Daily Brew: October 12, 2018

October 12, 2018

Plus, Washington State becomes 20th state to ban the death penalty   Welcome to the Friday, October 12 Brew. Here’s what’s in store for you as you start your day: Kansas state spotlight North Carolina state spotlight Washington State becomes 20th state to ban the death penalty Kansas, as big as you think Kansas is holding elections for four U.S. House seats, governor and six other state executive offices, seven retention elections on the state appellate court, one state Senate special election, and all 125 state House seats. Ballotpedia will also cover local elections in Sedgwick County. What is the partisan balance in the state? Congress: Republicans hold both U.S. Senate seats and all four U.S. House seats. Governor: Republican. Lt. Governor: Republican. Attorney General: Republican. State Senate: 29-9 Republican majority with one independent member and one vacancy. State House: 85-40 Republican majority. Races to watch Kansas’ 2nd Congressional District: Rep. Lynn Jenkins (R) is not seeking re-election, setting up a race between former state House Minority Leader Paul Davis (D), Army veteran and engineer Steve Watkins (R), and business owner Kelly Standley (L). Three forecasting outlets rated the race a "toss-up" in the month leading up to the election. Kansas’ 3rd Congressional District: Incumbent Rep. Kevin Yoder (R) is facing attorney and economic adviser Sharice Davids (D) and teacher Chris Clemmons (L) in Yoder’s bid for a fifth term. Three forecasting outlets changed their ratings of the race from “Toss-up” to “Lean Democratic” or “Tilt Democratic” between September 28 and October 4. Kansas Governor: State Senator Laura Kelly (D), Kansas Secretary of State Kris Kobach (R), and three others are running in a gubernatorial race that the Cook Political Report rated a “Toss-up” as of October 5. Incumbent Gov. Jeff Colyer (R), who took took office following former Gov. Sam Brownback's (R) resignation in January 2018, was defeated by Kobach in the Republican primary. A pair of independent polls conducted in late September and early October showed the race within the margin of error. What you need to know if you’re a Kansas voter Early voting dates: October 17 to November 5. Polls open/close: 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. Voter ID: All voters in Kansas must present photo identification at the polls. Approved forms of photo identification include the following: driver’s license, concealed carry handgun license, U.S. passport, and government employee, military, student, public assistance, and tribal IDs. Bookmark your sample ballot. Learn more         North Carolina: A Better Place to Be North Carolina is holding elections for 13 U.S. House seats, one state Supreme Court seat, three state appellate court seats, all 50 state Senate seats, and all 120 state House seats. Six statewide ballot measures are on the ballot. Ballotpedia will also cover local elections in Durham, Forsyth, Guilford, Mecklenburg, and Wake Counties and school board elections in seven public school districts. What is the partisan balance in the state? Congress: Republicans hold both U.S. Senate seats and 10 of the 13 U.S. House seats. Democrats hold the other three U.S. House seats. Governor: Democratic. Lt. Governor: Republican. Attorney General: Democratic. State Senate: 34-15 Republican majority with one vacancy. State Assembly: 75-45 Republican majority. Races to watch North Carolina’s 2nd Congressional District: U.S. Rep. George Holding (R) is facing challenges from Rep. Linda Coleman (D) and Jeff Matemu (L). Polls commissioned by the Civitas Institute and the Coleman campaign showed Holding and Coleman in a statistical tie. Election forecasters say the race slightly favors Holding. North Carolina’s 9th Congressional District: Dan McCready (D), Mark Harris (R), and Jeff Scott (L) are running for the seat currently held by U.S. Rep. Robert Pittenger (R). Harris defeated Pittenger in the May 7 Republican primary. Election forecasters say the race is a toss-up. North Carolina’s 13th Congressional District: U.S. Rep. Ted Budd (R) is facing Kathy Manning (D), Tom Bailey (L), and Robert Corriher (G) in his first re-election attempt after winning the seat by 12 percentage points in 2016. Election forecasters either say the race is a toss-up or that it favors Budd. North Carolina Supreme Court elections: North Carolina is holding its first partisan elections for the state Supreme Court since 2002 due to legislation signed by former North Carolina Gov. Pat McCrory (R) in December 2016. Anita Earls (D) and Chris Anglin (R) are challenging incumbent Barbara Jackson (R) for Seat 1. Republican leaders in the state have accused Anglin of running to split the Republican vote and help Earls get elected. Anglin said he is running to represent Republicans who are dissatisfied with their party. What you need to know if you’re a North Carolina voter Early voting dates: October 17 to November 3. Polls open/close: 6:30 a.m. to 7:30 p.m. Voter ID: Not required. Bookmark your sample ballot. Learn more→ Washington becomes 20th state to ban the death penalty Washington's state Supreme Court struck down the state's death penalty law, finding that, as applied, it violated the state constitution. The court ruled unanimously on the matter, with Chief Justice Mary Fairhurst penning the majority opinion. Fairhurst, who was first elected to the court in a nonpartisan election in 2002, wrote the following: “The death penalty is invalid because it is imposed in an arbitrary and racially biased manner. While this particular case provides an opportunity to specifically address racial disproportionality, the underlying issues that underpin our holding are rooted in the arbitrary manner in which the death penalty is generally administered. ... The death penalty, as administered in our state, fails to serve any legitimate penological goal; thus, it violates article I, section 14 of our state constitution.” Justice Charles W. Johnson penned a concurring opinion, joined by four other justices, arguing that "additional state constitutional principles compel this result." Washington is the 20th state to disallow the death penalty by legislation or court order. Another three states have placed the death penalty under a gubernatorial moratorium, though death penalty laws in these states remain on the books. The remaining states allow the death penalty. For more on the status of the death penalty by state, click here→