Category: State
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First half of 2024 sees historic spike in recall efforts against elected officials
In the first half of 2024, Ballotpedia tracked the highest number of officeholders targeted for recall and the highest number of officeholders removed from office by mid-year since tracking began in 2014. From January 1 through June 28, 2024, there were 164 recall efforts launched against 266 officeholders, resulting in 38 officials being successfully recalled.…
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Twenty-eight candidates are running in the top-two primary for governor of Washington – Semi Bird (R), Bob Ferguson (D), Mark Mullet (D), and Dave Reichert (R) lead in media coverage and endorsements
Twenty-eight candidates are running in the top-two primary for governor of Washington. Semi Bird (R), Bob Ferguson(D), Mark Mullet (D), and Dave Reichert (R) have received the most media attention and endorsements. The primary is Aug. 6, 2024. The top-two finishers will advance to the general election on Nov. 5, 2024. Incumbent Jay Inslee (D) is not running for re-election. Political commentators have identified two themes…
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Indiana treasurer adds BlackRock to state ESG watchlist
Indiana Treasurer Daniel Elliott (R) announced June 21 that he added BlackRock, the world’s largest asset manager, to “a state watchlist, accusing the firm of making illegal environmental, social or governance (ESG) commitments,” according to the Indiana Capital Chronicle. The decision was related to a 2023 state law banning ESG in state pension investments. Ballotpedia…
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A look at Vermont’s 2024 state legislative primaries
Vermont has 25 contested state legislative primaries on August 13. In elections from 2010 to 2022, the average number of contested state legislative primaries was 18.1. There are 17 contested Democratic primaries and eight contested Republican primaries in 2024. That is the largest number of contested Republican primaries since Ballotpedia started tracking in 2010. The…
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Louisiana Governor signs unemployment insurance indexing bill
Louisiana Governor Jeff Landry (R) signed House Bill 119 on Jun. 17, which will index the length of unemployment insurance benefits to the state’s unemployment rate. The new law reduces the maximum number of benefit weeks to 12 when the unemployment rate is at or below 5%. The bill also proposes capping the maximum benefit…
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Oklahoma House of Representatives opts not to vote on proposed education rules, sends rules to governor for approval
The Oklahoma House of Representatives opted not to vote on a set of education rules before the end of the 2024 legislative session, sending the rules to Gov. Kevin Stitt (R) for approval. The rules previously passed the House Administrative Rules Committee 7-3 on May 14. Superintendent of Education Ryan Walters (R) proposed a set…
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Florida expands work requirements for SNAP
Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis (R) signed House Bill 1267 on June 13, 2024, expanding work requirements for participants in the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP). The legislation mandates that individuals aged 18-59 must participate in the SNAP Employment and Training program for 40 hours per week, with exemptions for those living with children or who…
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Arizona voters to decide on amendment that would end term limits and retention elections for state supreme court and superior court judges
Voters in Arizona will decide on a constitutional amendment that will end term limits and retention elections for state supreme court justices and superior court judges on Nov. 5, 2024. The constitutional amendment, titled Senate Concurrent Resolution 1044 (SCR 1044), would be retroactive to Oct. 31, 2024, nullifying the results of the retention elections scheduled…
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Montanans for Election Reform submit signatures for a pair of initiatives establishing a top-four primary system and majority vote requirement
Montanans for Election Reform submitted signatures on June 13 for a pair of initiatives that would amend the Montana Constitution to change the state’s electoral system. Initiative CI-126 would create a top-four primary system for elections for governor, lieutenant governor, state executives, state legislators, and congressional offices. Under the system, every candidate would run in…
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California initiative that would make changes to Prop. 47, increasing drug and theft penalties, qualifies for the Nov. ballot
Californians for Safer Communities qualified an initiative for the Nov. 5, 2024, ballot that would make changes to Proposition 47, including increasing drug and theft penalties. The office of California Secretary of State Shirley Weber announced on June 11 that the campaign had submitted at least 652,100 valid signatures, exceeding the 546,651 signature threshold to…