Statewide Races http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=139545485&ft=1&f=139545485 Explore NPR's coverage of gubernatorial contests, ballot issues and other statewide elections in 2012. en Copyright 2013 NPR - For Personal Use Only NPR API RSS Generator 0.94 Fri, 23 Nov 2012 14:51:00 -0500 http://media.npr.org/images/npr_news_123x20.gif Statewide Races http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=139545485&ft=1&f=139545485 Legal Pot Is Here, But Stash The Wallet For Now On Election Day, voters in Colorado and Washington state legalized marijuana for recreational use. Residents can't just walk in and buy a dime bag yet, however; the states need to set up some ground rules first. Fri, 23 Nov 2012 14:51:00 -0500 http://www.npr.org/2012/11/24/165776654/legal-pot-has-arrived-now-what?ft=1&f=139545485 http://www.npr.org/2012/11/24/165776654/legal-pot-has-arrived-now-what?ft=1&f=139545485 On Election Day, voters in Colorado and Washington state legalized marijuana for recreational use. Residents can't just walk in and buy a dime bag yet, however; the states need to set up some ground rules first.

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]]> Geography, Not Gerrymandering, May Explain GOP's Hold On House Some analysts are saying that Republicans appear to have the long-range advantage over Democrats when it comes to winning enough seats to control the House, not so much because of redistricting but because of the clustering of Democratic voters in fewer congressional districts. Thu, 15 Nov 2012 17:44:00 -0500 http://www.npr.org/blogs/itsallpolitics/2012/11/15/165230606/geography-not-gerrymandering-may-hold-key-to-gops-hold-on-house?ft=1&f=139545485 http://www.npr.org/blogs/itsallpolitics/2012/11/15/165230606/geography-not-gerrymandering-may-hold-key-to-gops-hold-on-house?ft=1&f=139545485 Some analysts are saying that Republicans appear to have the long-range advantage over Democrats when it comes to winning enough seats to control the House, not so much because of redistricting but because of the clustering of Democratic voters in fewer congressional districts.

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]]> Meet The New GOP, Same As The Old GOP? There has been no dearth of post-election Republican self-flagellation. But the party is still sorting out solutions, wrangling over whether its problems lie in its positions on issues ranging from immigration to women's reproductive health, or simply in its sales job with the voting public. Thu, 15 Nov 2012 10:52:00 -0500 http://www.npr.org/blogs/itsallpolitics/2012/11/14/165163103/meet-the-new-gop-same-as-the-old-gop?ft=1&f=139545485 http://www.npr.org/blogs/itsallpolitics/2012/11/14/165163103/meet-the-new-gop-same-as-the-old-gop?ft=1&f=139545485 There has been no dearth of post-election Republican self-flagellation. But the party is still sorting out solutions, wrangling over whether its problems lie in its positions on issues ranging from immigration to women's reproductive health, or simply in its sales job with the voting public.

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]]> Who Gets The Blame For The Romney Loss? The Tea Party Has A Theory. The Tea Party and other conservatives argue that Mitt Romney lost the election because he was "too moderate." And they are calling for a complete overhaul of the Republican Party. But the evolving demographics may have played a bigger role. Mon, 12 Nov 2012 06:30:00 -0500 http://www.npr.org/blogs/politicaljunkie/2012/11/12/164756302/who-gets-the-blame-for-the-romney-loss-the-tea-party-has-a-theory?ft=1&f=139545485 http://www.npr.org/blogs/politicaljunkie/2012/11/12/164756302/who-gets-the-blame-for-the-romney-loss-the-tea-party-has-a-theory?ft=1&f=139545485 The Tea Party and other conservatives argue that Mitt Romney lost the election because he was "too moderate." And they are calling for a complete overhaul of the Republican Party. But the evolving demographics may have played a bigger role.

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]]> What An All-Female Delegation Says About N.H. For the first time in U.S. history, the congressional representation of a state will be made up entirely of women. It's a first that follows a pattern in New Hampshire, where Gov.-elect Maggie Hassan says voters share the "ability to make decisions regardless of gender." Sat, 10 Nov 2012 05:25:00 -0500 http://www.npr.org/2012/11/10/164842066/what-an-all-female-delegation-says-about-n-h?ft=1&f=139545485 http://www.npr.org/2012/11/10/164842066/what-an-all-female-delegation-says-about-n-h?ft=1&f=139545485 For the first time in U.S. history, the congressional representation of a state will be made up entirely of women. It's a first that follows a pattern in New Hampshire, where Gov.-elect Maggie Hassan says voters share the "ability to make decisions regardless of gender."

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]]> Why Election Day Was Sort Of Like Mother's Day When the 113th Congress convenes in January, New Hampshire will have the first-in-the-nation all-female congressional delegation (as well as a female governor). And each of these women started her political career while raising young kids. That got NPR intern Elizabeth Brown thinking about her childhood in the Granite State. Sat, 10 Nov 2012 05:43:00 -0500 http://www.npr.org/blogs/itsallpolitics/2012/11/10/164801644/why-election-day-was-sort-of-like-mothers-day?ft=1&f=139545485 http://www.npr.org/blogs/itsallpolitics/2012/11/10/164801644/why-election-day-was-sort-of-like-mothers-day?ft=1&f=139545485 When the 113th Congress convenes in January, New Hampshire will have the first-in-the-nation all-female congressional delegation (as well as a female governor). And each of these women started her political career while raising young kids. That got NPR intern Elizabeth Brown thinking about her childhood in the Granite State.

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]]> Calif. Affirms Death Penalty, Amends 'Three Strikes' California voters rejected a ballot measure that would have ended the death penalty in the state. But they did pass a proposition that weakens the state's three-strikes law, which served as a model for other states around the nation. Thu, 08 Nov 2012 04:00:00 -0500 http://www.npr.org/2012/11/08/164669203/california-keeps-death-penalty-amends-3-strikes-law?ft=1&f=139545485 http://www.npr.org/2012/11/08/164669203/california-keeps-death-penalty-amends-3-strikes-law?ft=1&f=139545485 California voters rejected a ballot measure that would have ended the death penalty in the state. But they did pass a proposition that weakens the state's three-strikes law, which served as a model for other states around the nation.

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]]> Mich. Voters Defeat 2 Organized Labor Ballot Issues Unions poured millions of dollars into ballot campaigns to guarantee collective bargaining rights in the Michigan Constitution and allow state-paid home care assistants to organize into a union. Both were resoundingly defeated. Thu, 08 Nov 2012 02:19:00 -0500 http://www.npr.org/2012/11/08/164663621/mich-voters-defeat-2-organized-labor-ballot-issues?ft=1&f=139545485 http://www.npr.org/2012/11/08/164663621/mich-voters-defeat-2-organized-labor-ballot-issues?ft=1&f=139545485 Unions poured millions of dollars into ballot campaigns to guarantee collective bargaining rights in the Michigan Constitution and allow state-paid home care assistants to organize into a union. Both were resoundingly defeated.

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]]> Gay-Marriage Supporters Do Well In State Elections There were many more ballot initiatives across the country. A constitutional amendment proposed in Minnesota would've defined marriage as strictly between a man and a woman. That effort was defeated by voters — one of several victories for supporters of same-sex marriage Tuesday night. Wed, 07 Nov 2012 04:00:00 -0500 http://www.npr.org/2012/11/07/164582518/gay-marriage-supporters-do-well-in-tuesdays-elections?ft=1&f=139545485 http://www.npr.org/2012/11/07/164582518/gay-marriage-supporters-do-well-in-tuesdays-elections?ft=1&f=139545485 There were many more ballot initiatives across the country. A constitutional amendment proposed in Minnesota would've defined marriage as strictly between a man and a woman. That effort was defeated by voters — one of several victories for supporters of same-sex marriage Tuesday night.

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]]> Colo., Wash. Voters Pass Marijuana Ballot Issues Voters in Washington state and Colorado approved ballot measures legalizing recreational marijuana use. In Colorado, the drug will be regulated like alcohol. Residents over 21 years old will be allowed up to an ounce of marijuana. Wed, 07 Nov 2012 04:00:00 -0500 http://www.npr.org/2012/11/07/164582516/colo-wash-voters-pass-marijuana-ballot-issue?ft=1&f=139545485 http://www.npr.org/2012/11/07/164582516/colo-wash-voters-pass-marijuana-ballot-issue?ft=1&f=139545485 Voters in Washington state and Colorado approved ballot measures legalizing recreational marijuana use. In Colorado, the drug will be regulated like alcohol. Residents over 21 years old will be allowed up to an ounce of marijuana.

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]]> Gubernatorial Battles: Republican Takes N.C., Democrat Wins N.H. Voters in North Carolina put a Republican in their governor's office for the first time in two decades, and New Hampshire elected a new female Democratic governor. But the closely watched races in Montana and Washington, where Democrats currently serve as governors, remained too close to call. Wed, 07 Nov 2012 00:33:00 -0500 http://www.npr.org/blogs/itsallpolitics/2012/11/07/164550805/gubernatorial-battles-republican-takes-n-c-democrat-wins-n-h?ft=1&f=139545485 http://www.npr.org/blogs/itsallpolitics/2012/11/07/164550805/gubernatorial-battles-republican-takes-n-c-democrat-wins-n-h?ft=1&f=139545485 Voters in North Carolina put a Republican in their governor's office for the first time in two decades, and New Hampshire elected a new female Democratic governor. But the closely watched races in Montana and Washington, where Democrats currently serve as governors, remained too close to call.

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]]> Heavy Turnout, Confusion Over Voter ID Causes Some Issues Election Day brought the usual reports of malfunctioning voting machines, and voting-rights lawyers said they received reports from Pennsylvania that some residents were erroneously being told they needed photo ID. But even in battleground states, there were few reports of major problems by late evening. Tue, 06 Nov 2012 21:53:00 -0500 http://www.npr.org/blogs/itsallpolitics/2012/11/06/164477671/heavy-turnout-confusion-over-voter-id-causes-some-issues?ft=1&f=139545485 http://www.npr.org/blogs/itsallpolitics/2012/11/06/164477671/heavy-turnout-confusion-over-voter-id-causes-some-issues?ft=1&f=139545485 Election Day brought the usual reports of malfunctioning voting machines, and voting-rights lawyers said they received reports from Pennsylvania that some residents were erroneously being told they needed photo ID. But even in battleground states, there were few reports of major problems by late evening.

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]]> GOP Eyes Gains As Voters In 11 States Pick Governors anWhile the occupant of the governor's office is historically far less important than the party that controls the state legislature, top state officials in coming years are expected to wield significant influence in at least one major area: health care. Tue, 06 Nov 2012 06:58:00 -0500 http://www.npr.org/blogs/itsallpolitics/2012/11/05/164379247/gop-eyes-gains-as-voters-in-11-states-pick-governors?ft=1&f=139545485 http://www.npr.org/blogs/itsallpolitics/2012/11/05/164379247/gop-eyes-gains-as-voters-in-11-states-pick-governors?ft=1&f=139545485 anWhile the occupant of the governor's office is historically far less important than the party that controls the state legislature, top state officials in coming years are expected to wield significant influence in at least one major area: health care.

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]]> Florida's New Battleground: The State Supreme Court Every six years, Florida voters decide whether the state's Supreme Court justices get to keep their seats on the bench. Typically, these votes generate little public interest, but this year, Florida's Republican Party and outside political groups are targeting three justices for defeat. Tue, 06 Nov 2012 03:20:00 -0500 http://www.npr.org/2012/11/06/163232298/floridas-new-battleground-the-state-supreme-court?ft=1&f=139545485 http://www.npr.org/2012/11/06/163232298/floridas-new-battleground-the-state-supreme-court?ft=1&f=139545485 Every six years, Florida voters decide whether the state's Supreme Court justices get to keep their seats on the bench. Typically, these votes generate little public interest, but this year, Florida's Republican Party and outside political groups are targeting three justices for defeat.

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]]> Crossroads GPS Redefines 'Social Welfare' Political Action It has been seen for decades as a fundamental premise of campaign finance: The public has an absolute right to know who gave and who got, so it can make an informed judgment as to what those contributors might want, and then hold elected officials accountable. But the rules have changed. Mon, 05 Nov 2012 17:50:00 -0500 http://www.npr.org/blogs/itsallpolitics/2012/11/05/164364802/crossroads-gps-redefines-social-welfare-political-action?ft=1&f=139545485 http://www.npr.org/blogs/itsallpolitics/2012/11/05/164364802/crossroads-gps-redefines-social-welfare-political-action?ft=1&f=139545485 It has been seen for decades as a fundamental premise of campaign finance: The public has an absolute right to know who gave and who got, so it can make an informed judgment as to what those contributors might want, and then hold elected officials accountable. But the rules have changed.

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