COVID-19 emergency orders have expired in 27 states
At the start of the pandemic, governors and state agencies in all 50 states issued orders declaring emergencies related to the COVID-19 virus. As of March 4, 23 states are under an active COVID-19 emergency. Emergency orders have expired in 27 states.
Redistricting roundup—North Carolina, Pennsylvania, Florida, and Wisconsin
U.S. Supreme Court
On March 7, the U.S. Supreme Court turned down requests to decide congressional redistricting cases in Pennsylvania and North Carolina, leaving state court-imposed congressional maps in place in both states.
Florida
The state supreme court approved the Legislature’s new state district boundaries on March 3. The state Senate approved the maps 34-3 on Jan. 20. The state House approved them 77-39.
Wisconsin
The Wisconsin Supreme Court approved Gov. Tony Evers’ (D) new congressional and legislative district boundaries on March 3. Evers vetoed maps that had passed both legislative chambers along party lines in Nov. 2021. The state supreme court took over the process because of a Sept. 2021 ruling in which it agreed to decide new districts if the legislature and governor failed to do so. On Nov. 30, the court announced it would seek to make as few changes as possible to the current legislative and congressional maps adopted in 2011, and invited Evers, lawmakers, and others to submit new map proposals.
Filing deadlines for state and federal office pass in California, Georgia, and Idaho
The filing deadline for candidates running for state or federal office in California, Georgia, and Idaho was March 11. All 435 seats in the U.S. House will be up for election this year, including 52 seats in California, 14 seats in Georgia, and the two seats in Idaho. All three states will also hold elections for governor, one of their two seats in the U.S. Senate, and state legislature.
A look at changes in state legislative seats during a president’s first midterm election
The 2022 election cycle is the first midterm election of Joe Biden’s (D) presidency. Historically, the incumbent president’s party loses seats in state legislative elections. Click the link below for a few historical facts.
Republican candidates for Congress currently outnumber Democrats according to candidate filing information
Ballotpedia tracks candidate filings in all federal elections. As of March 7, filed Republican candidates outnumber Democratic candidates nationwide: 1,190 to 842. By chamber, we have tracked 378 U.S. Senate candidates—191 Republicans, 116 Democrats, 40 independents, and 31 candidates with other affiliations. We have also tracked 1,839 U.S. House candidates—999 Republicans, 726 Democrats, 56 independents, and 58 with other affiliations.