Year: 2025
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South Dakota voters to decide on 60% supermajority requirement for constitutional amendments after rejecting similar requirement for tax-related measures in 2022
South Dakota voters will decide on a constitutional amendment that would establish a 60% supermajority requirement in order for voters to approve new constitutional amendments. This amendment will appear on the ballot on Nov. 3, 2026. When it comes to ballot measures, a supermajority requirement sets a higher approval threshold, requiring more than a simple…
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All 15 of President Donald Trump’s (R) Cabinet secretaries have now been confirmed
All 15 of President Donald Trump’s (R) main Cabinet secretaries have now been confirmed, following the confirmation of Lori Chavez-DeRemer for secretary of labor on March 10, 2025. The Senate voted 67-32 to confirm Chavez-DeRemer, with 16 Democrats and 51 Republicans voting in favor of her nomination. Among presidents serving from 2009 to the present,…
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Maine voters could decide on establishing extreme risk protection orders (ERPOs), a type of firearms regulation, in Nov. 2025
Maine Secretary of State Shenna Bellows (D) announced on March 7, 2025, that the signatures for a ballot initiative to create a process for extreme risk protection orders, a firearm regulation policy, were validated, certifying the initiative to the legislature. If the legislature does not approve the measure, it will be placed on the ballot…
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South Dakota voters to decide amendment establishing trust fund for unclaimed property in 2026
In 2026, South Dakota voters will decide on a constitutional amendment to establish a trust fund for unclaimed property. On March 5, 2025, the South Dakota House of Representatives voted 69-0 to place Senate Joint Resolution 505 (SJR 505) on the ballot. Previously, the State Senate voted 35-0 to pass the amendment on Feb. 20.…
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Utah legislature refers a constitutional amendment to 2026 ballot that would require initiatives making tax changes to receive a 60% vote of approval
The Utah State Legislature approved Senate Joint Resolution 2 on March 6, referring a constitutional amendment to the ballot for Nov. 3, 2026. SJR 2 would require citizen-initiated ballot measures to receive at least 60% voter approval to enact certain tax-related changes, including (a) imposing a new tax; (b) expanding an existing tax to apply…
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South Dakota voters to decide on citizenship voting requirement amendment in 2026 after eight states approved similar measures in 2024
The South Dakota State Legislature voted to send a constitutional amendment to the 2026 ballot that would provide that noncitizens of the United States are disqualified from voting in any election in the state. This will be the 15th statewide ballot measure related to citizenship voting requirements since 2018. In 2024, eight states approved similar…
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A special election for District 35 of the Pennsylvania House of Representatives will determine majority control
Dan Goughnour (D), Charles Davis (R), and Adam Kitta (L) are running in the special election for District 35 of the Pennsylvania House of Representatives on March 25, 2025. Incumbent Rep. Matthew Gergely (D) died on January 19. Gergely’s death left the state House tied 101-101. Before his death, Democrats controlled the House 102-101. Goughnour…
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Wyoming is 10th state to enact a ban on foreign nationals contributing to ballot measure campaigns
Wyoming is the 10th state to enact restrictions on foreign contributions to ballot measure campaigns. On March 6, Gov. Mark Gordon (R) signed House Bill 337 (HB 337), banning foreign nationals from donating directly or indirectly to ballot measure committees. The other nine states are California, Colorado, Maine, Maryland, Nevada, North Dakota, Ohio, South Dakota,…
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Wyoming gov. vetoes bill allowing state legislators to nullify agency rules
What’s the story? Wyoming Governor Mark Gordon (R) vetoed Senate File (SF) 0127 on March 4, 2025. The bill was designed to create a process for legislators to disapprove of and nullify executive agency regulations. Wyoming has a Republican trifecta. The final version of SF127 approved by the legislature was designed to require the Wyoming…