Category: State

  • Checks and Balances – September 2021 – Sue and settle returns to the EPA

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    The Checks and Balances Letter delivers news and information from Ballotpedia’s Administrative State Project, including pivotal actions at the federal and state levels related to the separation of powers, due process and the rule of law. This edition:  In this month’s edition of Checks and Balances, we review federal legislation that would return administrative law…

  • How Clallam County picks its governors

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    Clallam County, Wash., knows how to pick a winner— at least when it comes to presidential politics. Every four years, going back to 1980, it has voted for the winning presidential candidate, making it the county with the longest record of anticipating the country’s next commander-in-chief— whether Republican or Democrat. That puts Clallam County at…

  • Ohio Redistricting Commission approves new state legislative maps along party lines

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    The Ohio Redistricting Commission approved new state legislative district maps by a 5-2 vote early in the morning on Sept. 16. The two Democratic members of the commission, state Rep. Emilia Sykes (D) and state Sen. Vernon Sykes (D), were the two dissenting votes. Since the map was approved along partisan lines, it will only…

  • Special elections to be held in Texas House districts

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    Special elections are being held on Sept. 28 for District 10 and District 118 of the Texas House of Representatives. The winner of these special elections will serve until January 2023. In District 10, Republicans Brian Harrison and John Wray are running in a general election runoff. Harrison and Wray advanced from the general election…

  • Special election for vacant Massachusetts Senate seat called for 2022

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    A special election has been called to fill the vacant Massachusetts State Senate seat in the First Suffolk & Middlesex District. The seat became vacant on Sept. 9 when former state Sen. Joseph Boncore (D) resigned to become CEO of the Massachusetts Biotechnology Council (MassBio). The special general election is set for Jan. 11, 2022,…

  • Redistricting Roundup: Ohio Redistricting Commission approves state legislative redistricting maps by party-line vote

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    Here’s a summary of the week’s noteworthy redistricting news from Iowa and Ohio, and authorities in seven states released draft congressional or legislative maps: Ohio: The Ohio Redistricting Commission approved new state legislative district maps by a 5-2 party-line vote on Sept. 9. If the Commission files those maps with the secretary of state, they…

  • Sonoma County District Attorney retains office after voters defeat recall effort

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    A recall election seeking to remove Jill Ravitch from her position as the district attorney of Sonoma County, Calif., was on the ballot on Sept. 14. A majority of voters (79.9%) cast ballots against the recall, defeating the effort and keeping Ravitch in office. The candidate filing deadline passed on July 1, but no candidates…

  • Bousselot (R) defeats Phillips (D) in Iowa state House special election

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    A special general election was held for Iowa House of Representatives District 37 on Sept. 14. Mike Bousselot (R) defeated Andrea Phillips (D), earning 51.6% of the vote to Phillips’ 48.4%. There was no primary election, as the candidates were selected directly by their respective political parties. The special election became necessary after John Landon…

  • California voters retain Gov. Gavin Newsom (D)

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    California voters retained Gov. Gavin Newsom (D) in the recall election Tuesday night. With 68% of precincts partially reporting, 63.8% voted to retain Newsom while 36.1% voted to recall Newsom. A majority vote was required to recall Newsom. Among the replacement candidates, Larry Elder (R) received the largest share of the votes at 47% followed…

  • Colorado Independent Legislative Redistricting Commission releases first set of staff drawn maps

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    The Colorado Independent Legislative Redistricting Commission released its first set of staff-drawn maps for the state House and Senate on Sept. 13. The commission had released an initial set of proposed maps in June before the US Census Bureau released block-level population data in August. On Aug. 13, the commission adopted a new redistricting schedule…