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State Legislative Tracker: Convicted California senator resigns

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September 22, 2014

Edited by Joel Williams
This week’s tracker includes a look at the conviction and resignation of a California senator.

Weekly highlight

Last week, no state adjourned its legislative session. Here is a brief look at issues making headlines across the country:

  • California: On September 15, 2014, Sen. Roderick Wright (D) of the California State Senate announced his resignation from his District 35 post after being convicted of perjury.[1] His resignation is effective today and he will surrender to the police on October 31st to begin his sentence.[2][1] Convicted in January, Wright was sentenced on September 12 to 90 days in the Los Angeles County jail on felony perjury and voting fraud charges for lying about his residence when he ran for the State Senate in 2008.[2] In addition to the jail sentence, Wright will serve a lifetime ban from holding future public offices, three years probation and 1,500 hours of community service. Wright is just one of the four Democratic state senators currently facing legal trouble.[3] Ben Hueso is facing charges related to a DUI arrest, Leland Yee is facing charges in a weapons trafficking case and Ronald S. Calderon is facing bribery charges.[4] Gov. Jerry Brown (D) will have fourteen days following Wright's resignation to call a special election to fulfill the remaining two years of Wright's term. The earliest a special election can be called would be for November 25, 2014, with a runoff, if necessary, on January 27, 2015.[2]
  • Maine: First-term state Rep. Brian Jones (D) entered himself into rehab last week following an arrest for indecent conduct. State police say that a trooper found Jones and an unnamed woman having sex in a van in a park-and-ride lot near the Maine Turnpike in West Gardiner. State police spokesman Stephen McCausland told the Bangor Daily News that Jones was likely arrested not for the alleged sex act alone but for not identifying himself to the trooper. Jones, who represents the current District 45, was soon identified based on legislative license plates on his car parked nearby; the woman, who did identify herself, was not charged.[5] Jones, a retired educator, is married with three children and one grandchild. Jones issued a statement on Tuesday citing "a long term struggle with alcoholism" as a contributing cause.[6] Mark Dion, Jones' attorney and Democratic colleague in the House, confirmed that Jones entered a rehabilitation facility. MaryAnne Kinney (R), Jones' challenger in the November general election for the new District 99, said she would not use the controversy in her campaign, calling it a "personal issue." The arrest did not appear to immediately place Jones' legislative career in jeopardy; House Speaker Mark Eves (D) did not comment on possible punitive measures but offered "support" to Jones' family.[7]

Sessions

Regular sessions

Current sessions capture for the week of September 22, 2014
See also: Dates of 2014 state legislative sessions
Click here to see a chart of each state's 2014 session information.

Currently 4 out of 50 state legislatures are meeting in regular session. Ohio is meeting in Skeleton Session. A Skeleton Session typically includes very short nonvoting sessions instead of regular sessions with a full chamber. Virginia is meeting in special session.[8]

The following states have adjourned their 2014 regular session:[9]


Special sessions

Virginia

The Virginia State Legislature is meeting in special session to try and pass an estimated $96 billion budget for the next two years. The session is not expected to end quickly, as Gov. Terry McAuliffe (D) and the Republican-led House disagree over whether the state should accept further Medicaid funding from the federal government. This special session is required as the legislature failed to pass a budget during the yearly regular session.[10]

In recess

As of today, September 22, there is one state legislature currently in recess:[11]

2014 Legislative Elections

See also: State legislative elections, 2014

A total of 87 of the 99 chambers will hold state legislative elections on November 4, 2014.

The 87 chambers with elections in 2014 are in 46 states. They are:

The Kansas, Minnesota, New Mexico and South Carolina senates also typically hold elections in even years. However, senators are elected to 4-year terms in those states and those will not be up for election again until 2016.

1,097 of the country's 1,972 state senate seats are up for re-election in November 2014, and 4,958 of the country's 5,411 state house seats are up for re-election. Altogether, 6,055 of the country's 7,383 state legislative seats are up for re-election on November 4, 2014.

Primary Information

See also: Signature requirements and deadlines for 2014 state legislative elections

The state legislative filing deadlines and primary dates are as follows:

Note: Ballot access is a complicated issue. The dates in the table below are primarily for candidates filing for access to the primary. For more detailed information about each state's qualification requirements -- including all relevant ballot access dates for the primary and general election -- click to our detailed pages in the state column.

2014 State Legislative Primary Information
State Filing Deadline Primary Date Days from Deadline to Primary
Alabama Red padlock.png 2/7/2014 Red padlock.png 6/3/2014 116
Alaska Red padlock.png 6/2/2014[12] Red padlock.png 8/19/2014 78
Arizona Red padlock.png 5/28/2014[13] Red padlock.png 8/26/2014 90
Arkansas Red padlock.png 3/3/2014[14][15] Red padlock.png 5/20/2014 78
California Red padlock.png 3/7/2014[16][17][18] Red padlock.png 6/3/2014 88
Colorado Red padlock.png 3/31/2014[19][20] Red padlock.png 6/24/2014 85
Connecticut Red padlock.png 6/10/2014[21] Red padlock.png 8/12/2014 90
Delaware Red padlock.png 7/8/2014 Red padlock.png 9/9/2014 63
Florida Red padlock.png 6/20/2014[22][23] Red padlock.png 8/26/2014 67
Georgia Red padlock.png 3/7/2014 Red padlock.png 5/20/2014 74
Hawaii Red padlock.png 6/3/2014[24] Red padlock.png 8/9/2014 67
Idaho Red padlock.png 3/14/2014 Red padlock.png 5/20/2014 78
Illinois Red padlock.png 12/2/2013 Red padlock.png 3/18/2014 106
Indiana Red padlock.png 2/7/2014 Red padlock.png 5/6/2014 88
Iowa Red padlock.png 3/14/2014 Red padlock.png 6/3/2014 81
Kansas Red padlock.png 6/2/2014 Red padlock.png 8/5/2014 65
Kentucky Red padlock.png 1/28/2014[25][26] Red padlock.png 5/20/2014 112
Maine Red padlock.png 3/17/2014[27] Red padlock.png 6/10/2014 85
Maryland Red padlock.png 2/25/2014[28] Red padlock.png 6/24/2014 119
Massachusetts Red padlock.png 6/3/2014[29] Red padlock.png 9/9/2014 98
Michigan Red padlock.png 4/22/2014 Red padlock.png 8/5/2014 105
Minnesota Red padlock.png 6/3/2014 Red padlock.png 8/12/2014 70
Missouri Red padlock.png 3/25/2014 Red padlock.png 8/5/2014 133
Montana Red padlock.png 3/10/2014 Red padlock.png 6/3/2014 85
Nebraska Red padlock.png 3/3/2014[30] Red padlock.png 5/13/2014 85
Nevada Red padlock.png 3/14/2014 Red padlock.png 6/10/2014 88
New Hampshire Red padlock.png 6/13/2014 Red padlock.png 9/9/2014 88
New Mexico Red padlock.png 2/4/2014 Red padlock.png 6/3/2014 119
New York Red padlock.png 7/10/2014 Red padlock.png 9/9/2014 61
North Carolina Red padlock.png 2/28/2014 Red padlock.png 5/6/2014 67
North Dakota Red padlock.png 4/7/2014 Red padlock.png 6/10/2014 64
Ohio Red padlock.png 2/5/2014 Red padlock.png 5/6/2014 90
Oklahoma Red padlock.png 4/11/2014 Red padlock.png 6/24/2014 74
Oregon Red padlock.png 3/11/2014 Red padlock.png 5/20/2014 70
Pennsylvania Red padlock.png 3/11/2014 Red padlock.png 5/20/2014 70
Rhode Island Red padlock.png 6/25/2014 Red padlock.png 9/9/2014 76
South Carolina Red padlock.png 3/30/2014 Red padlock.png 6/10/2014 72
South Dakota Red padlock.png 3/25/2014 Red padlock.png 6/3/2014 70
Tennessee Red padlock.png 4/3/2014 Red padlock.png 8/7/2014 126
Texas Red padlock.png 12/9/2013 Red padlock.png 3/4/2014 85
Utah Red padlock.png 3/20/2014 Red padlock.png 6/24/2014 96
Vermont Red padlock.png 6/12/2014 Red padlock.png 8/26/2014 75
Washington Red padlock.png 5/17/2014 Red padlock.png 8/5/2014 80
West Virginia Red padlock.png 1/25/2014 Red padlock.png 5/13/2014 108
Wisconsin Red padlock.png 6/2/2014 Red padlock.png 8/12/2014 71
Wyoming Red padlock.png 5/30/2014 Red padlock.png 8/19/2014 81


Special Elections

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See also: State legislative special elections, 2014

There are no special elections scheduled this week. The next special elections will take place on November 4 in Louisiana and Mississippi.

Recent results

See also: South Carolina state legislative special elections, 2014

Carl Anderson, Ronnie Sabb, Cezar McKnight and Sam L. Floyd faced off in the September 2 Democratic primary. Because no candidate received more than 50 percent of the vote, the top two vote-getters - Floyd and Sabb - met in a runoff election on September 16, which Sabb won.[31][32][33] Because no Republican candidate filed to run, the Democratic nominee won election by default.[34]

The seat was vacant following John McGill's (D) appointment as Lieutenant Governor of South Carolina.[35]

A special election for the position of South Carolina State Senate District 32 was initially called for November 4, concurrent with the 2014 state house elections. A primary election took place on September 2, 2014. Because only Democratic candidates filed to run, the primary instead served as the general election. The filing deadline for candidates wishing to run in this election was July 14.[34]

South Carolina State Senate, District 32, Special Election Runoff, 2014
Party Candidate Vote % Votes
     Democratic Green check mark transparent.pngRonnie Sabb 58.8% 9,648
     Democratic Sam L. Floyd 41.2% 6,774
Total Votes 16,422
South Carolina State Senate, District 32, Special Election, 2014
Party Candidate Vote % Votes
     Democratic Green check mark transparent.pngSam L. Floyd 32.3% 4,602
     Democratic Green check mark transparent.pngRonnie Sabb 24.5% 3,485
     Democratic Cezar McKnight 24.2% 3,448
     Democratic Carl Anderson 19% 2,710
Total Votes 14,245
Democratic PartySeptember 16 Democratic primary runoff candidates:

Looking ahead

Upcoming special elections include:

See also

Footnotes

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 LA Times, "Convicted felon Roderick Wright to resign from state Senate," September 15, 2014
  2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 Daily Breeze, "Sen. Roderick Wright resigns from South Bay seat in California Senate," September 15, 2014
  3. ↑ LA Times, "Sen. Wright to resign Sept. 22, start sentence Oct. 31," September 15, 2014
  4. ↑ CBS Local, "California State Sen. Roderick Wright Resigns From Senate After Sentencing For Perjury," September 15, 2014
  5. ↑ Bangor Daily News, "Waldo County lawmaker charged with indecent conduct," September 16, 2014
  6. ↑ WCSH, NECN, "State Rep arrested after alleged sexual encounter," September 18, 2014
  7. ↑ NECN, "Maine State Rep Arrested After Alleged Sexual Encounter," September 18, 2014
  8. ↑ Cleveland.com, "Ohio's 2014 legislative calendar will be crammed with election-year politicking and backroom pleading: Thomas Suddes," December 15, 2013
  9. ↑ Stateside Associates, " Session Calendar 2014," accessed September 22, 2014
  10. ↑ wjla.com, "Virginia General Assembly returns for special session," March 23, 2014
  11. ↑ StateNet, " Daily Session Summary," accessed September 22, 2014
  12. ↑ Alaska Statutes, "Section 15.25, Nomination of Candidates," accessed October 31, 2013
  13. ↑ Secretary of State Website, "2014 Election Important Dates," accessed November 4, 2013
  14. ↑ Running for Public Office, "A 'Plain English' Handbook for Candidates," 2012 Edition, accessed October 21, 2013 (dead link)
  15. ↑ Arkansas Code of 1987, "Title 7, Elections," accessed October 30, 2013
  16. ↑ Summary of Qualifications and Requirements for the Office of State Senator, Member of the Assembly, "June 3, 2014, Primary Election," accessed October 21, 2013
  17. ↑ California Elections Code, "Section 8100-8107," accessed October 28, 2013
  18. ↑ California Secretary of State Website, "Key Dates and Deadlines," accessed October 21, 2013
  19. ↑ Colorado Secretary of State Website, "Major Political Parties FAQs," accessed October 31, 2013
  20. ↑ Colorado Revised Statutes, "Title 1, Elections," accessed October 31, 2013
  21. ↑ Connecticut Secretary of State Website, "Frequently Asked Questions, Nominating Papers," accessed October 31, 2013
  22. ↑ Florida Department of State Division of Elections, "2013-2014 Dates to Remember," accessed November 6, 2013
  23. ↑ 2013 Florida Statutes, "Section 99.061," accessed December 2, 2014
  24. ↑ Hawaii State Legislature, "HRS §12-6 Nomination papers: time for filing; fees", accessed May 22, 2013
  25. ↑ 2014 Kentucky Election Calendar, accessed November 12, 2013
  26. ↑ Kentucky State Board of Elections "Candidate Qualifications and Filing Fees" accessed November 26, 2011
  27. ↑ Maine Secretary of State "State of Maine 2014 Candidate's Guide to Ballot Access," accessed February 11, 2014
  28. ↑ The State Board of Elections, "Candidacy," accessed November 5, 2013
  29. ↑ 2014 Massachusetts State Primary and State Election Schedule, accessed December 2, 2013
  30. ↑ Official Election Calendar for the State of Nebraska, accessed November 18, 2014
  31. ↑ South Carolina State Election Commission, "Democratic Primary Runoff Official Results," accessed December 31, 2014
  32. ↑ WBTW, "SC Senate Seat 32 will move to a runoff after Tuesday vote," September 2, 2014
  33. ↑ South Carolina State Election Commission, "Democratic Primary Official Results," accessed September 30, 2014
  34. ↑ 34.0 34.1 The State, "Georgetown's Carl Anderson seeks state senate seat in special election," July 17, 2014
  35. ↑ Greenfield Reporter, "Correction: McGill-Special Election story," June 20, 2014
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