Lobbying

California:  “Bill raises fees on lobbyists to fund disclosure” by The Associated Press in the Mercury News.

North Carolina:  “Despite laws, NC legislators still ask lobbyists for money” by Laura Leslie in WRAL.com.

South Carolina:  “SC: Top-paid State House lobbyist earns $673K” by Eric K. Ward in Watchdog.org.

Campaign Finance

Arizona: “State Sen. Gould: No improper campaign spending” by Rebekah L. Sanders in the Arizona Republic.

Ethics

Kansas: “Kansas lawmakers unwittingly broke open meetings law” by Brad Cooper in the Kansas City Star.

North Dakota:  “Legislators to create code of conduct after North Dakota named ‘most corrupt state’” by Wendy Reuer in InForum.

South Carolina:  “Haley, Wilson unveiling ethics reform package” by The Associated Press in the Greenville News.

Redistricting

“2012 Pre-election Turnover is Typical for a Redistricting Year” by Karl Kurtz in NCSL’s The Thicket blog.

Montana: “Commission wraps up proposal for new Montana House districts” by Mike Dennison in the Missoulian.

“On the (Non-)Effects of Redistricting on Electoral Competition” by Karl Kurtz in NCSL’s The Thicket.

Alabama: “Democrats punt in state court, look to feds to fight redistricting of the Alabama Legislature” by Kim Chandler in the Birmingham News.

California: “State Legislative Campaigns Least Competitive in Nation” by Will Evans in KQED News.

Maryland: “Md. petitioners confident of sufficient signatures for redistricting vote” by Elizabeth Sallie in the the Washington Times.

North Carolina: “NC Supreme Court hears redistricting issue Tuesday” by Gary D. Robertson (Associated Press) in the Greensboro News-Record.

Pennsylvania: “Districts map redraws challenges in state Senate” by Marc Levy in the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette.

“Public stations may get OK for political ads” by David Bauder (Associated Press) in The Washington Times.

“After winning right to spend, political groups fight for secrecy” by Joseph Tanfani and Melanie Mason in the Los Angeles Times.

Alaska: “Federal government role in Alaska elections questioned” by Becky Bohrer in the Anchorage Daily News.

District of Columbia: “Embattled DC Mayor Gray to propose campaign finance reforms in bid to end ‘pay to play’” by Ben Nuckols (Associated Press) in The Washington Post.

Minnesota: “Lobbying is a big business in Minnesota” by Jennifer Brooks in the Star Tribune.

Minnesota: “High court ruling throws state campaign law into doubt” by Corey Mitchell in the Star Tribune.

Texas: “Cruz-Dewhurst battle pits D.C. and Austin lobbyists” by Priya Anand in the Houston Chronicle.

Vermont: “Vermont Officials Criticize Federal Ruling On Campaign Finance” by Bob Kinzel on Vermont Public Radio.

“Sunlight Foundation Unveils New Legislative Alert Service, Monitoring Action On Capitol Hill And All 50 States” by Sarah Lai Stirland in TechPresident.

“More on Legislative Turnover” by Karl Kurtz in NCSL’s The Thicket.

Arizona: “Fewer candidates vie for Arizona Legislature” by Mary Jo Pitzl in The Arizona Republic.

Maryland: “Maryland Becomes 40th State to Ratify 17th Amendment” by Karl Kurtz in The Thicket.

Redistricting

Alabama: “Inside the Statehouse: New district lines won’t change legislature” by Steve Flowers in the Jacksonville News.

Alaska: “Lawsuit claims redistricting procedure violates federal law” by Becky Bohrer in the Anchorage Daily News.

Illinois: “Ill. Supreme Court rejects GOP challenge to state legislative remap” by Dave McKinney in the Chicago Sun-Times.

Kansas:  “In Kansas redistricting, new boundaries quickly bring new faces” by Dave Helling in the Kansas City Star.

Missouri: “Missouri senator will pursue redistricting changes” by The Associated Press in the Kansas City Star.

Photo of the Illinois State Capitol by Nikopoley in Wikipedia.

“Text Messages as Campaign Finance Reform?” by Quentin Fottrell in the Wall Street Journal.

“The Politics of Social Networking” by Damon Eris on the Independent Voter Network.

“At Meeting of Left’s Online Activists, Weighing Impact of Attack Ads” by Sarah Wheaton in The New York Times.

Alaska: “Will Citizens United result in Big Oil deciding who wins Alaska elections?” in the Alaska Dispatch.

District of Columbia:  “Ex-D.C. Council Chairman Pleads Guilty to Bank Fraud” by Tom Schoenberg in Bloomberg.

Georgia: “Taking the Pledge – Most see need for lobbyist gift cap” in the Marietta Daily Journal.

Kansas: “Voters will see big changes from new redistricting plan” by Scott Rothschild in the Lawrence Journal World.

New York: “Analysis: $2M gambling bet puts focus on lobbyist” by The Associated Press in The Wall Street Journal.

Lobbying

“Lobbyists ask Congress for a mandate on ethics” by Kevin Bogardus in The Hill.

Campaign Finance

“Tammany businessman’s allegedly illegal campaign donations went to Gov. Jindal’s 2007 run” by Claire Galofaro in the New Orleans Times-Picayune.

Redistricting

Iowa: “Redistricting makes for tumultuous Iowa primary” by The Associated Press in the Quad-City Times.

New Hampshire: “Court to hear challenges to NH redistricting plan” by Holly Ramer (Associated Press) in the Boston Globe.

Social Media

“Political campaigns are in a constant technology arms race” by Scott Canon in the Kansas City Star.

Recall Elections

“Recall Fever: As Scott Walker Fights To Keep His Post, Recall Elections Spread Across U.S.” by Ashley Portero in the International Business Times.

“Recall fundraising figures released” by the Associated Press in WEAU News.

“Statistics Fly in Wisconsin’s Recall Battle” by Douglas Belkin in The Wall Street Journal.

Redistricting

Connecticut: “Challenge to Senate redistricting is delayed” by Brian Lockhart in the Connecticut Post.

Kansas: “Brownback tells federal judicial panel to toss legislative redistricting maps” by Scott Rothschild in the Lawrence Journal World.

Kansas: “Kan. redistricting trial nears completion” by John Milburn (Associated Press) in Real Clear Politics.

Photo of Wisconsin Governor Scott Walker by Megan McCormick in Wikipedia.

Arizona: “Dismissal of Arizona redistricting lawsuit requested by commission” by The Associated Press in the Arizona Capitol Times.

Kansas: “Remove politics, and redistricting map falls in line” by Scott Rothschild in the Lawrence Journal World.

Kansas: “Redistricting hearings begin in Kansas City” by Andy Marso and Aly Van Dyke in the Topeka Capitol-Journal.

Missouri: “Missouri’s U.S. House and statehouse districts will remain, court rules” by Elizabeth Crisp in the St. Louis Post-Dispatch.

North Carolina: “N.C. group: Panel, not lawmakers, to draw districts” by the Associated Press in the Greensboro News & Record.

Texas: “Redistricting concerns remain in Texas” by Paul J. Weber in the Daily Oklahoman.

Alabama: “Redistricting bill stalls in Senate” by Sebastian Kitchen and Brian Lyman in the Montgomery Advertiser.

Alaska: “Haines Borough challenges latest redistricting plan” by Becky Bohrer in the Anchorage Daily News.

Arizona: “Ariz. redistricting headed to two courts” by Howard Fischer in the Arizona Daily Sun.

California: “In Calif. redistricting experiment, how much better off will Democrats be?” by Tom Curry on MSNBC.com.

Kansas:  “Court allows lawmakers, voters to intervene in redistricting suit” by John Hanna of the Associated Press and Brent D. Wistrom of the Eagle Topeka bureau in the Kansas City Star.

Election Law

NCSL is now offering a searchable database of election reform legislation from the states in one convenient location on their website: “Election Reform Legislation Online on NCSL Website”

“Brewer signs elections bill, vetoes 6 bills” by Mary JO Pitzl in the Tucson Citizen.

Redistricting

Alabama: “Alabama Legislature holding final day of session” by The Associated Press in the News Courier. According to the article, “Legislative leaders have asked the governor to call a special session starting Thursday to draw new legislative districts.”

Alaska: “Redistricting board unveils changes made in Southeast” by Becky Bohrer in the Anchorage Daily News.

Kansas: “Republicans at war with each other over redistricting” by Scott Rothschild in the Lawrence Journal World.

Minnesota: “$628K sought for redistricting costs in Minn.” by Martiga Lohn (Associated Press) in the Crookston Times.

Campaign Finance

“FEC to Congress: Expand ban on personal use of political committee funds” by Rachel Leven in The Hill.

Ethics

Arkansas: “Group throws financial weight behind ethics reform initiative” by Rob Moritz in Arkansas News.

Florida: “Gov. Rick Scott’s chief of staff draws ethics complaint for using state staff to apply for a job” by May Ellen Klas in The Miami Herald.

Florida: “Florida Gov. Rick Scott’s Chief of Staff Resigns Amid Scrutiny of State Contracts Awarded Friends” by Mary Ellen Klas in Governing.

Redistricting

Alaska: “State redistricting board will meet Monday to address supreme court concerns in SE Alaska” by The Associated Press in The Republic.

Arizona: “Clean Elections Commission weighs in on redistricting suit” by Mary Jo Pitzl in the Arizona Republic.

Kansas:  “Kansas redistricting fight may navigate to the courts” in the Kansas City Business Journal.

Alaska:  “High court to hear redistricting petition” by The Associated Press in The Anchorage Daily News.

Kansas: “GOP redistricting fight could mean courts make final decision” by John Hanna (Associated Press) in the Lawrence Journal World.

North Carolina: “Redistricting sets stage for fall elections” by Emery Dalesio (Associated Press) in the Winston-Salem Journal.

Washington:  “Supreme Court upholds state redistricting plan” by Warren Kagarise in the Issaquah Press.

Alaska: “Redistricting map solutions elusive as court battle looms” by Richard Mauer in the Anchorage Daily News.

Kansas: “Kansas Senate OKs redistricting plan” by Brad Cooper in the Kansas City Star.

Kentucky: “Kentucky Supreme Court cites redistricting law as unconstitutional” by Franklin Clark in the Cadiz Record.

Mississippi: “Mississippi Senate unveils its redistricting map” by The Associated Press in the Clarion Ledger.

New Hampshire: “House redistricting plan faces more legal challenges” by Garry Rayno in the Union Leader.

Pennsylvania: “Redistricting panel to receive input on new Pa. maps” by Ali Lanyon (Associated Press) on WHTM.

South Carolina: “Supreme Court considering fate of primary candidates” by Gina Smith in The State.

South Carolina: “SC justices consider fate of dozens of candidates” by Jeffrey Collins (Associated Press) in the Spartanburg Herald Journal.

Vermont: “Vt. lawmakers finish redistricting” on NECN.com.

“Redistricting takes some of the ‘swing’ out of House fights” by Susan Davis in USA Today.

Alaska: “It may be too late for another legislative redistricting plan” by Becky Bohrer in the Anchorage Daily News.

Arizona: “State Supreme Court reaffirms that governor shouldn’t have fired redistricting chair” by Howard Fischer in the East Valley Tribune.

Kansas: “Kobach warns of redistricting crisis” by John Hanna (Associated Press) in the Lawrence Journal-World.

Mississippi: “Mississippi lawmakers tackle redistricting” by Phil West in The Commercial Appeal.

Pennsylvania: “Pennsylvania’s new map pits incumbent Democrats in primary” by Sean Lengell in The Washington Times.

Vermont: “Vermont Senate endorses redistricting plans” by Nancy Remsen in the Burlington Free Press.

Wyoming: “State: Redistricting plaintiffs have no standing to file suit” by Trevor Brown in the Wyoming Tribune Eagle.