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.

201 stories · page 5 of 7

News · NJ

New Jersey’s Trump-Era Court Challenges Reach About 75

Health care

The cases cover immigration, federal funding, elections, health care, environmental rules, tariffs and infrastructure.

The Ballot New Jersey DeskSep 20, 2026

News · TX

Houston-area postpartum center agrees to cease operations

Elections and voting

Ken Paxton said De'Ai Postpartum Care Center agreed to end operations permanently after Texas sued the Houston-area business.

The Ballot Texas DeskSep 20, 2026

News · MO

Missouri orders prediction markets to halt sports wagering

Elections and voting

The state attorney general directed prediction markets to stop offering sports wagering in Missouri.

The Ballot Missouri DeskSep 20, 2026

News · OR

Federal judge upholds Oregon recycling responsibility law

Energy and environment

A federal judge found Oregon’s recycling law does not violate interstate-commerce or due-process protections.

The Ballot Oregon Policy DeskSep 19, 2026

News · OH

Wilmington data center proposal off November ballot

Elections and voting

Wilmington voters will not decide proposed data center regulations through the November ballot.

The Ballot Ohio News DeskSep 19, 2026

News · VA

Finksburg man charged over four horses in West Virginia

Elections and voting

West Virginia court documents accuse Andrew Norris Hauler, 23, of abandoning four wild horses he had recently adopted from the federal government.

The Ballot Virginia News DeskSep 19, 2026

News · OK

Mothers, rights group challenge Oklahoma abortion bans

Health care

The lawsuit asks an Oklahoma court to extend protections for life-saving abortion care to pregnancies with fatal fetal diagnoses.

The Ballot Oklahoma DeskSep 19, 2026

News · ID

Idaho Supreme Court approves new Proposition One text

Elections and voting

The court approved new wording for Proposition One in a development not directly tied to a candidate race or election.

The Ballot Idaho News DeskSep 19, 2026

News · NV

Nevada justices dismiss Lone Mountain Temple appeals

Energy and environment

The dismissals leave intact a lower-court ruling upholding Las Vegas’ approval of the planned Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints temple.

The Ballot Nevada Policy DeskSep 19, 2026

News · WA

Washington Supreme Court strikes down natural gas initiative

Energy and environment

The justices ruled that Initiative 2066 improperly combined four separate subjects and must be invalidated in full.

The Ballot Washington Policy DeskSep 19, 2026

News · MD

Maryland appeals ruling against digital advertising tax

Economy and jobs

The state is seeking further review after a court struck down a 2021 tax intended to help fund K-12 education reform.

The Ballot Maryland News DeskSep 19, 2026

News · UT

Judge requires notice before Kennedy Center changes

Elections and voting

The Kennedy Center must give 30 days’ notice before beginning any major physical changes under a judge’s order.

The Ballot Utah DeskSep 19, 2026

News · CT

Editorial links court ruling to expanded voting in Connecticut

Elections and voting

A New Haven Register editorial says a high court decision removes an obstacle to broader voting access in Connecticut.

The Ballot Connecticut DeskSep 19, 2026

News · AK

Alaska courts expand text reminders for hearings

Elections and voting

Alaska courts are expanding text-message reminders intended to alert people about upcoming court hearings.

The Ballot Alaska DeskSep 19, 2026

News · MO

Missouri AG orders halt to unlicensed sports wagering

Elections and voting

The Missouri attorney general directed prediction markets to stop offering sports wagering without state authorization.

The Ballot Missouri News DeskSep 19, 2026

News · VT

Federal judge blocks demand for Vermont voter list

Elections and voting

A federal judge ruled Thursday that the federal government has no right to demand Vermont’s statewide voter registration list.

The Ballot Vermont DeskSep 19, 2026

News · MT

Federal judge blocks Montana deepfake law for PAC

Elections and voting

The ruling stops Montana from applying its new election deepfake law to a conservative PAC that mailed AI-generated candidate images.

The Ballot Montana Policy DeskSep 19, 2026

News · DE

Delaware high court to hear absentee voting challenge

Elections and voting

The Delaware Supreme Court will consider a Republican challenge involving the state’s absentee voting rules.

The Ballot Delaware News DeskSep 18, 2026

News · NC

NC appeals court rules against Stein in elections board case

Elections and voting

A divided panel upheld a law moving election board appointment power from the governor to the state auditor.

The Ballot North Carolina DeskSep 18, 2026

News · AZ

Supreme Court leaves Arizona mail voting rules in place

Elections and voting

The justices kept a court order blocking a new Postal Service rule through Arizona’s Nov. 3 general election.

The Ballot Arizona News DeskSep 18, 2026

News · AL

Alabama executes Jeffery Lee for 1998 pawn shop killings

Energy and environment

The state used lethal injection three months after a federal judge blocked Lee’s planned execution with nitrogen gas.

The Ballot Alabama News DeskSep 18, 2026

News · ME

Judge orders Bath police to release homicide records

Public safety

A Maine judge directed Bath police to release records connected to a 2024 double homicide.

The Ballot Maine Policy DeskSep 18, 2026

News · NC

NC appeals court upholds election powers transfer to auditor

Elections and voting

The court ruled lawmakers did not violate the state constitution by moving elections board appointment authority to the state auditor.

The Ballot North Carolina News DeskSep 18, 2026

News · NC

NC appeals court rejects Stein election board challenge

Elections and voting

The decision reinforces State Auditor Dave Boliek’s control over appointments to North Carolina’s election boards.

The Ballot North Carolina DeskSep 18, 2026

News · ND

Howe says North Dakota needed a voice in mail ballot case

Elections and voting

The Supreme Court blocked new federal mail-voting restrictions before November, a result welcomed by North Dakota Secretary of State Michael Howe.

The Ballot North Dakota Policy DeskSep 18, 2026

News · KY

Appeals court action releases Matt Bevin from jail

Elections and voting

Former Kentucky Gov. Matt Bevin is out of jail following action by a court of appeals in his case.

The Ballot Kentucky DeskSep 18, 2026

News · FL

Florida AG proposes tougher penalties for phone and text scams

Public safety

James Uthmeier’s proposal targets mass scam operations, fake caller identities and delayed responses to requests to stop telemarketing messages.

The Ballot Florida Policy DeskSep 18, 2026

News · MD

Two companies, supervisor indicted in Baltimore bridge crash

Economy and jobs

The indictments come as a separate billion settlement has been reached with the state of Maryland.

The Ballot Maryland DeskSep 17, 2026

News · WI

Supreme Court keeps Wisconsin absentee voting rules in place

Elections and voting

Wisconsin clerks will use existing absentee-ballot procedures after the Supreme Court blocked new federal requirements for the midterms.

The Ballot Wisconsin DeskSep 17, 2026

News · AZ

Lawsuits challenge several Arizona ballot measures

Elections and voting

Challenges target measures on election rules, public-sector unions, transgender students, public funding and school vouchers.

The Ballot Arizona News DeskSep 17, 2026