CategoryNewsletters

1. Vaping, ride-share taxes, minimum wage, and housing among 45 local measures on California ballots Nov. 5
2. Efforts to recall Oregon Gov. Kate Brown (D) fall short of ballot qualification
3. SCOTUS to hear three cases Wednesday

Want to hear about last night’s debate? Click here to subscribe to our Daily Presidential News Briefing.

Vaping, ride-share taxes, minimum wage, and housing among 45 local measures on California ballots Nov. 5

I always enjoy reading our reports on local ballot measures because they offer insight into how people are engaging with the government closest to home. Today we’re bringing you a summary of the local ballot measures California voters will see this November. 

Voters in 13 California counties will decide on 45 local ballot measures. In the last three odd-numbered election years in the state, an average of 64 local measures appeared on November ballots: 62 in 2017, 60 in 2015, and 70 in 2013.

Here’s a breakdown of the various topics on local ballots:

• 14 parcel (real estate) tax measures

• nine sales tax measures

• four local hotel tax measures

• four measures that would make city clerks, city treasurers, or both, appointed instead of elected

• two marijuana tax measures

• two local spending limit increases

• two measures concerning development and land use

• two local business taxes, including a tax on ride-share companies in San Francisco

• two measures in San Francisco concerning housing costs (bonds and zoning/development regulations)

• one campaign finance limits and disclosure requirements measure in San Francisco

• one vaping authorization and regulation measure in San Francisco

• one charter amendment in San Francisco concerning the city’s disability and aging services commission

• one measure to increase the minimum wage for hospitality workers in Rancho Palos Verdes

See something we missed? If you know of a local measure on the Nov. 5 ballot in California not included in the above list, please email us at editor@ballotpedia.org.

Learn more        

---

Efforts to recall Oregon Gov. Kate Brown (D) fall short of ballot qualification

Two recall campaigns did not collect enough signatures to trigger a recall election that, if successful, would have removed Oregon Gov. Kate Brown (D) from office. Supporters of each recall effort had until Oct. 14 to turn in 280,050 signatures.

• The first recall petition, which was supported by the Oregon Republican Party, criticized Brown because she supported legislation during the 2019 legislative session related to a cap-and-trade program and a bill that grants driver’s licenses to immigrants residing in the country without legal permission.

• The second recall petition, which was headed by Oregon First! PAC and the Flush Down Kate Brown group, criticized Brown over raising taxes, the state’s Public Employees Retirement System (PERS) program, Oregon’s sanctuary state status, and for the same driver’s license bill as the other recall petition.

These recall efforts were two of the six gubernatorial recalls Ballotpedia has tracked in 2019. Four others are currently underway in Alaska, California, Colorado, and New Jersey. From 2003 to 2018, Ballotpedia tracked 17 gubernatorial recall efforts. During that time, two made the ballot and one governor was successfully recalled. Former California Gov. Gray Davis (D) was recalled in 2003; Arnold Schwarzenegger (R) won the election to replace him. In 2012, former Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker (R) was retained in a recall election. North Dakota Gov. Lynn Frazier (R) was the only other governor removed from office through a recall election. That happened in 1921.

Oregon became a Democratic trifecta in 2013. Democrats control the state House 38-22 and the state Senate 18-12. Brown was appointed governor in 2015, and she won a special election in 2016 with 50.7% of the vote. Brown was re-elected in 2018 with 50.1% of the vote. A state government trifecta exists when one political party simultaneously holds the governor’s office and both state legislative chambers.

SCOTUS to hear three cases Wednesday

As we’ve mentioned in previous editions, the Supreme Court is back in session and in its second week of hearing oral arguments. Today, Oct. 16, the court will hear arguments in three cases:

• Kansas v. Garcia

• Rotkiske v. Klemm

• Mathena v. Malvo

Need to stay on top of the whirlwind world of the federal judiciary of the United States? You can read about this term’s cases and more by subscribing to our monthly newsletter, Bold Justice. 

And in case you’re wondering: Why Bold Justice? The story behind the name is a fun, quick read.

October 16, 2019: Twelve Democratic presidential candidates debated Tuesday night in Westerville, Ohio. Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez is expected to formally endorse Bernie Sanders on Saturday.        

October 15, 2019: Twelve Democratic presidential candidates will meet on stage Tuesday in the fourth primary debate of the 2020 election cycle. Hawaii and Kansas will use ranked-choice voting in the 2020 Democratic presidential primary.        

Which election featured the first presidential primary debate?

• a. 1932→

• b. 1948→

• c. 1960→

• d. 1976→

1. Twelve Democratic presidential candidates to debate in Ohio
2. Louisiana Republicans maintain state legislative control after Saturday’s primary
3. 62% of Brew readers have attended a borough, town, or city council meeting

Twelve Democratic presidential candidates to debate in Ohio

The fourth Democratic presidential debate takes place tonight at Otterbein University in Westerville, Ohio, which is primarily located in Franklin County. Ohio has nine Pivot Counties, which are counties that voted for Donald Trump (R) in 2016 after voting for Barack Obama (D) in 2008 and 2012. Franklin County is one of eight counties that voted for the Democratic nominee in each of the last three presidential elections. Sixty-five counties in Ohio voted for the Republican nominee in the last three presidential races.  

The following 12 candidates will participate: 

    •    Joe Biden
    •    Cory Booker
    •    Pete Buttigieg
    •    Julián Castro
    •    Tulsi Gabbard
    •    Kamala Harris
    •    Amy Klobuchar
    •    Beto O’Rourke
    •    Bernie Sanders
    •    Tom Steyer
    •    Elizabeth Warren
    •    Andrew Yang

Here are five facts about tonight’s debate: 

• Gabbard and Steyer are the only candidates who did not also participate in the third Democratic debate in Houston on Sept. 12.

• This debate will feature the most candidates on stage of any single presidential primary debate. The Republican Party held the previous record when 11 candidates debated at one time on September 16, 2015.

• CNN and The New York Times are hosting the event. Erin Burnett, Anderson Cooper, and Marc Lacey are the moderators.

• Candidates who did not qualify for this debate can still qualify for the next one, which has different polling and fundraising criteria. The Democratic National Committee announced this week that the fifth primary debate will take place in Georgia on November 20.

• The previous Democratic debate was held on September 12 in Houston and featured 10 candidates. Since then, one Democratic candidate—Bill de Blasio—has withdrawn from the race.

In other presidential debate news, the Commission on Presidential Debates (CPD) announced last week the schedule of next year’s presidential and vice presidential debates ahead of the general election. 

Three 2020 presidential debates have been scheduled: 

• Sept. 29 at the University of Notre Dame in South Bend, Indiana, 

• Oct. 15 at the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor, and 

• Oct. 22 at Belmont University in Nashville, Tennessee. 

A vice presidential debate is scheduled for October 7, 2020, at the University of Utah in Salt Lake City. 

The CPD also said in a press release that it will invite candidates to participate in these debates who meet three eligibility requirements. They must (1) be constitutionally eligible to run for president, (2) provide evidence of ballot access in enough states to win an Electoral College majority, and (3) demonstrate 15 percent support in national polling.

Louisiana Republicans maintain state legislative control after Saturday’s primary 

Our Brew story Monday covered the outcome of Saturday’s gubernatorial primary in Louisiana. Incumbent Gov. John Bel Edwards (D) and businessman Eddie Rispone (R) advanced to the November 16 general election as the top two finishers out of six candidates. 

One other statewide executive office will be decided in the general election as none of the four candidates received a majority of the vote. Incumbent Kyle Ardoin (R) finished first in the secretary of state primary with 41% and will face Gwen Collins-Greenup (D), who finished second with 34%. Ardoin and two other Republicans received a combined 66% of the vote; Collins-Greenup was the only Democrat in the race. Ardoin defeated Collins-Greenup in a 2018 special election—59% to 41%—after Ardoin assumed office in May 2018 following the resignation of Tom Schedler (R). Ardoin is one of 25 Republican secretaries of state nationwide.

All 39 Louisiana’s state Senate seats were up for election. Although four seats advanced to a general election, partisan control of each is already determined in those districts—three had a pair of Republicans advance while the fourth had a pair of Democrats. Republicans will have a 27-12 majority—a net gain of two seats—which gives them one seat more than the 26-seat threshold required to override gubernatorial vetoes.

Here are Saturday’s other key results:

• Six statewide executive offices, including the lieutenant governorship and attorney general’s office, were won outright by Republican incumbents.  

• Voters decided all eight seats on the state Board of Elementary and Secondary Education—currently under a 6-2 Republican majority. Seven races were decided with none resulting in a change in party control. The results of the District 6 seat—an open seat previously held by Kathy Edmonston (R)—is considered too close to call. 

• In Louisiana’s state House elections, Republicans are assured of winning at least 63 seats, Democrats 33 seats, and one was won by an independent. This includes races that were decided in the primary as well as those where both of the top two finishers are from the same party. Control of eight seats will be determined in the November 16 general election. A veto-proof majority in the state House requires 70 seats. In Louisiana, congressional and state legislative districts are drawn by the state legislature during redistricting.

• Since Republicans have maintained control of both houses of the state legislature, trifecta control of state government will be at stake in the gubernatorial election. The state will maintain divided government if Edwards wins re-election. If Rispone wins, Louisiana will become a Republican trifecta.

• Louisiana voters approved two constitutional amendments and rejected two, according to unofficial election night results. 

62% of Brew readers have attended a borough, town, or city council meeting

Over the last few weeks, our What’s the Tea? questions have been part of a series asking Brew readers whether they’ve ever participated or done certain things related to politics and policy, such as attending or speaking at governmental meetings or signing candidate or initiative petitions. 

Remember that our weekly survey question appears in the Brew every Friday, and we don’t tabulate responses until Monday afternoon. So if you don’t get a chance to answer the survey until the weekend, go ahead and respond then – it’s not too late to hear from you! 

Welcome to the Monday, October 14, Brew. Here’s what’s in store for you as you start your day:

1. Gov. Edwards (D), Rispone (R) advance to general election in Louisiana
2. California governor vetoes pay-per-signature ban 
3. Washington State Supreme Court chief justice announces retirement

Gov. Edwards (D), Rispone (R) advance to general election in Louisiana

Incumbent Gov. John Bel Edwards (D) and businessman Eddie Rispone (R) advanced from Louisiana’s primary election Saturday as the top two finishers out of six candidates. Edwards received 46% of the vote and Rispone received 27%. U.S. Rep. Ralph Abraham (R) was third with 24% of the vote. The general election will be held November 16. 

Louisiana uses what’s known as a blanket primary, where all candidates in any race appear on the ballot—regardless of party. A candidate can win the election outright by receiving more than 50% of the primary vote. Otherwise, the top two finishers advance to a general election.

Edwards campaigned on what he considers the accomplishments of his administration. Rispone emphasized his background as a businessman, referring to himself as a conservative outsider and job creator.  

President Donald Trump (R) and the Louisiana Republican Party endorsed both Rispone and Abraham. Trump held a campaign rally with both candidates in the state Friday. Several polls leading up to the primary showed either Rispone and Abraham tied within the margin of error for second place or Rispone with a small advantage.

Edwards is the only Democratic governor in the Deep South and the only Democrat holding statewide office in Louisiana. He defeated U.S. Sen. David Vitter (R) in the general election in 2015 with 56% of the vote. Trump won the state—58% to 38%—in 2016. Louisiana’s previous governor—Bobby Jindal (R)—received 65.8% of the vote in the primary to win re-election in 2011.

According to unofficial vote totals, 1,343,478 total votes were cast in Saturday’s primary. This was  230,002 more than the 1,113,476 votes cast in the 2015 primary. The distribution of 2019 primary votes by party—based on unofficial vote totals—was 51.8% for the three Republican candidates, 47.4% for the two Democrats, and 0.8% for one independent candidate.

Of the five gubernatorial elections in Louisiana between 1999 and 2015, three were won outright in the primary and two—in 2003 and 2015—proceeded to general elections. 

Learn more        

---

California governor vetoes pay-per-signature ban 

Twenty-six states allow citizen-initiated ballot measures, and supporters must gather a specific number of signatures to get a measure on the ballot. In California, for example, initiative supporters will need to collect 623,212 signatures—or 5% of the votes cast in the 2018 gubernatorial election—to place an initiated state statute or veto referendum on the ballot in 2020 and 2022.  

Nineteen of the 26 states with statewide initiatives or referendums allow ballot measure campaigns to pay signature gatherers based on the number of signatures collected, a practice known as pay-per-signature. 

California Gov. Gavin Newsom (D) vetoed a bill October 7 that would have banned pay-per-signature for citizen initiatives in the state. Newsom’s two immediate predecessors—Arnold Schwarzenegger (R) and Jerry Brown (D)—vetoed similar bills after the state legislature passed laws prohibiting pay-per-signature in 2011 and 2018. California is one of 14 Democratic trifectas, with Democrats controlling the legislature and the governor’s office. 

The 2019 bill—Assembly Bill 1451—would have:

• required at least 10 percent of the required signatures for an initiative or referendum petition to be collected by volunteer (unpaid) circulators; 

• changed the timeline for local elections officials to verify signatures for initiative and referendum petitions; 

• required petitions to include information about whether the circulator is paid or volunteer; and 

• made other changes regarding signature verification, circulators, and petition rules. 

Supporters of pay-per-signature say it is a cost-effective method for collecting signatures, making the process more accessible to efforts without significant funding. Opponents of pay-per-signature say the process encourages signature gatherers to forge signatures or illegally misinform voters.  

Pay-per-signature bans exist in seven states. The most recent states to ban paying circulators on a per-signature basis were Florida in 2019 and Arizona in 2017. The map below shows the current status of pay-per-signature nationwide:  

Washington State Supreme Court chief justice announces retirement

There have been 19 supreme court vacancies in 2019 where replacement justices are appointed instead of elected. Earlier this month, we learned of the first such vacancy which will occur in 2020. 

Washington Supreme Court Chief Justice Mary Fairhurst announced on October 3 that she would retire for health reasons on January 5, 2020. Fairhurst was first elected to the Washington Supreme Court in 2002 and re-elected in 2008 and 2014. She became the chief justice in 2016. 

Vacancies on the Washington State Supreme Court are filled by gubernatorial appointment. Whomever Gov. Jay Inslee (D) appoints will serve until Fairhurst’s term was due to expire—in January 2021. This will be Inslee’s second nominee to the nine-member court. 

Washington Supreme Court justices are regularly determined by nonpartisan elections and serve six-year terms. Currently, six judges on the court were elected and three were appointed by Democratic governors. 

Each state has its own supreme court, which serves as the court of last resort. Two states—Oklahoma and Texas—actually have two different state supreme courts, one for civil appeals and one for criminal appeals. Like the U.S. Supreme Court, these courts hear and decide appeals of lower trial and appellate courts in cases at the state level. The number of justices on each court varies between five and nine in each state. There are 344 state Supreme Court justices nationwide.  

Of the 19 state supreme court vacancies that have occurred this year in states where replacement justices are appointed instead of elected, 12 are in states where a Republican governor appoints the replacement. Six vacancies occurred in a state where a Democratic governor fills vacancies. One vacancy occurred in a state—Virginia—where the legislature appoints replacements.