In this episode, hosts Eric Fey and Brianna Lennon speak with Amanda McColley. She’s the Regional Supervisor for the Division of Elections Region III office in Alaska, which covers Fairbanks and the interior of Alaska.They spoke about some of the unique challenges Alaskan election administrations can face – think having to load election equipment onto small charter planes – as well as some of the challenges they share with the lower 48, such as voter education around rank choice voting and training election staff.

Governor Mike Kehoe’s controversial decision to omit 300 million dollars from the state’s school funding formula must be debated before the budget’s Friday deadline.

The number of people waiting in jail to be transferred to state mental health facilities reached an all-time high in February.

In addition to adding millions for public schools and child care, the state Senate budget plan includes dozens of earmarked items for local projects and other programs.

In this episode, hosts Eric Fey and Brianna Lennon speak with Tina Guilford. She’s the Town Clerk in Derry, New Hampshire – home to the largest polling place in the United States (One polling location for 21,000 voters).They spoke about a newer law in New Hampshire that requires all people to provide proof of United States citizenship to register to vote, as well as how this new law has impacted the administration of elections in the state.

Advocates gathered at the state capitol Tuesday to celebrate the first year of the Hands-Free Law.

The Senate Appropriations Committee boosted funding to the foundation formula and this week will finish amending the $48 billion spending plan approved in the Missouri House.

In this episode, hosts Eric Fey and Brianna Lennon speak with married election officials Akyn and Noah Beck in Georgia. Akyn is the Elections Supervisor in Floyd County, and husband Noah is the Elections Director in neighboring Polk County.They spoke about how the couple met and fell in love – over poll books and precinct population data, and about how they have seen the landscape of Georgia election administration change in the last few years.

Three Senate bills authorizing video lottery games still haven’t received a hearing from the Senate Appropriations Committee. There are only five weeks left before the Senate adjourns and the state budget remains unfinished.

In January, the HTWM team was invited to record a live episode at the Southern Political Science Association meeting held in San Juan, Puerto Rico.Brianna and Eric sat down with Paul Gronke and Paul Manson of the Elections & Voting Information Center about results of this last year's Local Election Official Survey Project, looking at challenges, attitudes, and job satisfaction.