Category: Federal
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Absentee/mail-in ballot rejection rates decreased in at least 20 states between the 2016 and 2020 presidential elections
Ballotpedia’s analysis of 2020 election data shows that at least twenty states rejected a lower percentage of absentee/mail-in ballots during the 2020 presidential election than they did in 2016. At least seven states rejected a greater percentage and four states’ rejected the same percentage. Nineteen states have not yet released data making a comparison possible…
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Rep. Steve Stivers will resign from the House of Representatives on May 16
Rep. Steve Stivers (R-Ohio) announced on April 19 that he would resign from the House of Representatives to become President and CEO of the Ohio Chamber of Commerce. Stivers represents Ohio’s 15th Congressional District and said his resignation would be effective as of May 16. In a tweet announcing his resignation, Stivers said, “For the…
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Louisiana’s 2nd Congressional District special election to be held April 24
Troy Carter (D) and Karen Peterson (D) are running in a special runoff election to represent Louisiana’s 2nd Congressional District in the U.S. House on April 24, 2021. Carter and Peterson received the most votes in March 20 special primary election. They advanced to the general runoff under Louisiana’s majority-vote system, which stipulates that if no candidate receives more than 50% of the vote…
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Early voting begins in special Congressional election in Texas
On April 19, early voting began in a special election to fill the seat representing Texas’ 6th Congressional District in the U.S. House. The special election will fill the vacancy left by Ronald Wright (R), who died from complications related to COVID-19. The election will take place on May 1, with a runoff taking place…
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Federal Register weekly update: 1,366 pages added
The Federal Register is a daily journal of federal government activity that includes presidential documents, proposed and final rules, and public notices. It is a common measure of an administration’s overall regulatory activity, accounting for both regulatory and deregulatory actions. From April 12 through April 16, the Federal Register grew by 1,366 pages for a…
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Reviewing SCOTUS’ 2020-2021 term so far
The U.S. Supreme Court’s 2020-2021 oral argument calendar is nearing its end, with 12 hours of oral arguments remaining to be heard during its April sitting and one hour of oral argument scheduled for its May sitting. From October through March, the court heard a total of 45 hours of oral arguments in 56 cases.…
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SCOTUS back in session, to hear arguments next week
The Supreme Court of the United States (SCOTUS) is scheduled to begin its April argument sitting the week of April 19. The court will hear arguments via teleconference and will provide audio live streams to the public. The court has not heard arguments in person during the 2020 term. SCOTUS will hear arguments in seven…
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Congressional resolution would reverse Trump-era rule specifying when Social Security administrative appeals judges would decide cases
On April 1, 2021, U.S. Representative John Larson (D-Conn.) introduced a resolution in the U.S. House of Representatives under the Congressional Review Act (CRA) to block a rule made by the Social Security Administration (SSA) in November 2020. The rule, published in the Federal Register on November 16, 2020, aims to clarify when administrative appeals…
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Federal Register weekly update: 68 new final rules
The Federal Register is a daily journal of federal government activity that includes presidential documents, proposed and final rules, and public notices. It is a common measure of an administration’s overall regulatory activity, accounting for both regulatory and deregulatory actions. From April 5 through April 9—the 12th week of the Biden administration—the Federal Register grew…