Year: 2025

  • Senate Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry Committee holds confirmation hearing for Brooke Rollins for secretary of Agriculture

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    The Senate Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry Committee held a confirmation hearing for Brooke Rollins for secretary of Agriculture on Jan. 23, 2025. At the time the hearing ended, the committee had not scheduled a meeting to vote on her nomination. Rollins must receive a majority approval vote in the committee before her nomination can be…

  • ICYMI: Top stories of the week

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    Donald Trump (R) sworn-in as the 47th president On Monday, President Donald Trump (R) took the oath of office as the 47th president. Trump’s inauguration marks the second time in U.S. history that a president has served a second, non-consecutive term. The only other time this happened was in 1883, when President Grover Cleveland (D)…

  • The Ballot Bulletin: Ballotpedia’s Weekly Digest on Election Administration, Jan. 24, 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 216 bills state legislatures acted on in the past week. Weekly highlights The big takeaways from the…

  • The latest on two special elections for the Minnesota Legislature

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    Welcome to the Friday, Jan. 24, Brew.  By: Briana Ryan Here’s what’s in store for you as you start your day: The latest on two special elections for the Minnesota Legislature Two special elections are coming up to determine control of both chambers of the Minnesota Legislature. Both were scheduled for Jan. 28.  However, as…

  • Majority control at stake in special election for Minnesota Senate District 60

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    Doron Clark (D) and Abigail Wolters (R) are running in a special election for District 60 in the Minnesota Senate on Jan. 28, 2025. The district is vacant due to the death of state Sen. Kari Dziedzic (D) on Dec. 27, 2024. Her death left a vacancy that turned Democrats’ 34-33 majority in the Senate…

  • 303 state legislative incumbents lost re-election campaigns in 2024

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    There were 5,807 state legislative seats up for election on November 5, 2024, in 44 states. Across those elections, 303 incumbents lost their re-election bids: 134 in general elections and 169 in primaries. This was the second even-year election in a row that primary defeats outnumbered those in general elections. Across primary elections in 2024,…

  • No members of Congress have announced 2026 retirement plans since Dec. 19

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    Since our last update on Dec. 19, no members of the U.S. Congress have announced plans to not seek re-election in 2026. That means the total number of congressional retirements for 2026 remains at one. The last incumbent to announce their retirement was Rep. Raúl Grijalva (D-Ariz.), who said he would not seek re-election to…

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

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    The Senate Budget Committee held a confirmation hearing for Russell Vought for director of the Office of Management and Budget on Jan. 22, 2025. At the time the hearing ended, the committee had not scheduled a meeting to vote on his nomination. Vought must receive a majority approval vote in the committee before his nomination…

  • Marco Rubio confirmed as Secretary of State

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    The U.S. Senate voted to confirm Marco Rubio as secretary of state on Jan. 20, 2025. The Senate voted unanimously in favor of his confirmation. This was the first member of Trump’s Cabinet confirmed in his second presidential term. Rubio is the first Latino to serve as U.S. secretary of state. Trump announced on Nov.…

  • Ohio becomes the 23rd state to adopt what supporters call a Parents’ Bill of Rights

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    Welcome to the Thursday, Jan. 23, 2025, Brew.  By: Lara Bonatesta Here’s what’s in store for you as you start your day: Ohio becomes the 23rd state to adopt what supporters call a Parents’ Bill of Rights A version of this story appeared in Ballotpedia’s Hall Pass on Jan. 22. Hall Pass is our weekly…