Year: 2021

  • School mask requirement ban suspended in Arizona, enacted in Tennessee

    Posted on

    As schools have begun reopening for the 2021-2022 academic year, several states have enacted policies regarding mask requirements in schools. As of Aug. 17, seven states banned school mask requirements, thirty states left school mask decisions up to local authorities, and thirteen states required masks in schools. Recent actions were taken in Arizona, Tennessee, and…

  • Seattle local primary results certified

    Posted on

    King County Elections in Washington certified results of the Aug. 3 primary elections Tuesday. Former City Council President Bruce Harrell and current City Council President Lorena González advanced in the mayoral primary with 34.0% and 32.1% of the vote, respectively. Fifteen candidates ran in the primary. Current Mayor Jenny Durkan didn’t seek re-election. González had…

  • Recall election for Montana sewer district to be held Aug. 24

    Posted on

    A recall election seeking to remove two of the five board members for the Sanders County Sewer District in Montana is being held on Aug. 24. Board President Sunny Chase and board member Rick McCollum are on the ballot. The recall effort was started by a group of residents who opposed putting a sewer system…

  • 13 states currently require masks in schools

    Posted on

    Welcome to the Wednesday, August 18, Brew. Here’s what’s in store for you as you start your day: Thirteen states require staff, students to wear masks in schools for the upcoming year Six recall efforts targeting school board members have petition filing deadlines in August Redistricting Roundup Thirteen states require staff, students to wear masks…

  • Special election to be held in Texas House district

    Posted on

    A special election is being held on Aug. 31 for District 10 of the Texas House of Representatives. The candidate filing deadline was Aug. 12. Pierina Otiniano (D), Kevin Griffin (R), Brian Harrison (R), Susan Hayslip (R), Clark Wickliffe (R), John Wray (R), Matt Savino (L), and Scott Goodwin (I) are running in the general…

  • 17 candidates file for Minneapolis mayoral election

    Posted on

    The filing deadline passed to run for elected office in Minneapolis, Minnesota, passed on Aug. 10. Candidates filed for the following offices: Mayor  City Council (Wards 1-13) Board of Estimate and Taxation Park and Recreation Commissioner At Large (3 seats) Park and Recreation Commissioner (Districts 1-6) Seventeen candidates filed for the mayoral election, including incumbent…

  • Checks and Balances: FTC expands interpretation of its antitrust enforcement authority

    Posted on

    The Checks and Balances Letter delivers news and information from Ballotpedia’s Administrative State Project, including pivotal actions at the federal and state levels related to the separation of powers, due process and the rule of law. This edition:  In this month’s edition of Checks and Balances, we review a recent vote from the Federal Trade…

  • Economy and Society: SEC approves Nasdaq board-diversity proposal

    Posted on

    ESG Developments This Week In Washington, D.C. The SEC and diversity On Friday, August 6, the Securities and Exchange Commission approved a plan set forth by the Nasdaq stock exchange to promote diversity among the companies it lists. Late last year, Nasdaq suggested that all listed companies would either have to have underrepresented minority groups…

  • Documenting America’s Path to Recovery #290: August 17, 2021

    Posted on

    Welcome to Documenting America’s Path to Recovery. Today we look at: An order in Michigan directing COVID-19 booster shots to long-term care facilities A temporary Texas Supreme Court order blocking local mask mandates Vaccine distribution Lawsuits about state actions and policies  State-level mask requirements COVID-19 emergency health orders COVID-19 policy changes from this time last…

  • Eighty percent of state legislative incumbents seeking re-election advanced to the general election without a primary challenge

    Posted on

    A greater percentage of state legislative incumbents advanced directly to the general election without a primary challenge in 2021 compared to 2019, according to Ballotpedia’s annual competitiveness report. Two states—New Jersey and Virginia—are holding state legislative elections this year with 220 seats up for election. In 2021, 203 incumbents filed for re-election, 80.3% of whom…