Year: 2025

  • ICYMI: Top stories of the week

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    77 officials were recalled in 2024—higher than the 10-year average Seventy-seven officials were removed from office through recall elections in 2024. Ballotpedia followed 246 recall efforts, targeting 383 officials in 2024. The 77 officials  removed from office through recall elections represent about 20% of those targeted. This is the third-highest percentage of officials removed since…

  • The Ballot Bulletin: Ballotpedia’s Weekly Digest on Election Administration, Jan. 17, 2025

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    Welcome to The Ballot Bulletin: Ballotpedia’s Weekly Digest on Election Administration. Every Friday, we deliver the latest updates on election policy around the country, including nationwide trends and recent legislative activity.  In this week’s Ballot Bulletin, we cover 198 bills state legislatures acted on in the past week. Weekly highlights The big takeaways from the…

  • Voter ID measure on the ballot in Wisconsin on April 1

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    Welcome to the Friday, Jan. 17, 2025, Brew.  By: Lara Bonatesta Here’s what’s in store for you as you start your day: Voter ID measure on the ballot in Wisconsin on April 1  On April 1, Wisconsin voters will decide a constitutional amendment to require photo identification to vote. The Legislature voted to send the…

  • BlackRock leaves net-zero alliance, NZAM suspends operations

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    BlackRock—the world’s largest asset manager—announced Jan. 9 that it is leaving the Net-Zero Asset Managers Initiative (NZAM), a United Nations-affiliated group promoting emission reductions. NZAM announced Jan. 13 that it is suspending operations and removing the commitment statement and list of signatories from its website. The group said in a statement it will reevaluate its…

  • Senate Intelligence Committee holds confirmation hearing for John Ratcliffe for director of the Central Intelligence Agency

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    The Senate Intelligence Committee held a confirmation hearing for John Ratcliffe for director of the Central Intelligence Agency on Jan. 15, 2025. At the time the hearing ended, the committee had not yet scheduled a meeting to vote on Ratcliffe’s nomination. Ratcliffe must receive a majority approval vote in the committee before his nomination can…

  • Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee holds confirmation hearing for Russell Vought for director of the Office of Management and Budget

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    The Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee held a confirmation hearing for Russell Vought for director of the Office of Management and Budget on Jan. 15, 2025. At the time the hearing ended, the committee had not yet scheduled a meeting to vote on Vought’s nomination. Vought must receive a majority approval vote in…

  • 6,541 candidates responded to Ballotpedia’s Candidate Connection survey in 2024

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    Since 2018, Ballotpedia has invited candidates to take part in our Candidate Connection initiative. We survey candidates at the federal, state, and local levels to help voters better understand how their candidates think about the world and how they intend to govern. A total of 6,541 candidates from all 50 states, four territories, and the…

  • Wisconsin voters to decide on adding voter photo ID requirement to state constitution on April 1

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    Wisconsin voters will decide on a constitutional amendment on April 1 to require photo identification to vote. A photo ID is already required by state law. The state legislature took the final vote on Jan. 14 to send the amendment to voters. Currently, 35 states require voters to present identification in order to vote at…

  • Ohio becomes twenty-third state to adopt a Parents’ Bill of Rights

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    Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine (R) signed a Parents’ Bill of Rights into law on Jan. 8, encoding a parent’s right to direct the upbringing and education of their child into state law. Ohio is the 23rd state to adopt a Parents’ Bill of Rights. House Bill 8 includes the following rights for parents: The bill…

  • Coalition of Democratic and Republican members select Texas House Speaker

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    Welcome to the Thursday, Jan. 16, Brew.  By: Briana Ryan Here’s what’s in store for you as you start your day: Texas House of Representatives elects Rep. Dustin Burrows (R) as speaker On Jan. 14, a coalition of Democrats and Republicans elected Rep. Dustin Burrows (R) to serve as speaker of the Texas House of…