Politics and government news

What government is actually doing — laws and executive action, budgets and taxes, housing, schools, health, courts, public safety, transport, energy, voting and campaigns — across Washington, the states and city hall. Filter below or page through the full archive.

181 stories · page 2 of 7

News · NJ

New Jersey attorney general announces synthetic kratom ban

Elections and voting

The state action targets synthetic kratom and is not directly connected to a New Jersey election or candidate.

The Ballot New Jersey News DeskSep 30, 2026

News · MN

Minnesota opens review of HealthPartners-Essentia proposal

Elections and voting

The Minnesota Attorney General has started a public review of the proposed merger between HealthPartners and Essentia.

The Ballot Minnesota DeskSep 30, 2026

News · CO

Weiser sues to stop planned ICE center in Hudson

Immigration

Colorado Attorney General Phil Weiser is asking a court to halt a planned ICE detention center in Hudson.

The Ballot Colorado Policy DeskSep 30, 2026

News · MS

Mississippi AG will not seek new trial for officer

Public safety

The attorney general will not pursue another trial for the officer in the fatal shooting of a Black motorist.

The Ballot Mississippi News DeskSep 30, 2026

News · MN

Ellison seeks input on Essentia-HealthPartners proposal

Health care

Minnesota’s attorney general is inviting community views on HealthPartners’ proposed acquisition of Essentia Health.

The Ballot Minnesota Policy DeskSep 30, 2026

News · DE

Judge candidate says county fair blocked free speech

Elections and voting

A candidate for judge says the Delaware County Fair interfered with free speech rights, but the claim itself is not a legal finding.

The Ballot Delaware Policy DeskSep 30, 2026

News · NH

NH Supreme Court keeps school tax cap question on ballot

Economy and jobs

The court rejected a request to remove a school tax cap question, allowing the ballot process to continue.

The Ballot New Hampshire News DeskSep 30, 2026

News · NY

New York AG Sues Polymarket Over Sports Betting Contracts

Elections and voting

The attorney general alleges that Polymarket offered sports betting contracts in New York without a license.

The Ballot New York Policy DeskSep 29, 2026

News · VA

Virginia AG seeks longer review of Dominion-NextEra deal

Elections and voting

The attorney general has asked Virginia’s State Corporation Commission for more time to review the proposed merger.

The Ballot Virginia News DeskSep 29, 2026

News · CO

Colorado announces first medical debt law enforcement

Public safety

The attorney general announced Colorado’s first enforcement action under the state law governing medical debt collection.

The Ballot Colorado DeskSep 29, 2026

News · MO

Andrew Bailey announces resignation from FBI

Public safety

The former Missouri attorney general announced his departure from the federal agency; the move is not directly tied to an election.

The Ballot Missouri News DeskSep 29, 2026

News · MO

Supreme Court orders Missouri to use its 2022 map

Elections and voting

Missouri Republican officials objected on X after the Supreme Court kept the state's 2022 map in place instead of the 2025 HB 1 plan.

The Ballot Missouri DeskSep 29, 2026

News · MO

Supreme Court Keeps Missouri’s 2022 Congressional Map

Elections and voting

The unanimous order settles which congressional districts Missouri voters will use in the 2026 general election.

The Ballot Missouri Policy DeskSep 29, 2026

News · CA

California court orders return of 650,000 seized ballots

Elections and voting

The California Supreme Court directed the Riverside County sheriff to return 650,000 ballots taken into custody.

The Ballot California Policy DeskSep 29, 2026

News · FL

DeSantis announces 20 arrests over alleged illegal voting

Elections and voting

Florida officials say 16 noncitizens and four felons on parole voted despite being ineligible.

The Ballot Florida Policy DeskSep 28, 2026

News · CA

Court orders Riverside sheriff to return 650,000 ballots

Elections and voting

The California Supreme Court directed the Riverside County sheriff to return 650,000 ballots that had been seized.

The Ballot California News DeskSep 28, 2026

News · AR

Arkansas judge rejects prison board control settlement

Public safety

The ruling leaves in place an injunction blocking two 2023 laws that moved oversight of the corrections secretary to the governor.

The Ballot Arkansas Policy DeskSep 27, 2026

News · CA

California court orders return of 650,000 seized ballots

Elections and voting

The California Supreme Court directed the Riverside sheriff to return 650,000 ballots that had been seized.

The Ballot California DeskSep 27, 2026

News · CA

California Supreme Court rules against Chad Bianco

Elections and voting

The court ruled against Bianco in a legal matter that has no direct connection to a candidate race or election.

The Ballot California News DeskSep 27, 2026

News · AL

Marshall announces multi-million-dollar TikTok settlement

Elections and voting

Alabama Attorney General Steve Marshall announced a settlement with TikTok that his office described as historic and worth multiple millions of dollars.

The Ballot Alabama Policy DeskSep 27, 2026

News · MO

Supreme Court rejects Missouri map for a third time

Elections and voting

The court again rejected a Missouri district map described as favoring Republicans, marking the third rejection.

The Ballot Missouri Policy DeskSep 27, 2026

News · TX

Texas court leaves Crystal Mason conviction reversal intact

Elections and voting

Texas’ highest criminal court upheld the reversal of Crystal Mason’s Tarrant County voter fraud conviction, ending her case after nearly 10 years.

The Ballot Texas News DeskSep 27, 2026

News · NC

Appeals court keeps elections appointments with auditor

Elections and voting

A divided state appeals panel upheld a 2024 law moving elections-board appointment authority from the governor to the state auditor.

The Ballot North Carolina DeskSep 27, 2026

News · ID

Supreme Court rejects Trump-backed Missouri House map

Elections and voting

The court action concerns Missouri’s congressional district boundaries and is not tied to a named candidate race.

The Ballot Idaho News DeskSep 27, 2026

News · CA

California court says sheriff violated law in ballot seizure

Elections and voting

The California Supreme Court found that a sheriff’s seizure of ballots violated state election law.

The Ballot California News DeskSep 27, 2026

News · CA

California Supreme Court orders seized ballots returned

Elections and voting

The California Supreme Court directed that seized ballots be returned, changing who has custody of the election materials.

The Ballot California Policy DeskSep 27, 2026

News · AR

Arkansas judge rejects prison board control settlement

Public safety

The ruling keeps an injunction blocking two 2023 laws that moved oversight of Arkansas’ corrections secretary from the prison board to the governor.

The Ballot Arkansas Policy DeskSep 27, 2026

News · DE

Delaware justices hear Fenwick Island entity-voting appeal

Elections and voting

The Delaware Supreme Court heard an appeal over whether legal entities may vote in Fenwick Island municipal elections.

The Ballot Delaware News DeskSep 27, 2026

News · AR

Arkansas judge keeps prison firing-power laws blocked

Public safety

A Pulaski County judge refused to lift an injunction against two laws that gave the governor authority to fire top corrections officials.

The Ballot Arkansas News DeskSep 27, 2026

News · CA

California court rejects Riverside sheriff’s ballot seizure

Elections and voting

The California Supreme Court ruled that the Riverside sheriff lacked legal authority to seize 650,000 ballots.

The Ballot California News DeskSep 27, 2026