Tag: State leg
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New York Legislature refers two voting policy constitutional amendments to November ballot
Voters in New York will decide constitutional amendments at the election on November 2, 2021, to authorize no-excuse absentee voting and same-day voter registration. Currently, the state constitution requires voters to be absent from their county of residence, ill, or physically disabled to vote with an absentee ballot. It also requires that persons must register…
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Special elections to be held in four Pennsylvania legislative districts on May 18
Special elections are being held on May 18 for two seats in the Pennsylvania State Senate and two seats in the Pennsylvania House of Representatives. Voters will decide on representation in District 22 and District 48 of the state Senate as well as District 59 and District 60 of the state House. In Senate District…
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Arizona to vote on in-state tuition for non-citizen residents in 2022
In 2022, Arizonans will vote on a ballot measure to expand in-state tuition to some residents without legal citizenship status. The ballot measure would make in-state tuition available to non-citizen residents who (a) attended school in Arizona for at least two years and (b) graduated from a public school, private school, or homeschool in Arizona.…
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Tennessee voters will decide 2022 amendment to remove language that allows the use of slavery and involuntary servitude as criminal punishment
On May 4, the Tennessee General Assembly voted to refer a constitutional amendment to the 2022 general election ballot that would remove language that allows the use of slavery and involuntary servitude as criminal punishment and replace it with the statement, “Slavery and involuntary servitude are forever prohibited.” The ballot measure would also state that…
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Hawaii State Senate Majority Leader Jamie Kalani English resigns
Hawaii State Senate Majority Leader Jamie Kalani English (D-7) resigned on May 1, citing the long-term health effects of a past COVID-19 infection. English said he contracted COVID-19 in November 2020. “After many discussions with my doctors, talks with those close to me and careful thought, I am announcing my retirement from the Hawai‘i State…
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Republicans lost a net 187 state legislative seats during the Trump presidency
During President Donald Trump’s (R) term, Republicans lost a net 187 state legislative seats. In 61 of the 99 state legislative chambers, the Democratic Party held more seats following the 2020 general election than it did after the general election in 2016. Five chambers in four states flipped from Republican to Democratic control during the…
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Here’s a round-up of this week’s redistricting news: May 5, 2021
Last week, the U.S. Census Bureau released apportionment counts for the U.S. House of Representatives, kicking off the 2021-2022 redistricting cycle. Throughout this year and next, policymakers (including state legislators, governors, and special redistricting commissions) will draft and implement new state legislative and congressional district maps, which will remain in force for the next 10 years.…
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April 2021 partisan composition of state legislative seats: 54.3% Republicans, 44.9% Democrats
Ballotpedia’s April partisan count of state legislative seats found that 54.29% of state legislators are Republicans and 44.94% are Democrats. At the end of every month, Ballotpedia tallies the partisan balance of state legislatures, which refers to which political party holds a majority of seats in each chamber. Republicans currently control 61 chambers, while Democrats…
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Arkansas passes bill with multiple restrictions on the ballot initiative process
On April 29, Arkansas Senate Bill 614 became law (Act 951). The bill added several restrictions to the state’s ballot initiative and veto referendum process, including to: • ban paying signature gatherers based on the number of signatures gathered, a payment method called pay-per-signature; • require circulators to be state residents and citizens; • add…
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Georgia House of Representatives District 34, District 156 special elections set for June 15
Election officials have scheduled special elections for the District 34 and District 156 seats in the Georgia House of Representatives for June 15, 2021. The District 34 seat became vacant after Bert Reeves (R) resigned on April 30 to become Georgia Institute of Technology’s vice president of university relations. The District 156 seat became vacant…