Year: 2025

  • Trump to deliver first address of second term to joint session of Congress

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    Welcome to the Tuesday, March 4, Brew.  By: Lara Bonatesta Here’s what’s in store for you as you start your day: Trump to deliver first address of second term to joint session of Congress  President Donald Trump (R) is scheduled to give his first address to a joint session of Congress of his second term…

  • State supreme court vacancy count for February 2025

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    In this month's state supreme court vacancy update, Ballotpedia tracked announced retirements, nominations, appointments, confirmations, and the swearing-in of justices from February 1 to February 28, 2025. Ballotpedia tracks court vacancies in all 52 state supreme courts. Announced retirements: Two chief justices announced their intentions to retire later this year. Michigan Supreme Court Chief Justice…

  • Thirty states have adopted English as an official language, 11 through ballot measures since 1920

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    President Donald Trump (R) issued an executive order "[designating] English as the official language of the United States" on March 1, 2025. While the federal government had never before provided for an official national language, 30 states have designated English as their official language. Three—Alaska, Hawaii, and South Dakota—also recognize some indigenous languages as co-official…

  • Idaho enacts universal private school choice tax credit, becoming the 14th state with a universal school choice program

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    What's the story? Gov. Brad Little (R) signed House Bill (HB) 93 into law on Feb. 27, 2025, making Idaho the 14th state to adopt a universal private school choice program. Universal private school choice programs provide families with public funds to cover expenses incurred by private education. Vouchers, ESAs, and education tax credits are…

  • Arkansas governor signs four bills revising initiative and referendum rules, including signature gathering period, ballot language approval, and circulator requirements

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    Arkansas Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders (R) signed four bills into law, changing state and local initiative and referendum processes. The bills are Senate Bill 102, Senate Bill 207, House Bill 1221, and House Bill 1222. Senate Bill 102 (SB 102) applies state initiative requirements to local initiative petitions. Changes include: SB 102 passed with support…

  • Robe & Gavel: SCOTUS concludes February 2025 sitting

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    Welcome to the March 3 edition of Robe & Gavel, Ballotpedia’s newsletter about the Supreme Court of the United States (SCOTUS) and other judicial happenings around the U.S. Give me your hand and give me your love, give me your hand and dance with me. A single flower, and nothing more, a single flower is…

  • Nearly 90% of the country lives in a county that voted for the same presidential candidate from 2016 to 2024

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    Welcome to the Monday, March 3, Brew.  By: Briana Ryan Here’s what’s in store for you as you start your day: Nearly 90% of the country live in a county that voted for the same presidential candidate from 2016 to 2024 With President Donald Trump (R) starting the second month of his second term in…

  • ICYMI: Top stories of the week

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    Total partisan composition of state legislatures changed by less than one percentage point in 2024 As lawmakers around the country meet in the 2025 legislative sessions, we’re continuing our analysis of the elections that brought them there. In Monday’s Brew, we looked at the seats that changed party hands. In the Nov. 5 elections:  That…

  • The Ballot Bulletin: Ballotpedia's Weekly Digest on Election Administration, Feb. 28, 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 511 bills state legislatures acted on in the past week. Weekly highlights The big takeaways from the…

  • President Donald Trump (R) ends February with 48% approval, 48% disapproval

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    At the end of Feb., approval polling averages showed President Donald Trump (R) at 48% approval. Forty-eight percent of voters disapproved of his performance. The lowest approval rating he’s received during his presidency is 47%, last seen on Feb. 7, 2025. The highest approval rating Trump has received is 54%, last seen on Jan. 22,…