Welcome to the Monday, June 28, Brew. Here’s what’s in store for you as you start your day:
- Nevada enacts legislation replacing state’s presidential caucus in 2024
- New Jersey voters to decide at least two state constitutional amendments this year
- COVID-19 policy changes and events one year ago this week
Nevada enacts legislation replacing state’s presidential caucus in 2024
We’re not even halfway through 2021, but states are already making changes to the 2024 presidential nominating calendar. So, let’s take a look at the activity.
Nevada Gov. Steve Sisolak (D) signed legislation on June 11 that replaces the state’s presidential caucus with a primary and seeks to make that primary the first presidential nominating event in 2024.
In 2020, the Nevada Democratic caucuses took place on Feb. 22, and the Republican Party canceled its caucus. In 2016, Democrats held their caucus on Feb. 20, and Republicans held theirs on Feb. 23. Nevada’s Democratic caucus was the third nominating event of the cycle in 2016 and 2020. Among Republicans, the Nevada caucus was the fourth delegate-awarding event for that party’s nomination in 2016.
Nevada Republican Party Chairman Michael J. McDonald issued a joint statement with Republican leaders from Iowa, New Hampshire, and South Carolina, saying, “As the GOP leaders of the four carve out states, we want to make clear that we stand together in protecting the Presidential nominating schedule as it has existed for many years. Our alliance is strong and we will continue to work together to preserve this historic process.”
The Democratic National Committee has not yet released its plans for the 2024 presidential calendar. It can increase or decrease the number of convention delegates allocated to each state based on when they hold their primaries.
Iowa has held the first nominating event of each presidential election cycle in the United States since 1972. The results of 2020’s Iowa caucuses were delayed by technological issues and tabulation errors.
The maps below show the months when states held presidential nominating events in the 2020 presidential election cycle:
New Jersey voters to decide at least two state constitutional amendments this year
Over the past five odd-year cycles, voters in eight states on average decide statewide ballot measures. Let’s take a look at one of those states—New Jersey.
Garden State voters will decide at least two constitutional amendments on Nov. 2 regarding gaming and wagering. The state legislature referred both measures to the ballot and could possibly refer additional measures up through Aug. 2. Measures passed after that date—three months before the general election—would be placed on the 2022 ballot.
One measure would allow organizations that are permitted to hold raffles to retain the proceeds from those events to support themselves. The New Jersey Constitution allows the following groups to hold bingos and raffles: veterans, charitable, educational, religious, and fraternal organizations; civic and service clubs; senior citizen associations; and volunteer fire companies and volunteer first-aid and rescue squads. Currently, only veterans and senior citizen organizations are allowed to use bingo and raffle proceeds to support their groups. Other groups must use the proceeds for educational, charitable, patriotic, religious, or public-spirited uses. Both the state Senate and Assembly approved this measure unanimously.
The other amendment would allow wagering on postseason college sports competitions held in the state and competitions in which a New Jersey-based college team participates. Currently, the state constitution permits sports betting except for games held in New Jersey or where one or both teams are based in the state. This measure would expand sports betting to include all postseason college sports competitions, as long as a nonprofit collegiate athletic association sanctions the game.
Between 1995 and 2020, voters in New Jersey decided 35 constitutional amendments and approved 91% of them.
COVID-19 policy changes and events one year ago this week
Stay-at-home orders and reopening plans:
- Kentucky, Maine, and Rhode Island moved into different phases of reopening plans, permitting increased numbers of people to gather indoors and the reopening of certain businesses—such as bars, movie theatres, and restaurants—with limited capacity.
- The Treasury Department and the IRS announced that the deadline to file taxes would not be extended beyond July 15. The IRS postponed the original April 15 deadline for filing federal tax returns due to the coronavirus pandemic.
- Governors or state education departments in Iowa, Michigan, Ohio, Utah, and Wyoming released guidelines for reopening schools.
- Kansas Gov. Laura Kelly (D), Oregon Gov. Kate Brown (D), and Texas Gov. Greg Abbott (R) issued mandates requiring people to wear masks in indoor public spaces and in outdoor settings when social distancing was not possible.