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State Legislative Tracker: Special session begins in Florida over redistricting

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October 19, 2015

Edited by Jackie Beran

This week’s tracker includes a look at redistricting in Florida and emergency funding for a water crisis in Michigan.

Weekly highlight

Seal of Florida.svg.png

FLORIDA: Lawmakers head back to work today to once again attempt to settle the issue of redistricting. This time, the legislature will attempt to redraw the state's 40 Senate districts, which are being watched for a possible partisan shift in the 2016 elections. Last Wednesday, the legislature proposed six different base maps drawn by staffers. Under these maps, only District 3 would be immune from changes.[1] Republican lawyers say that the maps were drawn to meet the conditions of two different methodologies: (1) that counties be kept whole and districts stay within counties, and (2) that splitting counties into multiple districts be kept to a minimum.[2] Sen. Oscar Braynon (D) took issue with how the maps were created, saying that "at least a member can defend" a self-drawn map.[3] In particular, redistricting could noticeably change up the race to replace outgoing Sen. Nancy Detert (R); in three of the maps, at least one Republican candidate is drawn out of the contest.[4] Oral arguments in a case regarding congressional redistricting have been moved back from November 2 to November 10 due to the special session, which is due to last three weeks. Earlier this year, a court chose congressional maps drawn by the plaintiffs, Common Cause and the League of Women Voters, after a special session in August failed to yield new district boundaries; that move will be reviewed.[5] Even if the legislature agrees on a map, the court could replace it in a similar manner.[4] The original maps enacted in 2012 were struck down for not complying with the Fair Districts amendment to the Florida Constitution, which prohibits gerrymandering.[2] Following the end of the special session, the cost of redistricting in Florida after the 2010 census will be over $11 million.[6]

Michigan State Legislature

MICHIGAN: Last week, the Michigan State Legislature approved almost $9.4 million in emergency aid for Flint, Michigan, to address the city's water crisis. Gov. Rick Snyder (R) approved the aid on October 15.[7] The state Senate voted 37-0 to approve House Bill 4102, while the state House approved the funds by a vote of 105-0.[8] Flint stopped getting its water from Detroit's system last year in an attempt to save about $1.5 million per month while under state emergency management.[9] The city changed its water source to the Flint River in April 2014.[10] Since the city started using the Flint River, elevated levels of lead have been discovered in the drinking water and in the blood of children.[10] Using the river as the city's water supply was a short-term move while the city waited for a new pipeline to be built to Lake Huron.[10] The new pipeline is not expected to come online until next year.[11] Returning Flint to the Detroit water system is projected to cost about $12 million.[12] The Charles Stewart Mott Foundation has committed $4 million to the project, and the city of Flint will pay the remaining $2 million.[7] Senate Minority Leader Jim Ananich (D-Flint) has praised the quick response of the legislature in dealing with this crisis, but also wants to know how it happened. He said, "This is an important step necessary to fix the current crisis, and once this is complete, it’s important that our next priority is getting to the bottom of how this happened. We need to make sure this never happens again."[11]

Sessions

Current sessions capture for the week of October 19, 2015
See also: Dates of 2015 state legislative sessions
Click here to see a chart of each state's 2015 session information.

Regular sessions

Currently five out of 50 state legislatures are meeting in regular session. Two states are in recess, 42 states have adjourned their 2015 legislative sessions and one state is in special session.

The following states are in regular session:[13]

In recess

As of today, October 19, there are two state legislatures currently in recess.[14]


Adjourned

The following states have adjourned their 2015 regular sessions:[15]

Special sessions

As of today, October 19, there is one state legislature currently in special session.

  • October 19, 2015: Florida; 1st special session was from 6/1 to 6/19; 2nd special session was from 8/10 to 8/21; 3rd special session will be from 10/19 to 11/6 (projected)

2015 Legislative Elections

See also: State legislative elections, 2015

In the 50 states, there are 99 state legislative chambers, of which seven chambers will hold state legislative elections in November 2015.[17]

There are seven chambers in four states with elections in 2015:

A total of 131 of the country's 1,972 state senate seats and 407 of the country's 5,411 state house seats will be up for a vote. This accounts for 6.6 percent of the country's state senate seats and 7.5 percent of the country's state house seats. Altogether, 538 (7.3%) of the country's 7,383 state legislative seats are up for election. Louisiana, Mississippi, New Jersey and Virginia hold elections in odd-numbered years. The New Jersey State Senate is the only chamber in those four states without scheduled elections in 2015.

Primary Information

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

Filing Deadlines

Primary Dates

Special Elections

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See also: State legislative special elections, 2015

There is one special election scheduled for this week.

South Carolina State Senate District 45

See also: South Carolina state legislative special elections, 2015

A special election for the position of South Carolina State Senate District 45 was called for October 20. A primary election took place on September 1. A primary runoff election took place on September 15. The filing deadline for candidates wishing to run in this election was July 13.[22]

The seat was vacant following the death of Clementa Pinckney (D) on June 17, 2015, in a mass shooting at an AME church in Charleston, South Carolina.[23]

Margie Bright Matthews, R. Keith Horton, Richmond Truesdale, Korey Williams, John E. Washington, Kenneth Hodges, William Bowman, Chauncey Barnwell, Sheree Darien, Libbie Henry Green and Kent Fletcher faced off in the Democratic primary. Since no candidate received more than 50 percent of the vote, the top two vote-getters, Bright Matthews and Hodges, met in a runoff election, which Bright Matthews won.[24] Alberto Fernandez was unopposed in the Republican primary. Leilani Bessinger withdrew from the race before the Republican primary.[22][25] Bright Matthews defeated Fernandez in the special election.[26]

South Carolina State Senate, District 45, Special election, 2015
Party Candidate Vote % Votes
     Democratic Green check mark transparent.pngMargie Bright Matthews 88.5% 5,763
     Republican Alberto Fernandez 11.5% 750
     Write-ins Write-ins 0% 2
Total Votes 6,515
South Carolina State Senate, District 45, Democratic Runoff, 2015
Party Candidate Vote % Votes
     Democratic Green check mark transparent.pngMargie Bright Matthews 56.2% 3,908
     Democratic Kenneth Hodges 43.8% 3,042
Total Votes 6,950
Democratic Party September 1 Democratic primary candidates:
Republican Party September 1 Republican primary candidates:
Note: Leilani Bessinger withdrew before the primary.
September 15 Special election runoff candidates:
Democratic Party Margie Bright Matthews Approveda
Democratic Party Kenneth Hodges
October 20 Special election candidates:
Democratic Party Margie Bright Matthews
Republican Party Alberto Fernandez

Recent election results

October 6, 2015

☐ Massachusetts State Senate Second Plymouth & Bristol District
See also: Massachusetts state legislative special elections, 2015

A special election for the position of Massachusetts State Senate Second Plymouth & Bristol District was called for November 3. A primary election was held on October 6. The filing deadline for candidates wishing to run in this election was September 1.[27]

The seat was vacant following Thomas Kennedy's (D) death on June 28, 2015.[28]

Michael Brady defeated Joseph Lynch in the Democratic primary, while Geoff Diehl was unopposed in the Republican primary.[29] Brady defeated Diehl and independent candidate Anna Raduc in the special election.[30][31]

Massachusetts State Senate, Second Plymouth & Bristol District, Special Election, 2015
Party Candidate Vote % Votes
     Democratic Green check mark transparent.pngMichael Brady 56.9% 14,397
     Republican Geoff Diehl 40.5% 10,245
     Independent Anna Raduc 2.6% 649
Total Votes 25,291
Massachusetts State Senate, Second Plymouth & Bristol District Democratic Primary, 2015
Candidate Vote % Votes
Green check mark transparent.pngMichael Brady 87.6% 3,259
Joseph Lynch 12.4% 461
Total Votes 3,720
Democratic Party October 6 Democratic primary candidates:
Republican Party October 6 Republican primary candidates:
November 3 Special election candidates:
Democratic Party Michael Brady
Republican Party Geoff Diehl

Looking ahead

Upcoming special elections include:

  • October 20:
  • November 3:
  • November 10:
  • December 1:
  • December 8:

See also

Footnotes

  1. ↑ SaintPetersBlog, "The ultimate guide to the six state Senate base maps," October 15, 2015
  2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 Tampa Bay Times, "Legislators propose six starter maps for Senate redistricting session," October 14, 2015
  3. ↑ WFSU, "Senator: Staff Maps Might Dilute Redistricting Process," October 15, 2015
  4. ↑ 4.0 4.1 Herald-Tribune, "Maps could alter race to replace Detert," October 14, 2015
  5. ↑ Orlando Sentinel, "Court pushes back arguments as redistricting schedules clash," October 16, 2015
  6. ↑ Tampa Bay Times, "Florida lawmakers try again to redraw state Senate map," October 16, 2015
  7. ↑ 7.0 7.1 Crain's Detroit, "Michigan governor OKs $9.3 million to end Flint water crisis," accessed October 16, 2015
  8. ↑ Michigan Legislature, "House Bill 4102 (2015)," accessed October 16, 2015
  9. ↑ Detroit Free Press, "Michigan House OKs $9.35M to aid in Flint water crisis," accessed October 16, 2015
  10. ↑ 10.0 10.1 10.2 MLive, "Michigan lawmakers act on Flint water crisis, unanimously approve $9.35M in state aid," accessed October 16, 2015
  11. ↑ 11.0 11.1 USA Today, "Michigan lawmakers OK funds to fix Flint water crisis," accessed October 16, 2015
  12. ↑ Yahoo, "Michigan governor OKs $9.3M to end Flint water crisis," accessed October 16, 2015
  13. ↑ Stateside Associates, "Session Calendar 2015," accessed October 19, 2015
  14. ↑ StateNet, "Daily Session Summary," accessed October 19, 2015
  15. ↑ StateNet, "Daily Session Summary," accessed October 19, 2015
  16. ↑ Special session abruptly adjourned on August 17 with no agreement in place over redistricting congressional districts. The deadline to create new congressional maps was September 1. The new maps will be drawn by the courts.
  17. ↑ Mississippi, New Jersey and Virginia will hold general elections on November 3, 2015. Louisiana's general elections will be held on November 21.
  18. ↑ 18.0 18.1 Mississippi Secretary of State, "2015 Elections," accessed January 2, 2015
  19. ↑ 19.0 19.1 Mississippi Secretary of State, "2015 Election Calendar," accessed January 2, 2015
  20. ↑ 20.0 20.1 New Jersey Department of Elections, "2015 Primary Election Timeline," accessed February 2, 2015
  21. ↑ 21.0 21.1 Virginia State Board of Elections, "2015 November Election Calendar," accessed January 2, 2015
  22. ↑ 22.0 22.1 scvotes.org, "State Senate District 45 Special Election," accessed June 26, 2015
  23. ↑ NBC News, "'This Is a Hate Crime': Nine People Killed at Historic South Carolina Church," June 18, 2015
  24. ↑ scvotes.org, "State Senate District 45 Democratic Primary Runoff," accessed September 16, 2015
  25. ↑ scvotes.org, "State Senate District 45 Democratic Primary," accessed September 16, 2015
  26. ↑ South Carolina State Election Commission, "State Senate District 45 Special Election," accessed October 21, 2015
  27. ↑ Secretary of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, "Special State Election 2nd Plymouth and Bristol Senatorial District," accessed July 14, 2015
  28. ↑ MassLive, "State Sen. Tom Kennedy dies at 63 after more than 30 years in Legislature," accessed June 30, 2015
  29. ↑ Secretary of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, "Special State Primary Candidates," accessed September 10, 2015
  30. ↑ Secretary of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, "2015 State Senate Special General Election," accessed November 20, 2015
  31. ↑ Secretary of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, "2015 State Senate Special Democratic Primary," accessed November 20, 2015
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