link
If you have enabled privacy controls on your browser (such as a plugin), we have to take that as a valid request to opt-out. Therefore we would not be able to track your activity through the web. This may affect our ability to personalize ads according to your preferences.
Targeting cookies may be set through our site by our advertising partners. They may be used by those companies to build a profile of your interests and show you relevant adverts on other sites. They do not store directly personal information, but are based on uniquely identifying your browser and internet device. If you do not allow these cookies, you will experience less targeted advertising.
Social media cookies are set by a range of social media services that we have added to the site to enable you to share our content with your friends and networks. They are capable of tracking your browser across other sites and building up a profile of your interests. This may impact the content and messages you see on other websites you visit. If you do not allow these cookies you may not be able to use or see these sharing tools.
If you want to opt out of all of our lead reports and lists, please submit a privacy request at our Do Not Sell page.
Cookie List
A cookie is a small piece of data (text file) that a website – when visited by a user – asks your browser to store on your device in order to remember information about you, such as your language preference or login information. Those cookies are set by us and called first-party cookies. We also use third-party cookies – which are cookies from a domain different than the domain of the website you are visiting – for our advertising and marketing efforts. More specifically, we use cookies and other tracking technologies for the following purposes:
Strictly Necessary Cookies
We do not allow you to opt-out of our certain cookies, as they are necessary to ensure the proper functioning of our website (such as prompting our cookie banner and remembering your privacy choices) and/or to monitor site performance. These cookies are not used in a way that constitutes a “sale” of your data under the CCPA. You can set your browser to block or alert you about these cookies, but some parts of the site will not work as intended if you do so. You can usually find these settings in the Options or Preferences menu of your browser. Visit www.allaboutcookies.org to learn more.
Functional Cookies
We do not allow you to opt-out of our certain cookies, as they are necessary to ensure the proper functioning of our website (such as prompting our cookie banner and remembering your privacy choices) and/or to monitor site performance. These cookies are not used in a way that constitutes a “sale” of your data under the CCPA. You can set your browser to block or alert you about these cookies, but some parts of the site will not work as intended if you do so. You can usually find these settings in the Options or Preferences menu of your browser. Visit www.allaboutcookies.org to learn more.
Performance Cookies
We do not allow you to opt-out of our certain cookies, as they are necessary to ensure the proper functioning of our website (such as prompting our cookie banner and remembering your privacy choices) and/or to monitor site performance. These cookies are not used in a way that constitutes a “sale” of your data under the CCPA. You can set your browser to block or alert you about these cookies, but some parts of the site will not work as intended if you do so. You can usually find these settings in the Options or Preferences menu of your browser. Visit www.allaboutcookies.org to learn more.
Sale of Personal Data
We also use cookies to personalize your experience on our websites, including by determining the most relevant content and advertisements to show you, and to monitor site traffic and performance, so that we may improve our websites and your experience. You may opt out of our use of such cookies (and the associated “sale” of your Personal Information) by using this toggle switch. You will still see some advertising, regardless of your selection. Because we do not track you across different devices, browsers and GEMG properties, your selection will take effect only on this browser, this device and this website.
Social Media Cookies
We also use cookies to personalize your experience on our websites, including by determining the most relevant content and advertisements to show you, and to monitor site traffic and performance, so that we may improve our websites and your experience. You may opt out of our use of such cookies (and the associated “sale” of your Personal Information) by using this toggle switch. You will still see some advertising, regardless of your selection. Because we do not track you across different devices, browsers and GEMG properties, your selection will take effect only on this browser, this device and this website.
Targeting Cookies
We also use cookies to personalize your experience on our websites, including by determining the most relevant content and advertisements to show you, and to monitor site traffic and performance, so that we may improve our websites and your experience. You may opt out of our use of such cookies (and the associated “sale” of your Personal Information) by using this toggle switch. You will still see some advertising, regardless of your selection. Because we do not track you across different devices, browsers and GEMG properties, your selection will take effect only on this browser, this device and this website.
Help us tailor content specifically for you: