31 states place no restrictions on who can purchase voter file data
Voter file data is available for purchase in every U.S. state and Washington, D.C. Each state has developed its own guidelines regarding the sale of voter registration data, and the cost to purchase voter files can range from $0 in 11 states to $37,000 in Alabama. Thirty-one states have open availability on voter file data, meaning they have no restrictions on the types of individuals and groups that can purchase file data.
There are 75 vacancies in the federal judiciary with 42 to come
There are currently 75 vacancies on the federal judicial bench and another 42 judges are slated to retire or assume senior status in the weeks ahead. These vacancies are for Article III judgeships, which are lifetime presidential appointments. All nominees are subject to Senate confirmation.
As of Aug. 1, Biden had nominated 130 individuals to Article III judgeships. Fifty-six are in the confirmation process and 74 had been confirmed.
116 statewide measures certified for this year’s ballot
As of Aug. 3, 116 statewide measures have been certified for the ballot in 35 states. That’s 31 fewer than the average number certified at this point in other even-numbered years from 2010 to 2020.
Three new measures in Colorado, Idaho, and Nevada were certified for the ballot in the past two weeks:
- Colorado Decriminalization and Regulated Access Program for Certain Psychedelic Plants and Fungi Initiative
- Idaho Income Tax Increases for Education Funding Initiative
- Nevada Top-Five Ranked Choice Voting Initiative
There are 17 initiatives in seven states that have submitted signatures for verification.
- Arizona Campaign Finance Sources Disclosure Initiative
- Arizona Election and Voting Policies Initiative
- Arizona Interest Rate Limit on Debt from Healthcare Services and Collection Exempt Property and Earnings Increase Initiative
- Arkansas Marijuana Legalization Initiative
- Arkansas Repeal Authorization for Casino in Pope County Initiative
- Massachusetts Changes to Alcohol Retail Licensing Initiative
- Massachusetts Medical Loss Ratios for Dental Insurance Plans Initiative
- Michigan Right to Reproductive Freedom Initiative
- Michigan Right to Voting Policies Amendment
- Missouri Marijuana Legalization Initiative
- Missouri Top-Four Ranked-Choice Voting Initiative
- Nebraska Medical Marijuana Program Initiative
- Nebraska Medical Marijuana Regulation Initiative
- Nebraska Minimum Wage Increase Initiative
- Nebraska Photo Voter Identification Initiative
- North Dakota Marijuana Legalization Initiative
- Oklahoma State Question 820, Marijuana Legalization Initiative
A third state will vote on marijuana legalization this November
Missouri Secretary of State Jay Ashcroft (R) announced Tuesday that a ballot initiative to legalize marijuana qualified for the Nov. 8 general election ballot. The citizen-initiated ballot measure, led by the Legal Missouri 2022 campaign, needed 171,592 signatures to qualify for the ballot. Legal Missouri 2022 submitted more than 385,000 signatures in May.
If approved, the measure would amend the Missouri Constitution to legalize recreational marijuana for adults over the age of 21.