State politics is where democracy touches everyday life. While national headlines dominate our attention, it’s state governments that decide how we vote, what our schools teach, how our communities police and protect, and whether our rights expand or erode. State legislatures draw the district lines that shape political power for a decade. They determine access to reproductive healthcare, environmental protections, voting rights, and the public investments that help—or fail—local communities. When democracy falters at the state level, the consequences ripple outward: unfair maps, suppressed votes, unaccountable power structures, and policy experiments that can either strengthen freedom or dismantle it quietly, far from the national spotlight.
For decades, Americans have been conditioned to see Washington as the center of political life. But in reality, statehouses are the engines of policy innovation—and, increasingly, the front lines of democratic backsliding. As national parties grow more polarized and Congress becomes gridlocked, activists, donors, and political operatives have shifted their focus to the states. This shift has created an imbalance of attention and engagement, allowing anti-democratic practices to take root where few are watching. When state politics is healthy, it functions as a laboratory for solving problems. When it is corrupted, it becomes a laboratory for undermining democracy itself.
In this collection of podcasts, scholars, journalists, organizers, and public officials pull back the curtain on the power and peril of state governance. You’ll hear how national parties are reshaping state politics, why voting rights battles are increasingly local, how gerrymandering and election manipulation begin in statehouses, and what it looks like when mayors, legislators, and everyday citizens fight back. These conversations explore everything from state voting rights acts to redistricting wars, from grassroots power-building to what it means to govern with humility in small communities where everyone knows your name.
Together, these episodes reveal a simple truth: if democracy is going to survive, it has to be defended where it lives—in cities, counties, and state capitols across the country. National change begins locally, and the strength of our republic depends on whether we protect and revitalize democracy at the state level, long before crises reach Washington.
Why do local and state elections matter, and how can voters be sure that their voices are being represented in the lawmaking process? We open the third season of Democracy Decoded with an overview of democracy at the state and local level, and how we can ensure that all citizens can have their voices heard.
In this episode Simone talks with Jawharrah Bahar about her experience losing and then regaining her freedom to vote, and how that inspired her work with the advocacy group Free Hearts. CLC’s senior vice president Paul Smith explains how and why state and local governments are stepping in directly to protect the right to cast a ballot. Simone also speaks with the Arizona State Director for the organization All Voting is Local, Alex Gulotta. Alex talks about the fight for state and local voting policies that protect the freedom to vote of Black, brown, Native American, and other historically disenfranchised communities.
Listen to the full episode on Democracy Decoded: All Politics Is Local
American democracy is under attack, and much of the damage is done in statehouses. David Pepper explains how Americans’ hyper-fixation on national politics opens the door for corruption and anti-democratic actions at the state level. In Ohio, state legislators have undermined democracy by manipulating election policies and drawing unfair legislative districts. Pepper discusses how all Americans, regardless of political affiliation, can incorporate saving democracy into their daily lives.
David Pepper is a lawyer, writer, political activist, and adjunct professor at the University of Cincinnati College of Law. He served as Chair of the Ohio Democratic Party from 2015-2021. In addition to his daily Substack, he has written several books. Two address state-level attacks on democracy: Laboratories of Autocracy: A Wake-Up Call from Behind the Lines (2021) and Saving Democracy: A User’s Manual for Every American (2023). His other books are political thrillers, the most recent being The Fifth Vote (2023). He also serves as a Senior Fellow for the Charles F. Kettering Foundation.
Listen to the full episode on The Context: David Pepper: The Heart of the Attack on Democracy Happens in States
Over the past generation, the Democratic and Republican parties have each become nationally coordinated political teams. American political institutions, on the other hand, remain highly decentralized.
In his forthcoming book, Laboratories Against Democracy, Jake Grumbach argues that as Congress has become more gridlocked, national partisan and activist groups have shifted their sights to the state level, nationalizing state politics in the process and transforming state governments into the engines of American policymaking in areas from health care to climate change. He also traces how national groups are using state governmental authority to suppress the vote, gerrymander districts, and erode the very foundations of democracy itself.
Grumbach is an assistant professor of political science at the University of Washington. He was recently granted tenure. Congratulations, Jake!
Listen to the full episode on Democracy Works: How national parties are breaking state politics
Lala Wu is the co-founder and executive director of Sister District, an organization that works to build enduring progressive power in state legislatures. We discuss how state races will continue to be important during the presidential election cycle and why the battle for redistricting will be center stage.
State legislatures are where a lot of impactful policy made, such as abortion laws. They’re also critical because in most states, state legislatures control redistricting. Building progressive power is about winning elections, passing legislation, and then telling the story about legislative successes so that voters want to keep you in power and continue the work.
Listen to the full episode on Future Hindsight: State Races Matter: Lala Wu
Imani Brooks, Policy Fellow with Legal Defense Fund (LDF), joins the podcast this month to give us an overview on State Voting Rights Acts (SVRAs) across the country. She and Chris discuss what SVRAs do, how to build a strong SVRA, and what you can do to help pass one in your state.
Resources mentioned in this episode:
Listen to the full episode on RCV Clips: All About State Voting Rights Acts with Imani Brooks
In this week's episode, host and NewDEAL CEO Debbie Cox Bultan sits down with Bronx, NY State Senator Jamaal T. Bailey. They discuss how experiences in high school and college inspired Bailey to run for public office, the advice he has for his constituents during these uncertain times, and his bi-partisan work on criminal justice reform. They also discuss Senator Bailey's new role as the Chair of the Insurance Commission and his focus on making life more affordable for New Yorkers. Tune in to get Senator Bailey's thoughts on the NYC Mayoral race and what he's looking forward to in the months ahead.
IN THIS EPISODE:
• [01:05] Introducing Senator Bailey to the show.
• [02:07] What inspired Senator Bailey to work in public service.
• [07:48] Why leaders have to be respectful to everyone, whether they agree or not.
• [13:49] He shares his passion for helping people understand insurance.
• [16:49] His role as Chair of the Senate of Insurance Commission.
• [21:13] Why he's so passionate about criminal justice reform and what he's done in that area.
• [25:17] Senator Bailey shares his thoughts on the current election race in NYC.
• [28:32] The power of conversation and his affordability reforms.
• [30:39] What's next for Senator Bailey and his interest in youth sports.
Listen to the full episode on An Honorable Profession: How to Fight Towards a Better Democracy with New York Senator Jamaal T. Bailey
This episode features a conversation with Grace Cowan of Frogmore Stew, a podcast focused on South Carolina politics. Nancy and Grace thought it would be interesting, on the cusp of this momentous election, to see how life looks like on the other side of our red state and blue state fences. They talk about how when it comes down to everyday issues there really is a lot more blurring of the partisan lines than the media and national party propaganda would have us believe. They also discuss how certain issues like climate change can transcend party, and that, in the end, there is much more that unites us than divides us. Sure, we have different opinions, but in a nation dominated by an us vs. them mentality, this conversation made me feel better about the prospect of coming together as a country again. We just have to keep talking.
Frogmore Stew is a podcast about South Carolina politics, political history and political culture. Grace and her guests talk through the intersection of national and state politics, she feature guests that give deep insight into a variety of topics, and she looks at how pop culture has become intertwined in our political vernacular. Frogmore Stew is a realistic and educated approach to the policy issues that affect South Carolinians everyday.
Listen to the full episode on New Faces of Democracy: A Red State Democrat’s View
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