Jaclyn Beran – Ballotpedia News

December 23, 2021 at 3:53 PM

Candidates interested in running in the special election for District 42 in the Kentucky House of Representatives have until Jan. 4 to file. The special election will be held on Feb. 22. The winner of the special election will serve until January 2023.

The seat became vacant after Reginald Meeks (D) retired from the state House on Dec. 17. He had served in the state House since 2001. He was unopposed in his re-election bid in 2020.

Republicans currently have a 75-24 majority in the Kentucky House with one vacancy. Kentucky has a divided government. The Democratic Party controls the governor’s office, while the Republican Party controls both chambers of the state legislature.

As of December, 17 state legislative special elections have been scheduled to take place in 2022. Between 2011 and 2020, an average of 75 special elections took place each year. Kentucky held 23 state legislative special elections from 2011 to 2020.

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Three candidates file for South Carolina Senate special election

By Jaclyn Beran

In State

December 15, 2021 at 3:14 PM

Three candidates have filed to run in the special election for District 31 in the South Carolina State Senate. State Rep. Jay Jordan (R), Mike Reichenbach (R), and Suzanne La Rochelle (D) all filed before the Dec. 11 filing deadline. Jordan and Reichenbach will face off in the Republican primary on Jan. 25. The winner of the Republican primary will face La Rochelle in the special election on March 29.

The seat became vacant after the death of Hugh Leatherman (R) on Nov. 12. He had served in the state Senate since 1981. He was unopposed in his re-election bid in 2020.

Heading into the special election, Republicans have a 29-16 majority in the state Senate with one vacancy. South Carolina has a Republican state government trifecta. A trifecta exists when one political party simultaneously holds the governor’s office and majorities in both state legislative chambers.

As of December, 11 state legislative special elections have been scheduled to take place in 2022. Between 2011 and 2020, an average of 75 special elections took place each year. South Carolina held 33 state legislative special elections from 2010 to 2020.

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Jacksonville City Council race heads to a runoff

By Jaclyn Beran

In Local

December 9, 2021 at 9:04 AM

A special general election was held on Dec. 7 for the at-large Group 3 seat on the Jacksonville City Council. According to unofficial results, Tracye Polson (D) received 36.7% of the vote, and Nick Howland (R) received 35.9% of the vote. The other two candidates in the race, James Jacobs (D) and Howland Russell (R), each received 13.7% of the vote. Since no candidate broke the 50% threshold to win outright, the top two vote-getters in the race, Polson and Howland, will face off in the Feb. 22 runoff election. The winner will serve until June 2023.

The seat became vacant on Sept. 11 after Tommy Hazouri (D) died from health complications. He had served on the city council since 2015.

Jacksonville is the largest city in Florida and the 14th-largest city in the U.S. by population. It had an estimated population of 949,611 in 2020, according to the U.S. Census Bureau.

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Three candidates file for Maine House special election

By Jaclyn Beran

In State

November 30, 2021 at 5:18 PM

Political parties had until Nov. 29 to nominate candidates to run in the special election for District 27 of the Maine House of Representatives. The unaffiliated candidate filing deadline also passed on the same day. James Boyle (D) and Timothy Thorsen (R) were both nominated by their respective political parties to run in the Jan. 11 special election. Suzanne Phillips also filed to run as an unenrolled candidate. The filing deadline for write-in candidates is Dec. 6.

Boyle previously served in the Maine state Senate from 2012 to 2014. He was defeated in his re-election bid in 2014. Thorsen is a retired Marine Corps colonel and works as a project management professional for a manufacturing and construction company in Sanford, Maine. Phillips currently serves as a Gorham Town Council member.

The winner of the special election will serve until December 2022. The seat became vacant after Kyle Bailey (D) resigned on Oct. 15 to pursue another job opportunity. He was elected to the state House in 2020 with 59% of the vote.

Democrats currently have an 80-65 majority in the Maine House with five third-party members and one vacancy. Maine has a Democratic state government trifecta. A trifecta exists when one political party simultaneously holds the governor’s office and majorities in both state legislative chambers.

As of November, 10 state legislative special elections have been scheduled to take place in 2022. Between 2011 and 2020, an average of 75 special elections took place each year. Maine held 15 state legislative special elections from 2011 to 2020.

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Filing deadline to pass for Maine House special election on Nov. 29

By Jaclyn Beran

In State

November 24, 2021 at 9:24 AM

Political parties have until Nov. 29 to nominate candidates to run in the special election for District 27 of the Maine House of Representatives. The special election will be held on Jan. 11. Republicans have nominated Marine Corps veteran Tim Thorsen, and Democrats have picked former state Sen. Jim Boyle to run for the seat. The unaffiliated candidate filing deadline will also pass on Nov. 29.

The winner of the special election will serve until December 2022. The seat became vacant after Kyle Bailey (D) resigned on Oct. 15 to pursue another job opportunity. He was elected to the state House in 2020 with 59% of the vote.

Democrats currently have an 80-65 majority in the Maine House with five third-party members and one vacancy. Maine has a Democratic state government trifecta. A trifecta exists when one political party simultaneously holds the governor’s office and majorities in both state legislative chambers.

As of November, 10 state legislative special elections have been scheduled to take place in 2022. Between 2011 and 2020, an average of 75 special elections took place each year. Maine held 15 state legislative special elections from 2011 to 2020.

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Pillsbury wins Dover City Council special election

By Jaclyn Beran

In Local

November 17, 2021 at 4:20 PM

The city of Dover, D.E., held a nonpartisan special election for District 1 on the city council on Nov. 16. The filing deadline for this election was Nov. 1.

Julia Pillsbury defeated Brandy Walker in the special election with 53.5% of the vote. According to unofficial results, Pillsbury received 272 votes to Walker’s 236. The special election was called after Matthew Lindell resigned from his seat on the nine-seat city council after deciding to move from the district. Lindell served from 2017 to 2021.

Dover is the capital city of Delaware and the second-largest city in the state. It had an estimated population of 39,403 in 2020, according to the U.S. Census Bureau. Ballotpedia covers elections for mayor, city council, and district attorney in all capital cities in the U.S.

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Voters in Dover to decide city council special election on Nov. 16

By Jaclyn Beran

In Local

November 10, 2021 at 4:52 PM

The city of Dover, D.E., is holding a nonpartisan special election for District 1 on the city council on Nov. 16. The filing deadline for this election was Nov. 1.

Julia Pillsbury and Brandy Walker are running in the special election. The special election was called after Matthew Lindell resigned from his seat on the nine-seat city council after deciding to move from the district. Lindell served from 2017 to 2021.

Dover is the capital city of Delaware and the second-largest city in the state. It had an estimated population of 39,403 in 2020, according to the U.S. Census Bureau. Ballotpedia covers elections for mayor, city council, and district attorney in all capital cities in the U.S.

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Democrats flip Maine state House seat in Nov. 2 special election

By Jaclyn Beran

In State

November 4, 2021 at 6:00 PM

Democrats picked up a seat in the Maine House of Representatives on Nov. 2. In the District 86 special election, Augusta City Council member Raegan LaRochelle (D) defeated U.S. Army veteran James Orr (R) with 56.2% of the vote. LaRochelle’s term will last until December 2022. To keep hold of her seat, LaRochelle will have to run for re-election in 2022 for a two-year term.

The seat became vacant on July 4 when Justin Fecteau (R) resigned because he moved outside of the district. He had represented the district since 2018. He was re-elected in 2020 with 57% of the vote.

Democrats currently have a 79-65 majority in the Maine House with five third-party members and two vacancies. Maine has a Democratic state government trifecta. A trifecta exists when one political party simultaneously holds the governor’s office and majorities in both state legislative chambers.

As of Nov. 4, 65 state legislative special elections were scheduled or had taken place in 2021. Including the District 86 race, five seats have changed partisan hands in 2021. Two seats flipped from Republican control to Democratic control, while three seats flipped from Democratic control to Republican control. Between 2011 and 2020, an average of 75 special elections took place each year. Maine held 15 state legislative special elections from 2011 to 2020.

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Special election to be held in Maine House district

By Jaclyn Beran

In State

October 28, 2021 at 3:16 PM

A special election is being held on Nov. 2 to fill a vacancy in District 86 of the Maine House of Representatives. Augusta City Council member Raegan LaRochelle (D) and U.S. Army veteran James Orr (R) are facing off in the special election. The winner of the special election will serve until December 2022.

The seat became vacant on July 4 when Justin Fecteau (R) resigned because he moved outside of the district. He had represented the district since 2018. He was re-elected in 2020 with 57% of the vote.

Heading into the special election, Democrats have a 79-65 majority in the Maine House with five third-party members and two vacancies. Maine has a Democratic state government trifecta. A trifecta exists when one political party simultaneously holds the governor’s office and majorities in both state legislative chambers.

As of October, 64 state legislative special elections have been scheduled for 2021 in 21 states. Between 2011 and 2020, an average of 75 special elections took place each year. Maine held 15 state legislative special elections from 2011 to 2020.

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Voters in Cheshire County to decide New Hampshire House district special election on Oct. 26

By Jaclyn Beran

In State

October 20, 2021 at 3:12 PM

A special election will be held on Oct. 26 to fill a vacant seat in the Cheshire 9 District of the New Hampshire House of Representatives. Andrew Maneval (D) and Rita Mattson (R) are facing off in the special election. Mattson advanced to the special election after defeating Lucille Decker in the Sept. 7 Republican primary with 83.2% of the vote. Maneval was unopposed in the Democratic primary.

The winner of the special election will serve until December 2022 and join Richard Ames (D) in representing the district. The seat became vacant after Douglas Ley (D) died from cancer on June 10. Ley had represented the district since 2012. He was re-elected in 2020 with 27.5% of the vote.

Heading into the special election, Republicans have a 207-188 majority in the New Hampshire House with five vacancies. New Hampshire has a Republican state government trifecta. A trifecta exists when one political party simultaneously holds the governor’s office and majorities in both state legislative chambers.

As of October, 64 state legislative special elections have been scheduled for 2021 in 21 states. Between 2011 and 2020, an average of 75 special elections took place each year. New Hampshire held 29 state legislative special elections from 2011 to 2020.

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