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Primary Schedule Now Nearly Complete
Courts have finally cleared the way for primary elections to take place in Florida, Kansas, North Carolina and New Hampshire, the last states where legislative redistricting disputes threatened to derail this fall’s nominating process for the general election. But it’s still unclear whether the New Hampshire primary scheduled for Sept. 10 will include a full […]
NGA Meeting to Focus on Budget Woes, Corp. Ethics, Healthcare
A short summer visit to Idaho won’t be much fun this year for the nation’s governors, some of whom are still waging fierce budget battles with their legislatures. The National Governors Association Meeting in Boise July 13-16 will unfold just days after most states began their new fiscal year on July 1. Most of the […]
On The Record: Vermont Gov. Howard Dean
Stateline.org: You’ve already been to Iowa several times since the first of the year. Why so much of the focus on Iowa? Dean: Yeah. I’ve been seven (times). For me it’s a great state. It’s a lot like Vermont in terms of the people, the education, the interest in politics. I’m very, very comfortable out […]
Vermont’s Dean Calls Corp. Ethics Major Campaign Issue
Vermont Gov. Howard Dean said that corporate accountability could become the “big issue” of the 2004 presidential campaign unless President George W. Bush moves dramatically to curb multi-billion dollar business scandals currently shaking investor confidence. In an interview with Stateline.org, Dean criticized Bush’s ties to the corporate world, saying that the president and Vice President […]
Mailbox Replacing Ballot Box In Many States
It started as a friendly contest between Oregon and Washington – which would be the first to have mail-in balloting for statewide elections in hopes of increasing voter turnout? Oregon won, and now the nearest polling place for most residents of that state is just a short walk down the driveway to the mailbox. Washington […]
State Lawmakers Opting Out of 2002 Races
Although it’s hard to predict what the final numbers will be, early indications are that state legislatures will experience at least a 25 percent turnover this year, which would be about five-to- seven percent higher than normal. That means that at least 1,553 of 6,214 representatives and senators up for re-election will be stepping down. […]
Pennsylvania Hosts Suspenseful Democratic Primary
Remember the Florida presidential election? Lots of recounts, mud-slinging and a late night phone call from Democratic National Committee Chairman Ed Rendell imploring Al Gore not to concede. On Tuesday in the Pennsylvania Democratic primary for governor, it could be Rendell who gets a call telling him to hang in there against rival Bob Casey […]
Rising Unemployment Vexes States
On a recent trip to Mexico, North Carolina Sen. Ellie Kinnaird had to laugh when one of the country’s textile kings complained bitterly about losing business to China. “Of course, I didn’t say a word. But it was kind of funny because we’ve lost a lot of textile jobs to Mexico. And here he was […]
Govs Press For Homeland Security Funds
The nation’s governors asked the federal government Wednesday (4/10) for more anti-terrorism dollars, telling the U.S. Senate Appropriations Committee that states can’t handle the estimated first-year cost of at least $5 billion to implement post-September 11 security programs on their own. “This great challenge of defending the homeland comes at a time when governors are […]
No Stampede For New Terrorism Laws
In contrast with the federal rush to expand police powers to go after suspected terrorists, most state legislatures are moving slowly on post-9/11 homeland protection measures as they seek to balance national security concerns with the preservation of civil liberties. Only six states — Florida, Maryland, Michigan, New York, Virginia and Washington — have narrowed […]
Technology Helps States Boost Efficiency
Illinois and Kansas were singled out this month (2/14) by the Progress and Freedom Foundation (PFF) and the Center for Digital Government (CDG) for making state agencies more accessible and efficient by putting many services online. California, North Dakota, Maine, North Carolina and Pennsylvania were acclaimed in a separate study which found that they have […]
States Offering More Energy Incentives
If you’ve thought about going solar in the face of rising electricity costs, now may be the time to do it. With only a few exceptions, states are offering tax credits, sales rebates and other incentives to promote the use of alternative, or renewable energy sources. A new generation of solar, wind and other renewable […]