Category: Uncategorized
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Introducing Ballotpedia’s Runoff Report, a daily newsletter on Georgia’s runoffs and the fight for Senate control
Republicans have secured 50 seats in the next U.S. Senate and Democrats 48 (including two independents who caucus with them). Control of the next Senate will come down to Georgia’s runoff elections. On Nov. 30, we launched Runoff Report, a daily newsletter providing the latest on each runoff and the overarching fight for Senate control.…
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Senator Rick Scott, other federal lawmakers test positive for coronavirus
On November 20, Sen. Rick Scott (R-Fl.) announced he tested positive for COVID-19. On November 14, he announced he would quarantine himself after coming into contact with a person who tested positive for the virus. Scott was the 31st member of Congress to test positive for COVID-19, and the seventh to announce a positive test…
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Federal Register weekly update: More than 300 presidential documents published so far in 2020
The Federal Register is a daily journal of federal government activity that includes presidential documents, proposed and final rules, and public notices. It is a common measure of an administration’s regulatory activity. From November 16 to November 20, the Federal Register grew by 1,696 pages for a year-to-date total of 74,594 pages. Over the same…
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Donald Trump wins 20 states with trifectas, Joe Biden wins 18
After the 2020 elections, Republicans had 23 trifectas, Democrats had 15 trifectas, and 11 states had divided governments. Trifecta status in Alaska is pending. A trifecta occurs when one political party holds the governorship and majorities in both chambers of the state legislature. Two divided government states gained Republican trifecta status following the 2020 elections.…
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Franklin Babauta appointed to Northern Mariana Islands House of Representatives
On Nov. 11, Northern Mariana Islands Governor Ralph Torres appointed Franklin Babauta to the District 1 seat in the NMI House of Representatives. The seat had been vacant since October when former NMI House Minority Leader Edwin Propst resigned due to sexual misconduct allegations. The Northern Mariana Islands constitution requires that legislative vacancies that occur…
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Alonso Vega resigns from Puerto Rico House of Representatives
Rep. Néstor Alonso Vega (New Progressive Party) resigned from his seat in the Puerto Rico House of Representatives on Nov. 10. Alonso Vega, who held an at-large seat in the chamber, had been arrested and indicted for allegedly increasing an employee’s salary in order to receive half of the increase in return. Alonso Vega had…
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Veterans in the 116th Congress
Ninety-six veterans served as members of the 116th Congress (2019-2020). Seventy-three served in active duty with one of the four main military branches: 15 in the Air Force, 36 in the Army, 15 in the Marine Corps, and eight in the Navy (Steven Palazzo served in both the Army and Marine Corps). The remaining veterans…
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Election deadlines for the week beginning Nov. 9
In the week beginning Nov. 9, 11 states and the District of Columbia have absentee/mail-in ballot receipt deadlines: Nov. 9: Iowa and West Virginia Nov. 10: Minnesota, Mississippi, Nevada, New Jersey, and New York Nov. 12: North Carolina Nov. 13: Alaska, D.C. Maryland, and Ohio Also next week, eight states will observe election certification and/or…
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Incumbent Sen. Tina Smith wins re-election in Minnesota
Incumbent Tina Smith (D) defeated Jason Lewis (R), Oliver Steinberg (Grassroots-Legalize Cannabis Party of Minnesota), and Kevin O’Connor (Legal Marijuana Now Party) in the U.S. Senate election in Minnesota. Smith was appointed to the seat in 2018 following Al Franken’s (D) resignation. Smith won a special election to complete Franken’s term in 2018, winning 53%…