Category: State

  • Seattle votes on Sawant recall Dec. 7

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    On Dec. 7, Seattle voters will decide whether to recall District 3 City Councilmember Kshama Sawant.  Recall petitioners allege three grounds for recall against Sawant: misusing city funds for electioneering purposes, disregarding regulations related to COVID-19, and misusing her official position. Sawant responded that the recall effort was politically motivated and asked a state superior…

  • A closer look at Delaware’s new state legislative maps

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    On Nov. 2, 2021, Gov. John Carney (D) signed Senate Bill 199 (SB 199) into law, enacting new maps for Delaware’s 21 state Senate and 41 state House districts. These maps will take effect for the state’s 2022 legislative elections. Eighteen states have finalized their state legislative redistricting maps following the 2020 census. At this…

  • Cherfilus-McCormick certified winner of FL-20 special Democratic primary

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    Sheila Cherfilus-McCormick defeated second-place finisher Dale Holness by five votes in the special Democratic primary for Florida’s 20th Congressional District, according to newly certified election results. Eleven candidates ran in the primary. The race went to a recount after the Nov. 2 election, which showed Cherfilus-McCormick leading by five votes. That lead held when the…

  • Nevada and Utah hold special legislative sessions for redistricting

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    Here’s a summary of recent redistricting updates from Nevada and Utah. Nevada: On Nov. 11, 2021, Gov. Steve Sisolak (D) announced a special session to address redistricting would begin on Nov. 12. Legislators are expected to debate the congressional and state legislative maps released on Nov. 9. Utah: The Utah legislature began its special session…

  • Kentucky institutes ID verification for unemployment insurance claimants

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    The Kentucky Office of Unemployment Insurance on Nov. 4 began requiring unemployment insurance claimants in the state to verify their identity with ID.me, a third-party verification provider, in order to receive benefits. The new verification requirements are aimed at limiting fraudulent unemployment insurance claims in the state. Fraudulent unemployment insurance claims have, according to Labor Cabinet…

  • Colorado Supreme Court approves final state legislative maps

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    On Nov. 15, 2021, the Colorado Supreme Court approved the state House and Senate maps finalized by the Colorado Independent Legislative Commission on Oct. 11 and 12, respectively. These maps, which redraw the state’s 35 Senate districts and 65 House districts, will take effect for the state’s 2022 state legislative elections. Colorado was the 16th…

  • Utah enacts new congressional districts

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    Utah enacted new congressional districts on Nov. 12, 2021, after Gov. Spencer Cox (R) signed a map approved by the House and the Senate. The enacted map was drafted by the legislature and differed from a proposal the Utah Independent Redistricting Commission released on Nov. 5. The congressional map passed the Utah House 50-22 on…

  • South Dakota enacts new state legislative district maps

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    South Dakota enacted new state legislative and congressional districts after the legislature approved a compromise between two competing proposals. Both chambers voted to approve the final proposal, known as the Sparrow map, on Nov. 10, 2021. The House approved the new districts in a 37-31 vote and the Senate by a vote of 30-2. Gov.…

  • On Saturday, Louisiana voters approved one constitutional amendment and defeated three

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    On Saturday, Louisiana voters approved one constitutional amendment and defeated three. Voters approved Amendment 2, which decreased the maximum allowable individual income tax rate from 6% to 4.75% for tax years beginning in 2022. Through House Bill 278, the legislature provided in statute that the tax bracket rates beginning in 2022 for an individual would…

  • North Dakota enacts new state legislative maps

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    On Nov. 11, North Dakota Gov. Doug Burgum (R) signed a new state legislative map following the 2020 redistricting cycle. The House approved the map in a 73-18 vote on Nov. 9, and the Senate approved the map in a 40-7 vote on Nov. 10.  The map was drafted by the Legislative Redistricting Committee, which…