Category: State

Wednesday marked the one-year anniversary of Wisconsin’s nonpartisan primary election for a seat on the state Supreme Court. Sauk County Circuit Judge Michael Screnock and Milwaukee County Circuit Judge Rebecca Dallet placed first and second in the primary, respectively, and advanced to the March 20 general election. Attorney Tim Burns placed last and was eliminated.…

On February 14, the Virginia General Assembly appointed Virginia Court of Appeals Judge Teresa M. Chafin to succeed Elizabeth McClanahan on the Virginia Supreme Court. The Senate voted 36-0 and the House voted 97-0. Chafin will join the state supreme court on September 1, 2019. Both chambers of the Virginia General Assembly have Republican majorities.…

All 50 states will draw new congressional and state legislative district lines after the 2020 census. The manner in which redistricting occurs varies from state to state.   In most states, the legislature draws new district maps. Some states have commissions charged with producing new maps instead.   In Arizona, California, Idaho, and Washington, congressional…

Former Alaska Lieutenant Governor Jack Coghill passed away on February 13, 2019. He died of natural causes at the age of 93. Coghill was living with his son, state Sen. John Coghill (R), at the time of his death. His son said in a statement, “Dad was a firm believer in utilizing Alaska’s natural resources…

Rep. Bryce Edgmon was elected as Alaska House speaker Thursday, three days after he switched his party affiliation from Democrat to unenrolled. Edgmon was House speaker from 2017 and 2018. The latest election ended a 30-day period without a majority in place in the House, the longest in state history.   The final vote was…

At this time four years ago, Oregon Secretary of State Kate Brown (D) was preparing to succeed four-term Gov. John Kitzhaber (D), who had announced his resignation on February 13 over allegations that he had been involved in influence peddling. Kitzhaber, who was first elected in 1994 and won re-election in 1998, 2010, and 2014,…

On February 13, 2019, Judge Carlton W. Reeves, of the United States District Court for the Southern District of Mississippi, issued an order striking down the state legislative map for Mississippi State Senate District 22.   Judge Reeves ruled that the district constituted a violation of the Voting Rights Act by denying racial minorities “an…

Two candidates were selected by their political parties to run in the special election for Pennsylvania State Senate District 37. The special election was called to fill the vacancy in District 37 after incumbent Guy Reschenthaler (R) was elected on November 6, 2018, to the United States House of Representatives to represent Pennsylvania’s 14th Congressional…

A special election for District 125 of the Texas House of Representatives was held on February 12. Fred Rangel (R) and Ray Lopez (D) defeated Steve Huerta (D), Coda Rayo-Garza (D), and Arthur Reyna (D). Rangel and Lopez earned 38 percent and 19 percent of the vote, respectively. The date of the runoff election has…

A special election for District 176 of the Georgia House of Representatives was held on February 12. James Burchett (R) and Franklin Patten (R) defeated Barbara Griffin (D) and Barbara Seidman (D). Burchett and Patten earned 43.1 percent and 42.5 percent of the vote, respectively. The two candidates are competing in a runoff election on…