Off-year elections rarely generate much interest from voters. But at a time when those in D.C. can't seem to get much done, local elections are, in many ways, deciding the direction of the U.S. Mike Riggs examines some of compelling storylines.
The results of New York's mayoral election may be a foregone conclusion, but tight races in Minneapolis, Seattle, and Boston mean we'll have to wait until the votes are tallied to learn who will steer some of the country's most progressive cities. In addition to the more than 300 municipalities voting to choose new leaders, a number of city and state ballot measures are garnering national attention.
In two cities, voters will decide the fate of controversial redevelopment projects. In San Francisco voters "will determine whether developers can build luxury condos along the water at 8 Washington Street," explains Riggs. And in Houston, the fate of the Astrodome, the "world's first multi-purpose, domed sports stadium" is up to the voters. A ballot measure "would raise property taxes by a half-cent per $100 of home value; that money would then be used to turn the Astrodome into a convention center."
FULL STORY: Election Day 2013: Races to Watch

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City of Malibu
EMC Planning Group Inc.
Jefferson Parish
HUD's Office of Policy Development and Research
HUD's Office of Policy Development and Research
Harvard GSD Executive Education
City of Rohnert Park
City of Hot Springs
City of Lakeway, Texas
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