Category: State
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Tennessee Supreme Court justice’s death leaves vacancy
Tennessee Supreme Court Justice Cornelia Clark passed away from cancer on Sept. 24. Her death created one vacancy on the five-member supreme court. Clark’s replacement will be Gov. Bill Lee’s (R) first nominee to the court. Under Tennessee law, midterm vacancies on the supreme court are filled via gubernatorial appointment with legislative approval. The appointed…
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Filing deadline approaches for Jacksonville special election
Candidates interested in running for a vacant seat on the Jacksonville City Council in Florida have until Oct. 1 to qualify via qualifying fee. The filing deadline to qualify via signature petitions was Sept. 21. The special election will be held on Dec. 7. If no candidate receives a majority of the vote, a runoff…
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Oregon is first state to enact congressional maps after 2020 census
Oregon Gov. Kate Brown (D) signed new congressional and state legislative maps into law on Sept. 27, making Oregon the first state to enact congressional maps in the current redistricting cycle. If the maps are not changed by the Oregon Supreme Court as a result of possible legal challenges, this would become the third time…
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Raquel Terán assumes office as Arizona state senator, creating vacancy in state House
Raquel Terán (D) assumed office as the senator for District 30 in the Arizona state Senate on Sept. 28. The Maricopa County Board of Supervisors appointed Terán (D) to the district on Sept. 15. The seat became vacant in August when former state Sen. Tony Navarrete (D) resigned after being arrested on suspicion of sexual…
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Virginia Secretary of Natural Resources Matthew Strickler resigns
Matthew Strickler resigned from his position as Virginia’s Secretary of Natural Resources in September 2021. The press release announcing Strickler’s departure stated he was leaving to pursue “new opportunities where he will continue his excellent work of protecting our nation’s resources.” Governor Ralph Northam (D) appointed Ann Jennings, Virginia’s deputy secretary of Natural and Historic…
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State legislative elections in 2021 are the most contested since at least 2010
Two hundred and twenty state legislative seats are up for election on Nov. 2, 2021, in three state legislative chambers: the New Jersey State Senate and General Assembly and the Virginia House of Delegates. According to Ballotpedia’s Annual State Legislative Competitiveness Report, state legislative elections in 2021 are the most competitive since at least 2010.…
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With early voting underway, Virginia lieutenant gubernatorial candidates share stances on economy, other issues
Hala Ayala (D) and Winsome Sears (R) are running in the general election for lieutenant governor of Virginia on Nov. 2, 2021. Early voting began in Virginia on Sept.17 and will continue on weekdays through Oct. 29 as well as on two Saturdays, Oct.23 and 30. The incumbent lieutenant governor, Justin Fairfax (D), ran for…
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Redistricting timeline updates: New York, North Dakota, and South Carolina continue to hold public meetings
Here’s a summary of recent redistricting timeline updates from New York, North Dakota, and South Carolina. New York: The New York Independent Redistricting Commission announced a second round of public hearings on map proposals to be held between Oct. 20 and Nov. 23, 2021. The first deadline for the commission to submit map proposals to…
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Arizona Rep. Aaron Lieberman resigns to focus on 2022 run for governor
Aaron Lieberman (D) announced on September 20 that he would resign his seat in the Arizona House of Representatives to focus on his 2022 campaign for governor. Lieberman first won election to the House to represent District 28 in 2018, alongside incumbent Kelli Butler (D). Ballotpedia has identified three Democratic candidates, five Republican candidates, and…
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How vacancies are filled on state supreme courts
The most common reasons for a vacancy on a state supreme court include reaching the mandatory retirement age, retiring before the end of a term, death, or appointment to another office. The process for filling vacancies on state supreme courts varies among states. In most states, the governor appointments a replacement justice, either outright or…