Category: State

  • DeAnne DeFuccio sworn in to New Jersey General Assembly District 39

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    DeAnne DeFuccio (R) was sworn in on April 9 to a seat in the New Jersey Assembly, representing the 39th District. DeFuccio won the special election held at the Bergen County Republican Organization on March 31 by a vote of 88-81 over John Azzaritti.  DeFuccio will serve the remainder of Holly Schepisi’s (R) term, which…

  • West Virginia State Legislature refers three constitutional amendments to 2022 ballot during its 2021 session

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    The West Virginia State Legislature referred three constitutional amendments to the November 2022 ballot on April 9 and 10, the last days of the legislative session.  West Virginia No Court Authority over Impeachment Amendment West Virginia Incorporation of Religious Denominations and Churches Amendment West Virginia Tax Exemptions for Personal Property Used for Business Activity Amendment…

  • Special election primary to be held in New Hampshire House district

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    A special election primary is being held on April 20 for the Merrimack 23 District of the New Hampshire House of Representatives. Christopher Lins and John Martin are running in the Republican primary. Muriel Hall is unopposed in the Democratic primary. The general election is taking place on June 8, and the winner of this…

  • Filing deadline approaches in Michigan State Senate special elections

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    Major party candidates interested in running in the special elections for Michigan State Senate Districts 8 and 28 have until April 20 to file. For independent and minor party candidates, the filing deadline is Aug. 4. The primary election is scheduled for Aug. 3, and the general election is set for Nov. 2.  The special…

  • Two Democratic gubernatorial candidates in New Jersey disqualified from ballot; Gov. Murphy the lone remaining candidate

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    On April 13, Lisa McCormick and Roger Bacon were disqualified from the Democratic primary ballot for New Jersey governor. Gov. Phil Murphy (D) is the only remaining candidate on the ballot. Administrative Law Judge Jeffrey Rabin disqualified McCormick, ruling that none of the 1,951 petition signatures she submitted were valid. The New Jersey Democratic Party…

  • Eight states have enacted laws limiting governors’ emergency powers since the start of the pandemic

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    In response to the coronavirus pandemic, governors and state agencies in all 50 states relied on emergency power authority to enact stay-at-home orders, mask mandates, and other restrictions on businesses and individuals. Since March 2020, 10 bills in eight states have been signed into law that are aimed at increasing legislative oversight of governors' emergency powers.…

  • New Mexico becomes the third state this year to approve recreational marijuana legalization

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    On April 12, New Mexico Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham (D) signed House Bill 2 (HB 2) to legalize recreational marijuana.  HB 2 made New Mexico the third state to approve recreational marijuana legalization in the last two weeks. New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo (D) signed a marijuana legalization bill on March 31, and, on April…

  • State legislators passed restrictions on the initiative process in three states and are considering ballot measure law changes in several others

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    At least 123 legislative proposals concerning ballot initiatives, veto referendums, referrals, local ballot measures, and recall were introduced in the 2021 legislative sessions of 34 states. At least eight had been approved so far. Here are some of the most notable changes to ballot measure law passed and proposed in 2021: The Utah Legislature passed…

  • Checks and Balances: State lawmakers press for oversight of emergency powers

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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 the six resolutions of disapproval filed under…

  • Pennsylvania’s May 18 primary ballot will feature four ballot measures, the most since 1981

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    At the primary election on May 18, 2021, Pennsylvania voters will decide four ballot measures alongside legislative special elections, municipal and school district elections, and judicial elections. It is the most measures on a Pennsylvania ballot since 1981. During the last two decades, the average number of measures on the ballot in Pennsylvania per year…