Tag: Redistricting

  • New Jersey will vote on a constitutional amendment to postpone legislative redistricting if census data isn’t received by February 15

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    At the election on November 3, New Jersey voters will decide a constitutional amendment to postpone state legislative redistricting until after the 2021 election if federal census data isn’t received by February 15, 2021. Therefore, the current state legislative districts, which have been used since 2011, would remain in use for the 2021 election. New…

  • Ballot Bulletin: Super Junesday voter turnout

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    June 2 primaries mark highest concentration of voting activity since March  On June 2, nine states held statewide primary elections (and the District of Columbia conducted its district-wide primary). This represented the busiest single day of voting since March 3. The reason? The COVID-19 outbreak prompted a series of election postponements and other modifications.      How…

  • Tracking the 90+ lawsuits related to COVID-19 election changes

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    Lawsuits involving election policy proliferate in response to COVID-19 outbreak  The COVID-19 outbreak in the United States has prompted election postponements, alterations to absentee/mail-in voting procedures, and modifications to candidate filing protocols. It has also resulted in at least 90 lawsuits filed in state and federal courts touching on various aspects of election administration. These…

  • Redistricting and COVID-19

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    Redistricting and the COVID-19 outbreak  The COVID-19 outbreak in the United States has prompted election postponements, alterations to absentee/mail-in voting policies, and adjustments to candidate filing protocols. The outbreak also stands to affect the redistricting cycle set to begin next year. This week, we turn our attention to this topic. The 2020 census: why it…

  • The Ballot Bulletin April 22, 2020

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    States modify absentee/mail-in voting procedures in response to the COVID-19 pandemic  In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, at least 22 states have modified their absentee/mail-in voting procedures for select upcoming elections. Today, we examine this topic in depth, reviewing both the permanent statutory framework for absentee/mail-in voting and the temporary modifications made in response to…

  • Ballot Bulletin March 2020

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    Virginia General Assembly passes bill allowing localities to use ranked-choice voting in some municipal elections  On Feb. 27, the Virginia State Senate voted 22-18 to approve HB1103, which would allow local governments to implement ranked-choice voting (RCV) for select municipal elections. All of the Senate's 21 Democrats and one Republican voted in favor of the…

  • Idaho voters to decide whether to require state legislature to consist of 35 districts

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    The Idaho State Legislature passed House Joint Resolution 4 by a vote of 65-3 in the House and 31-4 in the Senate. The amendment would remove language in the state constitution that allows the legislature to have between 30 and 35 districts and, instead, require the state to have 35 state legislative districts. Currently, the…

  • Missouri Senate approves amendment that would make changes to Missouri Amendment 1 passed in 2018

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    On Monday, the Missouri Senate approved Senate Joint Resolution 38 (SJR 38) that would amend Article III of the Missouri Constitution to change certain provisions of Missouri Amendment 1 passed in 2018. SJR 38 was approved in a vote of 22-9. The amendment would enact the following changes: • eliminate the nonpartisan state demographer and…

  • The Ballot Bulletin: February 2020

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    Wisconsin governor establishes advisory redistricting commission  On Jan. 27, Wisconsin Gov. Tony Evers (D) signed an executive order creating an advisory redistricting commission. The commission will prepare congressional and state legislative district plans for Wisconsin lawmakers to consider. The plans are advisory, and the legislature will be under no obligation to accept the commission's recommendations.…

  • Wisconsin governor establishes advisory redistricting commission

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    On January 27, 2020, Wisconsin Governor Tony Evers (D) signed an executive order creating an advisory redistricting commission to prepare congressional and state legislative district plans for consideration by the state legislature in the coming redistricting cycle. The legislature, vested with the authority to adopt redistricting plans, will be under no obligation to accept the…