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Imagine showing up to vote in November, proud that you are doing your civic duty, only to learn that the real contest happened six months ago without you. The winner was decided in a low-turnout primary while you were busy living your life. This is not a conspiracy. It is how the system was built.

The most prominent young conservative activist in America, Charlie Kirk, was shot during an event at Utah Valley University on Wednesday. Kirk, founder of the conservative student organization Turning Point USA and a close ally of President Donald Trump, was taking questions from students when the shooting occurred.

Rank MI Vote is gathering petition signatures for an amendment to the Michigan constitution that – if approved by voters – will allow voters who cast a ballot for president, Congress, governor, and more to use ranked choice voting instead of marking just a single candidate.

Earlier this month, President Donald Trump took to Truth Social, claiming he was going to “lead a movement to get rid of mail-in ballots,” adding that he would sign an executive order ahead of the 2026 midterms. However, Trump has yet to sign such an order.

Republicans currently hold a narrow 219 to 212 edge over Democrats in the U.S. House of Representatives, with four vacancies: three from Democratic members who have died and one from a Republican who has resigned. This is the smallest House majority held by either party in nearly a century. The razor-thin margin means the stakes in the 2026 midterms could not be higher. With so few competitive seats left nationwide, both parties are turning to mid-decade redistricting as a way to secure advantages.

Utah may be added to the list of states that will redraw their congressional maps in 2025. But unlike Texas and California, it is to correct a gerrymander by the Republican-controlled legislature, which has tried to sidestep the state’s independent redistricting commission.

Given the state’s role as home to many leading AI companies, a bipartisan coalition of California legislators is urging Congress to strike a little-noticed provision from the sweeping federal tax package that would block states and local governments from regulating artificial intelligence (AI) for the next decade.

Former US Senator Joe Manchin publicly condemned recent moves by West Virginia lawmakers to ban ranked choice voting and potentially restrict independent voters from participating in primary elections, calling the developments "political gamesmanship."

New analysis from the nonpartisan better elections group FairVote reveals a grim picture of American democracy: Congressional elections are becoming even less competitive and easier to predict -- with the vast majority of House seats effectively decided long before voters cast their ballots.

Salt Lake City will continue using ranked choice voting (RCV) in its municipal elections, allowing voters to rank candidates in order of preference rather than selecting just one. The City Council reaffirmed their commitment to the system, following positive feedback from the 2023 elections. ​