California
California is Using Virtual Reality on People in Prison, and It's Working
In California, the birthplace of much of the world’s technology innovation, virtual reality is being used in an unexpected setting: inside prisons.
Cara Brown McCormick
Cara McCormick is a political strategist and principal at Smart Campaigns, where she advises political, nonprofit, and corporate clients on research, communications, and campaign strategy. Cara has wo
Independent Voter Podcast
Why Did Walz Drop Out? Daycare Fraud & Chaos in Minnesota
Wondering how a major political figure walks away from power, and what that says about the system behind the scenes? This episode unpacks Tim Walz’s decision to step aside in Minnesota and how allegations around daycare funding brought to light by YouTuber Nick Shirley have cracked open a wide-open
Corrections
California Prison Health Care Is Still Failing: Audit Exposes Dangerous Conditions Despite Billions in Funding
Job vacancies in prison and state hospital health care have grown even as California has invested hundreds of millions of dollars to fill medical and mental health positions, according to a new state audit.
California 2026
Josh Hoover’s Test as a Moderate Republican: Can He Win Independent Voters Again?
The American River connects the cities of Folsom, Rancho Cordova, and Citrus Heights, forming the core of California’s 7th Assembly District, which also includes the unincorporated communities of McClellan Park, North Highlands, Foothill Farms, Fair Oaks, Orangevale, Gold River, Rosemont, Mather, an
Independent Candidates
With Tim Walz Out, Is Minnesota Ripe for The Next Jesse Ventura?
Minnesota Governor Tim Walz, a Democrat and Kamala Harris’s running mate in the 2024 presidential election that Donald J. Trump ultimately won, announced January 5 that he will not seek a third term in 2026.
Independent Voter Podcast
How Gavin Newsom’s Prop 50 is Reshaping California - For Better or For Worse
Prop 50 is redrawing California’s political battlefield, sparking new fears of gerrymandering, backroom mapmaking, and voters losing their voice.
Legalization Efforts
Trump Signs Order to Reclassify Cannabis to Schedule III
WASHINGTON — President Donald Trump announced Thursday that his administration will officially move cannabis from Schedule I to Schedule III under the Controlled Substances Act, a decision that marks the most significant change to U.S. drug policy since the early 1970s.
California
Quirk Silva’s Exit Sparks a High-Profile Orange County Clash, Where Independent Voters Control the Math
California’s 67th Assembly District stretches across parts of Orange and Los Angeles counties, connecting some of the region’s most dynamic and diverse suburban communities. It includes the entire cities of Cerritos, La Palma, Hawaiian Gardens, Artesia, Buena Park, and Cypress, as well as portions o
Legalization Efforts
Trump Could Reschedule Cannabis Tomorrow — Here’s What That Would Change Overnight
If reports prove accurate, tomorrow may mark the most significant shift in federal drug policy in 55 years. Multiple administration sources are signaling that President Trump is poised to follow through on what has long been teased: rescheduling cannabis from Schedule I to Schedule III under the Con
California
Arambula Departure Turns Fresno’s Safe Democratic Seat into a Battle Independent and GOP Voters Could Win
California’s 31st Assembly District runs through the agricultural heart of the San Joaquin Valley, where the land is lined with orchards, vineyards, and produce fields that feed the state and the nation. It covers portions of Fresno County, including the cities of Parlier, Selma, Orange Cove, Fowler
Breaking Report: Trump Set to Reclassify Marijuana to Schedule III
The Washington Post reports that according to six people familiar with the discussions, President Donald Trump is expected to direct federal agencies to reclassify marijuana from a Schedule I to a Schedule III controlled substance.
Ranked Choice Voting
Why Mathematicians Love Ranked Choice Voting
The Institute for Mathematics and Democracy (IMD) has released what may be the most comprehensive empirical study of ranked choice voting ever conducted. The 66-page report analyzes nearly 4,000 real-world ranked ballot elections, including some 2,000 political elections, and more than 60 million si