Category: State

  • Recall launched against Arizona Gov. Doug Ducey over stay-at-home order

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    A recall petition was filed against Arizona Gov. Doug Ducey (R) on May 1 over his stay-at-home order due to the coronavirus pandemic. Supporters of the recall have up to 120 days—or no later than August 29, 2020—to collect the 594,111 signatures needed to force a recall election. The recall effort is being organized by…

  • One incumbent defeated in Ohio’s 2020 state legislative primaries

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    Forty contested primaries took place for the Ohio state legislature on April 28, 2020. There were nine primaries in the state Senate and 31 primaries in the state House. By partisan affiliation, 17 were Democratic primaries and 23 were Republican primaries. This was a 35.5 percent decrease in the number of primaries from 2018 (62)…

  • One Missouri Supreme Court justice faces retention election in November

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    Missouri Supreme Court Justice Patricia Breckenridge will face a retention election on November 3, 2020. She is the only member of the court facing a retention election this year. She was originally appointed by a Republican governor in 2007 and won a retention election in 2008. Currently, two justices on the court were appointed by…

  • Supreme Court of Georgia extends restrictions on in-person proceedings through June 12

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    On May 4, 2020, Supreme Court of Georgia Chief Justice Harold D. Melton announced that restrictions on in-person proceedings and the suspension of jury trials would be extended through June 12. Under the order, courts will be encouraged to develop plans for resuming nonessential court operations that can be conducted through video or phone conferencing…

  • New Jersey closes schools to in-person instruction for remainder of academic year

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    New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy (D) announced Monday that schools would be closed to in-person instruction for the remainder of the academic year. The order applies to both public and private schools. Private schools with longer school years must remain closed through June 30. Forty-six states have closed schools to in-person instruction for the remainder…

  • 1 of 109 state-level incumbents defeated in Ohio’s primaries

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    Ohio held a statewide primary on April 28, 2020. Originally scheduled for March 17, the election was postponed amid concerns of the coronavirus pandemic. The general election is November 3, 2020. The primary was held largely by mail. As of 1 p.m. EDT on May 1, the Secretary of State’s office reported that there were…

  • A breakdown of state legislative special elections from 2010 to 2019

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    A total of 723 state legislative special elections took place from 2010 to 2019 in 31 states. The following states held the most special elections during that time period: Georgia: 63 Pennsylvania: 43 New York: 42 Louisiana: 40 Massachusetts: 40 Connecticut: 37 Mississippi: 36 Virginia: 34 Texas: 32 California: 31 South Carolina: 31 The largest…

  • North Dakota closes schools to in-person instruction for the remainder of the year

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    On Friday afternoon, North Dakota Gov. Doug Burgum (R) 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 had been closed to in-person instruction indefinitely since March 16. Forty-five states have closed schools to in-person instruction…

  • New Mexico governor to extend stay-at-home order, with exceptions

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    On April 30, 2020, New Mexico Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham (D) announced during a press conference that the state’s stay-at-home order was extended through May 15.  Prior to the announcement, the stay-at-home order was in effect through April 30. Lujan Grisham also announced during the same press conference a few changes to her directives, effective…

  • How many of this year’s state executive races lack either a Democratic or Republican candidate?

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    Across the 21 states that have held all of their filing deadlines for state executive positions, such as governor and public service commissioner, 16 state executive elections lack either a Democratic or Republican candidate as of April 29, 2020. Four states—Alabama, New Mexico, Oklahoma, and Utah—have state executive races without a Democratic candidate. The races…