Year: 2021

  • SCOTUS continues in-person arguments in January and February

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    Image of the front of the United States Supreme Court building

    The Supreme Court of the United States (SCOTUS) announced on Dec. 6 that it will continue hearing oral arguments in person for its January and February sittings. The court began hearing in-person arguments at the beginning of its 2021-2022 term in October, after hearing arguments via teleconference for the entirety of its 2020-2021 term in…

  • Department of Justice sues Texas over its congressional, state legislative maps

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    Our weekly summary of state & local news highlights redistricting updates in Texas and the Virginia House recounts. Read all about it in this week’s edition of the State & Local Tap. Ballot Measures Update 2021 review Voters in nine states decided 39 statewide ballot measures on four different election dates in 2021. Twenty-six were…

  • Republican Congressman Devin Nunes announces retirement

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    Our weekly summary of federal news highlights the latest congressional retirement and a federal judge blocking the Biden administration’s federal contractor vaccine requirement. Read all about it in this week’s edition of the Federal Tap. Congress is out of session Both the House and Senate are out of session next week. Click here to see…

  • ICYMI: Top stories of the week

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    ‘Tis the season for Ballotpedia’s Holiday Cookie election! It is once again time to elect this year’s official holiday cookie! A recall petition has been filed against our 2020 incumbent, the Sugar Cookie. Voters will decide two questions: whether Sugar Cookie should be recalled and, if so, which cookie should replace it. Cast your vote…

  • U.S. Supreme Court asked to reconsider mandatory bar association dues

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    Two petitions ask the Supreme Court to apply Janus v. AFSCME ruling to mandatory bar dues  Attorneys from Oklahoma and Texas are asking the U.S. Supreme Court to reconsider mandatory bar association dues in light of its 2018 ruling in Janus v. AFSCME.  In 1990, the Supreme Court unanimously upheld mandatory bar dues, ruling in…

  • North Carolina Supreme Court postpones statewide primary to May 17, 2022

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    On Dec. 8, the Supreme Court of North Carolina ordered that the state’s primary election be postponed from March 8, 2022, to May 17, 2022.  The court issued the order in response to two separate lawsuits challenging North Carolina’s newly enacted congressional and state legislative district plans. The court cited “great public interest in the…

  • Cordoza declared winner in Virginia House recount, confirming 52-48 Republican majority

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    On Dec. 8, 2021, a three-judge circuit court panel ruled Aijalon Cordoza (R) the winner of the election in Virginia House of Delegates District 91. The decision confirmed that Republicans won a 52-48 majority in the chamber. Officials in District 85, the only other district where a candidate requested a recount, confirmed on Dec. 3…

  • Tracking school board elections by county population density

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    Ballotpedia tracked 96 school districts across 16 states that held elections on Nov. 2 where candidates took a stance on race in education, coronavirus responses, or sex and gender in schools. There were 310 seats up for election, and all but six have been called. In each of the called races, Ballotpedia researched whether the…

  • Recall election to be held Dec. 14 against Wisconsin school board member

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    A recall election against Gary Mertig, one of the five members of the Butternut School District school board in Wisconsin, is on the ballot on Dec. 14. Nate Pritzl filed to run against Mertig in the election. Recall supporters said Mertig lied when he said community members would have input on the school district’s COVID-19…

  • Maryland enacts new congressional district maps after legislature overrides governor’s veto

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    Maryland enacted new congressional district map on Dec. 9 after both chambers of the Democratic-controlled state legislature overrode Gov. Larry Hogan’s (R) veto of the plan. The vote to override Hogan’s veto was 96-41 in the House of Delegates and 32-14 in the state Senate. Maryland was apportioned eight seats in the U.S. House of…