Category: State
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23% of all state legislative primaries are contested
There are 205 contested state legislative primaries in 2023, representing 23% of all possible primaries. Comparing 2023 to other times Louisiana, Mississippi, New Jersey, and Virginia all held elections since 2011, the percentage of primaries that are contested this year is lower than in 2019 (25%) but higher than in 2011 (22%) and 2015 (20%).…
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Largest number of open state legislative district elections since 2011
There are 138 open state legislative seats in 2023, meaning newcomers will win at least 24% of all seats. This is the most since Ballotpedia began gathering data in 2011. A seat can become open if an incumbent leaves office or runs for re-election in a different district than the one they currently represent. Louisiana,…
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More than half of state legislative district elections lack major party competition
There are 336 (58%) state legislative seats — out of 578 up for election — that are uncontested and have no major party competition in 2023. This is the largest number of seats with no major party competition in an odd year since Ballotpedia began gathering data in 2011. Percentage wise, this is the second-largest…
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New York Republicans challenge early voting laws
On Sept. 20, a group of Republican lawmakers and groups sued Gov. Kathy Hochul (D) and the New York State Board of Elections over NY S07394, which modifies the state’s early voting laws. Hochul signed S07394 on Sept. 20. The bill allows registered voters to request and vote early by a mail-in ballot. The plaintiffs, including U.S.…
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Campaign in Arizona launches signature drive for a ballot initiative to establish a state constitutional right to abortion
Arizona for Abortion Access launched a signature-gathering campaign for an initiative on Sep. 21, 2023. The ballot initiative, which would appear on the ballot in Nov. 2024, would establish a state constitutional right to abortion before the point of fetal viability (defined as the point of pregnancy when there is a significant chance of the…
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Initiative filed in Oregon to change Measure 110 to recriminalize drugs
Two versions of an initiative to recriminalize drugs in Oregon were filed with the secretary of state on Sept. 19 by the Coalition to Fix and Improve Ballot Measure 110, the campaign behind the initiative. In 2020, Oregon voters decriminalized personal non-commercial drug possession offenses with the approval of Measure 110. It received 58.5% of…
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Election legislation roundup: New York State Legislature
As of Sept. 17, members of the New York State Legislature, which includes the New York State Assembly and the New York State Senate, have passed nine bills related to election administration since the beginning of the year. Of the nine bills passed this year, six have been enacted, with one being enacted during the…
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Election legislation roundup: General Assembly of North Carolina
As of Sept. 17, members of the North Carolina General Assembly, which includes the North Carolina House of Representatives and the North Carolina State Senate, have passed 15 bills related to election administration since the beginning of the year. Of those 15 bills, legislators passed one during the week of Sept. 11-17. Republicans sponsored the…
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Hal Rafter (D) flips New Hampshire House District Rockingham 1
Democrat Hal Rafter defeated Republican James Guzofski 56%-44% in the special election to represent a Rockingham 1 district seat in the state House. The previous incumbent, Benjamin T. Bartlett IV (R), resigned on April 26 due to health concerns. Rockingham 1 is a three-seat district. In 2022 — the first election year under new district…
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California legislators pass bill to allow unemployment benefits for striking workers
The California State Legislature passed a bill Sept. 14 that would allow workers to claim unemployment insurance benefits after striking for two weeks. The bill now heads to Gov. Gavin Newsom’s (D) desk for his approval or veto. If Newsom signs the bill, it would take effect starting in January 2024. California lawmakers previously advanced…