Year: 2021
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Redistricting timeline updates: Virginia Supreme Court selects special masters and Washington commission misses deadline
Here’s a summary of recent redistricting updates from Virginia and Washington. Virginia: On Nov. 19, 2021, the Virginia Supreme Court unanimously approved two nominees for special master: Sean Trende, the Republican special master nominee, and Bernard Grofman, the Democratic nominee. Each party in the legislature was required to nominate three special masters, and the court…
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Recall election scheduled against Kansas county commissioner
A recall election against Brian Kinzie, District Two representative on the Labette County Commission in Kansas, has been scheduled for Dec. 7. Voters will be asked, “Shall Brian C. Kinzie be recalled from the office of 2nd District County Commissioner?” They will have the option to vote yes or no. The recall effort started after…
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Ohio enacts new congressional map
Ohio Governor Mike Dewine (R) signed a new congressional map into law on Nov. 20, 2021, making Ohio the 15th state to enact a congressional map during the 2020 redistricting cycle. This map takes effect for Ohio’s 2022 congressional elections. In the 2010 redistricting cycle, Ohio enacted its Congressional map on Sept. 26, 2011, 55…
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Filing deadline passes for Dec. 14 special election in Iowa State Senate District 1
The filing deadline to run in the Iowa State Senate District 1 special election passed on Nov. 19. The special election is being held on Dec. 14. Governor Kim Reynolds (R) called the special election on Nov. 3, following the resignation of incumbent Zach Whiting (R) on Oct. 30. Whiting resigned to accept a position…
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SCOTUS issues first opinion in argued case of 2021 term
The Supreme Court of the United States (SCOTUS) on Nov. 22 issued its ruling in the case Mississippi v. Tennessee, argued during the October sitting of the 2021 term. This marks the first opinion issued for an argued case this term. The court previously decided two non-argued cases, Rivas-Villegas v. Cortesluna and City of Tahlequah,…
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11 apply for vacant Tennessee Supreme Court seat
The Tennessee courts administration announced on Nov. 19 that 11 individuals applied to fill the vacant seat on the Tennessee Supreme Court. The seat became vacant on Sept. 24 when former Justice Cornelia Clark passed away from cancer. The Governor’s Council for Judicial Appointments will hold a public hearing on Dec. 8 and Dec. 9…
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Connecticut Reapportionment Commission enacts new state House district maps
On Nov. 18, the Connecticut Reapportionment Commission voted 8-0 in favor of new maps for the state’s 151 House districts. The commission, made up of four Democratic and four Republican lawmakers, took over the redistricting process after the previous Reapportionment Committee did not meet its Sept. 15 deadline. Census data was not delivered to the…
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Referendum on Arizona income tax legislation certified for 2022 ballot
On Nov. 19, the office of Secretary of State Katie Hobbs (D) announced that enough signatures were valid for a veto referendum to overturn an income tax bill that Gov. Doug Ducey (R) signed on June 30, 2021. Since the veto referendum was certified, the targeted legislation will not go into effect until voters decide…
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Federal Register weekly update: 16 significant documents added
The Federal Register is a daily journal of federal government activity that includes presidential documents, proposed and final rules, and public notices. It is a common measure of an administration’s regulatory activity, accounting for both regulatory and deregulatory actions. From Nov. 15 through Nov. 19, the Federal Register grew by 2,630 pages for a year-to-date…
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Checking in on the candidates for Congress in 2022
Next year’s Congressional midterm elections on Nov. 8, 2022, are less than one year away. Already, 1,444 candidates have filed to run for Congress. Of those candidates, 742 are Republicans, 573 are Democrats, and 20 are Libertarians. The remaining are Green Party, independents, or other parties. The states with the highest number of declared congressional…