Category: State
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Dori Hauck sworn in to North Dakota House of Representatives
Dori Hauck (R) was sworn in to the North Dakota House of Representatives to replace former Representative Luke Simons (R) on March 16. Simons, who had represented District 36 since 2016 and was reelected in 2020, was expelled from the House on March 4 following multiple misconduct allegations. Simons was the first lawmaker in state…
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1.19 million signatures verified in Newsom recall
On March 19, the California Secretary of State’s office released an update on signature verification in the effort to recall Gov. Gavin Newsom (D). According to the official report, 1.834 million signatures were turned in through March 11. Of those, 1.188 million were deemed valid. Another 380,060 signatures remain unprocessed. At least 1,495,709 signatures must…
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New Mexico voters will decide whether to increase funding for early childhood education and public schools
On March 18, the New Mexico State Legislature voted to send a constitutional amendment to the ballot that would allocate 1.25% of the five-year average of year-end market values of the money in the Land Grant Permanent Fund (LGPF) to early childhood education and the public school permanent fund. Revenue in the LGPF comes from…
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Virginia statewide filing deadline is March 25
The filing deadline to run for elected office in Virginia is on March 25, 2021. In Virginia, prospective candidates may file for the following offices: Governor Lieutenant Governor Attorney General Virginia House of Delegates (all 100 seats) Ballotpedia is also covering local elections in the following cities: Chesapeake Norfolk Richmond Virginia Beach The Democratic primary…
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In four states, no state or federal officials have tested positive for COVID-19
Between the start of the coronavirus pandemic and March 18, 2021, no elected or appointed state or federal officials announced positive COVID-19 test results in four states—Delaware, Maryland, Oregon, and Vermont. In the 46 other states, Ballotpedia has identified at least one COVID-19 positive state or federal official within our coverage scope. State and federal…
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A look back at government responses to COVID-19, March 23-27, 2020
Although the first case of COVID-19 in the U.S. was confirmed on Jan. 21, 2020, it wasn’t until March when the novel coronavirus upended life for most Americans. Throughout March and April, states issued stay-at-home orders, closed schools, restricted travel, and changed election dates. Many of those policies remain in place today. Here are the…
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Election preview: special Louisiana elections scheduled for March 20
Louisiana is holding primary elections on March 20, 2021. A general election, if needed, is set for April 24. Louisiana elections use the majority-vote system. All candidates compete in the same primary, and a candidate can win the election outright by receiving more than 50 percent of the vote. If no candidate does, the top…
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Deadline for Nevada State Legislature to vote on sales and gaming tax measures passes, sending the pair of initiatives to the ballot
The deadline for the Nevada State Legislature to act on two indirect initiated state statutes—the Gaming Tax Increase on Monthly Revenue above $250,000 Initiative and the Sales Tax Increase for Public Schools Initiative—was Friday, March 12. The legislature did not enact the measures by the deadline, which sent them to the ballot in November 2022.…
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Kentucky legislature certifies amendment to authorize changes to legislative session end dates and special sessions
On March 15, the Kentucky State Legislature voted to send a constitutional amendment to voters in November 2022 that would authorize the legislature to change legislative session end dates through a three-fifths vote in each chamber. It would also authorize the House speaker and Senate president to jointly call a special legislative session for up…
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Michigan Court of Claims invalidates absentee/mail-in ballot rule as improperly established
On March 9, 2021, Michigan Court of Claims Judge Christopher Murray invalidated an absentee/mail-in ballot rule instituted by Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson (D) in the run-up to the November 3, 2020, general election. Murray held that Benson’s rule, which directed local clerks to presume validity when verifying signatures on absentee/mail-in ballot applications and return…