Elections 2012
‘Squeaky Wheel’ Politics in Colorado Secession Vote
A protester holds a flag during a pro-gun rally at the Colorado State Capitol in Denver. Angered by gun control measures and other actions taken by the Democrat-dominated legislature, 11 northern Colorado counties are voting Tuesday on whether to secede from the state. (AP) No matter the outcome of Tuesday’s secession vote, the 11 northern […]
Justice Department Sues North Carolina Over Voting Law
The Justice Department is moving aggressively against North Carolina’s recently enacted and restrictive elections law, suing the state under the Voting Rights Act and alleging the controversial measure discriminates against poor voters and minorities. The move is the latest in a series of steps taken by Attorney General Eric Holder and the Department of Justice […]
After Obama Vow, Washington Weighs Role in Election Management
Voters wait to cast their ballots at precinct 697 in Miami-Dade County, Florida, on November 6. (Getty) Call it the sentence that spawned a thousand ideas for election reform. When President Obama stood on stage in Chicago last month delivering his victory speech, he thanked the millions of Americans who cast their ballots on Election […]
States Challenge ‘Secret’ Campaign Money
Gary Winuk, an attorney for California’s Fair Political Practices Commission, argues in Sacramento Superior Court that Americans for Responsible Leadership should be required to disclose its donors. (AP) When an Arizona group called Americans for Responsible Leadership donated $11 million in mid-October to a California political action committee, it aroused the suspicion of California’s Fair […]
Super-Sized Majorities Shift Legislative Power
After he was reelected by a comfortable margin on Tuesday, Democrat Jay Nixon will serve four more years as governor of Missouri. Whether he’ll really be leading the state, however, is open to debate. Even as Nixon was winning, Missouri Republicans triumphed in enough legislative races to secure a veto-proof two-thirds majority in both houses […]
Voters Give New Detroit Bridge a Green Light
Michigan Governor Rick Snyder’s plans to add a second bridge for cars and trucks between Detroit and Canada are moving forward, after the governor and his allies defeated a $33 million campaign to block it. Voters soundly rejected a plan Tuesday (November 6) brought by Manuel “Matty” Maroun, the owner of the existing Ambassador Bridge […]
Unions Make Strong Showing at the Polls
Democrat Glenda Ritz, elected Tuesday as superintendent of public instruction in Indiana. (AP) No state has ushered in more education changes over the past four years than Indiana. The Hoosier State instituted an A to F grading system for schools, linked teacher evaluations to student performance, scaled back teacher tenure and created one of the […]
Voters Approve More State Debt
Even as storm-weary New Jerseyans struggled to find polling places, voters there overwhelmingly approved the state’s first bond measure to support higher education in 24 years. The measure lets the state borrow $750 million to upgrade and build new facilities at the state’s public and private colleges and universities. The ballot measure in New Jersey […]
In Iowa and Florida, Judges Survive Expensive Ouster Attempts
Iowa Supreme Court Justice David Wiggins (AP) Call David Wiggins a survivor. The Iowa Supreme Court Justice accomplished what three of his colleagues couldn’t two years ago: He held onto his job. Wiggins on Tuesday (November 6) withstood a vigorous removal effort by social conservatives angered by his role in a landmark decision in 2009 […]
Historic Gay Marriage, Marijuana Measures Win Approval
Maine was one of three states to endorse same-sex marriage on Election Day. (AP) Voters took historic stands on social issues this Election Day with Maine, Maryland and Washington endorsing same-sex marriage, while Colorado and Washington became the first states to legalize recreational use of marijuana. Death and taxes also took top billing in Tuesday’s […]