Category: State

  • 54.97% of state legislators are Republican, 44.35% Democratic

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    At the end of June 2024, 54.97% of all state legislators in the United States are Republican while 44.35% are Democratic. There are 7,386 state legislative seats in the country. Republicans held a majority in 56 chambers, and Democrats held the majority in 40 chambers. Two chambers (Alaska House and Alaska Senate) were organized under…

  • Scott Baugh (R) and Dave Min (D) are running in the CA-47 general election

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    Scott Baugh (R) and Dave Min (D) are running in the general election for California’s 47th Congressional District on November 5, 2024. Incumbent Katie Porter (D) ran for the U.S. Senate. Porter was re-elected in 2022 after defeating Baugh 52%-48% in the general election. She was first elected in 2018, defeating Republican incumbent Mimi Walters 52%-48%. Politico said this race “could very well determine…

  • Changes to voter registration and absentee/mail-in ballot counting are among new election laws in Georgia

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    Legislators in Georgia adopted 33 new election laws related to elections this year, including changes to voter registration challenges and a new deadline for counting absentee/mail-in ballots. They also established new requirements for poll workers, rules for poll observers, and a new system for posting images of voted ballots:  SB 189 is an omnibus elections bill…

  • Maryland was the most active Democratic state in terms of new election laws in the first half of 2024

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    Maryland adopted 10 election-related bills in the first half of 2024, making it the most active state with a Democratic trifecta in terms of new election laws.  Lawmakers adopted bills expanding protections for election officials, and created a portal intended to address election misinformation. They also adopted a new law modifying post-election canvassing procedures, including a process…

  • Signatures submitted for Arizona initiative that would raise minimum wage to $18

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    In Arizona, a campaign supporting an initiative to increase the minimum wage to $18 per hour submitted signatures on July 3, 2024. Voters would decide on the ballot initiative on Nov. 5, 2024.  Raise the Wage AZ, the campaign sponsoring the initiative, submitted 354,278 signatures to state officials. At least 255,949 signatures must be verified.…

  • Fewest ever contested state legislative primaries in Massachusetts

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    Massachusetts has 33 contested state legislative primaries on September 3, 2024, the fewest since Ballotpedia started tracking in 2010. There are 27 contested Democratic primaries and six contested Republican primaries. For both parties that is below the average from 2010 to 2022. The average number of contested Democratic primaries was 36.9 and the average number…

  • Voters in six states—CO, FL, MD, NY, NV, and SD—will be deciding on abortion in 2024, with measures proposed in five other states

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    Image of several stickers with the words "I voted"

    Voters in six states—Colorado, Florida, Maryland, New York, Nevada, and South Dakota—will decide on abortion-related ballot measures in Nov. 2024. Initiatives are also proposed in five additional states. On June 28, a ballot initiative to provide a state constitutional right to an abortion was certified for the ballot in Nevada. Around 128,000 signatures were verified…

  • Signatures submitted for Ohio ballot initiative to establish the Citizens Redistricting Commission

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    In Ohio, the campaign behind a citizen-initiated constitutional amendment to create a Citizens Redistricting Commission submitted signatures on July 1, 2024. Voters would decide the ballot initiative on Nov. 5, 2024. The initiative would replace the current Ohio Redistricting Commission with the Citizens Redistricting Commission. Currently, the Ohio Redistricting Commission has seven members, including the…

  • Nevada voters will decide on abortion amendment in November, joining five other states—CO, FL, MD, NY, and SD

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    Voters in Nevada will decide on a citizen-initiated ballot measure to provide a state constitutional right to an abortion on Nov. 5, 2024. About 128,000 signatures were verified on June 28, 2024. For a citizen initiative to qualify for the ballot, 102,362 valid signatures were required. Voters in 11 states could vote on abortion-related measures…

  • State supreme court vacancy count for June 2024

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    In this month’s state supreme court vacancy update, Ballotpedia tracked announced retirements, nominations, appointments, confirmations, and the swearing-in of justices from June 1, 2024, to June 28, 2024. Ballotpedia tracks court vacancies in all 52 state supreme courts. Announced retirements: New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy (D) announced on June 10, 2024, that Justice Lee A.…