The State and Local Tap: Texas elections set for today
From Ballotpedia
May 4, 2019Issue No. 159
THE WEEK IN REVIEW
State Politics: The Week in Review
Ballot Measures Update
2019:
- Six statewide measures are certified for the 2019 ballot so far:
- Four new measures were certified for the ballot last week, and one was moved to a 2020 ballot:
- Washington Initiative 976, which would limit vehicle registration fees, was not approved by the legislature before adjournment, which means it will appear on the November 2019 ballot.
- Three other measures were certified for the 2019 ballot: two in Colorado and one in Texas.
- Washington Initiative 1000, which authorizes affirmative action programs, was approved by the legislature, which means it will not go on the ballot unless a veto referendum petition effort against the legislature’s approval is successful.
- A transportation bond issue in Colorado was automatically put on the ballot when voters rejected two proposed bond issues at the November 2018 election but was moved to the 2020 ballot by a vote of the state legislature last week.
- Four new measures were certified for the ballot last week, and one was moved to a 2020 ballot:
- Four of the 26 states with a process for citizen-initiated measures allow for ballot initiatives or veto referendums on ballots for elections in any odd-numbered years: Colorado, Maine, Ohio, and Washington.
- Other states that frequently feature statewide measures referred to the ballot by the legislature in odd-numbered years include Louisiana, New Jersey, New York, and Texas.
2020:
- Twenty-four statewide measures have been certified for the 2020 ballot in 12 states so far: Arkansas, California, Colorado, Iowa, Michigan, Montana, Nebraska, Nevada, New Mexico, North Dakota, Utah, and Wyoming.
- One new measure was certified for the ballot last week; it was transferred from the 2019 ballot to the 2020 ballot in Colorado.
- Four of the 24 certified 2020 measures are citizen-initiated measures, 19 are legislative referrals, and one is an automatic constitutional revision commission question.
Sunday, April 28
Washington Legislature approves affirmative action initiative and sends car tab initiative to the 2019 ballot before adjourning
- The Washington State Legislature adjourned its 2019 session after deciding on the two 2019 Initiatives to the legislature for which enough signatures were submitted: (a) I-1000, an initiative allowing affirmative action, and (b) I-976, an initiative limiting vehicle license fees.
- Initiative to the Legislature is the name of indirect initiated state statutes in the state of Washington. Upon signature verification, these initiatives go before the Washington Legislature. The legislature must take one of three actions:
- The legislature can adopt the initiative as proposed, in which case it becomes law without a vote of the people.
- The legislature can reject or refuse to act on the proposed initiative, in which case the initiative must be placed on the ballot at the next state general election.
- The legislature can approve an alternative to the proposed initiative, in which case both the original proposal and the legislature's alternative must be placed on the ballot at the next state general election.
- The state legislature approved I-1000 largely along party lines with all votes in favor coming from Democratic legislators. I-1000 was approved by a vote of 56-42 in the House and 26-22 in the Senate. In the House, one Democrat joined all House Republicans in voting no. Two Senate Democrats joined the 20 Senate Republicans in voting no. One Senator was excused from voting.
- Opponents of Initiative 1000 filed a veto referendum—Referendum Measure 88—on April 29 seeking to overturn the legislature's approval of the initiative. If petitioners for the veto referendum petition drive are able to collect 129,811 valid signatures in 90 days, voters will decide the issue in November 2019.
- Initiative 1000 explicitly allows the state of Washington to implement affirmative action laws and policies while continuing to ban discrimination and preferential treatment. Washington Initiative 200, approved by voters in 1998, banned discrimination and preferential treatment based on certain characteristics, such as race, sex, and age. I-1000 would also allow the state to "remedy discrimination against, or under-representation of, disadvantaged groups as documented in a valid disparity study or proven in a court of law.”
- The legislature adjourned without acting on Initiative 976, meaning that initiative will appear on the 2019 ballot for voter approval or rejection. Initiative 976 is the first citizen initiative to be certified for the ballot in 2019 in any of four states that allow citizen initiatives in odd-numbered years.
- Initiative 976—sponsored by Tim Eyman and frequently referred to as the $30 Car Tabs Initiative—was designed to do the following:
- Limit annual license fees for vehicles weighing under 10,000 pounds to $30 except for voter-approved charges;
- Base vehicle taxes on the Kelley Blue Book value rather than the manufacturer's suggested retail price;
- Limit certain taxes and fees related to transportation; and
- Repeal authorization for certain regional transit authorities, such as Sound Transit, to impose motor vehicle excise taxes.
- Eyman's groups, Permanent Offense and Voters Want More Choices, are leading the campaign in support of I-976. Leading the opposition campaign is No on I-976, operated by the Permanent Defense PAC sponsored by the Northwest Progressive Institute.
- Also on the 2019 ballot in Washington is a constitutional amendment that would authorize the Washington State Legislature to pass bills addressing the succession of powers and duties of public offices during periods of catastrophic incidents that are considered emergencies.
- Nine states out of the 21 with a process for initiated state statutes have an indirect process for them. In Utah and Washington, there are both direct and indirect initiatives. Initiative 1000 was the first indirect initiative to be approved by the legislature in 2019. In 2018, four indirect initiatives were approved by state legislatures in Alaska and Michigan.
Tuesday, April 30
Campaign finance figures released in Kentucky gubernatorial race
- The Kentucky Registry of Election Finance released fundraising figures for the first quarter of 2019 in the state’s gubernatorial race. Three of the four candidates running in the Democratic primary reported raising more than $1.5 million each so far, while no Republican candidate raised more than $815,000.
- Kentucky House Minority Leader Rocky Adkins, state Attorney General Andy Beshear, former state Auditor Adam Edelen, and retired engineer Geoff Young are seeking the Democratic nomination. Their fundraising figures are as follows: Adkins $1.5 million, Beshear $1.8 million, Edelen $2.3 million, and Young $54,000.
- Gov. Matt Bevin, state Rep. Robert Goforth, Ike Lawrence, and William E. Woods are seeking the Republican nomination. Their fundraising figures are as follows: Bevin $813,000, Goforth $765,000, Lawrence $50,000, and Woods $147. Bevin was first elected in 2015, succeeding term-limited Gov. Steve Beshear (D).
- Heading into the election, Kentucky is a Republican trifecta. Republicans control the governor's office and both chambers of the Kentucky State Legislature.
- Both party primaries will take place on May 21. The general election is November 5.
Wednesday, May 1
Vermont Supreme Court Justice Marilyn Skoglund to retire on September 1
- Vermont Supreme Court Justice Marilyn Skoglund announced she is retiring, effective September 1, 2019. She joined the court in August 1997 after being appointed by Gov. Howard Dean (D). Skoglund was the second woman to serve as an associate justice of this court.
- Selection of Vermont Supreme Court justices occurs through assisted appointment. The governor appoints a justice from a list of names provided by a nominating commission. The appointed justice must be confirmed by the Vermont State Senate. Once confirmed, justices serve six-year terms. At the end of each term, justices face retention by a vote of the Vermont General Assembly. Skoglund's replacement will be Gov. Phil Scott's (R) second nominee to the five-member supreme court.
- The Vermont Supreme Court is the court of last resort for the state. It currently includes the following justices:
- Justice Marilyn Skoglund - Appointed by Gov. Howard Dean (D)
- Justice Beth Robinson - Appointed by Gov. Peter Shumlin (D)
- Justice Harold Eaton - Appointed by Gov. Peter Shumlin (D)
- Justice Paul Reiber - Appointed by Gov. Jim Douglas (R)
- Justice Karen Carroll - Appointed by Gov. Phil Scott (R)
- In 2019, there have been 13 supreme court vacancies across eight of the 29 states where replacement justices are appointed instead of elected. Of those 13 vacancies, ten are in states where a Republican governor appoints the replacement. Two vacancies occurred in a state where a Democratic governor fills vacancies, while another occurred in a state where a Republican-controlled legislature appoints replacements.
Maryland House of Delegates selects Jones (D) as next speaker
- The Maryland House of Delegates voted 139-1 to make Del. Adrienne Jones (D) the speaker of the house in a special session. She replaces Michael Busch (D), who passed away on April 7 after developing pneumonia. Busch had served as speaker since 2003 and was the longest serving speaker in Maryland history.
- Jones, who was first elected in 1996, is the state’s first woman speaker and first black speaker. She emerged as a compromise candidate after the Democratic caucus split between Del. Maggie McIntosh (D) and Del. Dereck Davis (D). According to the Washington Post, McIntosh was the more liberal candidate for speaker, and Davis was the more centrist candidate. Moreover, a majority of the 45-member Legislative Black Caucus (LBC) endorsed Davis, who is black, in a non-binding vote.
- A candidate needed 70 votes on the floor to be elected. McIntosh won a Democratic caucus vote, 58-40, but Republicans pledged to give Davis all of their 42 votes on the floor. Davis could have been elected by a cross-party coalition with over 70 votes if at least 28 of the 40 Democrats who supported him in caucus voted for him on the floor.
- After the caucus vote, Democrats reconvened and unanimously decided to elevate Jones to the speakership over both declared candidates. After she was elected, Jones said, "Discussion went back and forth within our caucus in terms of who could get the [votes], and because of these two individuals that put unity of this House before their own ambition ... they both came and talked with me separately that they would want me to be that person."
- Jones had been formally running for speaker prior to April 26, but she dropped out of the race, endorsed Davis, and called for members of the LBC to form an alliance to elect the first black speaker in state history.
- Democrats hold a 98-42 majority in the Maryland House with Busch’s seat still vacant. The state is under divided government with Larry Hogan (R) as governor and Democratic control of the legislature.
Special Elections
- As of this week, 55 state legislative special elections have been scheduled in 22 states in 2019. Elections have been held for 25 Democratic seats and 14 Republican seats. Four seats have flipped from Democratic control to Republican control. One seat has flipped from Republican control to Democratic control. One seat has flipped from Republican control to an independent officeholder.
- In special elections between 2011 and 2018, one party (either Republicans or Democrats) saw an average net gain of four seats across the country each year.
- An average of 91 seats were filled through special elections in each of the past four odd years (2011: 94, 2013: 84, 2015: 88, 2017: 98).
- An average of 55 seats were filled through special elections in each of the past five even years (2010: 26, 2012: 45, 2014: 40, 2016: 65, 2018: 99).
Upcoming special elections include:
May 7
May 21
- Pennsylvania State Senate District 33
- Pennsylvania State Senate District 41
- Pennsylvania House of Representatives District 11
Local Politics: The Week in Review
Elections Update
- In 2019, 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 is also covering all local recall elections as well as all local ballot measures in California. Recent and upcoming local ballot measure elections are listed below:
- April 9 - Local measures in cities within Alameda and Los Angeles counties in California and in Lincoln, Nebraska.
- In the city of Alameda, voters chose to allow a senior and homeless services project to proceed on a parcel of city property, siding with the city council’s measure and against a citizen initiative that sought to require the parcel to be used as open space. To read more about competing measures in California, click here.
- Voters in Lincoln, Nebraska, approved Question 1, a measure to increase the local sales tax by an additional 0.25 percent (a quarter-cent) for six years to fund street improvements.
- May 4 - Local ballot measures in Texas and Louisiana
- Local ballot measures are on the ballot in jurisdictions within four Texas counties, including the Dallas County Community College District, El Paso, Garland, Plano, and Eanes ISD in Austin.
- Voters in New Orleans will decide a parks and recreation property tax measure.
- May 7 - Local ballot measures in California, Colorado, and Ohio.
- California - 11 local measures in jurisdictions across nine counties.
- Colorado - Two citizen initiatives in Denver.
- Ohio - Five bond issues in Columbus.
- May 21 - Four local ballot measures in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.
- April 9 - Local measures in cities within Alameda and Los Angeles counties in California and in Lincoln, Nebraska.
Tuesday, April 30
Baltimore Mayor Catherine Pugh (D) resigns
- Baltimore Mayor Catherine Pugh (D) resigned Thursday amid a federal investigation into improper relationships she had with buyers of a children's book series she had written. She had been on a leave of absence since April 2, 2019, for health reasons.
- The claims under investigation include allegations that the University of Maryland Medical System (UMMS) had purchased over $500,000 worth of Pugh's books while she sat on its board. An investigation into UMMS deals which personally benefited board members drew attention to Pugh and was followed by additional allegations. In another sale which remains under investigation, healthcare firm Kaiser Permanente purchased a run of the books while seeking a $42 million contract from the city.
- Pugh was first elected mayor in 2016. She was succeeded by City Council President Bernard "Jack" Young (D). He has served on the city council since 1996 and as its president since 2010. Young said that he will not seek election to a full term as mayor in 2020, setting up an open-seat race for control of the office.
WHAT'S ON TAP NEXT WEEK
State Politics: What's On Tap Next Week
Saturday, May 4
Texas municipal, school board, and local ballot measure election preview
- Five cities in Texas that are among the 100 largest in the United States—San Antonio, Dallas, Fort Worth, Arlington, and Garland—will hold elections for mayor. As of the 2013 census estimate, they had a combined population of 4.0 million. Those municipalities, along with Plano and Irving, will also hold elections for 47 city council seats.
- Fifty-six school districts in Texas covered by Ballotpedia are holding nonpartisan general elections for 161 school board seats. Collectively, these districts served 1,817,124 students during the 2016-2017 school year. The largest of the districts is the Dallas Independent School District.
- Collin County (Plano), El Paso County (El Paso), and Tarrant County (Fort Worth) are holding elections for seats on their respective community college board of trustees. Tarrant County will also elect two of five members of its regional water district.
- In all races, if no candidate receives a majority of the vote in the May 4 general election, runoffs will take place on June 8, 2019.
- In addition to the seats up for election, local ballot measures will be up for election in the state. The most interesting measures include the following:
- Dallas County Community College District voters will decide on Proposition A, a $1.102 billion bond issue designed to fund school building construction and upgrades.
- Garland residents in Dallas County will vote on eight bond measures totaling $423.7 million in proposed new debt. The measures are designed to fund a variety of projects, including street improvements, public safety facility construction and upgrades, and recreational facility construction and upgrades.
- Plano voters in Collin County will weigh in on three bond measures totaling $44.7 million in proposed new debt. The measures are designed to fund improvements to streets, parks and recreational facilities, and municipal facilities.
States in session
Twenty-nine states are in regular session and four states are in recess. Kansas is in veto session and Maryland is in special session. Sixteen states—Arkansas, Georgia, Iowa, Idaho, Indiana, Kentucky, Maryland, Mississippi, Montana, New Mexico, North Dakota, South Dakota, Utah, Virginia, Washington, and Wyoming—have adjourned their 2019 legislative sessions.
Local Politics: What's On Tap Next Week
Saturday, May 4
Dallas to vote for new mayor, all 14 city council seats
- Dallas residents will vote for a new mayor and all 14 city council seats are also up for election. Runoff elections will be held June 8 for those races in which no candidate receives more than 50 percent of the vote.
- There are nine candidates on the ballot in the open-seat mayoral race and no clear frontrunner heading into election day. The incumbent, Mike Rawlings, was prevented by term limits from seeking re-election. He was first elected in 2011.
- The city’s mayoral candidates include a city council member, a school board member, current and former state legislators, former mayoral appointees, a nonprofit CEO, a real estate developer, and a 2016 third-party presidential candidate.
- In the city council races, 10 incumbents are seeking re-election, and four races are open. There are no districts where a single candidate is running unopposed. Eleven of the 14 districts have three or more candidates running. Councilmembers serve two-year terms, and all seats are up for election every two years.
- Dallas is the ninth-largest city in the U.S. by population. It uses a council-manager system, in which the mayor serves on the city council. The council and mayor appoint a city manager to oversee day-to-day municipal operations and implement the council's policy and legislative initiatives. The mayor of Dallas does not have veto power but appoints city council committee members and chairs, determines what policy-related agenda items will be considered by the council, and makes policy and budget recommendations.
Tuesday, May 7
Growth, development are prominent issues in Denver’s mayoral election
- Denver residents will vote for mayor in a nonpartisan election. Incumbent Michael Hancock faces five challengers as he seeks a third term, having first been elected in 2011. If no candidate wins a majority of the vote, the top two finishers will advance to a June 4 runoff. Hancock has raised more than twice as much as all his challengers combined, according to campaign finance reports covering through April 14.
- Growth has emerged as a central issue in the campaign. Between 2010 and 2017, Denver's population grew at a rate more than three times the national average. All six candidates have laid out plans for managing future development, increasing the supply of affordable housing, and countering homelessness.
- Hancock, who served two terms on the city council before he was elected mayor, says that Denver has changed for the better since he took office. He argues that Denver's growth has attracted new businesses and reduced the unemployment rate, adding that his administration had created the first affordable housing fund in city history. His endorsers include The Denver Post, presidential candidates Michael Bennet (D) and Pete Buttigieg (D), and former Govs. John Hickenlooper (D) and Bill Ritter (D).
- Criminal justice professor Lisa Calderón says she is running to increase the power of local residents and decrease the power of city officials, particularly the mayor. She supports amending the city charter to create a new board which would choose appointees for city offices in place of the mayor and to make the office of sheriff elected. She has been endorsed by El Seminario and NORML.
- Urban design consultant Jamie Giellis says she was inspired to run after hearing from residents that they did not feel in control of development in their neighborhoods. Her policy platform includes a proposal to open a municipal planning office in every neighborhood and to increase the role local residents play in approving development. She supports spending $1 billion on affordable housing over the next decade. Denver City Councilor Rafael Espinoza and former International Downtown Association Chairman Jeff Sanford are among Giellis' endorsers.
- Former state Sen. Penfield Tate says he is running to increase the voice of neighborhoods which he says Hancock has neglected in favor of developers. He says that public support does not exist for continuing Denver's current growth rate and has called for a moratorium on all new construction until the election takes place. Former Gov. Dick Lamm (D) and the Glendale Cherry Creek Chronicle have both endorsed him.
- Citizen activist Stephan "Seku" Evans is running on a platform of expanding access to housing and rolling back firearms regulations. Evans also ran for mayor in 2015.
- Activist Kalyn Heffernan is running on a platform of expanding access to housing, transportation, and education, and increasing spending on public arts.
- Although the election is officially nonpartisan, Hancock, Calderón, Giellis, and Tate are all members of the Democratic Party.
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The Tap covered election news, public policy, and other noteworthy events from February 2016 to February 2022.
