Category: State

  • Checks and Balances, December 2024

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    In this edition of Checks and Balances: Federal stories: State stories: Commentary: Regulatory Tally: In Washington President-elect Trump announces Department of Government Efficiency creation What’s the story? President-elect Donald Trump (R) on Nov. 12 announced the creation of the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) to advise the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) on cutting…

  • Looking ahead at 2025 ranked-choice voting legislation

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    More bills pre-filed or carried over to 2025 legislative sessions would adopt ranked-choice voting (RCV) than would ban it, but their path to becoming law remains uncertain.  Ranked-choice voting was one of the hottest election policy topics of 2024, both in state legislative sessions and on voters’ ballots. Six states banned RCV, more than in…

  • Changes to voting laws and state board of election included in North Carolina veto override

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    On Dec. 11, 2024, the North Carolina House of Representatives voted to override Gov. Roy Cooper’s (D) veto of S 382. Cooper vetoed the bill on Nov. 26, and the North Carolina Senate voted along partisan lines to override the veto 30-19 on Dec. 2. The 72-46 vote in the House confirmed the override.   The bill combines disaster relief funding for communities and businesses…

  • North Carolina legislature sends constitutional amendment to 2026 ballot requiring photo ID to vote, including by mail

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    The North Carolina State Legislature approved a constitutional amendment to require photo identification to vote by mail or by other means, rather than only for voters voting in person. The amendment will appear on the Nov. 2026 ballot. In North Carolina, voter ID is currently required for those voting in person but is not required…

  • Ballotpedia adds special elections to state supreme court vacancy coverage

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    Ballotpedia now includes vacancies filled by special elections in our state supreme court vacancy coverage. In 2024, there has been one retirement from a state supreme court, resulting in a vacancy that will be filled by a special election occurring in 2025. Louisiana: On August 4, 2024, Louisiana Supreme Court Justice James Genovese (R) stepped…

  • Voters in San Mateo County, California, to decide on charter amendment to allow supervisors to remove elected sheriff for cause

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    Voters in San Mateo County, California, will decide on a charter amendment to allow the County Board of Supervisors to remove Sheriff Christina Corpus from office for cause through a four-fifths (4 of 5) vote. The charter amendment would expire on December 31, 2028. Voters will decide on the charter amendment at a special election…

  • North Carolina Senate Republicans pass two constitutional amendments related to income taxes and voter ID

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    The North Carolina State Senate passed two constitutional amendments on Dec. 2, 2024, which voters would decide in Nov. 2026.  One amendment, SB 920, would reduce the maximum income tax rate from 7% to 5%. The other, SB 921, would require all voters to provide photo identification to vote. In North Carolina, voter ID is…

  • Minimum wage set to increase in 23 states and D.C. in 2025 by an average of $0.75

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    In 2025, the minimum wage will increase in 23 states and Washington, D.C. The increases range from $0.25 in Montana and Ohio to $2.15 in Michigan. The 2025 increases come from state laws adopted in the past that provided for incremental increases and inflation adjustments as well as voter approval of minimum wage increase ballot…