Category: State
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Filing deadline passed Feb. 11 for special election in California Assembly district
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…
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WV court rules in favor of governor’s legislative appointment
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…
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Four states have ended their statewide mask requirements
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…
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February 16 is next official reporting deadline in Gavin Newsom recall effort
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…
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State court judge rules last year’s SD marijuana measure unconstitutional
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…
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Oklahoma voters decide school board primary elections
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…
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Alaska House of Representatives elects temporary speaker
Forty-six state legislatures are currently in session. The Alaska House of Representatives has been in session since Jan. 19. But no regular business has taken place because legislators have not elected a permanent speaker or organized committees. Partisan control of the House was uncertain after the 2020 elections, split between those favoring a Republican-led majority…
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Iowa lifts statewide face-covering requirement
Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds (R) issued an order easing coronavirus restrictions, effective Feb. 7. The order lifted the statewide mask mandate and limits on indoor and outdoor gatherings. Reynolds first issued the face-covering requirement on Nov. 17, requiring everyone two years or older to wear masks in indoor spaces open to the public where social…
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New Mexico state Rep. Phelps Anderson changes party affiliation
New Mexico state Rep. Phelps Anderson changed his voter registration from Republican to “declined to state” on Feb. 5 after he was the only Republican to vote in favor of repealing a 1969 anti-abortion law. Phelps was first elected to House District 66 in 2018 and ran uncontested for re-election in 2020. Of the 70…
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Doris Turner, Mike Simmons appointed to Illinois state Senate
On Feb. 6, two new state legislators were appointed to fill vacancies in the Illinois state Senate. Doris Turner (D) was appointed by the Democratic county chairs of the 48th Legislative District Committee to fill the seat formerly occupied by Andy Manar (D). Manar left office in January in order to take a position as…