Kentucky is sixth state to ban ranked-choice voting (RCV), Missouri voters may decide on amendment to prohibit RCV
On April 12, Kentucky legislators overrode Gov. Andy Beshear’s (D) veto of House Bill 44 , which prohibits ranked-choice voting (RCV). The bill changes several areas of election law, mostly related to voter list maintenance. Legislators added the portion of the bill that bans RCV as a Senate amendment, prohibiting the use of RCV for local, state, and federal elected offices.
On April 15, the Missouri House of Representatives passed a legislatively referred constitutional amendment to make election and voting-related changes to the state constitution, including prohibiting RCV and noncitizen voting. If the Senate passes the resolution, it will go on the Nov. 5 ballot.
Indiana’s Republican gubernatorial primary election is the most expensive primary in the state’s history
Six candidates are running in Indiana’s May 7 Republican gubernatorial primary, and four lead in media mentions, polling, and fundraising: Mike Braun, Brad Chambers, Suzanne Crouch, and Eric Doden. Incumbent Gov. Eric Holcomb (R) is term-limited. The Associated Press‘ Isabella Volmert said campaign finance reports “reflect a multimillion-dollar race that has become a competition of who can out-conservative the others for primary votes in a state with historically low turnout.” The primary is the most expensive in the state’s history.
Nebraska state Sen. Mike McDonnell switches party affiliation from Democrat to Republican
On April 3, Nebraska State Sen. Mike McDonnell switched his party affiliation from Democrat to Republican. McDonnell said he made the change because the Democratic Party “no longer felt like a place where he could reconcile his faith with his political affiliation.”
Since 1994, Ballotpedia has identified 174 state legislators who’ve switched parties. Eighty-four lawmakers changed from Democrat to Republican, and 23 switched from Republican to Democrat.
McDonnell is the fourth Nebraska legislator to switch parties since 1994. McDonnell is also the second legislator to switch parties this year. New Hampshire state Rep. Matthew Coker was the first, switching from Democrat to Republican on Feb. 8.
Learn what the REINS Act is in the latest episode of On the Ballot, our weekly podcast
The REINS Act is a federal legislative proposal — with state-level counterparts — that increases legislative oversight of administrative agency rulemaking. The Act requires legislative approval of agency regulations with certain financial or economic outcomes before the regulations become effective.
This week, Ballotpedia Staff Writer Molly Byrne joined On the Ballot Host Victoria Rose to discuss the history of the REINS Act, arguments in favor and in opposition, what to expect if Congress passes the act, and state-level equivalents.