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Daily Brew: February 19, 2019

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February 19, 2019

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Today's Brew includes major local, national endorsements in final weeks of Chicago mayoral race

  
The Daily Brew

Welcome to the Tuesday, February 19 Brew. Here’s what’s in store for you as you start your day:

  1. Highlights from the February edition of the State Ballot Measure Monthly
  2. Major local, national endorsements in final weeks of Chicago mayoral race
  3. What do Gwyneth Paltrow, school boards, and Los Angeles elections have in common?

Highlights from the February edition of the State Ballot Measure Monthly, including certified veto referendum in California and two legislative alterations

Ballotpedia has tracked more legislative alterations in the last several years than in previous election cycles. I talked to our Ballot Measure Project Director, Josh Altic, to try to better understand why. He said, “The increase in these legislative moves correlates to an increase in initiative activity over the last couple cycles; 2016 was a decade-high for citizen initiatives and 2018 had more than the recent average.”

Here are other highlights from the February edition of the State Ballot Measure Monthly about legislative alterations and other ballot measure activity.

  • One 2019 statewide measure, a transportation bond issue, is certified for the ballot in Colorado.
  • Six measures in four states are certified to appear on the ballot in 2020; these measures concern renewable energy, property taxes and revenue allocation, criminal sentencing and parole, bail, and a constitutional convention question.
  • One statewide measure was certified for the ballot in the last month: a veto referendum in California concerning the elimination of a cash bail system.
  • Three of the measures certified for the 2020 election are citizen-initiated measures, three in California and one in Nevada.
  • Two 2019 measures, both in Washington, were certified to the legislature in the last month, which means they will be on the 2019 ballot if the legislature does not enact them.
  • Bills legislatively altering three initiatives—including Utah's Medicaid expansion initiative—were passed last month, bringing the total count of citizen initiatives that have been amended or repealed since 2017 up to 12.
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Major local, national endorsements in the Chicago mayoral race

With one week to go until the mayoral election in Chicago, endorsements have been stacking up in the race to lead the nation's third-largest city, including support from The Chicago Sun-Times, Chicago Tribune, and a former vice president.

Last week, the Tribune editorial board endorsed Bill Daley. It said in its endorsement, "We’re drawn...toward a candidate who speaks broadly of building Chicago. Toward a native Chicagoan who looks outward to a nation and world that wrongly think they already have Chicago figured out: It’s that glassy, glossy downtown flanked by neighborhoods rife with poverty and crime."

Former Vice President Al Gore (D) has also endorsed Daley, citing Daley's positions on climate change. Daley served as U.S. commerce secretary from 1997 to 2000 while Gore was vice president.

Earlier this month, the Chicago Sun-Times editorial board endorsed Lori Lightfoot, writing, "More than any of the other 13 mayoral candidates, she has the vision, values, qualifications and policies to be an effective leader for the whole city, from the hedge fund managers to the fast food workers."

Other noteworthy endorsements from the past month:

  • Crain's Chicago Business endorsed Daley
  • Former candidate Dorothy Brown backed Amara Enyia
  • Illinois Education Association Region 67 endorsed Lightfoot
  • Illinois Nurses Association backed Susana Mendoza
  • Planned Parenthood President Cecile Richards endorsed Toni Preckwinkle
  • Cook County Republican Party Chairman Sean Morrison endorsed Democratic Willie Wilson

What do Gwyneth Paltrow, school boards, and Los Angeles elections have in common?

The Los Angeles elections are coming up on March 5! Today is the deadline to register to vote.

On the ballot:

  • The District 5 seat on the Los Angeles Unified School District Board of Education - This is a special election to fill the vacancy left by the resignation of Ref Rodriguez. The term filled by this election expires in December 2020.
  • Seven local measures in five cities within Los Angeles County: Measure A will determine whether or not a development project by the Arts Club of London on 8920 Sunset Boulevard, which is owned by Gwyneth Paltrow and Arts Club chairman Gary Landesberg, moves forward. It was put on the ballot by through a veto referendum petition backed by Unite Here Local 11, a hospitality industry union.
  • The other measures concern hotel taxes in Manhattan Beach, sales taxes in Glendora, election consolidation in Signal Hill, marijuana taxes in West Hollywood.
  • The District 2 seat of the Fresno County Board of Supervisors: Heading into this special election, the board is split 3-3 between members supported by United Teachers Los Angeles (UTLA) and those supported by the California Charter Schools Association (CCSA).
  • Local measures concerning the lease of hospital facilities in Palm Drive (Sonoma County) and Coalinga (Fresno County).

Voter registration information is available here. If you miss the voter registration deadline on February 19, you can still register and vote conditionally. More information is available here.


See also

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