SCROLL NEWS / DISCOVERY
Search headlines
Find the stories shaping the conversation.
Results for " governor " 2,532 found 🔀 AI-powered Shuffle
Abbott Reappoints Ten Judges To Texas Business Court
Governor Greg Abbott reappointed all ten judges of the Texas Business Court Divisions to new two-year terms beginning September 1, 2026.
Governor Meyer Announces Funding to Establish Four New School-Based Health Centers in Sussex County
The Delaware Department of Health and Social Services today announced awards to establish four new school-based health centers in Sussex County through the state's Rural Health Transformation Program.
Betting On Hawaiʻi Politics Is Legal Despite State’s Gambling Ban
Users can now wager on when indicted Lt. Gov. Sylvia Luke may resign on the prediction market app Kalshi, which is not covered by Hawaiʻi’s gambling law.
Where governor candidates stand on incentives, data centers and other business issues
Crain’s asked each contender to respond to seven questions ahead of the Aug. 4 primary, when voters will decide which Democrat and Republican will face off in November.
New York finalizes social media restrictions for kids
The regulations, which take effect in January, limit the use of algorithmic feeds and nighttime notifications.
What’s Going on With Mitch McConnell? Kentucky’s Governor Has Questions.
Gov. Andy Beshear called on Senator McConnell, who has been hospitalized since June, to prove his capacity to serve, or resign.
GOP governor survives challenge from Bitcoin evangelist in gubernatorial runoff
South Dakota's first gubernatorial primary runoff pitted incumbent Larry Rhoden against outsider Toby Doeden after neither cleared the 35% threshold to win outright.
Kentucky governor demands 'honesty' on McConnell's health
Kentucky governor demands 'honesty' on McConnell's health
Early voting begins in Wisconsin primary featuring chaotic Democratic governor's race
Early in-person voting is beginning in swing state Wisconsin’s chaotic Democratic primary for governor, with a democratic socialist trying to overcome the incumbent governor’s pick.
Kentucky Gov. Beshear demands McConnell ‘prove capacity to serve’ or resign
The Democratic governor criticized the limited communication between the Republican senator and constituents after he suffered a fall.
This South Dakota race shows how wealthy candidates are changing American politics
The incumbent governor faces an unexpected challenge from a self-funded outsider.
Denish: Politics Can Be Shocking And Hilarious
By DIANE DENISH Corner To Corner diane@dianedenish.com Politics is nothing if not both hilarious and shocking. There has been a lot going on lately regarding lieutenant governor nominees in New Mexico. On the Democratic side, primary winner Maggie Toulouse Oliver withdrew for personal reasons, requiring the Democratic Party to choose a replacement before general election […]
Data centers have become a political issue. Here's where the Ohio governor candidates stand.
The frontrunners for Ohio governor both want to regulate data centers but have different plans for how to address growing concerns.
Don't create political theater — fund the Medicaid fraud fighters
The governor's and attorney general's Medicaid fraud task force seems to be ignoring the real solutions for strengthening Iowa's enforcement.
Florida politics recap: Governor's race heats up as property-tax fight heads to court
With less than a month remaining before Florida's Aug. 18 primary, the race for governor briefly skipped ahead to November this week.
Inside a GOP rift: Why Ron DeSantis refuses to endorse Byron Donalds
Gov. Ron DeSantis is rebuffing Byron Donalds' bid for governor, fueling talk of a deep rift in the Florida GOP.
Governor Moore Announces Nearly $4 Million in NourishMD Grants to Expand Fresh Food Access in Food Deserts
Governor Moore Announces Nearly $4 Million in NourishMD Grants to Expand Fresh Food Access in Food Deserts
The State of Politics: What Explains Evers Endorsement of David Crowley for Governor?
He had expressly avoided endorsing anyone for governor, including 3 Democrats who worked for him.
Weiser’s leadership crucial for rural win-win
Attorney General Phil Weiser is going to win the gubernatorial election. That said, Colorado agriculture and rural communities have a 30-year track record of finding the win-win be it for species or industries or habitat. Former Governor Roy Romer possessed what Gov. Jared Polis has demonstrated repeatedly he doesn’t have: the willingness to find compromise […]
A Colorado history lesson for Victor Marx
Victor Marx, who narrowly won the Republican nomination for governor by one half 1% after boasting of a massive 44-point lead, is just as misguided on Colorado political history. During the primary, Marx made a clumsy attempt to denigrate his opponent, state Sen. Barbara Kirkmeyer, as a “great candidate for the 1990s” whom he would […]
Business briefs: Braun honors five Hoosiers at Black Expo
Gov. Mike Braun recently recognized five Hoosiers at the Governor’s Reception at the Indiana Black Expo Summer Celebration.
Hawaiʻi AG Investigation Into Political Bribery Case Goes Before Grand Jury
What began four years ago with the convictions of two state lawmakers is now looking at the lieutenant governor and other officials.
Colorado Commission prioritizes feelings over science
The Colorado Parks and Wildlife Commission voted Thursday and prioritized feelings over science-based management. Meanwhile, Rancher X is the beneficiary of those feelings-driven decisions. Well played, governor. The newest appointees to the CPW Commission are...
Rhode Island energy costs are soaring. So are political tensions.
Governor Dan McKee directs $28M to offset winter electric rate hikes while taking aim at lawmakers, environmentalists who opposed his broader relief package.
EDITORIAL: Triage — or last rites
If only the new Governor’s Competitiveness Council, launched this week, could cure what ails Colorado’s slumping business climate. Coming so late in the game — after lame-duck Gov. Jared Polis’ last legislative session — the council’s prospects for honing the state’s dulled competitive edge seem dubious. Not because the impressive lineup of respected Colorado business […]
Trump to travel to Michigan ahead of swing state's primary election
President Donald Trump is set to rally in Michigan next week as early in-person voting begins in the battleground state’s primary, where voters will choose nominees for open Senate and governor’s races.
Former SC governor to challenge Darline Graham for late brother’s Senate seat
Mark Sanford will challenge the late Graham’s sister, Sen. Darline Graham, who was sworn in to serve out the remainder of her brother’s term.
2026 Health Policy Leadership Forum
The National Governors Association Center for Best Practicesconvened state and territory governors’ health policy advisors in Charlotte, North Carolina, July 8-10 for the 2026 Health Policy Leadership Forum. Through a discussion-based format, the forum provided governors’ advisors, NGA Partners and invited guests with an opportunity to exchange perspectives, share implementation strategies, and discuss emerging policy challenges shaping state and territorial health systems. Discussions focused on advancing governors’ health priorities in a rapidly evolving policy and fiscal environment while highlighting innovative approaches and peer-informed solutions from across the country.
Josh Shapiro may be the biggest fundraising juggernaut Pennsylvania politics has ever produced
As the governor seeks reelection with an eye on a presidential run, he’s raising more money than any Pennsylvania chief executive since at least 2010.
Whitmer makes ‘science of reading’ training mandatory for Michigan teachers
Michigan elementary school teachers will be required to take literacy training by the 2031-2032 school year, under a new law signed by Gov. Gretchen ...
Democrats try to harness data center backlash that's dividing rural Republicans in places like Texas
Gina Hinojosa, the Democratic nominee for Texas governor, is focusing on data centers as a key issue in her campaign against Republican Gov. Greg Abbott
California business owner says taxes and homelessness threaten his business
A ‘Fox News @ Night’ panel debates how the next California governor should address the economy and small businesses.
Bruce Blakeman faces backlash for AI political ads in race for NY governor; Hochul calls it 'lying'
Bruce Blakeman, the current Nassau County executive, says the AI-generated ads are humorous, but a spokesman for Kathy Hochul's campaign calls it "straight up lying."
Democrat Phil Weiser names Jeffco Commissioner Lesley Dahlkemper as his gubernatorial running mate
Colorado Attorney General Phil Weiser, the Democratic nominee for governor, on Wednesday named Jefferson County Commissioner Lesley Dahlkemper to be his lieutenant governor running mate in the general election. Weiser, who is facing Republican nominee Victor Marx for the seat held by term-limited Democratic Gov. Jared Polis, announced his pick at a news conference at […]
Planned Parenthood endorses Pingree for governor
After receiving the Planned Parenthood endorsement, Pingree said she will push for a state constitutional amendment to guarantee a right to abortion, look to partner with other states to ensure access to medication abortion and work to backfill gaps in federal funding.
Governor Healey announces $72 million in health care savings for 2027
Gov. Maura Healey announced today that the Massachusetts Division of Insurance has secured a projected $72 million in health care premium savings for residents and businesses in 2027.
Governor Moore Announces Maryland Health Benefit Exchange Board of Trustees Appoints Johanna Fabian-Marks as Executive Director
Maryland Health Benefit Exchange Board of Trustees Appoints Johanna Fabian-Marks as Executive Director
Pritzker for president? Handicapping the Illinois governor’s political future
The Illinois governor is showing up in presidential polls, and he’s building coalitions with state parties while also strengthening his national name recognition. He’s also explored fundraising that doesn’t include self-funding — if a presidential run is truly in the cards.
Andy Biggs wins Republican nomination to challenge Democrat for Arizona governor
Biggs is a fierce ally of President Donald Trump and former head of the House Freedom Caucus
Old-guard WA Democrats stage an intervention as party tacks left
Two of Washington’s former governors have now called out their own party, the Democrats, for “out of control” spending and taxes in Olympia. Is the party cracking up?
‘Medical freedom’ takes a back seat in Florida’s midterm fights
Despite numerous pushes from top GOP officials on the libertarian-leaning health efforts, voters have other issues top of mind in 2026.
A crucial governor’s primary just became Democrats’ biggest debacle
How the Wisconsin governor’s race became a tire fire for Democrats.
Whitmer defends veto of stalled bills, despite advocates' anger
Why the bills were never formally presented to the governor remains a mystery that has prompted suspicions in Lansing.
Democratic socialists won in liberal cities. Can they do it in a swing state?
Wisconsin’s Francesca Hong hopes the burst of support for democratic socialists in liberal parts of the U.S. will boost her bid for governor in the battleground state.
Trump ally pledges to ‘work with people’ he disagrees with after Arizona primary win
Andy Biggs – a hard-right congressman endorsed by Donald Trump – won the Republican nomination for Arizona governor
Trump-backed candidates, 2020 election deniers, win Arizona primaries
The primaries set the field for what are expected to be heated contests for Congress and governor in a swing state this fall.
6 Takeaways From Arizona’s Tense, Trump-Dominated Primaries
Republicans nominated a former N.F.L. kicker in a top House battleground, a Trump loyalist for governor and an election denier for the state’s top election post.
Trump flexes GOP muscle in Arizona primaries as Dems dodge far-left upset
Arizona’s primaries put Trump’s GOP influence on display and set the stage for high-stakes governor and House races in November.
Live results: Trump-backed Rep. Andy Biggs will win Arizona gubernatorial primary, CNN projects
Rep. Andy Biggs will win the Republican nomination for governor in Arizona, CNN’s Decision Desk projects, setting up a November clash with Democratic incumbent Gov. Katie Hobbs in the battleground state.
The battle for Congress gets a Wall Street-style scoreboard powered by real-money bets
Kalshi's new Midterms Hub combines live prediction markets with polling, fundraising data and historical results to track House, Senate and governor races.
Governor: 6,600 noncitizens registered to vote after error in New Jersey
Gov. Mikie Sherrill says fewer than 400 of those people ended up casting ballots
Governor: 6,600 noncitizens registered to vote after error in New Jersey
Gov. Mikie Sherrill says fewer than 400 of those people ended up casting ballots
6,600 noncitizens registered to vote by New Jersey motor vehicle system error, Gov. Sherill says
The Democratic governor, who took office this year, blamed a Motor Vehicle Commission system software error but said a preliminary analysis showed that fewer than 400 of the people registered that way went on to cast ballots.
Nearly 400 noncitizens voted in New Jersey elections, governor says
Mikie Sherrill (D) said she learned of the problem, which she attributed to a software error, last week and ordered the removal of ineligible voters from the rolls.
Former Ohio governor, mayor urge local leaders to team up with experts on public health
Republican former governor John Kasich and Democratic former Cincinnati mayor John Cranley are urging local officials and experts to get prepared for a public health crisis.
Arizona Republicans pick nominees Tuesday for governor and other top offices
Arizona Republicans are choosing nominees Tuesday to challenge Democrats who hold top offices as the GOP searches for a path back to power in a battleground state it used to dominate.
Election live updates: Arizona Governor Hobbs’ GOP challenger on the ballot as voters hit the polls
Follow live coverage as Arizona voters pick their favorite candidates for midterms. Get the latest as primaries underway for governor, House districts, secretary of state and more.
Pritzker spends over $12 million on national politics
Illinois Governor JB Pritzker has spent over $12 million on national PACs and campaigns in 20 other states, raising questions about his priorities.
MAGA candidates keep losing in Arizona. Andy Biggs is out to break the trend
The fronrunner for the GOP nomination for governor hopes he fares better than MAGA-aligned Blake Masters and Kari Lake did in their recent statewide contests.
Arizona Republicans pick nominees Tuesday for governor and other top offices
Arizona Republicans are choosing nominees to challenge Democrats in key state offices
Shaky political "science": breakdown of the peer review process
[This article is the latest in our “Shaky Political Science” series. In our 38 page report, “Shaky political ‘science’ misses mark on ranked choice voting,” released in December 2025, we examined over 40 studies focused on ranked choice voting (RCV). Many of these studies suffered from puzzling research methodologies, poorly constructed surveys, unrealistic simulated elections, cherry picked data and faulty analyses that often were contradicted by results from real-world elections (a link to our full paper is here). Here are links to the first four articles in our series: the first one summarizing the overall results of our report; the second one analyzed a study co-authored by University of Minnesota academic Larry Jacobs, which was one of the most error-prone of all the research we reviewed in our report; a third article showing an admirable example of two political scientists holding two other political scientists accountable for their flawed, sloppy research; and a fourth article that analyzed seven studies sponsored by New America’s political reform program that deployed flawed methodology based on “simulated” elections instead of real-world elections, which when combined with some basic misunderstandings of RCV, produced odd and misleading results]. In this fifth article in our “Shaky Political Science” series, we examine two flawed studies on the impact of RCV on voter turnout authored by San Francisco State University professor Jason McDaniel. McDaniel’s research in these two papers stands out for its puzzling methodology, inadequate and cherry-picked data, and faulty analyses that not only misunderstands ranked choice voting but reflects a basic misunderstanding of politics in general. The first of the McDaniel studies actually passed through a peer review process and then was subsequently published by the Journal of Urban Affairs, despite its obvious errors. It is perplexing that a jury of peer political scientists did not catch the errors and send it back to McDaniel for a rewrite or outright rejection. This calls into question the credibility of the peer review process itself. The peer review process is supposed to represent the intellectual pinnacle of the profession – a way for academics to certify the quality of each other’s work, and to act as a check against sloppy research. In the case of the McDaniel study, the peer review process failed. Yet his flawed study has been cited dozens of times by other political scientists in their own flawed works — an unvirtuous circle of academic research. Here is the first Jason McDaniel study that we analyzed: “Writing the Rules to Rank the Candidates: Examining the Impact of Instant-Runoff Voting on Racial Group Turnout in San Francisco Mayoral Elections,” by Jason McDaniel, 2016, Journal of Urban Affairs. This study covered San Francisco’s use of ranked choice voting (RCV) in mayoral elections, purporting to show that RCV reduces voter turnout overall, increases voter errors, and has a negative impact on “marginal populations,” i.e. racial minorities, mainly as the result of the alleged complexity of RCV asking voters to rank candidates and having to be familiar with multiple candidates and related dynamics. McDaniel reached these conclusions by examining five San Francisco mayoral elections taking place in odd years (i.e. where there are no federal or state races on the ballot) from 1995 to 2011, comparing three earlier non-RCV races (in 1995, 1999 and 2003) with the later two RCV races (in 2007 and 2011). Only two RCV races were studied, and as McDaniel acknowledged, only the contest in 2011 was “competitive” (that contest in 2007 was the first mayoral election using RCV, and incumbent mayor Gavin Newsom won easily in the first round of counting, earning 74% of first choices and far ahead of the second place candidate who had just 6.3% of first choices). Yet even the allegedly competitive contest in 2011was won by an incumbent with a landslide margin of nearly 20 points. No other elections were studied by McDaniel, even though San Francisco elects 17 other offices besides mayor with RCV, including the 11 seats on the Board of Supervisors (the name for the city council) in even years, and six other citywide offices in odd years. Previous academic research has found that competitive elections can stimulate greater voter involvement and higher turnout. For unexplained reasons, this study ignored at least 34 other RCV races between the years 2004 to 2011, many of which were very competitive and had high voter turnout. Instead, McDaniel’s analysis based its conclusions on data from only a single, marginally-competitive mayor’s race using RCV. These 2007 and 2011 mayoral elections were the only two RCV elections that McDaniel used as the sole basis for his small data set to determine the impact of RCV on voter turnout. Despite having no meaningful data to inform his study, McDaniel nonetheless concluded that RCV lowered turnout when compared to the previous three mayoral non-RCV elections using two-round runoffs. Then, using the same inadequate database of San Francisco elections, McDaniel also found that “Instant-runoff voting is associated with a significant decline in Black voter turnout and White voter turnout…On average, Black voter turnout decreases by 18 points and White voter turnout decreases by 16 points …” But how could he credibly arrive at that conclusion when his study was based on voter turnout in two RCV contests that were not even remotely competitive? Beyond that, McDaniel tacitly admits that the key determining factor driving Black voter turnout was not RCV vs non-RCV elections, but the presence of a viable Black candidate. McDaniel wrote, “Black voter turnout was about 17 percentage points higher for the two elections that featured an African American candidate compared to the three elections that did not” — but one of those three elections did not use RCV. The same dynamic was present for White voter turnout, in which higher turnout was not correlated with RCV vs non-RCV elections, but the presence of a viable White candidate. Beyond that, McDaniel’s voter turnout results, whether correlated with the race of the candidates or RCV vs non-RCV elections, showed no clear patterns. In his Figure 1, he shows low Asian voter turnout in the non-RCV elections in 1999 and 2003 when there was no viable Asian candidate running, but in the 2007 mayoral election using RCV, there is still no viable Asian candidate, yet Asian turnout increases dramatically. For Latinos, voter turnout is virtually the same in 1999 (no viable Latino candidate, non-RCV elections), 2003 (leading Latino candidate, non-RCV elections), 2007 (no viable Latino candidate, RCV elections) and 2011 (leading Latino candidate, RCV elections). Meanwhile White voter turnout increased dramatically from a low in the 2007 mayoral election, in which the leading candidate was a white incumbent, to the 2011 election in which there were no leading white candidates that finished any higher than sixth place with 5.6% of the vote. Clearly other factors were determining voter turnout than either the race of the candidates or RCV vs non-RCV elections. Despite these inconsistent findings, McDaniel boldly marches forth to render conclusions about the impact of RCV on different groups of racial voters, even though his conclusions are not remotely supported by his data. This looks like the worst kind of “data cherry picking” to cover up a puzzling conclusion based on a poor data set involving only two RCV elections, neither of which were remotely competitive. McDaniel’s cherry picking didn’t stop there. In calculating voter turnout for the three non-RCV mayoral elections in 1995, 1999 and 2003, he failed to mention that in each of these years there was a two-round runoff election, with a first round election in November in which no candidate garnered a winning majority of the vote, followed by the decisive runoff in December. So there were two non-RCV elections in each election year. But McDaniel only decided to include one of the two elections in his data set, apparently the December runoff in each year (which had higher turnout in two out of the three mayor’s races, and lower turnout in the third). So he ignored the November 1995 election, the November 1999 election when turnout was only 45 percent, and the November 2003 election when turnout was only 45.7 percent. This is flawed methodology based on blatant cherry picking, since McDaniel simply omitted three elections worth of data that did not fit within his frame. His study should never have made it through a peer review process, and it is an embarrassment to political science that not only was it approved for publication, but it has been uncritically cited by dozens of other political scientists. Share A “study” without wider context or credible data Lacking a data set that included even a single competitive RCV mayoral race, McDaniel declared that RCV lowered voter turnout in 2011, when turnout was 42.5 percent. But he also ignored -- or did not realize -- that voter turnout in mayoral elections during 2011 had sharply declined in all big cities, including far more steeply in nearby Los Angeles and other cities. In fact, San Francisco’s election in 2011 had the second highest turnout of any mayoral election in the nation’s 22 largest cities from 2008-2011. Was 2011 just a particularly low turnout year all across the country, perhaps because the country was still reeling from the aftermath of the housing market collapse in 2008-2010? McDaniel ignored this factor and did not search for alternative explanations beyond his flawed thesis. Furthermore, while McDaniel suggested that RCV leads to more “overvotes” – which is an invalidated ballot in which a voter, in either a non-RCV or RCV race, makes a mistake and selects two candidates for a single choice – he failed to address that in the June 2012 US Senate primary contest, which used the typical “one-choice” plurality method and did not use RCV, there was more than five times as many overvotes in San Francisco and Oakland than in the RCV mayoral elections in those cities. Additionally, turnout had been significantly higher and more representative in RCV elections for the San Francisco Board of Supervisors races -- that McDaniel didn’t even bother to study -- as compared to previous “delayed two-round runoffs” for those offices, often higher by as much as 40% in the RCV races. Perhaps the most surprising irony was that an earlier study co-authored by McDaniel (Overvoting and the Equality of Voice under Instant-Runoff Voting in San Francisco by Francis Neely and Jason McDaniel, 2015, California Journal of Politics and Policy) found that overvotes are often more common in lower-income precincts, but that the pattern of overvoting is similar in both RCV and non-RCV contests. Wrote Neely and McDaniel: “[Overvote] errors appear to be a function of complexity in general and not IRV per se…. the pattern of overvoting is similar in both IRV and non-IRV contests…Even among votes cast in a top-of-the-ticket race like U.S. Senate, overvoting occurs in an uneven fashion” (IRV, or ‘instant runoff voting,’ is another name for ranked choice voting in single-winner contests). So McDaniel not only contradicted his own conclusion in his earlier study with Neely, but the earlier study had been an important corrective for one of the most frequently made mistakes made by anti-RCV political scientists – a continual failure to provide crucial context by pairing a comparative analysis of real world RCV elections with an analysis of real world plurality or other electoral methods. Unfortunately McDaniel’s earlier study does not get cited much by other researchers, and McDaniel did not even cite it in his own flawed study analyzed above. Incredibly, McDaniel cherrypicked McDaniel, even as his flawed study has been cited dozens of times. Despite being a textbook example of poor political “science,” featuring both inadequate as well as cherrypicked data, the shelf life of McDaniel’s study has been extended endlessly by other political scientists and media outlets who have cited it uncritically. Equally troubling, the Journal of Urban Affairs put this paper through its peer review process and published it despite its numerous flaws. McDaniel gets it wrong, Part II Not content with producing one shoddy, confused paper, McDaniel produced another one a few years later, here is the link: Electoral Rules and Voter Turnout in Mayoral Elections: An Analysis of Ranked-Choice Voting by Jason McDaniel. San Francisco State Univ. (McDaniel, 2019). In this paper, McDaniel extended his previous flawed research focused on San Francisco, about voter turnout and voter impact, to multiple RCV cities through the 2018 elections. In his data set he included San Francisco, Minneapolis, St Paul, Oakland, Berkeley, San Leandro and Santa Fe. He then compared their turnout in mayoral elections to non-RCV cities, and to mayoral elections in those cities held before first RCV usage, and concluded “a significant decrease in voter turnout of approximately 3–5 percentage points in RCV cities after the implementation of RCV.” But he replicated many of the same mistakes as his first study presented above. While in this study McDaniel attempted to distinguish between various factors, such as odd year vs. even year elections, competitive races vs. noncompetitive, contests with open seats and other factors, the analysis is superficial and inadequate. He attempts to incorporate so many often-conflicting variables that his conclusions are once again unsupported by the actual data, and ultimately unconvincing (this second study never underwent a peer review process). For example, McDaniel declared that for RCV cities “in elections that are more competitive than average (margin of victory less than 20%), there is no significant RCV effect on voter turnout.” Yet McDaniel is a professor in a city, San Francisco, in which the 2018 special election using RCV to fill a mayoral vacancy was exceedingly close, decided by a margin of only one percentage point, and resulted in the second highest turnout in San Francisco history for a mayoral election. Illustrating the complexity involved in assessing the critical factors in turnout, that special election was held on the same election day as federal and state offices, which tends to boost turnout. Yet more voters participated in that RCV mayoral election than voted on the same day in the non-RCV primary for governor in which former San Francisco mayor Gavin Newsom was running. Even more puzzling, in this study McDaniel inaccurately cited his own previous study from 2015 with Neely. McDaniel wrote, “Neely and McDaniel (2015) examine individual ballot image files within a natural experiment, and find higher rates of ballot errors in RCV elections compared to non-RCV elections” (emphasis added). However, we quoted from that 2015 study several paragraphs above, and in actual fact Neely and McDaniel actually concluded the opposite -- that the pattern of overvoting – which is the most common form of ballot error – is similar in both RCV and non-RCV contests. McDaniel also ignored the fact that in Bay Area RCV elections held in even years – at the same time as federal and state elections, when turnout is highest -- the “undervote” (that is, the dropoff in ballots cast for governor or mayor) has declined, which contradicts his thesis that the act of ranking ballots in RCV elections is too complex and presents a barrier for certain demographics of voters. To his credit, McDaniel actually acknowledged another contradiction in his own paper, which found a negative RCV turnout effect in some odd-year elections but not others, admitting that “may present a challenge to the theory that increased complexity [from RCV] will have a marginal negative effect on voter turnout.” But he tried to wallpaper over that contradiction by blaming it on an unlikely source -- bad election administration. McDaniels wrote, “This would suggest that the negative impact of RCV on voter participation may be alleviated by high quality election administration,” without presenting any data or even anecdotes to support such an unfounded theory. While competent election administration of any election, whether RCV or non-RCV, is crucially important, there is no credible research that supports the far-fetched notion that the quality of election administration has much of an impact on voter turnout in US elections, whether using RCV or otherwise. Upgrade to a $5 subscription The unvirtuous circle of academic research It is puzzling how McDaniel’s first study could have survived the peer review process for the Journal of Urban Affairs. The mistakes in McDaniel’s first study above should have been obvious to anyone with a basic understanding of ranked choice voting as well as elections in general, and elections in San Francisco specifically. It undermines faith in the credibility of the peer review process to think that a jury of peer political scientists did not catch the egregious errors and reject McDaniel’s sloppy research and paper. And it remains a black mark on political science that this thoroughly discredited study has been cited dozens of times by other researchers. Indeed, in our research paper it became apparent that many political scientists cite each other’s flawed research to pad their list of citations and to legitimize their own flawed research, creating an unvirtuous circle of political science. More broadly, McDaniel’s voter turnout studies, like other studies evaluating RCV’s impact on turnout, lacked a recognition that no credible opinion or research can claim that RCV increases voter turnout merely because so many voters are excited to vote for their favorite candidates instead of “lesser evil” candidates without worrying about spoilers. Instead, with respect to turnout, the advantage of RCV has always been that, in most places where it has been used, it has eliminated a pre-November primary or post-November runoff, which usually saw about half the turnout of the November general election. This is especially true during even years when there are state and federal elections on the ballot which substantially drive turnout more than local contests. Any study that does not adequately account for this non-November primary/runoff vs November general election dynamic, or odd year vs even year election factors, is simply not credible. Both of McDaniel’s studies largely failed on those grounds. Steven Hill and Paul Haughey Share Upgrade to a $5 subscription Thanks for reading DemocracySOS…your digital portal for the pro-democracy movement. Subscribe for only $5 per month to receive full benefits and to support our work. Subscribe
The Race For Lieutenant Governor: A Coveted Political Stepping Stone
While the job itself doesn’t amount to much, it helped elevate four politicians who later became governors, and two others who eventually became U.S. senators.
Colorado Commission prioritizes feelings over science
The Colorado Parks and Wildlife Commission voted Thursday and prioritized feelings over science-based management. Meanwhile, Rancher X is the beneficiary of those feelings-driven decisions. Well played, Governor. The newest appointees to the CPW Commission are just the parting gift you had in mind for rural Colorado. The Commission voted Thursday 6-5 to reject CPW staff […]
Colorado Commission prioritizes feelings over science
The Colorado Parks and Wildlife Commission voted Thursday and prioritized feelings over science-based management. Meanwhile, Rancher X is the beneficiary of those feelings-driven decisions. Well played, Governor. The newest appointees to the CPW Commission are just the parting gift you had in mind for rural Colorado. The Commission voted Thursday 6-5 to reject CPW staff […]
Politics Unplugged (Full Episode) July 19, 2026
On this episode of Politics Unplugged, political editor Dennis Welch sits down with Joana Mendoza — a former Marine Corps drill instructor and Democratic candidate — who is challenging incumbent Republican Juan Ciscomani in Arizona's Congressional District 6, discussing affordability, immigration, and ICE reform. Then, with Arizona's primary election just days away, Welch brings in Republican consultant Chip Scutari and Democrat Stacy Pearson to break down the most competitive races, including the GOP governor's primary between Andy Biggs and David Schweikert, the attorney general's race, and a crowded CD1 field. The panel also weighs in on what the early ballot returns and independent voter enthusiasm could signal heading into the general election this fall.
Crowley reenters Wisconsin’s Democratic governor primary
David Crowley has reentered Wisconsin's Democratic primary for governor, two weeks after suspending his campaign, after receiving the endorsement of Gov. Tony Evers.
Andy Biggs and David Schweikert offer competing visions for Republican Party in Arizona governor primary
After decades coexisting in the fractious Arizona Republican Party, Biggs and Schweikert are on a collision course in Tuesday's primary for governor.
Andy Biggs and David Schweikert offer competing visions for Republican Party in Arizona primary
Rep. Andy Biggs and Rep. David Schweikert are clashing in the Republican primary for Arizona governor
Andy Biggs and David Schweikert offer competing visions for Republican Party in Arizona primary
Rep. Andy Biggs and Rep. David Schweikert are clashing in the Republican primary for Arizona governor.
As Democrats move left, Klobuchar makes a business-friendly pitch in governor’s race
Her pro-growth message comes as Democrats increasingly want corporations and the wealthy to pay more taxes.
Trump ally seeks makeover ahead of critical Arizona governor's race
Gov. Katie Hobbs is considered the most vulnerable Democratic incumbent in a swing state that's been on the 2020 election denier frontlines for years.
What the regionality of Marx’s Republican primary win reveals about Colorado conservatives
Running for governor of Colorado, controversial outsider Victor Marx, 61, a self-proclaimed exorcist and a friendly ally to the late Charlie Kirk, pulled out a 39.9% Republican primary victory. State Sen. and Republican establishment candidate Barbara Kirkmeyer came in a close second with around 39.4% of the vote. Meanwhile, Scott Bottoms, a state legislator and […]
David Crowley reenters battleground Wisconsin’s Democratic governor primary with Gov. Evers’ backing
Gov. Tony Evers initially declined to endorse in the race but threw his weight behind Crowley and resuscitated his bid to lead the swing state known for razor-thin election margins.
Florida politics Re-Cap: Voter data, campaign cash and two lawmakers in court
The week brought major courtroom developments for two state lawmakers, a new fundraising milestone in Florida’s U.S. Senate race & another looming legal fight over the Republican primary for governor.
Kentucky governor says he received 2 calls from agencies indicating McConnell had 'passed'
Andy Beshear says two agencies called him suggesting Mitch McConnell had died while the Kentucky senator was hospitalized after his June fall.
David Crowley reenters battleground Wisconsin’s Democratic governor primary with Gov. Evers’ backing
David Crowley has reentered Wisconsin's Democratic primary for governor, two weeks after suspending his campaign | 1010 WINS
David Crowley reenters battleground Wisconsin’s Democratic governor primary with Gov. Evers’ backing
David Crowley has reentered Wisconsin’s Democratic primary for governor, two weeks after suspending his campaign
How Ron DeSantis turned Florida’s governor race into a Republican family feud
On paper, the Republican primary to be Florida’s next governor appears to be little more than a formality. But Ron DeSantis has refused to endorse a successor.
Entertainment Guilds Blast Emmy Category Changes
The Directors Guild of America, SAG-AFTRA and the Writers Guild of America Friday criticized a Television Academy decision to remove five Emmy Award categories from the prime-time broadcast. The criticism came a day after the Television Academy’s Board of Governors approved moving five award categories from the Sept. 14 prime-time telecast on NBC to ceremonies […]
Bangkok voters reward performance over party politics
Neither Thailand's ruling coalition nor its leading opposition party was a match for an independent Bangkok governor with a proven track record of delivery.
‘I am closing the door’: Katie Porter to leave politics, become a book influencer
The former Democratic U.S. representative is pivoting to her rediscovered passion for reading and books.
The heart of service: Charmaine Reeder and Community Health
Charmaine Reeder, on behalf of the ECU Health’s work with Pitt County Meals on Wheels, received a Governor’s Volunteer Service Award.
Hochul touts support in Albany as governor’s race heats up
The event comes as the 2026 gubernatorial campaign is heating up.
Wisconsin Lt. Gov. Sara Rodriguez drops out of the governor’s race
Rodriguez’s exit, which comes in the wake of campaign finance issues, shakes up an already wide open Democratic primary in the battleground state.
Florida's SAVE Act faces legal challenges as federal version stalls
Governor Ron DeSantis signed Florida’s SAVE Act into law on April 1.
Governor Moore Announces Code Red Air Quality Condition in Maryland Resulting from Wildfire Smoke
Governor Moore Announces Code Red Air Quality Condition in Maryland Resulting from Wildfire Smoke
Pages - Governor Moore announces Code Red air quality condition in Maryland resulting from wildfire smoke
An official website of the State of Maryland.
She could be America’s first socialist governor
Francesca Hong is running for governor of Wisconsin. We talked to her about how she’d govern this swing state.
Strategists weigh the issues shaping N.Y. governor's race
Both Hochul and Republican challenger Bruce Blakeman are trying to persuade voters they have the better answer to what appears to be the big issue of 2026: New York’s high cost of living.
GOP frontrunner Minogue: Governors should put people above party politics
Mike Minogue, a Republican candidate for governor, says that he wants to make Massachusetts a place people can stay and raise families like his.
Sherrill ripped after NJ skips flag directive honoring Graham: ‘Most political governor’
Joe Pennacchio calls out Mikie Sherrill for skipping the White House proclamation to lower flags for Lindsey Graham.
Maryland Community Health Resources Commission Awards $7.5 Million to Expand Health Care Access Across the State for Vulnerable Populations
Maryland Community Health Resources Commission Awards $7.5 Million to Expand Health Care Access Across the State for Vulnerable Populations
Larry Rhoden: Rancher, welder and three-decade politician makes his case to earn SD's trust
South Dakota's governor reflects on his ranching roots and three decades in politics ahead of the Republican runoff.
Governor signs bill to expand mental health coverage for volunteer first responders in NH
Gov. Kelly Ayotte was surrounded by legislators and first responders for a signing of a bill that expands access to mental health coverage for volunteer first responders.
Poll shows most Californians support Becerra for governor, CEQA reform
A new poll shows Xavier Becerra with a hefty lead in the California governor's race. Voters also expressed strong opposition to AI data centers and nuanced views on environmental policies and affordability.
Trump endorses 'Pillow Man' Mike Lindell for Minnesota governor
Trump praised Lindell as “one of America’s greatest and most hard working Patriots” and gave formal backing to a fellow election denier a day before the Republican president delivers a national address he says will focus on election security.
New York becomes first state to freeze new AI data centers in move critics warn could drive away jobs
Dem Gov. Kathy Hochul announced the nation's first statewide moratorium on new AI data centers while officials develop new environmental standards.
Fenway Health Welcomes Governor Healey’s Signing of the FY27 Budget, Advancing LGBTQIA+ Health and HIV Prevention
Governor Healey’s signing of the FY27 budget marks an important step forward for LGBTQIA+ health, HIV prevention, and health equity in Massachusetts. At a t ...