Year: 2021

  • Recall effort against California governor enters final six weeks to gather signatures

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    Supporters of a recall campaign against California Gov. Gavin Newsom (D) have until March 17 to collect 1,495,709 valid signatures to trigger a recall election. On February 1, 2021, recall organizers said they had collected about 1.3 million signatures. Recall supporters say Newsom mishandled the state’s response to the coronavirus pandemic, did not do enough…

  • Cruz places hold on Raimondo’s confirmation vote for secretary of commerce

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    February 5, 2021: Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas) placed a hold on the confirmation vote for Gina Raimondo for secretary of commerce. President Joe Biden (D) and his team have been preparing for the transition between presidential administrations since the election, including selecting senior White House staff and appointees to top government positions. In 2020, there…

  • The Daily Brew: 25 states have legalized sports betting

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    Welcome to the Friday, Feb. 5, Brew. Here’s what’s in store for you as you start your day: A look at the current sports betting landscape Kansas voters to decide abortion-related constitutional amendment in 2022 Today’s the last day to send a snail-mail Ballotpedia Valentine and pin What’s the Tea? A look at the current…

  • Heather Steans resigns from Illinois State Senate

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    Sen. Heather Steans (D) resigned from the Illinois state Senate on Jan. 31. She represented District 7 from 2008 to 2021.  Steans ran uncontested for re-election on Nov. 3, 2020. According to ABC 7, Steans said she was resigning because “it’s time for fresh faces and new energy…I’ve benefited tremendously from the many perspectives of…

  • Biden signs 28 executive orders in first two weeks in office

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    President Joe Biden (D) signed 28 executive orders, 11 presidential memoranda, and five proclamations in his first two weeks in office. That is more executive orders than his three predecessors combined—Presidents Donald Trump (R), Barack Obama (D), and George W. Bush (R)—signed over the same period of time. Executive orders are directives written by the…

  • Ballotpedia releases federal judicial vacancy count for January 2021

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    In this month’s federal judicial vacancy count, Ballotpedia tracked nominations, confirmations, and vacancies to all United States Article III federal courts from January 1 to February 1, 2021. Ballotpedia publishes the federal judicial vacancy count at the start of each month. HIGHLIGHTS Vacancies: There have been 11 new judicial vacancies since the December 2020 report.…

  • Senate holds confirmation hearing for labor nominee Walsh

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    February 4, 2021: The Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions is holding a confirmation hearing for Marty Walsh for secretary of labor. President Joe Biden (D) and his team have been preparing for the transition between presidential administrations since the election, including selecting senior White House staff and appointees to top government positions.…

  • Five candidates file to run in Mar. 9 special election for Orange County Board of Supervisors

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    On January 25, the filing deadline passed to run for one of the five seats on the Orange County Board of Supervisors in California. The special election to fill the vacant District 2 seat is scheduled for March 9. Five candidates filed to run in the special election: Katrina Foley, John M. W. Moorlach, Kevin…

  • The Daily Brew: Voters approved 13 statewide election policy changes in 2020

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    Welcome to the Thursday, Feb. 4, Brew. Here’s what’s in store for you as you start your day: Voters in 12 states approved election policy ballot measures in 2020 Biden has signed 28 executive orders in first two weeks in office Tracking federal judicial nominations Update: An astute reader emailed us about an elected official…

  • President Biden has not made any federal judicial appointments through February 1 of his first year in office

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    As of February 1, 2021, President Joe Biden (D) had not appointed any Article III federal judges. The average number of federal judges appointed by a president through February 1 of their first year in office is zero.  Through the first year in office, President Ronald Reagan (R) made the most appointments with 41, and…