Tag: texas

  • Special election to be held in Texas House district

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    A special election is being held on Aug. 31 for District 10 of the Texas House of Representatives. The candidate filing deadline was Aug. 12. Pierina Otiniano (D), Kevin Griffin (R), Brian Harrison (R), Susan Hayslip (R), Clark Wickliffe (R), John Wray (R), Matt Savino (L), and Scott Goodwin (I) are running in the general…

  • Filing deadline approaches to run for school board in Texas

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    The filing deadline to run for school board in seven Texas school districts is on Aug. 16. Prospective candidates may file to run in the following districts: Aldine Independent School District (3 seats) Alief Independent School District (3 seats) Cypress-Fairbanks Independent School District (3 seats) Houston Independent School District (5 seats) Klein Independent School District…

  • Texas House lacks quorum as second special session begins

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    On August 7, 2021, the Texas House of Representatives began a new 30-day special session without a quorum. The chamber has been without a quorum since July 12 when enough Democrats left the state during consideration of House Bill 3 and Senate Bill 1 to break quorum. At least 50 members of the Democratic caucus…

  • Austin police staffing minimum and training requirements initiative qualifies for the ballot

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    On Tuesday, the Austin city clerk announced that the group Save Austin Now submitted enough valid signatures to qualify its initiative for the ballot. The initiative would: establish a minimum police department staffing requirement based on the population of the city, which would require the city to hire additional police officers; state that the police…

  • Texas deputy secretary of state draws ballot order for November ballot measures

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    On July 29, Texas Deputy Secretary of State Joe Esparza drew the ballot order for the eight constitutional amendments referred to the November ballot during the state legislature’s regular session. The deadline to add a measure to the ballot is August 16. However, with a lack of quorum in the Texas House of Representatives due…

  • Voters to decide runoff election in Texas’ 6th Congressional District on July 27

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    Texas’ 6th Congressional District will hold a special election runoff on July 27. Jake Ellzey (R) and Susan Wright (R) are running to fill the vacancy left by Rep. Ronald Wright (R), who died from COVID-19 related complications on Feb. 7. The district is located in the northeastern portion of the state and includes Ellis…

  • Texas House speaker removes Democrat who left state from leadership position

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    Texas House of Representatives Speaker Dade Phelan (R) announced the removal of Joseph Moody (D) from Moody’s position as speaker pro tem of the chamber on July 15. The speaker pro tem performs the duties of the speaker in his or her absence. Moody had served in the position for two sessions. Moody was one…

  • Democratic state representatives in Texas leave state ahead of expected vote on voting-related legislation

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    On July 12, 2021, at least 51 of the 67 Democrats in the Texas House of Representatives (the number needed to break quorum) left the state for Washington D.C. ahead of expected votes on House Bill 3 and Senate Bill 1. The bills being considered are voting-related legislation including provisions related to early voting, elections…

  • Preview: Upcoming special congressional elections

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    Image of several stickers with the words "I voted"

    Three special elections for the U.S. House will take place within the next month: a runoff election for Texas’ 6th Congressional District on July 27 and primaries in Ohio’s 11th and 15th congressional districts on Aug. 3. Texas’ 6th The July 27 runoff in Texas features Republicans Jake Ellzey and Susan Wright. The two advanced…

  • Texas Supreme Court justice resigns, creates midterm vacancy

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    Texas Supreme Court Justice Eva Guzman retired from her seat on the state’s highest court effective Friday, June 11. Her resignation letter to Texas Gov. Greg Abbott (R) did not provide a reason for her departure. Guzman’s replacement will be Gov. Abbott’s fifth nominee to the nine-member supreme court. Under Texas law, in the event…