From major national elections and the Census, to controversies around whether we’ve actually even started a new decade (NPR seems to think we have another year until we start the “roaring twenties”), 2020 promises to be an exciting year. Here at NLC, we’ve been feeling the pulse on the ground in cities, towns and villages
This off-year election day, citizens of Kentucky and Mississippi will choose governors, while in big cities, including Philadelphia, Houston and San Francisco, they’ll select mayors and other local representatives. But as voters head to the polls in a slew of important local races, municipalities must consider the impact of voter roll purges, voter I.D. requirements, and poll shutdowns on residents of color. Voting in
Cities are integral to the fabric of America. And with voters going to the polls for the 2020 presidential election in just about a year, our communities must be heard and the opportunities and challenges before us have to be amplified in the race for the White House. At a moment of deepening partisanship, we’re
By Cory Poris Plasch, Dr. Michael Adams, and Carroll G. Robinson How can we encourage young adults – particularly those of color, an often underrepresented demographic – to engage in the election process? That was the question researchers from Texas Southern University (TSU) and Polco sought to answer. TSU, a Historically Black College or University
As we begin 2019 and lay out plans for our communities, it is equally important to take time to set personal intentions for the new year. Here are three commitments that I hope every local leader can make in 2019. Put yourself (and your family and friends) at the top of your priority list There’s
In 1986, a majority of the Supreme Court agreed that partisan gerrymandering may be unconstitutional in certain circumstances. But in that case, and since then, the court has failed to agree on a standard for when partisan gerrymandering crosses the line. This week, that streak continued. In Gill v. Whitford and Benisek v. Lamone the
This week, the Supreme Court held in Husted v. A. Philip Randolph Institute that Ohio’s processes of removing people from the voter rolls does not violate federal law. The State and Local Legal Center (SLLC) filed an amicus brief in this case supporting Ohio — and twelve other states maintain their voter rolls using a similar process. For city
In Abbott v. Perez, a number of persons and advocacy groups challenged the Texas Legislature’s 2011 state legislative and congressional redistricting plan claiming it discriminated against black and Hispanic voters in violation of the Constitution’s Equal Protection Clause and the Voting Rights Act. In 2011, a three-judge district court issued a remedial redistricting plan which
The challengers to the redistricting of Maryland’s Sixth Congressional District just might win — if the Supreme Court actually decides their case. In Benisek v. Lamone, in 2011, the Maryland legislature needed to move about 10,000 voters out of the Sixth Congressional District to comply with “one-person one-vote.” It moved about 360,000 Marylanders out of the
City leaders work every day to grow local ecosystems in their communities that support entrepreneurs. They do this in many ways – attracting and retaining talent, offering support services, and creating vibrant urban places. This work takes place in the urban sphere because innovation thrives in cities. Cities are central to the progress of our
