Category: State
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Sears wins Virginia lieutenant governor race
Winsome Sears (R) defeated Hala Ayala (D) in the general election for lieutenant governor of Virginia on November 2, 2021, with 50.7% of the vote to Ayala’s 49.3%. Sears is the first woman and Black woman to be elected to the position. A Roanoke College poll conducted in August of 2021 found a plurality of…
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Republicans flip TX HD 118 in special election on Nov. 2
Republicans picked up a seat in the Texas House of Representatives on Nov. 2. In a special general runoff election in District 118, John Lujan (R) defeated Frank Ramirez (D) 51.2 percent to 48.8 percent. Once Lujan is sworn in, Republicans will hold an 84-66 majority in the chamber. District 118 is located in San…
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Voters in seven states have decided 11 veto referendums targeting redistricting maps since the first in 1915
States have recently approved new congressional and legislative district maps or are in the process of redistricting after the 2020 census. So it seemed like a good time to look back at instances in the past when opponents of specific redistricting maps collected signatures for veto referendum petitions asking voters to repeal the maps. Voters…
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Kevin Brobson (R) defeats Maria McLaughlin (D) in Pennsylvania Supreme Court election
Kevin Brobson (R) defeated Maria McLaughlin (D) in the general election for a seat on the Pennsylvania Supreme Court. As of 3:00 a.m. EST, The New York Times reported that Brobson had received 52.6% of the vote to McLaughlin’s 47.4%. Justice Thomas Saylor (R), who joined the court in 1998, did not run for another term because…
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Youngkin becomes first Republican to win a statewide election in Virginia since 2009
Glenn Youngkin (R) defeated former Gov. Terry McAuliffe (D) in the general election for governor of Virginia on November 2, 2021, becoming the first Republican to win a statewide election in the state since 2009. Incumbent Gov. Ralph Northam (D) was unable to seek re-election due to term limits. The Los Angeles Times‘ Janet Hook called the race “the first big test of strength…
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31 votes separate two candidates in FL-20 special Democratic primary
As of 1:45 a.m. Eastern Time on Nov. 3, 31 votes separated candidates Sheila Cherfilus-McCormick and Dale Holness in Florida’s 20th Congressional District special Democratic primary election. Politico reported shortly before 11:30 Eastern that the race would go to a recount based on results available at that time. Under Florida law, a machine recount is required…
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October 2021 breakdown of state legislative party membership: 54.11% Republicans, 44.71% Democrats
54.11% of all state legislators are Republicans and 44.71% are Democrats, according to Ballotpedia’s October partisan count of the 7,383 state legislators. Ballotpedia tallies the partisan balance of state legislatures at the end of every month. This refers to which political party holds the majority of seats in each chamber. Republicans control 61 chambers, while Democrats…
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Three special elections called to fill vacancies in Florida State Legislature
Three new state legislative special elections have been added to our list. The special elections are for the District 33 seat in the Florida State Senate and the District 88 and 94 seats in the Florida House of Representatives on March 8, 2022. The primary is on Jan. 11, and the filing deadline is on…
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Special election set for Connecticut House District 116
A new state legislative special election has been added to our list. The special election is for the District 116 seat in the Connecticut House of Representatives on December 14, 2021. There is no primary, and candidates will be nominated directly by political parties.