Author: James McAllister
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Republicans flip legislature and gain trifecta control in New Hampshire
Republicans are projected to flip control of New Hampshire’s state Senate and House to gain trifecta control of the state. A state government trifecta occurs when one political party holds the governorship, a majority in the state senate, and a majority in the state house in a state’s government. Heading into the election, New Hampshire had been under a…
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Incumbent Mitch McConnell (R) defeats Amy McGrath (D) in U.S. Senate election in Kentucky
Incumbent Mitch McConnell (R) defeated Amy McGrath (D), Brad Barron (L), and Randall Lee Teegarden (Unaffiliated) in the November 3, 2020, general election for U.S. Senate in Kentucky. As of Oct. 14, McGrath had raised $90 million—more than any other U.S. Senate candidate in the country other than Jamie Harrison (D). McConnell was sixth in…
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How much pension debt does your state have?
Unfunded liabilities refer to a pension fund’s debts—the payments owed to members of the pension fund that exceed its assets of current capital and their projected investment returns. This difference between assets and liabilities is monitored as an indicator of pension fund performance, management, and ability to pay retiree benefits. In the years between 2003-2018,…
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How much debt does your state’s government have per person?
The average per capita debt across all 50 states in 2018 was $3,600. Nineteen states were above this per-capita average, with 31 states below. In 2000, average state debt per capita was $1,942. In 2018, the states with the least debt per capita were: Tennessee ($929 per capita) Nebraska ($1,068) Nevada ($1,135) Georgia ($1,266) Florida…
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How much revenue does your state receive from the federal government per person?
Federal outlays are revenue that state governments receive directly from the federal government. Between fiscal years 2014 and 2017, annual per capita federal outlays to states ranged from $1,141 (Virginia) to $4,849 (Wyoming). The average annual per capita outlays across all states is $2,055, which is close to Michigan’s average ($2,009) and California’s ($2,053) over…
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President Donald Trump tests positive for the coronavirus
On Oct. 1, President Donald Trump and First Lady Melania Trump tested positive for the coronavirus. In a tweet on Oct. 2, Trump said, “Tonight, @FLOTUS and I tested positive for COVID-19. We will begin our quarantine and recovery process immediately.” To date, Ballotpedia has tracked the following government officials and candidates who have died,…
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What percentage of your state’s general revenue comes from the federal government?
All states receive aid from the federal government, usually in the form of grants. In fiscal year 2018, the average percentage of general revenues that the states brought in from federal aid was 32.5%—or about one-third of their general revenues. From 2000 to 2018, the total share of federal outlays among all fifty states was…
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How many races in 2020 had the same candidates in 2018?
In the 2020 general election, 366 elections in Ballotpedia’s coverage scope are rematches between the same candidates who ran for office in 2018. Rematch elections in 2020 include: 23 elections for the U.S. House One state executive election 339 state legislative elections Three local races in our coverage scope. Republicans won 205 of the 2018…
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Debate over federal aid to states in response to the coronavirus pandemic
Coronavirus-related business closures and job losses reduced state income and sales tax revenues. State budget shortfalls resulting from lost tax revenue are projected to total between $41 billion and $110 billion in fiscal year 2020. In FY 2021, shortfalls are projected between $121 billion and $290 billion. Between March and August 2020, Congress and President…
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Thirty-four states have statewide mask orders—what are the restrictions in your state?
Thirty-four states have statewide orders requiring individuals to wear masks in indoor or outdoor public spaces, as of August 6. All 24 states with a Democratic governor have statewide mask orders, while 10 out of 26 Republican states require face coverings. The mask requirements have been issued across five months: • Three orders have been…