Category: State
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Missouri voters to decide amendment to establish Show-Me Prosperity Investment Fund to reduce and eliminate state taxes
Missouri voters will decide on a constitutional amendment to create the Show-Me Prosperity Investment Fund, which would grow through state investments until its earnings could replace tax revenue, with the goal of reducing and eventually eliminating state taxes. The amendment, Senate Joint Resolution 95, passed the state Legislature. The Senate approved it 22-7 on March…
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Missouri voters to decide constitutional amendment to require election of county sheriffs
Missouri voters will decide a constitutional amendment to require the election of county sheriffs in most counties. The amendment, Senate Joint Resolution 87 (SJR 87), which was introduced by Sen. Jill Carter (R-32), passed the state legislature on May 15, 2026. The House passed the measure by 95-46, and the Senate passed the measure by…
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The Utah Supreme Court undergoes another change in structure with the resignation of Justice Diana Hagen
On May 8, Utah Supreme Court Justice Diana Hagen resigned, marking another structural change within the Court. Hagan’s resignation comes after Gov. Spencer Cox (R) signed a bill on Jan. 31 to increase the number of justices on the Court from five to seven — making Utah the first state since 2016 to expand its…
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Connecticut could become the 37th state to allow absentee/mail-in voting without an excuse
On May 15, Connecticut legislators sent a bill to Gov. Ned Lamont (D) that would remove the requirement that voters provide an excuse to request an absentee ballot. Currently, Connecticut is one of 14 states that require voters to have a valid excuse to vote absentee/by mail. Twenty-eight states allow any eligible voter to request…
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Alabama announces special primary elections for four U.S. House races, New Hampshire moves 2028 primary date
Two states recently revised their election calendars: Alabama scheduled special primary elections this year for four congressional districts, and New Hampshire moved its statewide and congressional primaries to June beginning in 2028. On May 12, Alabama Gov. Kay Ivey (R) announced that special primaries will happen on Aug. 11 for four of the state's seven…
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Hawaii legislators advance bill to restrict corporate political activity
On May 8, Hawaii legislators sent a bill to Gov. Joshua Green (D) that would prohibit corporations from spending money or participating in election or ballot measure activities. SB 2471 would amend state law to modify the powers given to corporations. The bill establishes that corporations have artificial-person powers, defined as the ability to carry…
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Louisiana state legislature certifies two measures related to homestead tax exemptions for surviving spouses of deceased veterans and changing property tax limits for the 2026 ballot
The Louisiana State Legislature approved two constitutional amendments related to property taxes for the Nov. 3, 2026, statewide general election ballot. Legislators passed both amendments on May 11, 2026. In Louisiana, a two-thirds (66.67%) vote is required during a single session to place a constitutional amendment on the ballot. That amounts to a minimum of…
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State legislatures enact more than 200 election-related bills in first four months of 2026
States have enacted 236 election-related bills so far this year, 66% more than at this point in 2024 and nearly two-and-a-half times the total from 2022. These figures come from Ballotpedia's State of Election Policy 2026 Spring Report, which covers election-related legislative activity captured in our Election Administration Legislation Tracker through April 24 of this…
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Five Republican trifecta states and one with divided government enact bills reducing agency power in 2026
State legislative sessions in 2026 have featured a number of bills affecting the administrative state, with five Republican trifecta states and one state with a divided government enacting bills that reduce the power of state agencies. The term administrative state refers to executive branch agencies with unelected officials (in this case, at the state level)…
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New congressional maps in Florida, Tennessee aim to shift five more districts to Republicans ahead of 2026 midterms
Since the U.S. Supreme Court decided Louisiana v. Callais on April 29, two more states — Florida and Tennessee — have redrawn their congressional maps, Virginia’s map was blocked from certification by the Virginia Supreme Court, and the Alabama Legislature approved legislation that would set special primary elections in affected districts if courts roll back…