Washington, D.C. - Ohio will be the first state in the nation to use blockchain technology for tax payments. Businesses will be able to pay 23 types of taxes via bitcoin.

But if blockchain is secure enough for a government to collect money from companies, why hasn't it been given the green light for widespread use in securing our votes?

In her article, The "California Republican Party is Dead; A New Way Must Rise," Kristin Olsen makes the claim that the national Republican Party of today does not live up to its former principles of individual liberties, economic opportunity, and global leadership in education. Until the party distances itself from President Trump's brand of politics, Olsen continues, the Republican option will cease to be viable.

AUGUSTA, MAINE - US Rep. Bruce Poliquin announced Monday that his campaign was officially requesting a hand recount in Maine's 2nd Congressional District, the first House race to be decided by ranked choice voting.

Poliquin and his campaign made the following statement:

https://twitter.com/BrucePoliquin/status/1067171864370388992

Poliquin currently trails Democrat Jared Golden by more than 3,500 votes. Golden was pushed over the 50% threshold after the second round of ranked choice tabulation, garnering 50.53% of the vote.

SAN DIEGO, Calif. - You may already know that California voter turnout set a recent record for a non-presidential (or midterm) general election, with two thirds of registered California voters casting ballots in 2018.

Washington, D.C. - Tulsi Gabbard is keeping the focus and political pressure on President Trump's foreign policy in the Middle East.

Our country stands divided, now more than ever.

But whether red or blue, young or old, rural or urban, voters share a common interest in expanding their choices at the ballot box while protecting majority outcomes.

These ideals fueled the flames for a ranked choice voting revolution (RCV) in Maine, which just made history by becoming the first state to elect a U.S. Senator and two House members using RCV. Maine now joins the ranks of a dozen other cities that turned to ranked choice voting to solve their electoral woes.

San Diego, Calif.- Rumors that Rep. Tulsi Gabbard (D-Hawaii) is planning a 2020 presidential run will likely grow after she took aim at President Trump Wednesday over his comments regarding the killing of Jamal Khashoggi, a journalist who disappeared after entering the Saudi Arabian consulate in Turkey.

Gabbard took to twitter to voice her displeasure with the president's position on the issue:

WASHINGTON, D.C. - Here in Washington, just after Thanksgiving, the newly elected members of Congress will begin week two of orientation to learn how to hire staff, where the bathrooms are located, and the basic infrastructure involved in operating as a legislator.

And as the nation heads into a holding pattern over the holiday season, the debate rages over the current power structure on Capitol Hill and whether the parties' successful stifling of the debate will continue as 90 new members of Congress take their seats.

Prescription costs continue to rise with every passing year. Every month, patients find themselves paying higher on their out-of-cost medical care obligations. And to top it all off, some people outright refuse medical care when they most need it to avoid digging themselves deeper into a financial hole they know they’ll remain stuck in if they schedule a visit with a doctor.

There were two elections on November 6.

The first was a national referendum on President Trump that saw Democrats win a majority in the House of Representatives after nearly a decade out of power, while Republicans added seats in the Senate.