Category: State
-
Chair of Rhode Island Senate Judiciary Committee seeks appointment to she state Supreme Court
On April 28, 2020, State Senator Erin Lynch Prata (D-RI), applied to fill retiring Justice Gilbert Indeglia’s seat on the state supreme court. Senator Lynch Prata is a former clerk to Supreme Court Associate Justice Maureen McKenna Goldberg. She stated that becoming a supreme court justice “has always been a dream,” and that the position on…
-
Maryland closes schools to in-person instruction for the remainder of the year
On Wednesday, Maryland Superintendent of Schools Karen Salmon announced that schools in Maryland would be closed to in-person instruction for the rest of the academic year. Online and distance learning will continue for students, however. Gov. Larry Hogan (R) first ordered schools closed on March 12. Maryland has a divided government. The Republican Party holds…
-
7,341 major party candidates filed for 2020 state legislative elections
Every week, we compile the latest numbers on state legislative candidates across the country. As of May 5, 2020, we’ve collected post-filing deadline data in 27 states. In 2020, 3,401 state legislative seats are up for regular election in those states, compared to 3,375 in 2018. 7,341 major party candidates—3,533 Democrats and 3,808 Republicans—have filed…
-
Filing deadline approaches for Texas State Senate District 14 special election
Candidates interested in running in the special election for Texas State Senate District 14 have until May 13, 2020, to file. The special general election is scheduled for July 14, 2020. Due to the coronavirus pandemic, Governor Greg Abbott (R) scheduled the election for July instead of May 2, when it would normally have been…
-
Federal judge orders New York State Board of Elections to reinstate Democratic presidential preference primary on June 23
On May 5, Judge Analisa Torres of the United States District Court for the Southern District of New York ordered the New York State Board of Elections to reinstate the Democratic presidential preference primary on June 23, 2020, which the board had previously canceled. The order was the result of a lawsuit filed on April 28 by Andrew Yang,…
-
Supreme Court of Florida delays jury trials through July 2
On May 4, 2020, Charles Canady, the Chief Justice of the Florida Supreme Court, issued a new emergency order extending the suspension of jury trials through July 2. The order also increases the number of proceedings that will be conducted remotely. The list includes non-jury trials, hearings in juvenile delinquency cases, and pretrial conferences. For…
-
Connecticut closes schools to in-person instruction for the remainder of the year
Connecticut Gov. Ned Lamont (D) announced that schools in the state would remain closed to in-person instruction for the remainder of the 2019-2020 academic year. Prior to the announcement, schools in the state were closed to in-person instruction through May 20. Forty-seven states have closed schools to in-person instruction for the remainder of the academic…
-
Mississippi to allow restaurants, bars, and outdoor recreational facilities to reopen May 7
On May 4, 2020, Mississippi Gov. Tate Reeves (R) announced that restaurants, bars, and outdoor recreational facilities in the state would be permitted to reopen effective May 7. Restaurants and bars must close no later than 10:00 p.m. and must adhere to social distancing and other guidelines. Outdoor recreational facilities can operate from 9:00 a.m.…
-
Ducey appoints four judges to Arizona Court of Appeals and Maricopa County Superior Court
Arizona Gov. Doug Ducey (R) made four judicial appointments on April 24, becoming the governor who has made the most judicial appointments in state history. Ducey has appointed 71 judges since taking office, overtaking the previous record of 68 appointments made by former Gov. Bruce Babbitt (D). Babbitt held office from 1978 to 1987. Ducey…
-
Komi resigns from New Hampshire House of Representatives
Former Rep. Richard Komi (D) resigned from the New Hampshire House of Representatives on May 2, after House Speaker Stephen Shurtleff (D) requested his resignation the previous day. The request for Komi’s resignation followed a tweet that Komi posted indicating his belief that sexual assault allegations against Vice President Joe Biden, which Biden has denied,…