Kevin B. Smith is the Leland J. and Dorothy H. Olson Chair of Political Science at theUniversity of Nebraska–Lincoln. He is the author or coauthor of 10 books on politics and policy,as well as numerous scholarly articles on state politics and policy. Prior to becoming an academic,he covered state and local politics as a newspaper reporter. You can follow him on Twitter at @nivek_htims.Alan Greenblatt is a reporter at Governing magazine and has been writing about politics andgovernment in Washington, D.C., and the states for more than two decades. As a reporter forCongressional Quarterly, he won the National Press Club’s Sandy Hume Memorial Award forExcellence in Political Journalism. At Governing, he has covered numerous issues of concern tostate and local governments, such as budgets, taxes, and higher education. Along the way, he haswritten about politics and culture for many other outlets, including NPR, the New York Times,and the Washington Post. He’s on Twitter at @AlanGreenblatt.

Select Guide Rating

• Chapter 1: Introduction to State and Local Government: They Tax Dogs in West Virginia, Don’t They?The Impact of State and Local Politics on Daily LifeThe Comparative Method in Practice: Yes, They Really Do Tax Dogs in West VirginiaRecognizing the StakesConclusionThe Latest ResearchKey ConceptsSuggested Web SitesState Stats on State and Local GovernmentChapter 2: Federalism: The Power PlanSystems of PowerWhy Federalism? The Origins of the Federal System in the United StatesThe Advantages and Disadvantages of FederalismThe Constitutional Basis of FederalismThe Development of FederalismThe Supreme Court: The Umpire of FederalismConclusionThe Latest ResearchKey ConceptsSuggested Web SitesState Stats on FederalismChapter 3: Constitutions: Operating InstructionsWhat State Constitutions Do: It’s Probably Different from What You ThinkThe Evolution of State ConstitutionsThe First Generation of State ConstitutionsFormal Constitutional ChangesInformal Methods for Changing ConstitutionsWhy State Constitutions VaryHow State Constitutions DifferConstitutions for Local Government?ConclusionThe Latest ResearchKey ConceptsSuggested Web SitesState Stats on ConstitutionsChapter 4: Finance: Filling the Till and Paying the BillsShow Me the Money: Where State Revenues Come FromThe Budget ProcessConclusionThe Latest ResearchKey ConceptsSuggested Web SitesState Stats on FinanceChapter 5: Political Attitudes and Participation: Venting and VotingElectionsWhat Elections Are Used ForPublic OpinionConclusionThe Latest ResearchKey ConceptsSuggested Web SitesState Stats on Political Attitudes and ParticipationChapter 6: Parties and Interest Groups: Elephants, Donkeys, and Cash CowsA Primer on Political PartiesState Party Regulation and FinanceParty Competition: Why Some States Are More Competitive than OthersThird Parties and IndependentsInterest Groups and LobbiesConclusionThe Latest ResearchKey ConceptsSuggested Web SitesState Stats on Parties and Interest GroupsChapter 7: Legislatures: The Art of Herding CatsThe Job of LegislaturesOrganization and Operation of LegislaturesState LegislatorsThe Citizens’ Whipping Boy: Legislators and Public OpinionConclusionThe Latest ResearchKey ConceptsSuggested Web SitesState Stats on LegislaturesChapter 8: The Executive Branch and Bureaucracy: How Governments Operate and Who’s in ChargeThe Job of GovernorThe Powers of GovernorsBecoming Governor and Staying GovernorOther Executive OfficesWhat Is Bureaucracy?What Does Bureaucracy Do?What Is “Enough” Bureaucracy?Measuring Bureaucratic Effectiveness: It Does a Better Job than You ThinkPolitics and the Merit SystemIf Not Merit . . . Then What?The Latest ResearchKey ConceptsSuggested Web SitesState Stats on the Executive Branch and BureaucracyChapter 9: Courts: Turning Law into PoliticsThe Role and Structure of State CourtsSelecting JudgesProsecution and Defense of Cases in State CourtsThe Case for Court ReformConclusionThe Latest ResearchKey ConceptsSuggested Web SitesState Stats on CourtsChapter 10: Local Government: Function Follows FormThe Many Faces of Local GovernmentThe Organization and Responsibilities of Local GovernmentsMunicipalitiesWorking within Limits: The Powers and Constraints of Local GovernmentParticipation in Local GovernmentThe Missing Level of GovernmentSprawl: How Metropolitan Regions GrowThe Cons of Metropolitan GrowthGovernment Reform in Metropolitan AreasThe Case against Reform: Public Choice and the Tiebout ModelRural MetropoliticsConclusionThe Latest ResearchKey ConceptsSuggested Web SitesState Stats on Local Government