State and Local Government

This all-new collection of compelling readings from respected sources such as Governing, State Legislatures, Stateline.org, State and Local Government Review, and Capitol Ideas hits all the crucial marks for your state and local course. Year after year, these highly readable and up-to-date articles cover the significant issues. In this edition, readings look at topics such as state legalization of marijuana; proposals to change the allocation of Electoral College votes; state problems with passing a budget; and the rise of Republican governors. With the context and currency you have come to expect as hallmarks of this reader, the 2014–2015 Edition brings timely and sharp analysis into your state and local government classroom.

Kevin B. Smith is the Leland J. and Dorothy H. Olson Chair of Political Science at the

University of Nebraska–Lincoln. He is the author or coauthor of 10 books on politics and policy,

as well as numerous scholarly articles on state politics and policy. Prior to becoming an academic,

he covered state and local politics as a newspaper reporter. You can follow him on Twitter at @

nivek_htims.