The phrase "stalled effort" refers to a situation where a particular plan or attempt to achieve something has come to a halt or is no longer making progress. Full definition
NEW YORK CITY — New Yorkers headed to the polls for a chance to select Mayor Michael Bloomberg's successor and cast ballots in a host of other elections — even as broken voting machines across the city stalled their efforts. (dnainfo.com)
That stemmed from a 2015 incident in which they allegedly stalled efforts to uncover thousands of dollars of improper purchases with a union bank card by Deborah J. Lee, who had been the leader of a PEF council in Rockland County. (timesunion.com)
As New York debates whether to join these cities after decades of stalled efforts, their experiences could provide a road map. (nytimes.com)