The Biggest Issues to Watch in 2021 Alan Greenblatt, David Kidd, Carl Smith | January 19, 2021 | Analysis State lawmakers face a terrible hangover of problems from 2020. First and foremost is the pandemic, which is at its worst even as vaccinations are rolled out across the country. Caseloads and death tolls are adding uncertainty to the economy, which in turn is hampering state budgets. As legislatures began to meet this month, some convened virtually due to concerns about COVID-19, while capitols were boarded up or surrounded by perimeter fences and SWAT teams because of the ongoing threat of political violence. Anger about the election and its bloody aftermath is leading to partisan divisions about how to handle voting. Democrats would like to see more mail voting and other expansive measures, while Republicans argue that even the suspicion of widespread voter fraud — while shot down repeatedly in dozens of court cases in recent weeks — is reason enough to push for a more secure system. “There’s a sincere need for us to look at voting,” says Robin Vos, the Republican speaker of the Wisconsin Assembly. “We need to do a better job so that either side that is not successful feels that the result was legal and secure.”