Author Archive

Matt Vasilogambros

Matt Vasilogambros writes about immigration and voting rights for Stateline. Before joining Pew, he was a writer and editor at The Atlantic, where he covered national politics and demographics. Previously, he was a staff correspondent at National Journal and has written for Outside. In 2017, he completed the 2,650-mile Pacific Crest Trail. He is a graduate of Drake University.
Management

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.

Emerging Tech

Chicago is the latest city rethinking disputed technology that listens for gunshots

More than 150 U.S. cities use ShotSpotter, but a growing body of research shows that the tool has not succeeded in reducing gun violence, has slowed police response times to emergency calls and often did not lead to evidence recovery.

Management

Gunfire, screams, carnage: As mass shootings proliferate, training gets more realistic

Law enforcement and medical workers experience the sights, smells and sounds of gun violence to prepare for tragedy.

Workforce

In face of threats, election workers vow: ‘You are not disrupting the democratic process’

But the threats, including a recent fentanyl scare, have spurred some officials to leave.

Management

In scrapping its LGBTQ-related travel ban, California pivots to ‘hearts and minds’

Lawmakers nixed a seven-year ban on state-funded travel to states that enact discriminatory laws.

Management

As ranked choice voting gains momentum, parties in power push back

This year, several states banned the increasingly popular voting system.

Management

In reversal, some states make it harder for people with felony convictions to vote

Voting rights groups have filed a flurry of legal challenges to felony disenfranchisement laws this year.

Management

Cities have ways to curb gun violence; feds are giving them more money

Lawmakers have recognized community violence intervention programs save lives and taxpayer dollars.

Management

More States Allow Residents With Felony Convictions to Vote

Nearly half the states in the U.S. now allow people previously convicted of felonies to vote.

Management

The Fight Against Election Lies Never Ends for Local Officials

Election officials are working across state and partisan lines to earn back voters’ trust.

Cybersecurity

Feds push local election officials to boost security ahead of 2024

Local election officials are encouraged to beef up their cybersecurity practices to safeguard their voting systems against potential threats heading into the 2024 presidential race.

Management

Jail voting expands in Illinois

Voting from jail is rare throughout the United States, but lawmakers in Illinois are paving the way for more detention facilities to offer in-person voting.

Cybersecurity

Russian cyberattack could capitalize on election doubts

The U.S. has better cyber defenses than it did during the 2016 presidential election, but multifaceted efforts to delegitimize democracy and spread misinformation are creating new vulnerabilities.

Management

Contentious Fringe Legal Theory Could Reshape State Election Laws

Legal scholars argue the “independent state legislature doctrine” is a radical theory that could disenfranchise voters.

Management

A Parched West Remains Divided on Desalinating Seawater

Environmentalists criticize the technology as economically and ecologically harmful.

Management

Rising Gun Deaths Push Cities to Shore Up Police and Services

Sixteen major U.S. cities saw a rise in homicides last year.

Management

California’s Drought Reckoning Could Offer Lessons for the West

State officials and experts argue strongly for water-saving measures.