Category: State

  • Checks and Balances: REINS Act reintroduced in 117th Congress

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    The Checks and Balances Letter delivers news and information from Ballotpedia’s Administrative State Project, including pivotal actions at the federal and state levels related to the separation of powers, due process and the rule of law. This edition:  In this month’s edition of Checks and Balances, we review executive orders issued by President Joe Biden…

  • Previewing Wisconsin’s spring primary elections on Feb. 16

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    The statewide spring primary for Wisconsin is on February 16, 2021. The filing deadline to run passed on January 5. If two or fewer candidates filed for each seat on the ballot, the primary was canceled and the candidates automatically advanced to the general election scheduled for April 6. Wisconsin’s spring elections feature nonpartisan offices,…

  • Georgia Supreme Court chief justice announces 2021 retirement

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    Georgia Supreme Court Chief Justice Harold Melton scheduled his retirement from the bench for July 1, 2021. Melton said he would begin his post-retirement planning following this announcement. Melton’s replacement will be Governor Brian Kemp’s (R) third nominee to the nine-member supreme court. Under Georgia law when an interim vacancy occurs, the seat is filled…

  • Washington Supreme Court rejects recall petition of county sheriff

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    A petition seeking to recall John Snaza from his position as sheriff of Thurston County, Washington, was ruled to be legally and factually insufficient by the Washington Supreme Court on February 11, 2021. This court ruling ended the recall effort. The recall effort started after the sheriff’s office released a statement on June 24, 2020,…

  • Filing deadline passed Feb. 11 for special election in California Assembly district

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    Candidates interested in running in the special election for California State Assembly District 79 had until February 11, 2021, to file. The primary election is scheduled for April 6, and the general election is scheduled for June 8. The special election was called after Shirley Weber (D) left office due to her appointment as California…

  • WV court rules in favor of governor’s legislative appointment

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    On Feb. 9, the Supreme Court of Appeals of West Virginia ruled in favor of Gov. Jim Justice’s (R) appointment to the West Virginia House of Delegates District 19.  On Jan. 22, the Wayne County Republican Executive Committee nominated Joshua Booth and two others to replace Rep. Derrick Evans (R), who resigned after being charged…

  • Four states have ended their statewide mask requirements

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    New Jersey became the first state to implement a statewide mask order in response to the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic on April 10, 2020. Seven other states implemented mask orders later in April 2020 and, in total, 39 states have issued statewide mask requirements at some point during the pandemic. In recent weeks, states have begun…

  • February 16 is next official reporting deadline in Gavin Newsom recall effort

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    A campaign is underway to recall California Gov. Gavin Newsom (D). Supporters have until March 17 to collect 1,495,709 valid signatures to trigger a recall election. The next official monthly reporting period ends on February 16. On Feb. 10, organizers of the recall effort reported they had collected more than 1.5 million signatures. The deadline…

  • State court judge rules last year’s SD marijuana measure unconstitutional

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    On February 8, 2021, Hughes County Circuit Judge Christina Klinger overturned South Dakota’s 2020 marijuana legalization initiative. Klinger ruled that the measure violated the state’s single-subject rule. Klinger also ruled that the measure constituted a revision of the constitution rather than an amendment. South Dakota voters approved Amendment A by 54% to 46% on November 3. The…

  • Oklahoma voters decide school board primary elections

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    Primaries for school board elections were held in Oklahoma on February 9. Ballotpedia is covering elections for 35 seats across 27 Oklahoma school boards in 2021. These 27 school districts served a combined total of 261,543 students during the 2016-2017 school year. Seventeen seats were won outright by unopposed candidates. There were 13 seats where…