A deep dive into April 5 school board conflict elections in Missouri, Oklahoma, and Wisconsin
Since June 2021, Ballotpedia has tracked school board elections where candidates have taken a position on race in education, COVID responses, or sex and gender in schools. In November 2021, we analyzed the election results in 96 of these districts. Now, we’ve identified 141 school districts in Missouri, Oklahoma, and Wisconsin that held elections on April 5 in which candidates took a position on one or more of those three issues.
Following the elections, we used media reporting, op-eds, candidate websites, campaign ads, and more, to categorize each candidate as either supporting or opposing an issue. Click the link below to see more of this analysis, including a breakdown by conflict issue.
Marijuana legalization initiative qualifies for the South Dakota ballot
On May 25, South Dakota Secretary of State Steve Barnett (R) announced an initiative that would legalize marijuana, officially titled Initiated Measure 27, will appear on the November ballot. If voters approve the proposal, people aged 21 and over will be able to legally possess, use, and distribute marijuana.
Nationwide, there are 15 marijuana-related measures either in process or certified for the ballot. Eighteen states and Washington, D.C., have legalized marijuana for recreational purposes—12 through citizen initiatives, one through a legislatively referred constitutional amendment, and six through legislative action.
Previewing the first top-four congressional primary in U.S. history
A top-four primary in the special election for Alaska’s At-Large Congressional District is just around the corner in Alaska on June 11. This is the first top-four congressional primary in U.S. history. Former incumbent Rep. Don Young (R) died on March 18, 2022.
All candidates will appear on the same ballot with their affiliations listed next to their names. The four candidates with the most votes will advance to the general election, which will use ranked-choice voting.
Forty-eight candidates filed by the April 1, 2022, deadline. The special primary election ballot comprises:
- 22 candidates running as nonpartisan or with undeclared affiliation
- 16 Republicans
- 6 Democrats
- 2 Libertarians
- 1 American Independent Party member
- 1 Alaskan Independence Party member
Ten statewide candidate filing deadlines coming up this month
June is one of the busiest months of the 2022 election cycle, with 17 primary elections, the most of the year, and 10 statewide candidate filing deadlines, the year’s second-most. Three filing deadlines have already passed in June. Candidates in Alaska, Kansas, and Wisconsin had until June 1 to file to run in primary elections.
Five filing deadlines are coming up next week. Connecticut, Hawaii, and Massachusetts have deadlines set for June 7. New Hampshire and New York’s deadlines are coming up on June 10.
Two deadlines will come later in the month. Candidates in Florida have until June 17 to file, followed by those in Rhode Island on June 29.
These June filing deadlines are some of the last for this election cycle. Only two states—Delaware and Louisiana—have later filing deadlines, with both scheduled for July.