Articles on Article I, US Constitution

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Mail-in ballots in their envelopes await processing at the Los Angeles County Registrar-Recorder’s mail-in ballot processing center in Pomona, Calif., on Oct. 28, 2020. Robyn Beck / AFP via Getty Images

Why Trump can’t just decree changes to voting by mail – a former federal judge explains how the president’s executive order is ‘a solution looking for a problem’

The US Constitution gives states control of elections. An executive order by President Trump aims to take away that control. A former federal judge says a president can’t just deny the Constitution.
House Speaker Mike Johnson has given a lot of effort to pushing the agenda of President Donald Trump. Kevin Dietsch/Getty Images

Speaker Johnson’s choice to lead by following the president goes against 200 years of House speakers building up the office’s power

The founders’ vision of the speaker of the House – a nonpartisan moderator and referee – has yielded to a far more powerful position. But has Speaker Mike Johnson given away his chamber’s power?
Georgia Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger holds a news conference on Nov. 6, 2020, on the status of ballot counting in the close presidential race between Joe Biden and Donald Trump. Jessica McGowan/Getty Images

What does a state’s secretary of state do? Most run elections, a once‑routine job facing increasing scrutiny

There are dozens of secretaries of state in the US. Only one deals with foreign affairs. The majority of the rest, state secretaries of state, have powerful positions running elections in each state.

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