Author: Mercedes Yanora
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Oregon state Rep. Gary Leif dies
Oregon state Rep. Gary Leif (R) died on July 22, creating a vacancy in the state legislature. County commissioners from Douglas, Jackson, and Josephine counties had originally appointed Leif to the legislature on April 30, 2018, replacing former Rep. Dallas Heard (R) upon Heard’s appointment to the Oregon Senate. Leif defeated Charles Lee (D) to win…
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Governor Brian Kemp appoints new state supreme court justice, public service commissioner
Governor Brian Kemp (R) appointed Verda Colvin to the Georgia Supreme Court and Fitz Johnson to the Georgia Public Service Commission on July 20 and 21, respectively. Colvin will fill the vacancy left by Justice Harold Melton, who retired on July 1 of this year, while Johnson will take former Commissioner Chuck Eaton’s position. Governor…
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Justin Fecteau resigns from Maine House of Representatives
Justin Fecteau (R) resigned from the Maine House of Representatives on July 4 to accept a teaching job outside his legislative district. He represented District 86 from 2018 to 2021. Fecteau was first elected to the state House in 2018. He defeated Adam Turner (D) to win re-election in 2020, 57% to 43%. When there…
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June 2021 breakdown of state legislative party membership: 54.33% Republicans, 44.87% Democrats
According to Ballotpedia’s June partisan count of the 7,383 state legislators across the United States, 54.33% of all state legislators are Republicans, and 44.87% are Democrats. Ballotpedia tallies the partisan balance of state legislatures at the end of every month. This refers to which political party holds the majority of seats in each chamber. Republicans…
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Bernalillo County Commission appoints Pamelya Herndon to New Mexico House of Representatives
The Bernalillo County Commission appointed Pamelya Herndon (D) to District 28 in the New Mexico House of Representatives on June 22. Herndon replaces Melanie Ann Stansbury (D), who was elected to New Mexico’s 1st Congressional District on June 1 of this year. The Bernalillo County Commission voted 4-0 to appoint Herndon, who was one of…
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New Hampshire state Representative David Danielson dies
New Hampshire state Representative David Danielson (R) died on May 22. Danielson had represented the Hillsborough 7 district in the New Hampshire House of Representatives since 2012 and was a member of the House Finance Committee. Sherman Packard (R), the current state House speaker, said in a statement, “He [Danielson] worked tirelessly for his community…
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Geri Huser begins new term as chair of Iowa Utilities Board
Geri Huser began another six-year term as chair of the Iowa Utilities Board on May 1. The Iowa Utilities Board is a three-member board in the Iowa state government, which is responsible for regulating the rates and services of electric, natural gas, and water utilities. Governor Terry Branstad (R) originally appointed Huser to the board…
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Hunter Roberts appointed secretary of South Dakota’s new Department of Agriculture and Natural Resources
Hunter Roberts assumed office on April 19 as secretary of the newly-formed South Dakota Department of Agriculture and Natural Resources. Governor Kristi Noem (R) appointed Roberts to the position in August 2020. The Department of Agriculture and Department of Environment and Natural Resources officially merged on April 19. Noem had announced her intention to combine…
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Sabina Matos sworn in as Rhode Island lieutenant governor
The Rhode Island Senate unanimously confirmed Sabina Matos (D) as lieutenant governor on April 13. She was sworn in the following day. Governor Daniel McKee (D) nominated Matos as lieutenant governor on March 31. McKee resigned as lieutenant governor to be sworn in as governor on March 2, replacing Gina Raimondo (D) when she became…
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West Virginia enacts law creating intermediate appellate court
Governor Jim Justice (R) signed SB 275 into law on April 9 which provides guidelines for creating the West Virginia Intermediate Court of Appeals, effective June 30, 2021. Previously, West Virginia’s state courts included a state supreme court of appeals and trial courts with both general and limited jurisdiction. According to Metro News, a 2009…