On Nov. 1, the Colorado Supreme Court unanimously approved the congressional redistricting plan that the state’s Independent Congressional Redistricting Commission approved on Sept. 28. The map will take effect for Colorado’s 2022 congressional elections. The Court’s opinion said, “For the first time, the state’s congressional district map is not the product of politics or litigation;…
The state of Maine is holding general elections on Nov. 2. Candidates are running for the following offices: House District 86 (special election) Augusta Mayor Augusta City Council At-large Augusta City Council Ward 2 The House District 86 election is the second state legislative special election to be held in Maine this year. The seat…
Elections for all 100 seats in the Virginia House of Delegates are taking place on November 2, 2021. Democrats hold 55 seats and Republicans hold 45 seats. There are 93 districts with both a Democratic and Republican candidate on the ballot. This is the first election cycle since 1999 with Democrats defending a majority in…
Connecticut state Rep. Michael DiMassa (D-116) resigned on Oct. 25 after he was indicted on charges of wire fraud. DiMassa submitted a letter of resignation dated Oct. 21 that the secretary of state received on Oct. 25. DiMassa was arrested on Oct. 18 after he allegedly created a fraudulent company that received more than $600,000…
Here’s a summary of recent court challenges involving redistricting. Illinois A three-judge panel in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Illinois ruled on Oct. 19 that Illinois’ legislative maps enacted in June were unconstitutional and violated the Equal Protection Clause of the 14th Amendment. The Illinois legislature initially enacted state legislative maps…
Here’s a summary of recent redistricting news from Colorado, Arkansas, and Connecticut: In Arkansas, the secretary of state’s office approved the veto referendums announced by Arkansans for a Unified Natural State, which challenge the state’s congressional map bills, meaning the organization can begin collecting signatures. The signature campaign for the veto referendums, if successful, would place…
At least ten states progressed in either proposing, advancing, or enacting new congressional and state legislative district maps as part of the 2020 redistricting cycle between Oct. 20 and Oct. 27, 2021. Proposed Alabama: On Oct. 25, state Rep. Chris England (D) released Alabama’s first congressional and state legislative draft maps via Twitter. The following day, the state’s…
A special general election was held for the Cheshire 9 District of the New Hampshire House of Representatives on Oct. 26. Andrew Maneval (D) won the special election with 1,209 votes, 64.9% of the vote total, and defeated Rita Mattson (R). A Democratic primary and a Republican primary were held on Sept. 7. The filing…
New campaign finance filings for Virginia state legislative races show Democrats leading Republicans in fundraising. Between January 1, 2020, and October 21, 2021, Democratic candidates outraised Republican candidates by 143 percent. Heading into the general elections, 103 Democratic candidates raised $51.87 million compared to $21.38 million raised by 103 Republicans. In the Democratic party, the…
A special election is being held on Nov. 2 to fill a vacancy in District 86 of the Maine House of Representatives. Augusta City Council member Raegan LaRochelle (D) and U.S. Army veteran James Orr (R) are facing off in the special election. The winner of the special election will serve until December 2022. The…