Author: David Luchs

In 47 states, the secretary of state is a top-level executive office with administrative responsibilities. However, the role and duties of the office vary from state to state.   Here are five things you may not know about the office of secretary of state:   Three states—Alaska, Hawaii, and Utah—do not have a secretary of…

A state attorney general serves as their state’s chief law enforcement officer. While all 50 states have one, their roles and responsibilities vary.   Here are five things you may not know about the office of attorney general: As of February 2019, there are 25 Democratic state attorneys general and 24 Republicans. Hawaii Attorney General…

Twenty-one state executive officials left office early in 2018, the third-highest number since Ballotpedia began tracking the figure in 2012.   They included one Democrat, 13 Republicans, and seven nonpartisan officials.   Nine resignations occurred for personal reasons, seven for political reasons, and two for professional reasons. Three officials did not specify their reasons for…

Wednesday marked the one-year anniversary of Wisconsin’s nonpartisan primary election for a seat on the state Supreme Court. Sauk County Circuit Judge Michael Screnock and Milwaukee County Circuit Judge Rebecca Dallet placed first and second in the primary, respectively, and advanced to the March 20 general election. Attorney Tim Burns placed last and was eliminated.…

All 50 states will draw new congressional and state legislative district lines after the 2020 census. The manner in which redistricting occurs varies from state to state.   In most states, the legislature draws new district maps. Some states have commissions charged with producing new maps instead.   In Arizona, California, Idaho, and Washington, congressional…

At this time four years ago, Oregon Secretary of State Kate Brown (D) was preparing to succeed four-term Gov. John Kitzhaber (D), who had announced his resignation on February 13 over allegations that he had been involved in influence peddling. Kitzhaber, who was first elected in 1994 and won re-election in 1998, 2010, and 2014,…

This Saturday marked the one-year anniversary of the state and federal candidate filing deadlines for Alabama and Indiana’s 2018 elections. Both states played host to high-profile elections last year. In Indiana, offices up for election in 2018 included one of the state’s seats in the U.S. Senate, all nine of its seats in the U.S.…

A state government triplex is a term describing single-party control of three of a state’s highest executive offices: governor, attorney general, and secretary of state. Control of all three offices can help a party advance its governing agenda, while divided control can spark conflict within the executive branch.   Currently, there are 18 states with…

America’s three most popular governors throughout 2018 remained the most popular in the fourth quarter of the year, according to a poll of gubernatorial approval ratings conducted by Morning Consult. The quarterly poll measures approval ratings for all 50 state governors.   For the eighth consecutive quarter, Gov. Charlie Baker (R-Mass.) was the most popular…

Four of the twelve states holding gubernatorial elections in 2020 have not seen the office change hands since the 20th century.   The longest winning streak on the 2020 ballot is in Utah, where Republicans have won the past 10 gubernatorial elections. Should Republicans win their 11th consecutive gubernatorial election in the state, they would…