Become part of the movement for unbiased, accessible election information. Donate today.

The State and Local Tap: Dates set in court-ordered Wisconsin special elections

From Ballotpedia
Jump to: navigation, search

March 30, 2018Issue No. 106

The State and Local Tap Banner-White-750x191px.png

Week in review
On tap next week

THE WEEK IN REVIEW

Here's what happened in state and local politics last week. To see what happened in federal politics, click here.

Ballot Measures Update

2018:

  • Sixty-five (65) measures are certified to appear on statewide ballots in 26 states in 2018 so far—15 citizen-initiated measures, 49 legislatively referred measures, and one measure automatically referred to the ballot by the state constitution. Over the previous five even-year election cycles, an average of 61 citizen-initiated measures and 173 total statewide measures have appeared on ballots. Review Ballotpedia’s list of 2018 initiative and referendum signature deadlines to stay ahead of 2018 ballot measure news, and see if there are initiatives currently circulating in your state here.
    • Four new measures were certified for 2018 ballots over the last week.
    • By this time in 2014, 88 measures had been certified for the 2014 ballot; ultimately, 158 statewide measures were put on the ballot in 2014. By this time in 2016, 88 measures had been certified for the 2016 ballot; ultimately, 162 statewide measures were put on the ballot in 2016.
    • The average number of certifications by the 13th week of the year from 2010 through 2016 was 90, and the average total number of certified measures by the end of the year in the same period was 173.
    • Signatures for six additional citizen-initiated measures have been submitted and are pending verification in California, Michigan and South Dakota. To see this list, click here.
    • In Alaska, Maine, and Massachusetts enough signatures were submitted for eight indirect initiatives (one of which has two versions) to put them before the state legislatures during the 2018 session and then on the ballot if the legislatures don’t approve them (provided a second, smaller round of signatures is collected for the Massachusetts initiatives). To see this list of initiatives currently pending legislative consideration, click here.
    • The latest general signature submission deadlines were on February 1, 2018, for all signatures to be verified for initiated constitutional amendments in Florida and February 9, 2018, for initiatives in Wyoming. Enough signatures were submitted in Florida for two initiatives. In Wyoming, signatures were not submitted for the one pending initiative.
    • The next general signature deadline is April 15, 2018, for initiatives in Utah.
Certifications-3-30-18.png

Saturday, March 24

Special elections fill two seats in Louisiana House of Representatives

  • Special elections for two vacant seats in the Louisiana House of Representatives were held on Saturday, March 24. Nicholas Muscarello Jr. (R) was the winner of a runoff election for District 86; he defeated David Vial (R) 53 to 47 percent. Muscarello and Vial advanced to the runoff after the special election on February 17, when they defeated another Republican and a Democratic candidate. Muscarello will fill the vacancy created by the resignation of Chris Broadwater (R).
  • The special election for District 93 was a four-way race consisting of all Democratic candidates and will not advance to a runoff. Royce Duplessis won the seat outright, winning 72 percent of the vote. He will replace Helena Moreno (D), who will resign in order to take a seat on the New Orleans City Council.

Sunday, March 25

Gov. Holcomb signs abortion-related legislation

  • Gov. Eric Holcomb (R) signed Senate Enrolled Act (SEA) 340, an act which:
    • requires healthcare providers to report complications resulting from abortion procedures to the state health department.
    • requires annual inspections of abortion clinics.
    • authorizes fire departments to set up newborn safety devices in which individuals can leave unwanted children.
  • Responses to the bill:
    • Opponents of the bill said the law was an attempt to prevent access to abortions. Rep. Sue Errington (D) said, "It seems to me that this is an attempt to make this appear like a dangerous procedure, and it's not."
    • Gov. Holcomb (R) responded that the bill was similar to legislation in other states: "This bill does what 27 other states have done to gather information on these procedures without restricting access to them."
  • The bill passed the Indiana House of Representatives on February 28 by a 67-26 vote, and the Senate agreed to House amendments in a 37-9 vote on March 7.

Monday, March 26

Signatures filed for realtor-backed initiative in California to allow seniors and disabled to transfer tax assessments from old to new houses, no matter the value or location

  • In California, persons age 55 or older can sell their home, purchase a new home, and keep their original tax assessment, assuming certain conditions are met. In 2018, the California Association of Realtors (CAR) is backing a ballot initiative to allow seniors to keep this ability, but remove some of the criteria that the association says are discouraging seniors from moving. Nearly 1 million signatures for the initiative were filed on March 26, 2018. At least 585,407 need to be valid for the initiative to make the ballot for the election on November 6, 2018. Supporters have raised $7.2 million, as of March 26, with $5.7 million from CAR and $1.5 million from the National Association of Realtors.
  • In 1986, voters approved a ballot measure, titled Proposition 60, to allow persons age 55 or older to keep their tax assessments from their sold homes when moving into a new home, assuming the new home was of equal or lesser value and located within the same county. Proposition 60 was placed on the ballot in response to an initiative, Proposition 13, approved in 1978. Proposition 13 required that properties be taxed at no more than 1 percent of their full cash value shown on the 1975-1976 assessment rolls and limited annual increases of assessed (taxable) value to the inflation rate or 2 percent, whichever was less. Proposition 13 also required that when a home is sold or transferred to new owners, the home would be reassessed at 1 percent of its full cash value for the year sold.
  • Due to increased home values across California, selling a home and moving into a new home could mean increased taxes, no matter the new home’s value, because of the cap resetting. CAR’s 2018 ballot initiative would allow seniors and the severely disabled to transfer their tax assessments from their sold homes to their new homes, no matter the new home’s market value or the new home’s location within the state. Unlike the existing Proposition 60, the ballot initiative would use the tax assessment on the sold, less expensive home to adjust the assessment on the new, more expensive home. The new assessment would be somewhere in between the sold home’s and new home’s market values.
  • The state’s legislative analyst, who writes a fiscal impact statement for ballot measures, estimated that CAR’s 2018 initiative could cost local governments, special districts, and school districts $300 million per year in the near term and $2 billion per year in the long term.
  • Assemblyman David Chiu (D-17) said he opposed the CAR-backed initiative, stating, “It doesn’t add housing, and it is going to make it harder for cities and counties to pay for schools, infrastructure and public safety to the tune of $2 billion per year. We’re in the midst of the most intense housing crisis our state has ever experienced, and this proposal does nothing to address it.” Laura Clark, executive director of YIMPY Action, also criticized the measure, saying, “We’re talking about, once again, another tax giveaway to people who are wealthy.”
  • The California Chamber of Commerce, on the other hand, stated that the ballot initiative could increase the number of houses and “help ease the shortage by freeing up modest-priced and move-up housing for young families.” Alex Creel, senior VP of governmental affairs for CAR, said, “It's important because seniors, who are often on a fixed income, fear they will not be able to afford a big property tax increase if they sell their existing home and buy another one, discouraging them from ever moving.”

New Jersey Assembly votes on six firearm-related bills

  • The Democrat-majority New Jersey State Assembly approved six bills related to firearms. The bills were sent to the New Jersey State Senate, which is also under Democratic control. Democratic Gov. Phil Murphy released a statement saying he would sign the bills: "I applaud the General Assembly for passing these commonsense gun measures to protect our communities and families."
  • The following provides a summary of the bills:
    • A 1181 would allow law enforcement officers, upon court orders, to seize firearms from individuals determined by a licensed healthcare professional to pose a risk to themselves or others.
    • A 1217 would establish protocols for "obtaining a protective order against persons who pose a significant danger of bodily injury to themselves or others by possessing or purchasing a firearm." The individual subject to the protection order would be prohibited from purchasing or possessing a firearm, ammunition, or a permit to carry firearms.
    • A 2758 would provide a legal definition of a justifiable need to carry a handgun. Under current New Jersey law, an individual hoping to obtain a handgun permit must submit "a written certification establishing 'justifiable need.'" The bill defines justifiable need as "the urgent necessity for self-protection, as evidenced by specific threats or previous attacks which demonstrate a special danger to the applicant's life that cannot be avoided by means other than by issuance of a permit to carry a handgun."
    • A 2757 would require all firearm sales to be conducted through a licensed dealer, except for sales between immediate family members, law enforcement officers, licensed firearms collectors, and temporary transfers for training courses. The dealer would be required to complete a background check prior to the sale of the firearm.
    • A 2759 would make it illegal to possess or manufacture armor-piercing ammunition. Offenders would face up to $10,000 in fines and/or up to 18 months in prison.
    • A 2761 would reduce permitted firearm magazines from 15 rounds to 10 rounds.
  • The legislation faced opposition from groups such as the Association of New Jersey Rifle and Pistol Clubs, which describes itself as "the official NRA State Association in New Jersey" with a mission "to implement all of the programs and activities at the state level that the NRA does at the national level." Scott Bach, the association's executive director, said of the bills, "We think they’re misguided and they won’t make anybody safer." He also said his organization would challenge the bills in court.

Minnesota State Senate unanimously approves bill adjusting state pension system

  • The Minnesota State Senate unanimously voted on a bill addressing the state pension system, which faces a $17 billion gap. The bill aims to reduce the unfunded liability by half. It would increase employer and employee pension contributions, reduce cost-of-living adjustments, lower expectations on returns, and provide lower early retirement benefits and pension cash withdrawals. The bill would spend $27 million this year.
  • A statement from the Minnesota Senate Republican Caucus projected the bill would save the state $6.1 billion over 30 years.
  • Bill sponsor Sen. Julie Rosen (R) said, "The resulting sustainability package that includes these significant benefit reforms and adjustments are the largest in Minnesota pension history. They focus on the element of choice and not the retirees core benefits."
  • Gov. Mark Dayton (D) expressed support for the legislation. It was sent to the state House for consideration.

Michigan’s incumbent judges file for re-election

  • Judicial incumbents on the Michigan Court of Appeals, Circuit Courts, District Courts, and Probate Courts who wish to seek re-election had to file an affidavit of candidacy and an affidavit of identity by March 26, 2018, to appear on the primary election ballot on August 7, 2018. All other prospective judicial candidates have until April 24, 2018, to file to run in the election.
    • Eleven of the 28 seats on the Michigan Court of Appeals are up for election in 2018, and all incumbents filed for re-election. Three seats up for election are for unexpired terms; the judges currently holding the seats were all appointed by Governor Rick Snyder in 2016 or 2017. A full term on the court is six years.
    • In Wayne County, 44 judicial seats will be on the November ballot. Seventeen incumbents filed for 18 seats on the 3rd Circuit Court, two incumbents filed for three seats on the probate court, and 22 incumbents filed for 23 seats on the district court. One seat on the 3rd Circuit Court is up for special election to a two-years term. Mariam Bazzi currently holds the seat after she was appointed by Governor Snyder in 2017. A full term on the court is six years.
    • State supreme court incumbents have until July 5 to file the same forms for the November general election. The general election is scheduled on November 6, 2018.

Maryland legislature puts election-day voter registration amendment on November ballot

  • The Maryland State Senate voted along partisan lines to put an amendment before voters in November to allow same-day voter registration on election day. All 33 Democrats in the Senate approved the amendment—House Bill 532—and all 14 Republicans voted against it. The state House approved HB 532 in a vote of 91-47 on March 8, 2018. The vote was also along partisan lines, with two Republicans joining 89 of 91 Democrats to vote in favor of the amendment. The other two Democrats did not vote. Of the remaining 48 Republicans, 47 voted against the amendment, and one was absent. In Maryland, a three-fifths (60 percent) vote is required in each chamber of the legislature to put an amendment on the ballot. The governor is not required to sign a bill calling for a constitutional amendment. With a Republican governor and both chambers of the legislature controlled by Democrats, Maryland is one of 16 states under divided government; Democrats hold enough of a majority in both chambers to pass constitutional amendments on to the voters without any Republican support.
  • Similar legislation—Senate Bill 423—was introduced in 2017, but an agreement could not be reached on certain amendments regarding proof of residency and identification.
  • Fourteen states and the District of Columbia have enacted election-day voter registration laws: California, Colorado, Connecticut, Hawaii, Idaho, Illinois, Iowa, Maine, Minnesota, Montana, New Hampshire, Vermont, Wisconsin, and Wyoming. Voter registration is not required in North Dakota.
  • This amendment was the first to be certified for the ballot in Maryland. Over the last two decades, 32 measures have appeared on the ballot in Maryland. From 1996 through 2016, there was an average of about three measures on the ballot in even-numbered years. In this time period, 29 of 32 measures, or 91 percent, were approved, and three of 32 measures, or nine percent, were defeated.
  • The state legislature also passed a bill to establish automatic voter registration.

South Dakota legislature adjourns

  • The South Dakota legislature adjourned its 2018 legislative session. The following provides an overview of select bills Ballotpedia tracked.
    • House Bill 1311. Gov. Dennis Daugaard (R) signed HB 1311 into law on March 23. The bill makes legislator salaries equal to one-fifth of the state median household income reported by the United States Census. Lawmaker salaries are expected to rise 70 percent, from $6,000 per session to $10,200 per session (based on 2015 data from the U.S. Census Bureau). Legislators have not had a pay raise in twenty years.
    • House Bill 1012. On March 21, 2018, Daugaard signed HB 1012, which defined a political party as "a party whose candidate for any statewide office received at least two and one-half percent of the total votes cast for that statewide office in either of the two previous general elections." Previously, a political party was required to meet this requirement in each general election cycle. The legislation took immediate effect upon being signed into law.
    • House Bill 1286. On March 23, Gov. Daugaard signed HB 1286, providing for new political parties to achieve ballot status by filing a petition with the secretary of state containing signatures from voters equal to 1 percent of the total vote cast for governor in the most recent gubernatorial election. Prior to the enactment of HB 1286, new parties were required to submit signatures equal to 2.5 percent of the most recent total vote for governor.
      • Both HB 1286 and HB 1012 were passed and enacted following a federal district court ruling in February 2018 striking down several South Dakota statutes relating to ballot access for political parties.
    • Senate Bill 110. The governor signed SB 110 on March 7. SB 110 authorizes pregnancy help centers to give non-medical informed consent disclosures to pregnant women. It amends a law facing legal challenges so it will not yet go into effect.
      • SB 110 said that a Planned Parenthood facility in Sioux Falls—the only abortion clinic in the state—had violated state laws by providing pre-abortion counseling without complying with mandatory disclosure procedures. According to the enrolled bill, the Sioux Falls clinic provided patients with disclosure statements that included the phrase, "Politicians in the State of South Dakota require us to tell you…" Planned Parenthood responded that it used the disclosure language mandated by law and complied with state and federal statutes.
    • Budget. Gov. Daugaard signed a $4.7 billion budget on March 21. A press release from the governor's office highlighted that the budget increased funding to what the governor called the "state’s three priority areas." The budget increases funding in fiscal year 2019 by 1.2 percent for state employees, 1 percent for K-12 education, and 2.5 percent for Medicaid providers. The 2019 fiscal year begins July 1, 2018.
    • Overall in 2018, the legislature approved a dozen proposals to make changes to the state’s rules and procedures for statewide ballot measures—with most of them focusing on the citizen initiative and referendum process. Two resolutions passed by the legislature sent constitutional amendments to the voters that would increase the majority vote threshold to pass future constitutional amendments to 55 percent and require all constitutional amendments to concern a single subject, respectively. The other bills include a requirement that initiative petitions display the name, phone number, email address, and paid or volunteer status of the signature gatherer; a separate bill requiring signature gatherers to provide information such as driver license state and number, the state in which he or she is registered to vote, and previous residential address; a bill to allow the State Board of Elections the power to promulgate rules related to petition size and font size; and a bill applying the single-subject rule to initiated statutes. To see a list of all proposed legislation affecting direct democracy in South Dakota, a summary, and the status of each proposal, click here.

Tuesday, March 27

Colorado Senate approves bill related to state pension system

  • The Republican-majority Colorado State Senate advanced legislation adjusting the Public Employees' Retirement Association (PERA). PERA provides retirement benefits to school districts, state and local governments, and other state public entities. The agency had an estimated unfunded liability ranging from $32 billion to $50 billion.
  • The bill would:
    • increase employee contributions to PERA by 3 percent of net pay beginning July 1.
    • halt cost-of-living adjustments for two years and then lower the adjustment from 2 percent to 1.25 percent.
    • raise the retirement age for new employees.
    • calculate retirement benefits using a lower average salary figure, and
    • allow employees to opt for a defined contribution plan rather than a defined-benefit plan.
  • According to The Denver Post, the bill as originally introduced received bipartisan support. However, Senate Republicans and Democrats disagreed on the legislation by the time of the vote.
    • Democratic Sen. Daniel Kagan characterized parts of the bill as "absolutely unfair and unnecessary" adding that the option to choose a defined-contribution plan was not "a sensible way forward. All it will ensure is that those who are seduced into a defined-contribution option will fall into an impoverished life."
    • Bill sponsor Sen. Jack Tate (R) said, "Understandably, any change in PERA is bound to ruffle some feathers, but we have to take action now to ensure that current and future employees have a sustainable retirement system that works for them. I believe Senate Bill 200 will be a step in the right direction."
  • The Senate voted 19 to 16, with all Republicans and one independent lawmaker in favor. It was sent to the Democratic-controlled Colorado House of Representatives, where the Denver Business Journal reported it was "expected to be changed significantly."

Kentucky Legislature sends bill restricting abortion procedure from 11th week of pregnancy to governor

  • The Kentucky House of Representatives concurred in Senate amendments to HB 454, a bill to prohibit an abortion procedure known as dilation and evacuation after 11 weeks of pregnancy, except in cases of medical emergency. The bill summary describes its intent as "to prohibit an abortion on a pregnant woman that will result in the bodily dismemberment, crushing, or human vivisection of the unborn child." The procedure accounted for 16 percent of abortions performed in Kentucky in 2016.
    • Opponents of the bill said it would ban the most common procedure for second-trimester abortions, impede a woman's right to medical privacy, and likely be challenged in court. Kate Miller, advocacy director for the American Civil Liberties Union of Kentucky, said, "We believe it’s callous to impose one rule on every single woman, without knowing the circumstances of her pregnancy."
    • Bill sponsor Rep. Addia Wuchner (R) tweeted that the bill would "[protect] unborn children in Kentucky from intentional bodily dismemberment of their limbs, crushing or vivisection."
  • The legislation passed the Kentucky State Senate 31 to 5 on March 22 and the House agreed to changes in a 75-to-13 vote. The bill was sent to the Republican Gov. Matt Bevin, who has called himself "100 percent pro-life."
  • According to Reuters, similar measures in other states including Texas, Oklahoma, Alabama, Arkansas, and Kansas have faced legal challenges and been struck down in court.

Vermont House approves gun ownership restrictions

  • The Vermont House of Representatives voted 89 to 54 in favor of legislation that would:
    • require private gun sales to be facilitated by a licensed firearms dealer who would have to perform a background check.
    • raise the minimum age for purchasing firearms to 21.
    • ban the manufacture, ownership, and sale of high-capacity magazines.
    • prohibit possession of bump stocks.
  • The bill was sent to the state Senate for a vote on House amendments. The Senate previously approved the bill by a 17-to-13 vote on March 2. Republican Gov. Phil Scott expressed support for the legislation.
  • Responses:
    • In a statement following the vote, the National Rifle Association said the bill "is a full-scale assault on the Second Amendment rights of Vermonters," and encouraged members to ask senators to vote against the legislation.
    • Representative Martin LaLonde, who supported the bill, said, "Banning bump stock attachments that turn semi-automatic weapons into automatic weapons is common sense. ... Additionally, banning the purchase of high-capacity magazines is a check on the number of rounds a person can fire. When we talk about keeping our schools and communities safe, this provision is the most important step this bill takes. As a hunter, I see this as common sense gun safety legislation."

Rex Reynolds (R) wins special election for Alabama House of Representatives

  • Republican Rex Reynolds defeated Democrat C. Terry Jones 53 to 47 percent in a special election to fill the District 21 vacancy in the Alabama House of Representatives. Reynolds and Jones will have a rematch in November. Both filed to run for the seat in the regularly scheduled 2018 elections, and both will be unopposed in their respective primaries. The seat became vacant following the death of Jim Patterson (R) on October 2, 2017.
  • Alabama is one of 26 Republican trifectas: it has a Republican governor and Republican majorities in the state senate and state house.

Delaware House passes legislation related to risk protection orders

  • The Delaware House of Representatives advanced House Bill 302 by a vote of 32 to 0 with two lawmakers absent. According to the Delaware General Assembly website, HB 302 "is designed to create procedures in Delaware for making sure firearms are not in the hands of dangerous individuals while protecting due process and not creating a barrier to care for those suffering from mental illness."
  • The bill would allow law enforcement officers to seize firearms from individuals deemed by a mental health worker and by a court to be a danger to themselves or others. It would also expand the list of individuals prohibited from owning a firearm to include those charged with a violent crime but found not guilty by reason of insanity, guilty but mentally ill, or ruled mentally incompetent to stand trial.
  • Bill sponsor Rep. David Bentz (D) said the legislation was meant to prevent incidents such as the February 14 shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida, that resulted in 17 fatalities.
  • HB 302 is similar to legislation proposed by the late Delaware Attorney General Beau Biden in 2013 which passed the House by a 40-1 vote but failed in the state Senate.
  • Several other states have voted on similar measures this year including but not limited to Florida, Maryland, New York, and Vermont.
  • The National Rifle Association released an ad in which Executive Director Chris Cox encouraged Congress to provide funding so that states could enact risk protection orders. Cox called for the laws to "have strong due process protections and require that the person get treatment."

Candidate filing deadline in South Dakota

  • The filing deadline for candidates running in South Dakota elections passed on March 27. Federal and state offices on the ballot this year will include one at-large U.S. House seat, eight state executive offices including the governor and lieutenant governor, all 35 state senate seats, all 70 state house seats, and one of the five seats on the state supreme court. This is the 25th statewide filing deadline of the 2018 election cycle. The state's primary is on June 5, and the general election is on November 6, 2018. If a primary runoff is needed, it will be held on August 14.

Candidate filing deadline in Missouri

  • The filing deadline for candidates running in Missouri elections passed. Federal and state offices on the ballot this year will include eight U.S. House seats, one U.S. Senate seat, state auditor, 17 of 34 state Senate seats, all 163 state House seats, two seats on the state supreme court, and four seats on the state court of appeals. Local elections within Ballotpedia’s coverage scope will include county offices in Clay, Jackson, Platte, and St. Louis counties. Ballotpedia's featured elections in Missouri this year include the Republican primary and general election for U.S. Senate. The state’s primary is August 7, and the general election is on November 6, 2018.

Levine continues climb in FL gubernatorial Democratic primary, overtaking Graham in latest poll

  • Miami Beach Mayor Philip Levine surged to a 22 percent to 19 percent lead over former U.S. Rep. Gwen Graham in the latest poll for Florida’s Democratic gubernatorial primary, Forty-six percent of the voters queried by Public Policy Polling were undecided. Tallahassee Mayor Andrew Gillum and Winter Park businessman Chris King polled at eight percent and five percent, respectively.
  • Graham led in all previous polls and has been considered the race’s frontrunner by media outlets since she announced in 2017. She is backed by U.S. Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand (D-N.Y.), House Minority Whip Steny Hoyer (D-Md.), U.S. Rep. John Lewis (D-Ga.), and a number of Florida state legislators and local officials. She positioned herself as a moderate Democrat while serving in Congress from 2015 to 2017 and was ranked as the most independent member of the Florida delegation by the National Journal.
  • Levine announced his campaign in November 2017 and has raised over $10 million for his campaign since, partially through self-funding. Prior to serving as Miami Beach mayor, he made millions working in the cruise line industry. He is backed by former DNC Chairman and Pennsylvania Gov. Ed Rendell. He has described himself as a “radical centrist.”
  • The winner of the August 28 Democratic primary will face the winner of a contested Republican primary featuring U.S. Rep. Ron DeSantis, Florida Agriculture Commissioner Adam Putnam, and possibly state House Speaker Richard Corcoran in the November general election. The winner of that election will succeed term-limited Gov. Rick Scott (R).

Steny Hoyer endorses in Maryland governor race

  • House Minority Whip Steny Hoyer (D-MD) endorsed Prince George’s County Executive Rushern Baker (D) for the Democratic nomination to challenge Gov. Larry Hogan (R) Tuesday.
  • Hoyer is the third member of the state’s congressional delegation to issue an endorsement, following Sen. Chris Van Hollen (D), who also endorsed Baker, and Rep. Jamie Raskin (D), who endorsed state Sen. Rich Madaleno (D).
  • The announcement also follows Sen. Kamala Harris’ (D-CA) endorsement of former NAACP President Ben Jealous (D) on March 23.
  • Baker, Madaleno, and Jealous are among the nine Democrats who filed to seek the party’s nomination in the June 26 primary.

Cedar Rapids Mayor Ron Corbett removed from Iowa gubernatorial ballot

  • Cedar Rapids Mayor Ron Corbett (R) was removed from the Iowa gubernatorial ballot due to failing to meet the signature requirement on his nominating petitions.
  • In response to a challenge to Corbett’s nominating petitions, the Iowa State Objection Panel examined the signatures in a meeting Tuesday. The panel—comprised of Secretary of State Paul Pate (R), Attorney General Tom Miller (D), and Auditor Mary Mosiman (R)—announced that it had found several duplicate signatures in the nominating petitions. The panel found that Corbett had obtained 3,997 valid signatures, falling short of the required 4,005 signatures.
  • Corbett announced Wednesday that he would file a lawsuit in opposition to the panel’s decision. However, a decision to restore Corbett’s name to the ballot would need to be handed down prior to the printing of ballots for early voting, which begins in early May.
  • Corbett was the only Republican candidate to file a challenge to sitting Gov. Kim Reynolds (R). A third candidate, Boone City Councillor Steven Ray (R), withdrew in February.

McDonald's nomination to CT Supreme Court fails in Connecticut Senate, 19 - 16

  • On Tuesday, the Connecticut Senate voted 19 - 16 against the confirmation of current Connecticut Supreme Court Justice Andrew McDonald to become chief justice of the court. All 18 Republican senators voted against the nomination, joined by Democratic Sen. Joan Hartley. Another Democratic Senator, Sen. Gayle Slossberg, abstained from the vote based on past personal conflicts with McDonald. McDonald's nomination had been confirmed by the Connecticut House of Representatives on a 75-74 vote on March 12. Malloy nominated McDonald on January 12 to fill the seat of former Chief Justice Chase Rogers, who retired on February 5. Had he been confirmed, McDonald would have become the first openly gay supreme court chief justice in the country. Malloy must now nominate a new candidate, who will be subject to the same confirmation process. If confirmed, the nominee will become Malloy's sixth appointment to the seven-member court.
  • Republicans objected to McDonald's record on the death penalty and other issues, which were highlighted during a 13-hours-long public hearing on the nomination. Democrats alleged that Republicans' opposition to McDonald was based in part on the fact that McDonald is openly gay. McDonald was first nominated as an associate justice on the court by Malloy in 2012. He was confirmed in 2012 by the Connecticut Sente on a vote of 30 - 3. He previously served in the Connecticut State Senate.
  • Connecticut uses the commission-selection, political appointment method for judicial selection. A judicial nominating commission screens candidates and submits a list of names to the governor, who must appoint a judge from that list. The appointee must then be confirmed by the Connecticut General Assembly.[2] Newly-appointed justices serve for eight years after their appointments, at which time they face renomination by the governor and approval by the assembly. The judicial nominating commission is made up of 12 members who serve three-year terms. One lawyer and one non-lawyer are appointed from each legislative district. The governor appoints the six lawyers on the commission. The president pro tempore of the senate, the speaker of the house of representatives, the majority leaders of the house and senate, and the minority leaders of the house and senate each appoint one of the non-lawyer members. No more than six members can be from the same political party, and members may not hold elected or appointed office in the state.

Wednesday, March 28

Former Hawaii Lt. Gov. Shan Tsutsui endorses challenger to Gov. David Ige

  • Former Hawaii Lt. Gov. Shan Tsutsui (D) endorsed Rep. Colleen Hanabusa’s (D) primary challenge to Gov. David Ige (D) Wednesday.
  • Tsutsui was appointed lieutenant governor in December 2012 by then-Gov. Neil Abercrombie (D). He ran for a full four-year term alongside Abercrombie in 2014. After Abercrombie’s defeat by Ige in the Democratic primary, Ige and Tsutsui were elected to a four-year term in the general election. Tsutsui served alongside Ige until his resignation in January 2018 to accept a job in the private sector.
  • Hanabusa is among the three Democratic candidates who have so far declared a challenge to Ige in the August 11 primary. Additional candidates have until June 5 to file.

Thursday, March 29

Maryland Sen. Nathaniel Oaks resigns

  • Maryland State Sen. Nathaniel Oaks (D-District 41) resigned due to charges of federal bribery and obstruction of justice. Oaks has pleaded not guilty.
  • Timeline:
    • August 2014: The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) opened a corruption investigation into Oaks.
    • April 2017: A criminal complaint was filed against Oaks alleging that he had committed wire fraud. According to the complaint, Oaks purportedly received cash in exchange for using his authority as a member of the Maryland House of Delegates to influence a real estate development project.
    • June 2017: A federal grand jury indicted Oaks on three additional counts of wire fraud as well as five violations of the Travel Act related to the use of cellphones while engaged in criminal activity. Oaks pleaded not guilty to all of the charges.
    • November 2017: Oaks was charged with obstruction of justice for allegedly tipping off another individual under investigation by the FBI.
    • January 5, 2018:
      • The Baltimore Sun reported that, according to court documents, Oaks had confessed to accepting cash payments in exchange for his legislative influence, though he continued to plead not guilty to the charges against him.
      • Governor Larry Hogan (R) called on Oaks to resign, stating, "No question he should be removed from office."
    • February 26, 2018: Oaks was removed from his Maryland State Senate committee positions. The Baltimore Sun reported that the action was "the most severe punishment Senate leaders can take without a finding of wrongdoing from an ethics committee investigation."
    • March 29, 2018: Oaks resigned.
  • Oaks is awaiting trial for the obstruction and fraud charges, set for April 16 and August 20, respectively.

Governor Walker calls for court-ordered special election

  • On March 29, Gov. Scott Walker (R) called a special election for June 12, 2018, to fill vacant seats in Wisconsin State Senate District 1 and Wisconsin State Assembly District 42. Judge Josann Reynolds of the Dane County Circuit Court, Wisconsin, had ordered Walker on March 22 to call special elections for the seats which were vacated in December 2017.
  • Wisconsin's legislative session ended March 22, 2018. Individuals elected in a special election would not cast votes unless the governor called a special session. Both seats are up for election in 2018.
  • Timeline:
    • March 29: Gov. Walker issued Executive Order #280 calling for a special election on June 12, 2018, to fill the vacancies in Senate District 1 and Assembly District 42. A press release from the governor's website announced that the filing deadline was April 17 and a primary election, if necessary, would be held May 15.
    • March 27:
      • Dane County Circuit Court Judge Richard Niess denied a request from Gov. Walker to delay the March 29 deadline for special elections ordered by Judge Reynolds.
      • Walker requested to postpone the deadline until April 6. He planned to call an extraordinary session of the legislature on April 4 for legislators to pass a bill which would prohibit a governor from calling a special election until the seat had been vacant for at least four months and would not allow special elections after the state's spring election in even-numbered years. The legislation would apply retroactively, meaning it would cover the Senate District 1 and Assembly District 42 vacancies.
      • Niess said of Walker's request, "It is certainly the Legislature's prerogative to change the law. But until they do, it is the obligation of this court to enforce the law. And the law right now, in this state and under that statute, and by order of this court, is that this election shall be held as promptly as possible and that it should be ordered by no later than Thursday at noon."
    • March 22:
      • Dane County Circuit Court Judge Josann Reynolds ordered Gov. Scott Walker (R) to call special elections for vacant seats in Senate District 1 and Assembly District 42 by March 29.
      • Reynolds, who was appointed by Walker in 2014 and elected to a full term in 2015, ruled that Walker misinterpreted state law regarding filling legislative vacancies. She said that the defendant's reading of the law would have left a four-month window in a two-year period for special elections, "open[ing] the possibility that residents of Wisconsin could go unrepresented for almost two years if any governor declined to issue an order calling for a special election."

Walker's representation argued that he wasn't required to fill the seats—that state law required the governor call a special election only if a vacancy occurred between January 1 and the second Tuesday in May of an election year. Walker also said calling special elections before a November general election would be a waste of taxpayer funds. Elisabeth Frost, who represented a group of voters from both districts, argued that the lack of elections deprived residents of equal representation.

    • February 26: The National Redistricting Foundation, a group led by former U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder, filed a lawsuit asking that Walker hold special elections for Senate District 1 and Assembly District 42.
      • Holder said in a statement: "Governor Scott Walker’s refusal to hold special elections is an affront to representative democracy. Forcing citizens to go more than a year without representation in the General Assembly is a plain violation of their rights, and we’re hopeful the court will act quickly to order the governor to hold elections."
      • Gov. Walker's spokeswoman Amy Hasenberg responded, "This D.C.-based special interest group wants to force Wisconsin taxpayers to waste money. The Legislature will be adjourned for 2018 before these seats could be filled in special elections, and staff in these offices are working for constituents until new leaders are elected."

Possible 2021 New York City mayoral contender backs IDC challengers

  • New York City Comptroller Scott Stringer (D) is backing Jessica Ramos and former city councilman Robert Jackson in their primary challenges of state Sens. Jose Peralta (D) and Marisol Alcantara (D), both members of the state Senate’s Independent Democratic Conference (IDC). Stringer is a top contender to replace Bill de Blasio as New York City mayor in 2021, according to the New York Times, and by endorsing IDC challengers he is aligning himself with the progressive wing of the Democratic Party.
  • The IDC is a group of eight Democrats who, along with Sen. Simcha Felder (D), caucus with Senate Republicans and give them a majority in the chamber, even though Democrats won 32 of the chamber’s 63 seats in the 2016 elections. The IDC has existed since 2011 and has helped keep Republicans in control of the Senate even though Democrats control the governorship and state Assembly.
  • IDC leader Jeff Klein and mainline Democratic leader Andrea Stewart-Cousins have agreed to reunify into a single Democratic caucus in 2018 if Democrats retain two seats previously held by mainline members in special elections on April 24 and convince Felder, whose alliance with Republicans is separate from the IDC’s, to join as well. The proposed reunification would occur after Gov. Andrew Cuomo negotiates the 2019 state budget with the Assembly and Senate leaders and Klein in late March.
  • Progressive activists, such as the Working Families Party and NO IDC NY, who are unhappy with the IDC’s Republican alliance are supporting primary challengers like Ramos and Jackson against IDC members in the September 13 Democratic primaries. Political scientist Christina Greer said Stringer’s endorsement was likely an attempt to develop a relationship with these activists ahead of his anticipated mayoral run in 2021.

Arizona State Legislature refers ballot measure to make certain retirement plan increases based on cost-of-living

  • The ballot measure would make adjustments to retirement plans based on cost-of-living adjustments, rather than permanent benefit increases, for correctional officers, probation officers, and surveillance officers (Corrections Officer Retirement Plan) and elected officials (Elected Officials' Retirement Plan). The measure will be on the ballot for the election on November 6, 2018.
  • In 1990, Arizona adopted a permanent benefit increase (PBI) formula, which provided increases in retirement payments based on investment earnings. In 1998, the maximum possible increase was capped at 4 percent. The proposed cost-of-living adjustment (COLA) would be based on the inflation rate for the Metropolitan Phoenix-Mesa Consumer Price Index, with the maximum possible increase capped at 2 percent. According to the Arizona Senate Research Staff, the amendment could have a positive impact on the state’s General Fund because of the lower 2-percent cap.
  • The measure would also require corrections officers hired on or after July 1, 2018, to enroll in a defined-contribution (DC) retirement plan, rather than the defined-benefit (DB) retirement plan. A DB retirement plan, which officers hired before July 1, 2018, would continue to have, is a retirement benefits plan that guarantees a monthly or annual payment to retired employees based on a certain formula using years of employment, employee age, and employee earnings. A DC retirement plan is a retirement benefits plan that serves as a deferred compensation retirement savings, such as a 401(k).
  • The Arizona State Legislature referred the measure to the ballot through a 57-0 vote in the state House on February 21, 2018, and a 30-0 vote in the state Senate on March 29, 2018. Representatives from the Fraternal Order of Police, Arizona Judicial Council, and Americans for Prosperity filed statements in support of the amendment with the state legislature. HCR 2032—the legislation for the amendment—also removed from the ballot the Corrections Officer Retirement Plan Amendment, which was passed in April 2017. The Corrections Officer Retirement Plan Amendment would have addressed the retirement plan of correctional officers, probation officers, and surveillance officers, but not the retirement plan of elected officials.
  • The amendment is the second in two years to address retirement plans of public employees in Arizona. In 2016, voters approved Proposition 124 in a 70-30 percent vote. Proposition 124 replaced the permanent benefit increase for the Public Safety Personnel Retirement System (PSPRS)—the retirement plan for full-time police officers and full-time firefighters—with a cost-of-living adjustment.
  • According to the Pew Charitable Trusts, Arizona had a pension funding ratio of 63 percent in 2015, meaning the state’s pension assets were equal to 63 percent of the state’s accrued liabilities. The state with the highest pension funding ratio was South Dakota, where the state’s pension assets were equal to 104 percent of the state’s accrued liabilities.

Oklahoma Governor signs tax bill to raise teacher pay

  • Republican Gov. Mary Fallin signed a bill to raise taxes in order to give teachers a pay raise—the first in a decade. The House approved the legislation by a 79-19 vote on March 26, and the Senate voted 36 to 10 in favor of HB 1010xx on March 28.
  • HB 1010xx aims to raise $447 million in revenue by increasing gasoline and diesel taxes and taxes on oil and natural gas production. It also places a $5 room tax on hotels and up the cigarette tax by $1. Legislators agreed to pass a separate bill repealing the $5-per-night hotel tax.
  • The bill raises teacher salaries 16 percent, about $6,000. The Oklahoma Education Association (OEA) sought a $10,000 pay raise over three years for teachers and a $5,000 raise for school personnel.
  • Oklahoma teachers had previously announced a statewide walkout planned for April 2 if the legislature did not pass a pay raise. As of the bill's passage in the Senate, it was unclear whether educators would strike or not. Alicia Priest, president of the OEA, encouraged teachers to strike: "The goal of Oklahoma educators has always been to avoid a walk out, because lawmakers continue breaking promises, even promises made less than 24 hours ago, we call on schools to remain closed on Monday so educators can send a clear message at the Capitol: Oklahoma educators won’t stand for these games any longer."
  • The National Education Association ranked the average salary for Oklahoma teachers ($45,276) in 2016 as one of the lowest (49th) in the country. Teacher salaries were lower in Mississippi and South Dakota (ranked 50th, and 51st, respectively).

Rep. Angel Arce submits written resignation, effective April 9

  • Connecticut Rep. Angel Arce submitted a written resignation in which he said he would resign effective April 9. Arce previously said he would resign on March 7, due to allegations of sexual misconduct.
  • On February 28, 2018, The Hartford Courant asked Arce if he sent Facebook messages to a 16-year-old girl in 2015 where he displayed affection toward her. Arce did not say whether he sent the messages or not, but he did say he was familiar with the girl, who was 18 at the time of the Courant report.
  • House Speaker Joe Aresimowicz (D) removed Arce from his committee assignments and removed him from the position of assistant majority leader after learning about the messages. Gov. Dan Malloy (D) also called for Arce's resignation.
  • Click here to read more.

Mississippi Gov. appoints new agriculture commissioner

Georgia legislature refers constitutional amendments to the November ballot on last day of session, including Marsy’s Law and the establishment of a state business court

  • On the last day of Georgia’s legislative session, the legislature agreed to send three constitutional amendments to the November ballot: A Marsy’s Law crime victim rights amendment (Senate Resolution 146), an amendment to establish a state business court (House Resolution 993), and an amendment concerning forest land conservation and commercial timberland (House Resolution 51). The amendments were all changed and required concurrence in the chamber of origin on March 29, 2018. All of the amendments required a two-thirds (66.67 percent) supermajority vote in both chambers of the legislature. The proposals will be sent to the governor’s office, but the governor is not permitted to veto resolutions calling for
  • The crime victim rights amendment, a variation of a Marsy's Law, would add a paragraph to the constitution establishing a bill of rights for crime victims, including the right to be treated with fairness, dignity, and respect; the right to notice of all proceedings involving the alleged criminal; the right to be heard at any proceedings involving that release, plea, or sentencing of the accused; and the right to be informed of their rights. An initial version of the amendment was introduced and approved in the Senate in 2017. In the House, however, a substitute was proposed and passed on Thursday that added provisions requiring victims to opt in to many of the rights provided, added explicit restrictions on actions allowed by the amendment—for example, that the amendment could not be used to justify a challenge to a verdict or sentence in a criminal case—and explicitly allowed the legislature to provide by law for the further define, expand, or provide for the enforcement of the rights. The Senate unanimously concurred with the changes.
    • Six states have passed Marsy’s Laws so far, and voters in at least three other states besides Georgia will decide on them this year. In 2016, voters in Montana, South Dakota, and North Dakota were presented with and approved Marsy's Law measures. A Marsy's Law initiative was approved by Ohio voters in November 2017. In April 2017, Oklahoma State Legislature referred a Marsy's Law to the state ballot for an election in 2018. In June 2017, the Nevada State Legislature referred a Marsy's Law to the 2018 ballot. The Kentucky State Legislature referred a Marsy's Law to the November 2018 ballot in January 2018.
    • In 2017, the Montana Supreme Court struck down the state's Marsy's Law initiative as unconstitutional. The court ruled that, by requiring a single yes or no vote on multiple issues, the initiative did not give voters the chance to be heard on each proposed constitutional change.
    • In South Dakota, voters will decide Amendment Y in November 2018 that would make changes to the state’s Marsy’s Law passed as Amendment S in 2016. Amendment Y requires victims to opt in to certain rights and makes other exceptions. Amendment Y in South Dakota is the first attempt to repeal or amend one of the six Marsy's Laws that have been approved.
  • The state business court amendment would establish a state business court and establish procedures and rules for judicial selection, term length, and judge qualifications for the court. In February 2018, the state House approved the amendment 142 to 25, with Republicans supporting the amendment and Democrats split on it. The state Senate provided changes to the proposal, including changes regarding the superior court system as it relates to the proposed business court, and approved the resolution as amend in a vote of 46 to 7, with 11 Democrats in favor and seven opposed. All 35 Republicans in the Senate voted in favor. The House then approved the amendment 120 to 52; the amendment needed at least 120 votes to pass the House. In the House, 11 Democrats voted in favor of the amendment and 51 voted against it.
  • The forest land conservation and timberland properties amendment had already been approved in both chambers and received a vote on March 29 to affirm changes proposed in the Senate. The amendment would allow the legislature to change the formula used to calculate the tax on forest land conservation use property, create a new land designation for commercial timberland, temporarily increase certain local assistance grants, and establish a percentage of local grant assistance funding that could be retained by the state for administration.

Friday, March 30

South Carolina filing deadline

Oklahoma Secretary of State steps down

  • Oklahoma Secretary of State Dave Lopez stepped down. Lopez assumed the duties of secretary of state on March 27, 2017, and resigned on March 30, 2018. His resignation letter said he wished to focus on "personal and business endeavors."
  • The seat will remain vacant until a successor is appointed by Gov. Mary Fallin (R) and approved by the Oklahoma State Senate.

Kentucky teachers react to pension bill

  • Schools closed in more than 20 counties across Kentucky in response to legislation passed by the Kentucky General Assembly on Thursday.
  • The Republican-majority General Assembly amended SB 151, a bill about sewage services, to include provisions from SB 1, a bill to change the state pension system. The legislation passed the House 49 to 46, and the Senate, 22 to 15. It was sent to the Republican Gov. Matt Bevin's desk. Bevin has previously expressed support for changing the pension system.
  • The pension bill would provide current and retired teachers with a 1.5 percent increase in retirement checks. New teachers would be required to enter a cash balance plan, in which they would be guaranteed to receive all funds they and taxpayers contribute to their retirement accounts, plus 85 percent of investment gains. The other 15 percent would go to the state. The bill additionally proposed that "'inviolable contract' provisions shall not apply to legislative changes that become effective on or after July 1, 2018" for members of the state Teachers' Retirement System.
  • Lawmakers disagreed on the benefits of the bill. Rep. John Carney (R), who is also a teacher, supported the bill, saying, "This directly affects me. And that’s why I have chosen to take this stance today to try to help calm our educators and others to say this is necessary to solidify your future pension." Opponents questioned the bill's financial impact as well as the impact it could have on state employees and school districts.
  • Teachers were absent from classes in protest. The Jefferson County teachers union encouraged educators to protest for education funding at the capitol on Monday. Brent McKim, Jefferson County union president, said the group plans to challenge the legislation in court.

Special Elections

As of this week, 68 state legislative special elections have been scheduled or held in 23 states. Elections have been held for five Democratic seats and 23 Republican seats. Democrats have flipped six seats as a result of special state legislative elections in 2018. In special elections between 2011 and 2017, one party (either Republicans or Democrats) saw an average net gain of four seats across the country each year.

  • An average of 90 seats were filled through special elections in each of the past three odd years ( 2013: 84, 2015: 88, 2017: 98).
  • An average of 44 seats were filled through special elections in each of the past four even years ( 2010: 26, 2012: 45, 2014: 40, 2016: 65).

Upcoming special elections include:

April 3

Local Politics: The Week in Review

Elections Update

  • In 2018, Ballotpedia is providing comprehensive coverage of elections in America's 100 largest cities by population. This encompasses every office on the ballot in these cities, which includes their municipal elections, trial court elections, school board elections, and local ballot measures. Ballotpedia also covers all local recall elections as well as all local ballot measures in California.
  • Local ballot measure elections occurred in California on January 23, January 30, February 27, and March 6.
  • The next local ballot measure election date in California is on April 10
  • On March 20, voters in Cook County, Illinois, approved an advisory question on whether or not to legalize recreational marijuana. Chicago voters also decided advisory questions on services provided under the Affordable Care Act, legislation to ban bump stocks for firearms, and addressing increased use of opioids and heroin and resulting deaths.
  • On April 3, 2018, Anchorage voters will decide 13 propositions, including Proposition 1, a citizen initiative designed to require access to public restrooms and locker rooms based on sex at birth rather than self-identified gender identity. The other propositions include bond issues, a property tax exemption measure, a charter amendment concerning the sale of ML&P, and fire service area annexation measure.
  • Also on April 3, 2018, Kansas City voters will decide a capital improvements sales tax measure.

Monday, March 26

Michigan’s incumbent judges file for re-election

  • Judicial incumbents on the Michigan Court of Appeals, Circuit Courts, District Courts, and Probate Courts who wish to seek re-election had to file an affidavit of candidacy and an affidavit of identity by March 26, 2018, to appear on the primary election ballot on August 7, 2018. All other prospective judicial candidates have until April 24, 2018, to file to run in the election.
    • Eleven of the 28 seats on the Michigan Court of Appeals are up for election in 2018, and all incumbents filed for re-election. Three seats up for election are for unexpired terms; the judges currently holding the seats were all appointed by Governor Rick Snyder in 2016 or 2017. A full term on the court is six years.
    • In Wayne County, 44 judicial seats will be on the November ballot. Seventeen incumbents filed for 18 seats on the 3rd Circuit Court, two incumbents filed for three seats on the probate court, and 22 incumbents filed for 23 seats on the district court. One seat on the 3rd Circuit Court is up for special election to a two-years term. Mariam Bazzi currently holds the seat after she was appointed by Governor Snyder in 2017. A full term on the court is six years.
    • State supreme court incumbents have until July 5 to file the same forms for the November general election. The general election is scheduled on November 6, 2018.

Cook County District 1 Commissioner Boykin concedes defeat in March 20 primary

  • Richard Boykin conceded to challenger Brandon Johnson on March 26, 2018. As of the March 26 vote count, Boykin received 24,329 of the 49,094 tallied votes, or 49.56 percent of the vote, in the March 20 Democratic primary for District 1 of the Board of Commission in Cook County, Illinois.
    • Boykin told the Village Free Press, “I thought it was time to go on and put closure to this and I also pledged to work with him in a smooth transition.” He added, “I wished him well and told him I’m here if you need me. I plan to finish out my term and I hope we work together. I thought he was gracious in victory.”
    • Johnson’s campaign acknowledged the concession in a Facebook post. “I think people are looking for new voices and a new kind of progressive leadership in Illinois. I look forward to serving the interests of my constituents and fighting to bring equity and inclusion to all of Cook County,” Johnson said. Johnson faces no Republican opposition in the general election on November 6, 2018.
  • As of March 29, one seat on the Cook County Board of Commissioners remains too close to call. In District 15, Kevin Morrison and Ravi Raju are separated by 14 votes, with Morrison in the lead.

Tuesday, March 27

Cedric Crear wins special election for a seat on the Las Vegas City Council

  • Cedric Crear defeated 10 candidates in the nonpartisan special election to win the Ward 5 seat on the Las Vegas City Council. According to unofficial results, Crear received 27 percent of the vote. Former state Assembly member Harvey Munford came in second with 17 percent of the vote. Crear, who currently serves as a representative on the Nevada System of Higher Education Regents, will be sworn in at the city council meeting on April 18.
  • The special election became necessary after former Ward 5 representative Ricki Y. Barlow resigned on January 22, 2018. He resigned after pleading guilty to a federal felony for fraudulently using funds from his 2015 re-election campaign for his own personal use.

Candidate filing deadline in Missouri

  • The filing deadline for candidates running in Missouri elections passed. Federal and state offices on the ballot this year will include eight U.S. House seats, one U.S. Senate seat, state auditor, 17 of 34 state Senate seats, all 163 state House seats, two seats on the state supreme court, and four seats on the state court of appeals. Local elections within Ballotpedia’s coverage scope will include county offices in Clay, Jackson, Platte, and St. Louis counties. Ballotpedia's featured elections in Missouri this year include the Republican primary and general election for U.S. Senate. The state’s primary is August 7, and the general election is on November 6, 2018.

Thursday, March 29

Toledo City Council District 6 special election filing deadline passes

  • One seat on the Toledo City Council is up for special election after council member Lindsay Webb resigned to become the Lucas County Treasurer. The election is scheduled for May 8, 2018, the same day as Ohio’s primary election. The person elected to the District 6 unexpired term will serve until January 1, 2020.

Friday, March 30

Deadline passes to turn in signatures for Colorado recall

  • Members of the campaign to recall Gwen Lachelt of the La Plata County Commission in Colorado needed to submit petitions containing at least 7,505 signatures by 4pm on Friday, March 30. Signatures needed to be submitted to the county clerk and recorder’s office, which has 15 days to verify the validity of the signatures. If there are not enough valid signatures, recall proponents will be given 15 additional days to collect more signatures. If a recall election is triggered, La Plata County Clerk and Recorder Tiffany Parker said it would probably occur in July.
    • Recall proponents began the recall effort in January, saying that Lachelt inappropriately used her county position to lobby for environmental policies that were supported by her employer, Western Leaders Network, and that she had a lower attendance record in 2017 than the other commissioners. Lachelt said that the allegations against her were false.
    • In 2018, Ballotpedia has tracked 120 recalls against 167 elected officials. Of the 12 elected officials who have faced recall elections, three officials were recalled.
WHAT'S ON TAP NEXT WEEK

Here's what is happening in state and local politics this week. To see what happened in federal politics, click here.

Monday, April 2

Minor party filing deadline passes in Colorado

  • The deadline for minor party candidates to run in Colorado elections will pass. Federal and state offices on the ballot this year include seven U.S. House seats, seven state executive offices including the governor and attorney general, 17 of 35 state senate seats, all 65 state House seats, one seat on the state supreme court, and three seats on the state court of appeals. Local elections within Ballotpedia’s coverage scope will include county offices in Adams, Arapahoe, and El Paso counties. The state’s primary election will be held on June 26, 2018, and the general election will be held on November 6, 2018. The deadline for major party candidates to file was March 20, 2018.
    • Ballotpedia’s featured elections in Colorado this year include the Democratic primaries for governor and the general election contests for the 6th Congressional District, governor, secretary of state, and attorney general. For more information on these races, please click here.

Independent statements of candidacy due in Kentucky

  • Independent candidates planning to run in Kentucky’s general elections in 2018 must file a statement of candidacy in order to qualify for the general election ballot. The formal filing deadline for independent candidates is August 14, 2018, while major party candidates had to file by January 30, 2018, in order to participate in primary elections. Independent candidates do not face primary elections, but participate in the general election which is scheduled on November 6, 2018.
    • In 2018, Ballotpedia is covering elections in the six Kentucky districts for the U.S. House of Representatives, 19 seats on the Kentucky State Senate, and all 100 seats on the Kentucky House of Representatives, as well as one spot on the Kentucky Supreme Court and one on the Kentucky Court of Appeals.
    • Ballotpedia is also covering elections in Lexington and Louisville, as they are in the top 100 cities in the U.S. by population. This includes the mayor and city council of both cities, any judges serving in those areas, and the school boards of Fayette and Jefferson counties.

Tuesday, April 3

Ballotpedia to cover 196 seats and state treasurer elimination ballot measure in Wisconsin spring general election

  • Wisconsin will be holding its statewide spring general election on April 3. On the ballot are nonpartisan statewide and local seats and ballot measures, including the Wisconsin Supreme Court election, Wisconsin Question 1, and school board elections. A spring primary election was held on February 20, 2018, for seats where more than two candidates per seat filed for election.
    • Ballotpedia will cumulatively cover 196 judicial and local seats up for general election; one Wisconsin Supreme Court seat, two intermediate appellate court seats, 11 local trial court seats, 55 county supervisor seats in Dane and Milwaukee counties, and 127 school board seats.
    • Wisconsin will also hold partisan fall elections for federal and statewide seats.
  • Voters in Wisconsin will also vote on Question 1, which would eliminate the elected position of state treasurer. Wisconsin has had an elected state treasurer since 1848, the year Wisconsin received statehood. Since 2003, most of the state treasurer’s duties have been transferred to the departments of administration and revenue, which have governor-appointed secretaries.
  • Along with eliminating the elected office of state treasurer, Question 1 would transfer the treasurer’s one remaining constitutional duty—to sit on the Board of Commissioners of Public Lands—to the lieutenant governor. The Board of Commissioners of Public Lands is responsible for generating investment income for public school libraries, making loans to municipalities and school districts, managing state trust lands for timber management, and archiving land records.
  • In Wisconsin, a constitutional amendment gets on the ballot through votes of the Wisconsin State Legislature during two successive legislative sessions. Question 1 received the backing of most Republicans—91 percent during the 2015-2016 session and 95 percent during the 2017-2018 session. Most Democrats were opposed to referring Question 1—16 percent voted in favor of it during the 2015-2016 session and 13 percent during the 2017-2018 session. Republicans have had trifecta control of the state government, controlling both chambers of the state legislature along with the governor's office, since 2011.
  • The existence of the state treasurer's office was a campaign issue for candidates running to win the office in 2014. Democrat David Sartori opposed the elected office's elimination, saying the office provided an internal check and balance on executive power. Republican Matt Adamczyk supported eliminating the office, stating that the office was irrelevant and had almost all of its duties removed and that elimination would save tax revenue. Adamczyk defeated Sartori 48.8 percent to 44.7 percent. Adamczyk is not running for re-election as state treasurer in 2018.
  • Since 1996, voters in Wisconsin have not rejected any constitutional amendments referred to them by the state legislature. Opponents of Question 1—including former state treasurer Jack Voight (R), the Madison Common Council, and gubernatorial candidate state Sen. Kathleen Vinehout (D-31)—are trying to change that trend, aiming to persuade voters to reject the ballot measure. Sen. Chris Kapenga (R-33), who voted against referring the amendment, said, "I'm concerned about pulling a constitutionally authorized office away because I like having separation of powers. I like having independence. This is a role that, if you look at a lot of other states, they use it so that you can have good independent transparency into the government, into the finances of a government.” State Treasurer Matt Adamczyk (R), who advocated for eliminating the office during his campaign for the treasurer's office, responded, "The power grab rhetoric used by opponents of the amendment is a good use of words but it’s not the reality. The duties transferred are largely administrative. This isn’t about power. When the function of government fits better in another agency, I think it makes sense to move it.”
  • If voters approve Question 1, the position of state treasurer would be eliminated on January 7, 2019. As of March 26, 2018, Ballotpedia had identified one candidate—Tom Hiller (R)—who was running for the office in 2018.

Three California State Assembly seats up for special primary election

  • The District 39, 45, and 54 seats in the California State Assembly will be up for special primary election on April 3. If a candidate receives a majority of the votes in the primary election, he or she will be declared the winner. If no candidates receive a majority, the top two vote-getters will advance to a special general election on June 5. The seats became vacant following the resignations of Raul Bocanegra (D-39), Matt Dababneh (D-45), and Sebastian Ridley-Thomas (D-54). Bocanegra and Dababneh resigned due to sexual harassment or misconduct allegations, and Ridley-Thomas resigned due to health issues.
    • The race to replace Dababneh drew the most candidates. Six Democrats, one Republican, and one candidate with no party preference filed to run for his seat. The race for Bocanegra’s seat drew a total of six candidates—five Democrats and one Republican—and the race for Ridley-Thomas’ seat drew four candidates—three Democrats and one Republican.
    • California has a Democratic trifecta government. The party holds majorities in both the state Senate and state Assembly as well as the governorship. With three vacancies, Democrats have a 52-25 majority over Republicans in the state Assembly.

Two Massachusetts state legislative special elections to be held

Three candidates face off in Rhode Island Senate special election

  • Sandra Cano (D), Nathan Luciano (R), and independent Pamela Braman advanced from the primary election on February 27, 2018, to the special general election on April 3. The seat was left vacant after James Doyle (D) resigned on January 9, 2018, saying he was stepping down to deal with personal health struggles. The winner will serve the remainder of Doyle’s term, which is up for election on November 6, 2018. The incumbent must file for re-election at that time if he or she wishes to retain the seat for a full two-year term.
    • Rhode Island is one of eight states with a Democratic trifecta. A trifecta occurs when one party holds the governorship, a majority in the state senate, and a majority in the state house in a state’s government. For more information on state government trifectas, please click here.

Thursday, April 5

Filing deadline for Tennessee candidates

  • The filing deadline will pass for candidates running in Tennessee elections. Federal and state offices on the ballot this year will include one U.S. Senate seat, nine U.S. House seats, governor, 17 of 33 state Senate seats, and all 99 state House seats. Local elections within Ballotpedia’s coverage scope will include school board and judicial offices in Nashville and Shelby County.
    • Ballotpedia's featured elections in Tennessee this year include the Republican primaries for Tennessee’s 2nd and 6th Congressional Districts, and well as the U.S. Senate race.
    • The state’s primary is August 2, and the general election is on November 6, 2018.
Session dates 3 30 2018 with AL.png
Trifectas-3-2-18.png

Tuesday, April 3

Ballotpedia to cover 196 seats and 1 statewide ballot measure in Wisconsin spring general election

  • Wisconsin will be holding its statewide spring general election on April 3. On the ballot are nonpartisan statewide and local seats and ballot measures, including the Wisconsin Supreme Court election, Wisconsin Question 1, and school board elections. A spring primary election was held on February 20, 2018, for seats where more than two candidates per seat filed for election.
    • Ballotpedia will cumulatively cover 196 judicial and local seats up for general election; one Wisconsin Supreme Court seat, two intermediate appellate court seats, 11 local trial court seats, 55 county supervisor seats in Dane and Milwaukee counties, and 127 school board seats.
    • Wisconsin will also hold partisan fall elections for federal and statewide seats.

Anchorage, Alaska, to hold elections for mayor and school board

  • The city of Anchorage will hold elections on April 3 for mayor and three seats on the Anchorage School District school board. Also on the ballot are 12 local ballot measures. Mayor Ethan Berkowitz is running for re-election and will face off against eight other candidates. If no candidate receives a majority of the votes, the top two candidates will face off in a runoff election on May 1.
  • Three Anchorage school board seats will also be on the ballot. Nine candidates, including one incumbent, are running for three seats. The winners will serve a three-year term.
  • The April 3 election will be the first time that the city is holding an election by mail-in ballots. Voters have until election day to turn in their ballots.
  • One of the 12 propositions is a citizen initiative—Proposition 1—designed to restrict access to facilities such as locker rooms and bathrooms on the basis of sex at birth rather than gender identity. Seven propositions are bond issues, which, combined, propose 98.12 million in bond issues. The largest— Proposition 2—proposes $50.66 million in bonds for Anchorage school district facilities. Two measures are charter amendments concerning parking enforcement and the sale of Municipal Light & Power, and two concern a property tax exemption and the annexation of a district by the Anchorage Fire Service Area.

School board elections to be held in Missouri

  • Eight Missouri school districts within Ballotpedia’s election coverage are holding school board elections on April 3.
  • School board seats are up for election in Center 58 School District, Grandview C-4 School District, Hickman Mills C-1 School District, Liberty Schools, North Kansas City Schools, Platte County R-III School District, Raytown C-2 School District, and St. Joseph School District.
  • St. Louis Public Schools also falls within Ballotpedia’s coverage, and will hold elections in November.

Kansas City, Missouri, voters to decide on renewal of sales tax

  • Voters in Kansas City will decide on the renewal of a 1 percent sales tax to fund capital improvements on Tuesday. The city currently levies a 3 percent sales tax, in addition to the state and county sales tax rates. Renewing the sales tax for capital improvements would dedicate 35 percent of revenue to neighborhood improvements, at least 25 percent to streets, and the rest to various projects including the replacement of the Buck O'Neil Bridge. A “no” vote will result in a city sales tax rate of 2 percent.

Thursday, April 5

Filing deadline for Tennessee candidates

  • The filing deadline will pass for candidates running in Tennessee elections. Federal and state offices on the ballot this year will include one U.S. Senate seat, nine U.S. House seats, governor, 17 of 33 state Senate seats, and all 99 state House seats. Local elections within Ballotpedia’s coverage scope will include school board and judicial offices in Nashville and Shelby County.
    • Ballotpedia's featured elections in Tennessee this year include the Republican primaries for Tennessee’s 2nd and 6th Congressional Districts, and well as the U.S. Senate race.
    • The state’s primary is August 2, and the general election is on November 6, 2018.


About

The Tap covered election news, public policy, and other noteworthy events from February 2016 to February 2022.

Back to top • More articles

Retrieved from "https://ballotpedia.org/wiki/index.php?title=The_State_and_Local_Tap:_Dates_set_in_court-ordered_Wisconsin_special_elections&oldid=8441735"