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5 Politicians Bucking Their Party on Gerrymandering
Across the country, both parties are weighing whether to redraw congressional maps ahead of the 2026 midterm elections. Texas, California, Missouri, North Carolina, Utah, Indiana, Colorado, Illinois, and Virginia are all in various stages of the action. Here are five politicians who have declined to support redistricting efforts promoted by their own parties.
31 Oct, 2025
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4 min read
Ballrooms, Ballots, and a Three-Way Fight for New York
The latest Independent Voter Podcast episode takes listeners through the messy intersections of politics, reform, and public perception. Chad and Cara open with the irony of partisan outrage over trivial issues like a White House ballroom while overlooking the deeper dysfunctions in our democracy. From California to Maine, they unpack how the very words on a ballot can tilt entire elections and how both major parties manipulate language and process to maintain power.
30 Oct, 2025
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1 min read
'Build, Baby, Build!' is NOT the Answer to Housing Crises
Can San Diego build its way out of its three-part housing crisis – supply, affordability and homelessness? Some of elected officials think so and are leading the charge. I have been in the real estate industry for 50-plus years, and I say they are on the wrong track.
27 Oct, 2025
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4 min read
Ranked Choice Voting Expands Across America in 2025 -- From New York City to Fort Collins
Eighteen U.S. cities and counties have used or are using ranked choice voting (RCV) in 2025 -- including the largest cities in three states: New York City (for its primaries only), Minneapolis, and Salt Lake City.
24 Oct, 2025
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3 min read
EXCLUSIVE: California Commissioner Says Lawmakers Gutted Their Funding BEFORE Prop 50
The fate of California’s independently drawn congressional districts will be decided on November 4, when voters weigh in on a legislative gerrymander and the suspension of congressional maps from the state's independent Citizens Redistricting Commission (CRC) under Proposition 50.
08 Oct, 2025
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8 min read
Toni Atkins Exits Governor’s Race as Ian Calderon Jumps In, Energizing California’s 2026 Contest
The race to be California’s next governor entered a new chapter this week. Toni Atkins, a veteran lawmaker with decades of influence in Sacramento, has stepped aside. In her place, Ian Calderon, bringing the restless energy of a 39-year-old millennial eager to reimagine the state’s future, has jumped into the contest. The shakeup reflects both the end of one political era and the beginning of another, setting the stage for what promises to be one of the most exciting primaries in recent California history.
02 Oct, 2025
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6 min read
Independent Voters: If Members of Congress Won’t Keep Government Open, Don’t Pay Them
Here we are again – another government shutdown. Every few months, Congress enters another partisan fiscal battle as Republicans and Democrats refuse to work with each other to pass anything more than a continuing resolution to keep the U.S. funded.
01 Oct, 2025
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3 min read
California Prop 50: Partisan Power Play or Necessary Counterpunch?
November 4 marks a special election for what has become the most controversial ballot measure in California in recent memory: Proposition 50, which would circumvent congressional districts drawn by the state’s independent redistricting commission for a legislative-drawn map.
01 Oct, 2025
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9 min read
Trump Shares Pro-Cannabis Video From Longtime Friend, Heightening Suspense Over Cannabis Rescheduling
On September 28, President Donald Trump posted a Truth Social video praising CBD as a “game-changer” for seniors.
30 Sep, 2025
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4 min read
California Cuts Cannabis Taxes as DEA Targets Vapes and Congress Tries to Block Rescheduling
The landscape for cannabis in the United States continues to shift on multiple fronts, with recent developments spanning state tax relief, federal enforcement, and congressional roadblocks to reform.
26 Sep, 2025
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5 min read









