Welcome to the Wednesday, December 21, Brew.
By: David Luchs
Here’s what’s in store for you as you start your day:
- More than 1,000 candidates who won election this November completed Ballotpedia’s Candidate Connection survey
- Minimum wages set to increase in 27 states in 2023 by an average of $0.87
- Voting in Ballotpedia’s Holiday Cookie Election closes tomorrow at 5 p.m. Eastern
More than 1,000 candidates who won election this November completed Ballotpedia’s Candidate Connection survey
Last month, we told you about winning candidates who filled out our Candidate Connection survey. When we wrote that story, more than 900 candidates who completed the survey had won, with another 550 in races that were too close to call. Here’s an update for races that have been called.
Currently, 1,035 candidates who completed the Candidate Connection survey were elected on Nov. 8, accounting for 28% of the 3,769 total who completed the survey (up from 24% the last time we ran this story). This number includes 27 candidates for federal office (2.6%), 657 candidates for state office (63.5%), and 351 candidates for local office (33.9%). There are still 272 candidates (7% of the total) who ran in races that are too close to call.
Ballotpedia’s Candidate Connection survey offers candidates an opportunity to share with voters what motivates them on a personal and political level.
The winning candidates who completed Ballotpedia’s Candidate Connection survey include 47 who were elected to state executive office. Here are some selected responses from winning candidates for financial office.
John Lieber (R) defeated Aaron Richardson (D) 50%-48% for Wisconsin Treasurer.
What do you believe are the core responsibilities for someone elected to this office?
- Being an effective member of a board and having a proven work ethic.
What responsibilities of this office do you personally consider the most important?
- Serving on the Board of Commissioners of Public Lands and managing the trust fund.
Are there any little-known powers or responsibilities held by this office that you believe more people should be aware of?
- Because only one person staffs the office, the Treasurer, it’s crucial to choose a person with a strong professional ethic who will be responsible and accountable for the entire 4-year term.
Do you believe that it’s beneficial for holders of this office to have previous experience in government or politics?
- Yes, particularly since the only employee is the Treasurer. There is not staff. Understanding the mission of this office, how to interact with the legislature and executive branch, and being a skilled financial manager are all beneficial to best serve taxpayers as Treasurer.
Brooke Elizabeth Lierman (D) defeated Barry Glassman (R) 57%-43% for Maryland Comptroller.
What qualities does this office possess that makes it a unique and important part of the state government and legal system?
- As the elected chief financial officer for the state of Maryland, our Comptroller must be a leader who embraces creative ideas and has the ability to put those ideas into action – from big ideas on wealth-building policies to the little details that make it easier for families and businesses to pay taxes and access state programs and benefits.
What do you believe are the core responsibilities for someone elected to this office?
- There are many responsibilities of this office that are important. The Comptroller sees every dollar in and every dollar out and the Comptroller is responsible for the accurate and fair administration of our tax and payment systems. Additionally, the Comptroller sits on many important boards including the Board of Public Works where all major spending decisions get made. The Comptroller must work with all stakeholders throughout the process to ensure Marylanders are getting the best value for their dollars.
What responsibilities of this office do you personally consider the most important?
- There are many responsibilities of this office that are important. The Comptroller sees every dollar in and every dollar out and the Comptroller is responsible for the accurate and fair administration of our tax and payment systems. As the guardian of Marylander’s tax dollars, it is essential the Comptroller keeps a close eye on our states’ finances.
Ballotpedia’s full Candidate Connection report, with details on candidate win rates, comparisons to previous years, and more featured responses, will be published after certified results are available in all 50 states.
Minimum wages will increase in 27 states in 2023 by an average of $0.87
When the calendar changes over to 2023, many states will see triggered statutory updates to minimum wages. In 2023, the minimum wage will increase in 27 states. The increases range from $0.23 in Michigan (a 2.28% rise from 2022) to $1.50 in Nebraska (a 14.29% increase from 2022).
- one increase takes effect on Dec. 31, 2022;
- 22 increases take effect on Jan. 1, 2023;
- one takes effect on June 1, 2023;
- two take effect on July 1, 2023; and
- one takes effect on Sept. 30, 2023.
Going into 2023, 20 states use the federal minimum wage rate of $7.25, and 30 states have minimum wages greater than the federal minimum wage.
The 2023 increases come from state laws that provide for annual inflation adjustments. The highest state minimum wage in 2023 will be in Washington at $15.74.
The wage in Washington, D.C., increased from $15 to $16.10 on July 1, 2022, making it the highest minimum wage in the country. Additionally, voters in Washington, D.C., approved Initiative 82 in 2022, which increased the tipped minimum wage from $5.35 in 2022 to match the minimum wage of non-tipped employees in 2027.
The state-required minimum wage is lowest in Georgia and Wyoming, where the federal government’s $7.25 per hour wage surpasses the states’ $5.15 minimum.
On Nov. 8, voters in Nebraska and Nevada approved minimum wage ballot measures. Nebraska Initiative 433 was designed to incrementally increase the state’s minimum wage from $9 to $15 by 2026 and make annual cost of living adjustments after that.
Nevada Question 2 will increase the minimum wage for all employees to $12 per hour by July 1, 2024. This will replace the existing two-tiered system in which employees who receive healthcare benefits would have a lower minimum wage ($11) than those who do not ($12) in 2024. On July 1, 2022, the minimum wage increased to $9.50 for employees with employer health benefits and $10.50 for employees without employer health benefits.
In 2022, Hawaii passed a minimum wage increase. Hawaii Governor David Ige (D) signed House Bill 2510 into law as Act 114, raising the $10.10 per hour minimum wage to $12.00 per hour starting on Oct. 1, 2022. Act 114 will increase the minimum wage to $14.00 on Jan. 1, 2024, to $16.00 on Jan. 1, 2026, and $18.00 on Jan. 1, 2028.
From 1996 to 2022, there were 28 minimum wage increase measures on the ballot. Voters approved 26 (92.86%) and rejected two (7.14%). The last time that voters rejected a minimum wage increase measure was in 1996 in Missouri and Montana.
Voting in Ballotpedia’s Holiday Cookie Election closes tomorrow at 5 p.m. Eastern
General election season is here! If you haven’t voted yet in Ballotpedia’s 2022 Holiday Cookie Election, you have until tomorrow, Dec. 22, at 5 p.m. Eastern to cast your ballot. This year, the three candidates advancing from the primary were Gingerbread cookie, Sugar cookie, and Snickerdoodle. Only one will be this year’s holiday cookie winner! View more on the three general election cookies here.