As elections go, the races for seven spots on the Court of Common Pleas and four spots on Municipal Court certainly lacked a sense of suspense yesterday.

AP - Utah Attorney General Mark Shurtleff suspended his campaign for U.S. Senate on Wednesday, saying he needs to spend more time with a daughter who is experiencing severe mental health problems.

Move will allow Alex Salmond's Scottish nationalist government to build alliances with small states, city councils and major companies pressing for deep and binding cuts in CO2 emissionsAlex Salmond's Scottish nationalist government has joined California and New York city in a global alliance of small states, city councils and major companies pressing for deep and binding cuts in CO2 emissions.The Scottish National party administration said today it had signed up to the Climate Group, a London-based not-for-profit campaign which is ... more

AP - The United States spends more money than any other country, and its elite institutions are the world's best. But overall the system is wasteful, fails too many — and is falling behind other countries.

Tuesday's off-year election might not have the high stakes of the 2008 presidential election, but several significant races are worth watching: