Each week, The Weekly Brew brings you a collection of the most viewed stories from The Daily Brew, condensed. Here are the top stories from the week of July 13 - July 17.
USDA releases SNAP error rate data that could affect state cost-share
On June 24, the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) released fiscal year 2025 (FY25) payment error rate data for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP). This was the first update of payment error data since the One Big Beautiful Bill Act (OBBBA) established a cost-share system based on this data, and the first year of data that may determine the share of benefit costs that states must pay beginning in 2028.
Payment errors occur when SNAP benefits are issued incorrectly, either to an ineligible household, in the wrong amount, or based on misapplied eligibility rules. The OBBBA, which President Donald Trump (R) signed into law in 2025, established a cost-share system for SNAP benefits, under which states must pay a share of benefits based on their payment error rate. Beginning in fiscal year 2028, states will be required to pay a share of SNAP benefit costs if their program error rates exceed 6%. Previously, the federal government has paid for the entirety of SNAP benefit costs.
The role of recall elections in our political system
This week, we're sharing the sixth installment in our project marking America's 250th anniversary: The Blueprints of Democracy.
Recall elections, one of the many types of elections that Ballotpedia covers, have a long history in the United States. These elections are unique in that, rather than voters electing a candidate to office, they decide whether to remove an incumbent from office before their term expires.
Thirty-nine states permit recalls of at least some local-level officials, and nineteen of those states also allow recalls of state-level officials.
Oakland could join 47 other of the 100 most populous U.S. cities with strong mayor governments
Oakland, California, voters will decide on a ballot measure to amend the city charter to create a strong mayor form of government, changing the distribution of power and responsibilities among the mayor, city administrator, and city council.
Oakland is one of seven of the 100 largest cities in the country with a hybrid government. Forty-seven of the 100 largest cities have a strong mayor government, which Oakland could switch to. Forty-six have council-manager governments.
Among the 10 largest cities, strong mayor governments are most prevalent. Six of the 10 largest cities have strong mayor governments, and four have council-manager governments. Oakland is the 44th largest city in the country by population.
South Carolina and Maine will be the first states to replace a major party U.S. Senate nominee since 2016
South Carolina joined Maine as the second state where a major party will replace its U.S. Senate nominee this year, following the July 11 death of U.S. Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.). The last major party candidate to replace another on the ballot for Senate was Evan Bayh (D-Ind.), who replaced Baron Hill (D-Ind.) in 2016. There have not been multiple major party replacement candidates for U.S. Senate on the ballot in one year since 2002.
All states except California and Washington, which both use top-two primaries, allow candidates to be replaced after winning their party’s nomination.
Maine’s Graham Platner (D) and Lindsey Graham are the 12th and 13th major party Senate nominees to leave a race since 1976, either voluntarily or due to death. Ten were Democrats and three were Republicans.
Six citizenship voting measures on the ballot in 2026 continue second wave of historical trend
In 2026, voters in six states will decide ballot measures on citizenship requirements for voting. Each measure would provide that only U.S. citizens may vote in state and local elections. Five are legislative constitutional amendments, and one — in Alaska — is a citizen-initiated state statute. These measures continue the second wave of a historical trend of statewide ballot measures related to citizenship and voting eligibility.
Federal law has prohibited noncitizens from voting in elections for president, the U.S. House, and the U.S. Senate since 1996. State constitutions and state and local laws govern eligibility for other elections. Currently, the District of Columbia and municipalities in three states allow noncitizens to vote in local elections.
In general, ballot measures approved since 2018 related to citizenship and voting eligibility have changed constitutional language such as “every citizen may vote” to “only a citizen may vote” or added an express prohibition on noncitizen voting.