Guides, explainers, and analysis about how U.S. government works — and how to make yours work for you.
6 articles in "Civics 101" · Page 1 of 2
Your U.S. Representative votes on national defense and federal taxes. Your state legislator votes on your driver's license rules, your kid's school funding, and whether your rent can be raised without notice. Most people can name the first and have never heard of the second.
Confused about who to call when the pothole on your street doesn't get fixed, or why Congress can't do anything about your local school board? Here's the actual division of labor between all three levels of American government.
Every ten years, the lines dividing America's congressional districts are redrawn — a quiet, technical process that nonetheless determines how much your vote actually counts. From partisan gerrymandering to independent commissions, understanding who controls this process reveals one of the most consequential yet overlooked forces shaping American representation.
When Americans cast their ballots for president, they are not directly electing the president—they are choosing electors who cast the votes that decide the outcome.
Follow the money and the votes: how a single local issue — like expanding a bus route — quietly travels through city hall, your state legislature, Congress, and back to the ballot box.