What’s the situation with voter ID?
October 16, 2012 | BY Julia Michaels
A federal court last week cleared South Carolina’s new voter identification law, ruling that the law was flexible enough to ensure that all eligible voters would be able to comply with the new requirements. However, other states have passed similar legislation, only to see their laws blocked by the courts. As Election Day approaches, many [...]
Going for broke: could GOP convention elect nominee?
March 5, 2012 | BY Julia Michaels
It’s the eve of Super Tuesday, the day on which the largest number of states holds their primary elections or caucuses. This year 10 states will have contests tomorrow, and given the high number of delegates at stake, the day could prove decisive for one lucky candidate. But what if it doesn’t? What if, come [...]
The payroll tax cut extension and you
February 23, 2012 | BY Chris Copsey
Rewind your memory back a few months to last fall when a battle was brewing between Democrats and Republicans on Capitol Hill. The issue was over extending the payroll tax cut that had been in place and was set to expire. After much haranguing from both sides, an agreement was made to extend the provision [...]
Des Moines to D.C.: the long road to the White House
February 14, 2012 | BY Jake Michaels
The presidential primary season, during which potential candidates vie for their party’s nomination to be the next leader of the free world, is upon us once again. Candidates are bickering, politicking and mudslinging their way from state to state. The full spectacle is published, televised and tweeted into American homes, and those living in battleground states [...]
A picture is worth a thousand votes
November 14, 2011 | BY Chris Copsey
Have you ever had to show your ID to go to the movies or to buy a drink? What about to open a bank account? An issue that is exploding all around the country begs the question: should the government require citizens to show a photo ID in order to vote? Voting is a cornerstone [...]
Redistricting: the 10-year shake up
September 26, 2011 | BY Chris Copsey
This year has seen its fair share of controversial issues come up for discussion, including unemployment, immigration, and health care. But there is one issue that only pops up every decade with noticeable consequences — redistricting. Redistricting is the process of drawing United States electoral district boundaries, often in response to population changes. To break [...]
Bill prefixes: decoding legislativese
August 23, 2011 | BY Chris Copsey
When looking at pieces of legislation, you will immediately see what is called a bill number, with an attached bill prefix. What you may not realize, however, is bill prefixes can be surprisingly helpful as you try to learn about the legislation floating around at the state and federal levels. More specifically, these prefixes define [...]
Legislative deja vu
August 2, 2011 | BY Chris Copsey
Have you ever had déjà vu? Have you ever come across something you know you’ve seen before, but can’t for the life of you put your finger on it? Believe it or not, in state Houses across the country, “legislative déjà vu” is pretty common – that is, similar pieces of legislation get passed in [...]
Legislative process: Goliath or Gentle Giant?
July 11, 2011 | BY Chris Copsey
(Editor’s Note: Occasionally, Y Gen Out Loud will be publishing a column by Chris Copsey, Director of Legislative Research with Project Vote Smart, a nonprofit online resource for information about federal and state elections. I’ve known Chris for a few months, and I’m excited to have him posting here. His columns will provide insight and [...]
