The fifty states and the many cities and localities are about as diverse as can be�but why do they differ? And how do political scientists account for those differences? In a unique collaboration, political scientist Kevin Smith has teamed up with Governing magazine journalists Alan Greenblatt and Michele Mariani to provide the answers. In this comprehensive, well researched, and engaging text, the authors present the most current information on states and localities in fresh, accessible prose. Similarities between states make meaningful comparisons possible.

But their differences�in institutional structures, laws and regulations, culture and history, demographics, economy, and geography�provide the perspective students need to answer crucial questions about politics and government.

Excellent Coverage, Exceptional Writing
This new edition continues to take full advantage of Governing�s insightful, timely, and lively reporting, blending it with top quality scholarship to provide current and comprehensive coverage of state political institutions, processes, and public policy. Starting with the essentials, the authors cover the institutional bases, from federalism and constitutions to legislatures, executives, and the courts; as well as the ins and outs of party politics, elections, voting behavior, and the structure and politics of local and regional governments. They then discuss in rich detail key policy areas such as finances and budgeting, education, health and welfare, and crime.