Minimum wage increasing in 25 states in 2024

By

Samuel Wonacott

Welcome to the Tuesday, January 2, Brew. 

By: Samuel Wonacott

Here’s what’s in store for you as you start your day:

  1. The minimum wage will increase an average of $.86 in 25 states this year
  2. Filing deadlines in nine states for statewide and/or presidential primaries this month  
  3.  The U.S. Supreme Court will hear arguments in nine cases in January

The minimum wage will increase an average of $.86 in 25 states this year

Happy New Year! We hope you had a restful holiday season. Let’s dive right in with a look at what 2024 has in store for state-level minimum wages and related ballot measure campaigns.

On Jan. 1, the minimum wage increased in 22 states. Minimum wages in Oregon and Nevada will rise on July 1. Florida’s will increase on Sept. 30.

How much the wages rise varies from state to state. Laws either implement raises over time to a set amount and others rise on an inflation-adjusted basis.

Michigan will have the smallest increase—$0.23, or 2.23% more than last year’s $10.10 per hour. Hawaii will increase its minimum wage $2.00, or 14.29%, to $10.33 an hour.

The average state minimum wage, including D.C., in 2024 will be $10.69, up from $10.47 in 2023. The average state minimum wage was $6.92 in 2008.

Here are the states with the highest and lowest minimum wage:

  • The highest in 2024 will be in Washington, where minimum wage workers will receive $17.00 an hour.
  • The lowest is in Georgia and Wyoming, which both have a minimum wage of $5.15 an hour. However, workers are paid the federal minimum wage—$7.25 an hour.   

Currently, 20 states use the federal minimum wage rate of $7.25, while 30 states set their minimum wages above the federal level.

Minimum wage ballot measures in 2024

Here’s a look at 2024 certified and potential minimum wage measures:

  • So far, one measure—in California—has been certified for the ballot in 2024. It would increase the minimum wage to $18 per hour by 2026.
  • In Michigan, supporters of a measure to increase the minimum wage one dollar each year through 2027 have submitted signatures to election officials.
  • A Massachusetts campaign also submitted signatures for a measure that would gradually increase wages for tipped employees until it meets the state minimum wage in 2029. 

Other minimum wage increase initiatives have been proposed in Missouri, Ohio, Alaska, and Oklahoma.

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 voters rejected a minimum wage increase was in 1996, when voters defeated measures in Missouri and Montana.

Click below to read more about the minimum wage. 

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Filing deadlines in nine states for statewide and/or presidential primaries this month 

In our very last Brew issue of 2023, we caught you up on the latest news on 2024 dates and deadlines for statewide and presidential primaries. Now that we’ve entered 2024, let’s briefly review the deadlines coming up in January and February. 

There are filing deadlines in nine states this month:

As of this writing, filing deadlines for candidates running in statewide offices have passed in seven states. Filing deadlines for candidates running in presidential primaries have passed in 19 states. The 2024 election cycle kicked off Nov. 10, 2023, with the Nov. 10. 2023, filing deadline for state, congressional, and presidential primaries in Alabama.

In February, filing deadlines for presidential and/or statewide primaries will pass in seven states—Delaware, New Mexico, Connecticut, Indiana, Nebraska, Maryland, and Pennsylvania. 

Alabama, Arkansas, California, North Carolina, and Texas share the earliest 2024 statewide primary date, March 5 (Super Tuesday!). Louisiana will hold the latest statewide primary on Nov. 5 due to its unique majority-vote system.

On average, there are 91 days between a state’s filing deadline and the primary date. Utah, at 169 days, has the longest period between filing and primary, while Mississippi has the shortest, at 60 days. 

Iowa has confirmed the earliest presidential nominating contest, with Republicans holding presidential caucuses on Jan. 15. New Hampshire will hold its presidential primary on Jan. 23, making it the season’s first primary. Last year, the Democratic National Committee (DNC) voted for South Carolina to hold the first presidential primary in 2024. However, New Hampshire election officials have cited a state law requiring their primary to occur at least a week before similar elections. President Joe Biden (D) will not appear on the New Hampshire primary ballot.

The order of presidential contests in January and February is as follows:

  • Iowa: Republican caucus (Jan. 15)
  • New Hampshire: primary (Jan. 23)
  • South Carolina: Democratic primary (Feb. 3)
  • Nevada: Democratic primary (Feb. 6)
  • Nevada: Republican caucus (Feb. 8)
  • Virgin Islands: Republican caucus (Feb. 8)
  • South Carolina: Republican primary (Feb. 24)
  • Michigan: Primary (Feb. 27)

Democrats in Iowa are holding an all-mail caucus, and will announce results on March 5.  

In 18 states, presidential and statewide primaries fall on the same date.

Click the link below to learn more about 2024 primary dates and deadlines. 

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The U.S. Supreme Court will hear arguments in nine cases in January

As of this writing on Dec. 22, the U.S. Supreme Court (SCOTUS) has agreed to hear 53 cases during its 2023-2024 term. On average, the court heard 69 from 2016-2022. Since 2017, the Court has agreed to hear an average of 16 additional cases between December and the end of the term.  

The Court’s 2023 term began on Oct. 2. The Court’s yearly term begins on the first Monday in October and lasts until the first Monday in October of the following year. The Court generally releases the majority of its decisions in mid-June. SCOTUS heard arguments in 20 cases between October and the start of January. 

SCOTUS will hear the following cases in January: 

In its 2022 term, SCOTUS agreed to consider 60 cases. One case was dismissed. 

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