"State Legislative Contests Take on New Importance" This Election Year

by Nicole Moore

As we close in on Election Day, the national media is paying attention to state legislatures. This from the front page of the New York Times today:

"While the nation's attention has been fixed on the question of which party will control Congress, another campaign season has been unfolding in the shadows - upstaged and overlooked but more likely to affect the day-to-day life of voters than the big-money Congressional races." Read the whole story.

Last week, USA Today proclaimed "State legislative contests take on new importance"  and packaged that with a story on the fight for control of state capitals.

And two weeks ago, AP looked at the increased financing of state legislative elections.

I love it when reporters remember that Congress and the president aren't the only elected officials who matter. Sometimes it takes Tim Storey whispering in their ears, but that's okay. That's what NCSL is here for... to remind everyone that most of the laws that affect our daily lives are born in state legislatures. Much is at stake this election year.

For the latest election news, keep an eye on our StateVote 2006 election info portal  and the Thicket up to and all through Election Night. We won't sleep so we can bring you real time results and analysis.

And for a birds-eye view of the new political landscape after the election, come to D.C. on Nov. 10 for our StateVote meeting. Hear from Bill Schneider, Thomas Mann, Leon Panetta, Keiran Mahoney and NCSL's own Bill Pound, Jennie Drage Bowser, Corina Eckl and Tim Storey.