Forty-one of the 100 largest U.S. cities by population and 50 state capitals are holding mayoral elections this year.
Forty-one mayoral elections are taking place across the 100 largest U.S. cities by population and 50 state capitals this year. Two upcoming mayoral battleground races are the May 14 Democratic primary for mayor of Baltimore, Maryland, and the May 14 runoff election for mayor of Anchorage, Alaska. We will also be covering other mayoral battleground elections later in the year as their election dates near, including:
- The June 11 primary for mayor of Las Vegas, Nevada
- The Nov. 5 general election for mayor of Portland, Oregon
- The Nov. 5 general election for mayor of San Francisco, California
Here’s what to know about expiring COVID-19 education relief
In response to widespread school closures during the COVID-19 pandemic, Congress allocated roughly $190 billion to schools through three rounds of Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief (ESSER) Fund grants.
States have until September to commit money they received in the third round of ESSER funding. With the deadline to spend ESSER funds approaching and declining public school enrollment, districts are grappling with the loss of billions of dollars in federal aid.
Some districts have announced staff and teacher layoffs due to losing ESSER funds. Districts may also cut expenses in other ways, including ending after-school programs, tutoring services, and more. Read our full coverage on this story in Wednesday’s edition of Hall Pass.
California ballot initiative could change drug and theft penalties
Californians for Safer Communities reported filing more than 900,000 signatures on April 18 in support of an initiative that would make changes to Proposition 47, which California voters approved in 2014. Proposition 47 reduced the classification of most nonviolent property and drug crimes—including theft and fraud for amounts up to $950—from a felony to a misdemeanor.
The proposed initiative, known as the California Drug and Theft Crime Penalties and Treatment-Mandated Felonies Initiative, would increase drug crime and theft penalties and create a new class of crime called treatment-mandated felony, which would give the offender the option to participate in drug and mental health treatment.