Stateline Stories

Western State Reporters Say Taxes, Education Top 2000 Agenda

Reporters from eight Western states identified tax policy, education funding, health care reforms and apportionment of the states' tobacco settlement funds as the most pressing issues likely to be addressed by their states in the next legislative year. Over 50 journalists from Arizona, Idaho, Montana, Nevada, Oregon, Utah, Washington and Wyoming repeatedly mentioned those topics during a recent statehouse reporters' conference in Boise, Idaho.

Va. Tech Tragedy Revives Gun Controversy

Both the Virginia and Utah legislatures this year wrestled with the question of whether to allow college students to bring concealed guns to campus. Virginia policymakers took a look after Virginia Tech disciplined an unnamed student who brought a firearm to class in 2005.

After Giffords Shooting, No Slowdown for Gun Rights

The shooting of a U.S. representative and 18 others in Arizona has done little to slow the momentum of pro-gun legislation in statehouses. If anything, gun-rights supporters face better odds this year due to Republican electoral gains.

Tensions Rise Amid Demise of Utah-Nevada Water Pact

Will Las Vegas’ thirst spark a water war between Utah and Nevada?

Utah State of the State Address 2013

SALT LAKE CITY -- Feb. 1 -- Following is the prepared text of Gov. Gary Herbert's (R) 2013 State of the State Address:

Utah’s Health Insurance Exchange in Limbo

Utah’s attempt to preserve its health insurance exchange is testing the federal government’s flexibility on a key piece of the Affordable Care Act.

In the West, GOP Governors, Skeptical of Cap-and-Trade, Will Watch California

SCOTTSDALE, Ariz.-- Stateline asked several Republican governors about the role of climate change in energy policy in the West, asking them to weigh in on California’s new experiment with large-scale carbon trading.

Provo Stars in Utah’s Economic Recovery

Utah’s recovery has been driven by construction projects and high-tech start-ups with Provo, Forbes’ top pick for business and career opportunities, a driving force.

Utah State of the State Address 2011

SALT LAKE CITY, Utah - Jan. 26 - Following is the prepared text of Gov. Gary Herbert (R) 2011 state of the state address: Lt. Governor Bell; President Waddoups; Speaker Lockhart; Members of the Utah Legislature; Members of my Cabinet; Utah Supreme Court Justices; The State's First Lady, My Wife Jeanette; and my fe

Utah State of the State Address 2010

SALT LAKE CITY, Utah - Jan. 26 - Following is the prepared text of Gov. Gary Herbert (R) 2010 state of the state address: Lt. Governor Bell; President Waddoups; Speaker Clark; Members of the Utah Legislature and of my Cabinet; Utah's Supreme Court justices; the State's First Lady, my wife Jeanette; my children, my

Will Utah Loosen Liquor License Quota?

It might be easier to get a cocktail or beer in Utah after the Legislature finishes its special session today (June 20). Lawmakers are expected to consider increasing the number of liquor licenses available statewide, an issue that has divided the GOP leadership there. Utah Governor Gary R. Herbert says a shortage

Utah State of the State Address 2009

SALT LAKE CITY, Utah - Jan. 27 - Following is the prepared text of Gov. Jon Huntsman Jr.'s (R) 2009 state of the state address: Lt. Governor; Mr. President; Mr. Speaker; Members of the Legislature; My parents and in-laws - who are with me tonight as they always have been; My wife and best friend, Mary Kaye; Distin

Utah State of the State Address 2008

SALT LAKE CITY, Utah - Jan. 22 - Following is the prepared text of Gov. Jon Huntsman Jr.'s (R) 2008 state of the state address: Click here to visit the governor's web site to view the address. Lt. Governor Herbert; President Valentine; Speaker Curtis; Members of the Legislature, Supreme Court and Cabinet; M

Utah State of the State Address 2007

SALT LAKE CITY, UTAH, Jan. 16 - Following is the prepared text of Gov. Jon M. Huntsman, Jr's (R) 2007 state of the state address: Lt. Governor Gary and Jeanette Herbert; President John and Karen Valentine; Speaker Greg and Teresa Curtis; Chief Justice Christine Durham; Attorney General Mark Shurtlef

Utah State of the State Address 2006

BOUNTIFUL, Utah, Jan. 17 - The following is the prepared text of Gov. Jon Huntsman Jr.'s (R) 2006 State of the State address: Lt. Governor Gary and Jeanette Herbert President John and Karen Valentine Speaker Greg and Teresa Curtis Chief Justice Christine Durham and members of the Utah Supreme Court Members of the L

Utah State of the State Address 2005

SALT LAKE CITY, Utah - Jan. 18 - Following is the text of Gov. Jon Huntsman, Jr.'s 2005 state of the state address: I am honored to be here tonight with my wife Mary Kaye - the finest human being I have ever known - and our family, to whom I owe a great debt of gratitude. I was elected, but together we serve. I

Utah State of the State Address 2004

SALT LAKE CITY, Utah - Jan 22 - Following is the test of Gov. Olene S. Walker's 2004 state of the state address: President Mansell, Speaker Stephens, Minority Leaders Dmitrich and Goodfellow, Senators and Representatives, Chief Justice Durham and Supreme Court Justices, Lt. Governor McKeachnie, distingui

Utah State of the State Address 2003

SALT LAKE CITY, Utah - Jan 21 - Following is the text of Gov. Mike Leavitt 2003 State of the State Address: A year ago, I stood before you on the eve of a milestone in Utah history the 2002 Olympic Winter Games. I conveyed a strategy for turning 17 days of attention into a thousand days of progress. Those 17 da

Utah State of the State Address 2001

SALT LAKE CITY, Utah - Jan. 16 - Following is the full text of Gov. Mike Leavitt's 2001 State of the State Address: Good evening President Mansell, Speaker Stephens, members of the Legislature, Chief Justice Howe, Lieutenant Governor Walker and my fellow Utahns. Utah is strong, optimistic and full of the kind o

Utah State of the State Address 2000

SALT LAKE CITY, Utah - Jan. 17 - Following is the full text of Gov. Mike Leavitt's 2000 State of the State Address: Good evening President Beattie, Speaker Stephens, members of the Legislature, Chief Justice Howe, Lieutenant Governor Walker and my fellow Utahns. Tradition requires the State of the State address

Utah Launches 24-Hour E-Government Chat Service

Utah residents trying to renew their car registration online or navigate the 109 other applications available on the states Web site can now get help round the clock from the sites new live chat service.

Grandmother Poised To Become Utah Governor

She's not your typical grandmother. But Utah Lt. Gov. Olene Walker (R) wouldnt be a typical governor either. The 72-year-old grandmother of 25 didnt get into politics until she was 50 years old, but shes now poised to become the first woman to assume Utahs top job.

Utah Speaker Becomes NCSL Leader

Utah House Speaker Marty Stephens, newly elected president of the National Conference of State Legislatures (NCSL), expects the high profile job to give him more exposure and provide more fund-raising opportunities in a possible 2004 run for governor.

Utah Considers Opting Out of No Child Left Behind

Some key Republicans are taking aim at President Bush's prized No Child Left Behind education program. Case in point: The heavily Republican state of Utah may walk away from federal education dollars rather than comply with the law.

Online 'Govs' U' Still Finding Its Place

In 1997, Utah Gov. Mike Leavitt and then-Colorado Gov. Roy Romer convinced leaders of 17 other western states to join them in ponying up tax money for their virtual brainchild -- Western Governors University - with predictions that tens of thousands would flock to the education of the future: competency-based university degrees, all online. Tens of millions of dollars and nearly five years later, the early predictions look somewhat overrated: five graduates to date, some 500 students currently enrolled.

Terror Insurance: A New, Risky Business

Book lovers understand that the J. Willard Marriott Library and its three million-volume collection at the University of Utah in Salt Lake City are, in a sense, priceless.

Utah Leverages Olympics Hosting

Given the intense security concerns and emotionally charged atmosphere surrounding the 2002 Winter Olympics, its not hard to imagine Utah state officials breathing a collective sigh of relief at the conclusion of the Salt Lake City games back in February. But their job didnt end with the lowering of the Olympic flag

On the Record: Utah Attorney General Jan Graham

Utah Attorney General Jan Graham was the first Beehive State woman elected to statewide office when she assumed her present duties in 1992. A Democrat in a GOP-dominated state, Graham challenged Utah congressional Republicans who voted to impeach President Clinton to swear they'd never had an extramarital affair themselves. Recently in Washington, D.C., for a National Association of Attorneys General (NAAG) meeting, Graham talked to Stateline.org's Blair S. Walker about issues she and other state attorneys general confront.

Western States Launch Virtual University

Out West, where vast prairie lands and expansive desert highways bring new meaning to the term distance learning, governors have hopped on the bandwidth wagon and created an 18-state virtual university to bring higher education to far-flung populations at a reasonable price.

Priorities 2000: A Utah View

When Utah's legislature convenes later this month, Gov. Mike Leavitt will be pressing for more education reform. Leavitt, a second-term Republican and chairman of the National Governors' Association, has proposed that 95 percent of the state's new money be earmarked for education and has called for more accountability from everyone involved in the state's school system. For more on Leavitt's agenda -- in his own words.

Utah Boy Mows State Capitol Lawns, Grows Organ Donor Awareness

Coming to a state capitol near you soon is "Lawn Mower Boy." Fourteen-year-old Ryan Tripp from Parowan, Utah - also known as Lawn Mower Boy - is out to set a new Guinness Book World Record by cutting the grass at each state capitol. But setting records is second to his desire to increase awareness about organ and tissue donation around the country. Lawn Mower Boy started his mowing marathon June 1 in his home state accompanied by Utah Gov. Mike Leavitt. He has since mowed a portion of lawn at the capitols in Nevada, California, Oregon, Washington and Alaska. His last stop will be in Hawaii on Monday, Aug. 9. For more about Tripp's unusual odyssey, click on

Despite Ongoing Scandal, Utah Olympics Preparations Well On Way

Olympic boosters spread across Salt Lake City's Capitol Hill this week to replant trees uprooted in the August 11 tornado and attempt to lay a new foundation of goodwill toward the Games. Despite months of scandal and an ongoing Justice Department investigation, Olympic organizers are still confident they can deliver the "best games ever."

Utah's Leavitt Looks Ahead In New Leadership Role

Utah Gov. Mike Leavitt, the new chairman of the National Governors' Association, sees states playing a greater role in a 21st century U.S. cyber society. The 48-year old Republican even has a term for his vision of tomorrow: "networked governance." As head of the NGA, he says he will work to make this a reality. Leavitt brings an impressive record of accomplishment to his new job. But critics say his focus on the future sometimes leads him to give short shrift to today's problems.

Food Tax on Chopping Block

Shoppers in four states -- Mississippi, Utah, West Virginia and Wyoming -- soon may be paying less at the supermarket checkout counter, thanks to reduced taxes on groceries.

Power Blogging Debuts in Utah Capitol

Utah's state Senate this year became the first legislative body to make online "blogging" a vital tool in lawmaking. Joining the nation's proliferation of Web logs, or blogs, the Utah site gave pols and citizens alike a computer screen-size soapbox to rant, rave and wrangle over the session's hottest topics.

Utah to Use Gifts to Pay for Medicaid

If Gov. John Huntsman's plan works, Utah will use $2 million in private donations - instead of state tax dollars - to cover the dental bills of 40,000 poor residents on Medicaid next year. The unusual arrangement, and the political drama that led up to it, stirred up a hornet's nest in Utah over how Medicaid is funded and how state officials choose what services to pay for.

Huntsman Ties His Success as Governor to Utah's Economy

Jon Huntsman Jr., sworn in as governor Monday, begins the latest in an unbroken two-decade string of Republican administrations in Utah with his No. 1 priority to create high-paying jobs and attract millions more tourists. Even before serving his first day in the governors office, the 44-year-old former U.S. ambassador to Singapore has vowed to serve no more than two terms.

Utah Considers Rights for Same-Sex Couples

It was no surprise when voters in socially conservative Utah overwhelmingly approved a constitutional amendment last Election Day to ban same-sex marriage. So it may shock some Utahns to learn that a conservative state senator who voted against gay marriage plans to introduce legislation that would grant same-sex couples some of the same rights as husbands and wives.

Rebellion Against Federal Education Law Reignites in Utah

A showdown over President Bush's sweeping education reform law is climaxing in the heavily Republican state of Utah this week and could push the federal government to make concessions sought by several states in enforcement of the No Child Left Behind Act.

Oreo edict eases election defeat in Utah

The Utah House contemplates honoring the Oreo cookie. Georgia considers allowing college logos on caskets. And Kentucky studies global warming without scientists. In case you missed those stories this week, "Worth Noting" fills you in.

WORTH NOTING: 'Gas Pain' Troubles for Utah Governor

Utah's chief executive gives reporters too much information. An influential Idaho politician endorses two legislative candidates - for the same House seat. And Arkansas tourism officials are taking "Clinton Country" to the next level. In case you missed those stories this week, "Worth Noting" fills you in.

States Ask Feds for Health Care Help

With the economy tanking and state budgets deep in the red, some states are cutting benefits or people from their Medicaid and other health insurance programs to save money. At the same time, the federal government and the new incoming administration are working with states on finding ways to help them avoid such measures.

Four-Day Workweek Grows on Utahns

The U.S. Postal Service has suggested cutting one day of mail delivery a week. Now California is about to shut down state government every other Friday. One state - Utah - already is experimenting with four-day-a-week government, with encouraging results.

Report: Utah First in Economic Competitiveness

Utah ranks first while New York is dead last among the 50 states in the 2009 "economic competitiveness" index from a conservative group of state legislators.

Herbert Reverses Course, Vetoes Abstinence Education Bill

EDUCATION BEAT: Proposed legislation would have banned sex education teachers from discussing any method of contraception other than abstinence.

Utah State of the State Address 2012

SALT LAKE CITY, Utah - Jan. 25 - Following is the prepared text of Gov. Gary Herbert (R) 2012 state of the state address: Lt. Governor and Mrs. Bell; President Waddoups; Speaker Lockhart; members of the Utah Legislature; members of my Cabinet; Justices of the Utah Supreme Court; Utah's First Lady, my be

Buzz Grows Around Huntsman Presidential Run

TODAY'S TAKE: Several current and former Republican governors are thought to be considering a run for the presidency next year. The latest subject of speculation is Jon Huntsman Jr., the ex-Utah governor and current U.S. ambassador to China.

Utah Lawmakers Could Override Transportation Veto

TRANSPORTATION BEAT: Utah's governor faces a rare veto override as lawmakers try to designate sales tax money for transportation … New Jersey won't use a private firm to collect tolls after all … A key U.S. senator suggests states will have to raise gas taxes-not depend on the feds-for new revenue, and other transportation news.

Will Utah Move Its Primary at Romney's Request?

TODAY'S TAKE: Mitt Romney's presidential campaign wants Utah election officials to move up the state's primary so it has more influence in the Republican nominating process.

Utah Is No GOP Battleground After All, Poll Finds

TODAY'S TAKE: Utah is not nearly as divided as some political analysts claim when it comes to Republican presidential contenders Mitt Romney and Jon Huntsman Jr., according to a new poll.

Citing Risks of Cancer, States Seek to Limit Teen Tanning

HEALTH BEAT: Concerned by research linking indoor tanning to skin cancer, legislators are trying to restrict teens use of tanning beds.

Utah is Fifth State to Adopt 'Health Care Compact'

Utah has joined four other states in a compact aimed at wresting control of Medicare and Medicaid from the federal government. But the proposal would require congressional approval.

Sagebrush Stirrings

Western states are launching a new round in their periodic challenge to Washington over the use of federally owned land. Authors of the challenge say they mean their effort to be more than a symbolic gesture. Others are skeptical that it will have much effect on federal policy.

How Utah Came to Own a Half-Built City in the Desert

When the recession drove a Western developer out of the real estate business, an obscure state land agency was left with a choice: Either buy out the developer or let someone else do it. The agency's decision will take years to pay off.Part two in a series.

Herbert Makes His Case as Foes on the Right Loom

TODAY'S TAKE: Facing opposition from fellow Republicans for another term, Utah Governor Gary Herbert used his state of the state address yesterday to celebrate Utah's economy and to attack the federal government.

Utah Governor Fumes as Arizona Considers New Highway Tolls

TRANSPORTATION BEAT: Arizona would like to make a toll road out of a remote 29-mile stretch of interstate highway between Las Vegas and Salt Lake City. Utah Governor Gary Herbert has blasted the scheme.

As Four-Day Workweek Ends, Utah Opens on Fridays

The nation's most ambitious experiment with an alternative work schedule is over. While many public sector employers offer four-day schedules to some employees, Utah was the only state to try it for most of its workforce.

Utah on Immigration: We Aren't Arizona

Business leaders and the Mormon Church helped one of the nation's most conservative states enact a compromise immigration package.

Summary of the Utah State of the State Address

Utah Gov. Gary Herbert (R) used his first state of the state address to call on lawmakers Jan. 26 to exercise fiscal restraint and not raise taxes, but to also protect education from budget cuts.

Utah Legislators Skeptical of Governor's Tax Proposal

TRANSITION WATCH: Utah Republicans grapple over the budget, Michigan's incoming governor mulls a new bridge to Canada, and more news of the historic shift in power in the states.

Poverty Rate Increases in Most States

The nations economic slowdown fueled an increase in the poverty rate in most states last year, with the greatest jumps in Utah and South Carolina.

Voucher Groups Seek to Oust Opponents

This year, school choice - or using public money to pay for private school tuition - is a big election issue in states where voucher plans have been defeated by narrow margins in recent years, such as Utah, South Carolina and Texas. Meanwhile, those same states have pro-school choice organizations that are well-funded and increasingly politically savvy.

WORTH NOTING: South Carolina's Shampoo Specialists

The Palmetto State cleans up a law requiring hairstylists to get more training than cops. Frog legs are frowned upon by Florida health officials. And an aide to Utah's lieutenant governor gets way ahead of his boss. In case you missed those stories this week, "Worth Noting" fills you in.

States Scrutinize For-Profit Colleges

Rhode Island is considering whether to approve a for-profit osteopathic medical school, as Kentucky leads 22 other states in investigating the for-profit education industry.

Governors Launch Anti-Terror Network

Declaring that direction of future national homeland security efforts "has to come from the governors," a leading member of the National Governors' Association has announced plans for a multistate interagency anti-terror information network. Its purpose: To help officials operate more effectively across all levels of government and the private sector to prevent or respond to terrorist activity.

Gubernatorial Candidates, Ohio - Wyoming

For a comprehensive list of gubernatorial candidates in Ohio through Wyoming.

Three States to Let Overseas Soldiers Vote by E-mail

For the first time, members of the U.S. armed forces stationed in Iraq or other international hot spots can use e-mail to vote in the Nov. 2 election if their legal residence is Missouri, North Dakota or Utah. Those states are pioneers in trying to make it easier for U.S. troops based overseas to cast absentee ballots. But the effort is not without its critics, who say the program raises privacy concerns and fears about possible vote tampering.

Cities, Counties Hurt By Budget Cuts

Starved for cash due to slumping sales tax revenues and rising Medicaid costs, North Carolinas Mecklenburg County needs another revenue hit like a fish needs a bicycle. But thats exactly what it got in February. Through April of this year, 10 states Iowa, Michigan, Minnesota, Mississippi, New Jersey, North Carolina, Rhode Island, Utah, Vermont and Washington have cut local revenue sharing dollars to balance fiscal year 2002 budgets.

E-Voting: States Better Get Ready, Experts Say

When it comes to Internet voting, Gov. George Pataki of New York and Gray Davis of California have a similar message: Proceed with caution. "We want to accelerate the pace of Internet voting," Davis said. But he stipulated that "we need to develop a secure, reliable system" before offering voters online ballots. Davis predicted that Californians would be voting via Internet within five to seven years, though some Internet executives expect it to happen a lot sooner.

Lame Ducks Ruffle Feathers in 3 Statehouses

Lame-duck legislators are feeling some heat in Pennsylvania and New Jersey, where some groups are calling for changes to post-Election Day legislative sessions that let departing lawmakers cast key votes just before their replacements take over. In Utah, legislative leaders have banned lame ducks from taking taxpayer-sponsored trips.

Christie Proposes to Slash Medicaid in New Jersey

HEALTH BEAT: Governor's plan would drop 23,000 adults who are currently receiving coverage. The federal government would have to approve the change in eligibility rules.

States Tackling Public Employee Retirement Benefits in 2010

Since legislatures convened last month, at least 16 states are weighing changes to their worker pension plans. Employees, retirees and unions say they will contest some of the proposals.

States Eye Possible Changes to No Child Left Behind

State lawmakers will ask Congress to give states more flexibility in meeting the Bush administrations sweeping No Child Left Behind education law, but the White House has made it plain theyll have to wait at least until after the 2004 elections.

Minnesota Senate Votes to Shrink State Government

MANAGEMENT BEAT: There may be 15 percent fewer workers in Minnesota state government … California Governor Jerry Brown weighs in with a pension overhaul plan … Nebraska looks to compromise on collective bargaining, and other government management news.

Four Legislatures Rapped For Lax Ethics Ignore Criticism

In a scathing report last February called "Hidden Agendas," the Center for Public Integrity, a non-profit, non-partisan government watchdog group, criticized state legislators in Michigan, Idaho, Utah and Vermont for having the laxest ethical standards in the nation. stateline.org looked at the situation again six months later, and found that little has changed.

Managing Govt. Is Key in Fiscal Downturn

Utah, Virginia and Washington got top marks for managing a wide range of responsibilities - from fixing roads and schools to spending tax dollars and sharing public information - that carry a direct impact on their residents' lives, according to a national study that measured state governments' strengths and weaknesses.

After Expanding Coverage, Health Care Pioneer Seeks to Tame Costs

The Affordable Care Act will extend health care coverage to almost everybody. Now states are moving on to the next frontier in health care reform: containing costs. Once again, Massachusetts is taking the lead by putting its health care industry on an annual budget and requiring all insurers and medical providers to make detailed price lists available to the public.

States Go After Wall Street

States are following New York's lead and pursuing Wall Street firms whose analysts have publicly touted stocks that they dont really consider good buys in the hopes of helping their companies win more investment-banking business.

Health Of Nation Measured In Report Card

A national report card on health places New Hampshire at the top of the list of states that have healthy residents with decent access to healthcare. Mississippi ranked 50th in the study sponsored by the United Health Group of Minneapolis. Minnesota, Utah and Massachusetts also ranked high among states for all round good health and longevity. Louisiana, South Carolina and West Virginia joined Mississippi at the bottom of the list.

States Try New Tactics to Restrict Abortion

State legislatures across the country this year enacted groundbreaking abortion laws prodded, in large part, by national health care reform. Some of the new laws will dramatically change the circumstances women face when trying to end their pregnancies and at least one could lead to a challenge of Roe v. Wade.

States Nervous About New Common Core School Standards

Concerns about local control have make implementation of the national education standards controversial in some states.

Can Digital Recordings Save Money for Courts?

Faced with crippling budget shortfalls, state courts are replacing in-person stenographers with digital recording systems. But do they really save money?

Tracking the Recession: Stimulus Police Funds Catch Legislators Off Guard

The influx of more than $4 billion in stimulus funding for state and local law enforcement initiatives has raised concerns among some state lawmakers who want a say in how the money is allocated and worry about what will happen when it runs out.

State Lawmakers Push Crackdown on Cancer-Causing Radon

Legislation filed in Iowa and Nebraska, and a proposal taking shape in Utah aim to reduce people’s exposure to radon, which kills about 21,000 people each year, according to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.

States Move Slowly Toward Digital Textbooks

Despite enthusiasm for digital textbooks at the national level, states have been slow to get on board. But the movement is gaining strength.

WORTH NOTING: Illinois Treasurer Shows His Knowledge of Charges

U.S. Sen. Barack Obama (D-Ill.) endures a bruising charge from Illinois Treasurer Alexi Giannoulias (D). A new Utah law stirs Salt Lake City bartenders to create a new drink. And Louisiana prison guards get outside help to prevent escapes. In case you missed those stories this week, Worth Noting fills you in.

Western Governors Wary of Federal Road-Free Forest Plan

A nervous group of Western governors says a Clinton administration proposal to make 54 million acres of national forest road-free would wreak havoc with logging, mining and tourism taking place on adjoining state and private property.

A sagebrush state shows its spirit

Idaho's governor this month has drummed up support for a statewide, citizen-led volunteer effort to rehabilitate vast areas of wildfire- scorched earth - double what has burned in California this week - by replanting the land with millions of seeds of a native shrub.

Republicans Win Big in North Carolina Governor’s Race But Struggle Elsewhere

Despite heavy spending by outside groups in nearly a dozen races for governor, the partisan mix of Democrats and Republicans leading states appeared to change only slightly as a result of Tuesday’s elections.

2004 Governors' Races

Here is a complete rundown of candidates in the nation's 11 governors' races.

Primaries Settle Slates of Open Governor Seats

Tuesdays primary results filled in the final blanks in the slate of candidates running for governor in 11 states. In five states, the race is wide open because incumbents arent competing in the general election. Here's a complete roster of governors matchups this election year.

Elections Will Bring Five Freshmen Governors

A Navy reserve officer who shipped out to Afghanistan weeks after the Sept. 11 attacks and a millionaire businessman whose family invented the clamshell container for McDonalds Big Mac are among the newcomers competing to join the nations corps of governors on Election Day. At least five freshmen governors will be elected this November in 11 gubernatorial races across the country.

Delaware Gov Defends Common Core

A handful of states are reconsidering their pledges to adopt the common national standards in English and math, citing concerns about federal intrusion into the states. Supporters say that’s misguided.

States Warned to Prep for Election Glitches

Eight years after voting irregularities marred the 2000 presidential election, most states still are not as prepared as they should be for Election Day glitches, from machine breakdowns to a shortage of emergency ballots, according to a new report by voter advocacy groups.

Economy Trims Some Govs' Inauguration Plans

In a bleak economy that has led even some of the most financially stable states to grow uneasy, some governors who were elected or re-elected in November are skipping the typical inaugural balls and toning down the glitz at their swearing-in ceremonies to cut costs.

Abuses in Delaware Weatherization Program Revealed

ENERGY & ENVIRONMENT BEAT: Delaware's troubled energy efficiency efforts ... a deal to remove protections for wolves ... Iowa leads in wind power and other energy and environment news.

Governors Promote Employment for People With Disabilities

A yearlong initiative at the National Governors Association examines the roles that states and businesses can play in finding jobs for people with disabilities.

Best of #StateReads: Changed Minds on the Death Penalty

This week’s extraordinary journalism about state government, tagged to #StateReads on Twitter.

Provisional Balloting Works Well in Initial Tests

Under the new federal election reform law, voters who claim to be registered but whose names are not on the rolls must be allowed to cast a provisional ballot starting in 2004. A handful of states implemented the new rule in the Nov. 5 election, and generally found that the system worked well.

Tracking Election Reform: This Week's News

Despite last year's fiasco in Florida, several state legislatures this week defeated or pigeon-holed election reform measures, but others plunged into what could be a busy, contentious season of debates on overhauling how Americans vote. Maryland, Colorado and Utah were states where major proposals went nowhere, but there was action in Georgia, South Carolina, Florida, and Iowa. To read the first of a series of weekly reports on this issue, click on