To fully understand how dramatically politicians in this country will move in the coming decade you need to look at the unique political positions of Millennials. On a range of top issues this generation is decidedly more progressive than the rest of the country. Even more important, as this generation gets older it is not [...]

What is remarkable is how close almost all the marriage equality and marijuana legalization ballot measures are in the final polls. If you live in one of these states and care about these issue make sure to vote. There is the real possibility that some of them will be decided by just a fraction of a percent.

Across the country this November voters will be deciding the fate of about 173 state ballot measures. Many of these measures deal with relatively minor issues, like an amendment to correct a constitutional mistake relating to the oath of office requirement in North Dakota. Several of the measures could result in important policy changes in [...]

Gary Johnson, the popular former Republican governor of New Mexico, is running for President on the Libertarian Party ticket.  He is possibly the most popular third party candidate this cycle, though support is quite small at a national level. In over a century since the modern two party system in America became firmly established, no [...]

Last night in Texas marijuana legalization supporter Beto O’Rourke defeated incumbent Rep. Silvestre Reyes in the Democratic primary for Texas’ 16th congressional district. O’Rourke won 50.5 percent to Reyes 44.3 percent, winning the party’s nomination outright and avoiding a run off. Given the district’s heavy democratic leaning, O’Rourke is all but assured to win the [...]

Are the voters in Massachusetts ready to embrace marijuana legalization in 2012? Analysis of the vote on local marijuana legalization advisory ballot question strongly points to yes. Massachusetts allows for citizens to place non-binding local “public policy questions” on the ballot. This year, in several precincts, voters weighed in on whether their local representatives should [...]

In addition to highly contested gubernatorial and senate contests, the voters of California will be deciding several of the most important ballot initiatives in the country. From PPIC (PDF): Proposition 19 16. Proposition 19 is called the “Legalizes Marijuana Under California but Not Federal Law. Permits Local Governments to Regulate and Tax Commercial Production, Distribution, [...]

Proposition 19, the initiative to legalize, regulate, and tax marijuana in California, is still holding on to a very narrow lead according to a new SurveyUSA poll. SurveyUSA (10/15-10/18) California voters may also vote on several propositions. On Proposition 19, which would change California law to legalize marijuana and allow it to be regulated and [...]

With Proposition 19, the initiative to legalize and regulate marijuana, on the California ballot, the big political question is: can the initiative be a driver of voter turnout ? This is not only important for the success or failure of the ballot measure, but could potentially affect both the highly contested California governor and Senate [...]

In addition to deciding the makeup of Congress, selecting several governors, and a weighing a host of local races, voters across the country will be voting on 159 statewide ballot measures, of which about 60 are more interesting than bland bond measures. Of these propositions, there are a handful that I believe could have a national or even international impact.