Category: State
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One South Dakota Supreme Court justice faces a retention election in November
One South Dakota Supreme Court justice, Steven Jensen, will face a retention election on November 3, 2020. He was appointed in 2017 by Governor Dennis Daugaard (R). Currently, every justice on the court was appointed by a Republican governor. The governor appoints the five justices of the supreme court through a hybrid nominating commission where…
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Wyoming’s statewide school closure expires today
Schools in Wyoming may begin reopening to in-person instruction on Monday after a statewide order expired today. The decision to reopen will be left up to local school authorities. Laramie County School District #1, the state’s largest, already announced it would continue distance learning. The school year is scheduled to end in Wyoming on May…
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Candidate filing period for state-level races ends in Washington state
On May 15, the statewide filing deadline passed to run for elected office in Washington state. Candidates filed for the following state-level offices: State Executive Governor Lieutenant Governor Attorney General Secretary of State Superintendent of Public Instruction Commissioner of Public Lands Treasurer Auditor Commissioner of Insurance State Legislative Washington State Senate (25 seats) Washington House…
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No incumbents defeated in Nebraska’s state legislative primaries
On May 12, 2020, Nebraska voters cast their ballots in the state’s legislative primaries. Nebraska is the only state with a unicameral legislature, meaning it only has a state Senate. It is also the only state with a nonpartisan legislature. All candidates for a seat—Democrats, Republicans, and others—compete in a single primary. The top two…
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Missouri legislature sends redistricting, campaign finance, and lobbying measure to voters with changes to 2018 citizen initiative
On Wednesday, the Missouri House approved Senate Joint Resolution 38 that would amend Article III of the Missouri Constitution to change or repeal certain provisions of Missouri Amendment 1 passed in 2018. The House approved the amendment in a vote of 98-56. The Senate approved the amendment in a vote of 22-9 on February 10.…
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Van Pounds Challenges Incumbent Justice Thomas Balmer for Position 1 on the Oregon Supreme Court
Primaries are taking place for three positions on the Oregon Supreme Court on May 19, 2020. The Position 1 primary is the only contested primary, between current Justice Thomas Balmer and Van Pounds. If a justice wins over fifty percent of the vote in the primary election, then he secures a seat on the supreme…
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Voters to decide state executive, legislative, and judicial primaries in Oregon
The statewide primary election for Oregon is on May 19, 2020. The filing deadline to run passed on March 10. Candidates are running in elections for the following offices: • Secretary of State • Treasurer • Attorney General • 16 seats in the Oregon State Senate • All 60 seats in the Oregon House of…
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New Mexico governor issues modified stay-at-home order, allows most retail to reopen May 16
On May 14, 2020, New Mexico Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham (D) announced during a news conference that the state’s stay-at-home order would be extended through May 31 but most retailers and places of worship would be allowed to reopen on May 16. That day, smaller retailers, offices, and call centers can reopen at 25 percent…
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State supreme court strikes down Wisconsin’s stay-at-home order
On May 13, the Wisconsin Supreme Court, in 4-3 ruling, struck down the state’s stay-at-home order. The court found that Wisconsin Department of Health Services Secretary-designee Andrea Palm overstepped her authority when she extended the state’s stay-at-home order through May 26 on behalf of Gov. Tony Evers (D). This marks the first instance of a…
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Idaho state representative dies
Idaho State Representative Thyra Stevenson (R)—who represented District 6A—died on May 11. She had been hospitalized after suffering a heart attack May 4. Stevenson held her district’s seat from 2012 to 2014 and from 2016 until her death. Stevenson was running for re-election to a fourth term in the state House against Aaron von Ehlinger.…