The Tap: Tuesday, November 8, 2016

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

Review of the day

The excerpts below were compiled from issue #42 of The Tap, which was published on November 12, 2016. READ THE FULL VERSION HERE.

Federal

See Ballotpedia's Election Analysis Hub and Election results, 2016 for more information on the outcome of the 2016 general elections at the federal, state and local levels.

Preview of the day

The excerpts below were compiled from issue #41 of The Tap, which was published on November 5, 2016. READ THE FULL VERSION HERE.

Federal

• It’s been over a year since Democrat Hillary Clinton and Republican Donald Trump formally declared their candidacies for president. For one of them, Tuesday night will mark the end of the road, as voters elect Barack Obama’s successor. Ballotpedia will be displaying the results of the presidential race here and here. In 2016, Ballotpedia has identified 12 states and two congressional districts that we think will decide the outcome of Tuesday night’s presidential race. In electoral votes, that comes to 159—more than half of the 270 votes needed to win an electoral college majority and become president. Clinton needs slightly fewer of these battleground states' electoral votes than Trump to get to 270. To win, she needs only 70 of the 159 electoral votes up for grabs in the battlegrounds, while Trump needs 91. Below are current polling averages for all 12 battleground states and the second congressional districts of Maine and Nebraska (Maine and Nebraska award their electoral votes proportionally). They are broken down by states where Clinton is leading, states where Trump is leading, and states where a candidate leads by 1 percentage point or less. Ballotpedia's polling averages are based on polls that came out over a 20- to 30-day period. For example, an average might cover all polls that were released for a state between September 15, 2016, and October 15, 2016. For more on presidential battleground states, click here. Ballotpedia has taken closer looks at five of these states in a series of articles written by Ballotpedia senior writer Jim Barnes: Pennsylvania, Iowa, Virginia, Ohio, and Florida.
  • See also: Presidential battleground states, 2016

• States where Clinton is leading by more than 1 percentage point
  • Colorado, 9 electoral votes, (10/3 - 11/2): Clinton 43.1; Trump 39.2; Johnson 7.4; Stein 3.1
  • Florida, 29 electoral votes, (10/2 - 11/2): Clinton 46.2; Trump 44.1; Johnson 3.3; Stein 1.4
  • Michigan, 16 electoral votes, (10/10 - 11/2): Clinton 46.7; Trump 39.5; Johnson 5.7; Stein 2.6
  • Nevada, 6 electoral votes, (10/2 - 11/1): Clinton 44.8; Trump 43.6; Johnson 5.9
  • New Hampshire, 4 electoral votes, (10/3 - 11/2): Clinton 44.1; Trump 40; Johnson 7.5; Stein 2.5
  • North Carolina, 15 electoral votes, (10/1 - 11/1): Clinton 45.9; Trump 44.4; Johnson 4.7
  • Pennsylvania, 20 electoral votes, (10/3 - 11/1): Clinton 46.8; Trump 41.1; Johnson 4.5; Stein 2.3
  • Virginia, 13 electoral votes, (10/2 - 11/1): Clinton 46.8; Trump 39.6; Johnson 5.3; Stein 1.6
  • Wisconsin, 10 electoral votes, (10/4 - 11/1): Clinton 45.8; Trump 39.2; Johnson 5.5; Stein 1.9
• States where Trump is leading by more than 1 percentage point
  • Iowa, 6 electoral votes, (10/3 - 11/2): Clinton 41.3; Trump 43.7; Johnson 5; Stein 1.7
  • Nebraska-2, 1 electoral vote, (9/25 - 10/24): Clinton 40; Trump 46.5
• States where a candidate leads by 1 percentage point or less
  • Arizona, 11 electoral votes, (10/2 - 11/1): Clinton 42.5; Trump 43.2; Johnson 5.9; Stein 1.9
  • Maine-2, 1 electoral vote, (10/2 - 10/30): Clinton 41; Trump 40; Johnson 8.2; Stein 3
  • Ohio, 18 electoral votes, (10/1 - 11/1): Clinton 43.7; Trump 43.8; Johnson 5.5; Stein 1.9

• Congressional elections will be held across the country. There are 34 U.S. Senate seats up for election, nine of which are rated as battlegrounds, and control of the Senate is up for grabs once again. All 435 House seats are up for election, and there are 23 House battlegrounds. There are also three House special elections. Details on the top 10 congressional races are listed below.
• Maine's 2nd District is one of the most competitive House races in the country. Incumbent Bruce Poliquin (R) is seeking re-election to his second term and will face former state Sen. Emily Cain (D) in a rematch of the 2014 race. Poliquin defeated Cain in 2014 by a margin of 5 percent. Heading into November, both polling and fundraising totals show a tight race. Poliquin is especially vulnerable due to the coinciding presidential election. The district supported President Obama by a margin of 12 percent in 2008 and 9 percent in 2012.
• Texas' 23rd District is the only competitive district among the state's 36 congressional districts. Incumbent Will Hurd (R) is seeking re-election to his second term and will face former incumbent Pete Gallego (D) in a rematch of the 2014 race. Hurd narrowly defeated Gallego by 2.1 percent in 2014 to take the seat. Hurd is especially vulnerable due to the coinciding presidential election. The 23rd District is a heavily rural and Hispanic district. Donald Trump's unpopularity among Hispanic voters is likely to make re-election more difficult for Hurd.
• New Hampshire's 1st District is perhaps the most volatile U.S. House district in the country. Incumbent Frank Guinta (R) is seeking re-election to his second consecutive term and will face former incumbent Carol Shea-Porter (D) in their fourth consecutive general election battle. The two candidates have swapped control of the district since 2010, and the trend appears likely to continue in 2016. Heading into November, both polling and fundraising totals show the incumbent to be a slight underdog in the race. Additionally, businessman Shawn O'Connor (independent) has been self-funding and is likely to draw a significant portion of the general election vote.
• Florida's U.S. Senate race is one of the battleground races that will determine which party controls the Senate following the election. Despite his initial claims to the contrary, incumbent Marco Rubio (R) decided to seek re-election following his unsuccessful presidential run. He will face Rep. Patrick Murphy (D) in the general election. Rubio has been a favorite since his entry into the race in June, but he has consistently led by a small margin of less than 5 percent. Additionally, Florida was won by President Obama by narrow margins in the last two presidential elections.
• Missouri's U.S. Senate race is the most recent addition to our battleground races. Incumbent Roy Blunt (R) will face Missouri Secretary of State Jason Kander (D) in the general election. While the race was initially expected to be noncompetitive, polling has shown a much closer race than anticipated. As a result, both the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee and the Senate Leadership Fund began pouring money into the race. Missouri supported the Republican nominee in the last two presidential elections, so it is still expected to be an uphill battle for Kander.
• Indiana's U.S. Senate race is another race that was initially rated safely Republican. It became a battleground race following former Sen. Evan Bayh's entry into the race. Bayh entered the race with solid name recognition and over $10 million cash on hand from his previous Senate campaign. Bayh and Rep. Todd Young (R) will compete in the general election. The seat is open following Sen. Dan Coats' decision to retire rather than seek re-election. Bayh has maintained a small lead in the polls since his entry into the race in July.
• North Carolina's U.S. Senate race was added our list of battleground races in August. Incumbent Richard Burr (R) will face former state Rep. Deborah Ross (D) in the election. Ross was not initially expected to present a strong challenge, but polling revealed a close race. Burr does hold a significant fundraising edge over the challenger and a small lead in recent polling as well. Additionally, North Carolina has been a swing state in the previous two presidential elections. President Barack Obama won the state by .33 percent in 2008, while Mitt Romney took the state by 2.04 percent of the vote in 2012.
• Pennsylvania's U.S. Senate race is among the closest races in the country. Incumbent Pat Toomey (R) is seeking re-election to his second term and will face Katie McGinty (D). Polling has shown a back-and-forth race between the two candidates, with Toomey maintaining a 1.8 percent average lead. The race is close enough that the outcome of the presidential election is likely to play a large role in determining the winner. Toomey has attempted to distance himself from Donald Trump, while McGinty has sought to tie the two together.
• New Hampshire's U.S. Senate race is likely to be the closest Senate race of the election cycle. Incumbent Kelly Ayotte (R) is seeking re-election to her second term and will face Gov. Maggie Hassan (D) in the election. This is another race that has been heavily influenced by the presidential race. Ayotte’s strategy has been to distance herself from the top of the ticket and run a local campaign focused on issues that impact New Hampshirites. Although she said that she would vote for Trump, she declined to endorse him and did not attend the Republican National Convention, instead attending campaign events across her state. Hassan has sought to tie Ayotte to Trump in a number of campaign ads.[4][5][6] New Hampshire voted for President Obama in the last two presidential elections.
• Nevada's U.S. Senate race is the only competitive Senate race in the country that the Democratic Party has to defend in 2016. The seat is open following incumbent Harry Reid's decision to retire at the end of the term. Former state Attorney General Catherine Cortez Masto (D) and U.S. Rep. Joe Heck (R) will compete in the election. Polling has shown a very tight race, with Heck maintaining a small lead in polling averages, while Masto has a small lead in fundraising. President Obama won the state in both 2012 and 2008, giving Masto another small advantage.
• The U.S. Supreme Court will hear argument in two cases.
  • The court will hear consolidated arguments in two separate Fair Housing Act (FHA) challenges brought by the city of Miami, Florida, against Bank of America and Wells Fargo bank. The city argued that discriminatory lending practices by both banks deprived the city of property tax revenue and directly resulted in an attendant increase in the costs of municipal services the city provided. A federal district court dismissed Miami’s FHA’s claims, but the Eleventh Circuit Court of Appeals reversed, finding the city had standing and cause to proceed with the lawsuit.
  • In Lightfoot v. Cendant Mortgage Group, the court will review whether state courts have any jurisdiction to hear lawsuits brought against Fannie Mae. After two dismissals in federal court, Lightfoot filed a lawsuit in a California state court against Fannie Mae bringing many of the same allegations there as she did in federal court. Cendant Mortgage Group, a subsidiary of Fannie Mae, remanded the suit to federal court, arguing that Fannie Mae’s charter conveyed original subject matter jurisdiction exclusively to federal courts. A federal district court agreed, dismissing the suit. The Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals affirmed.

State

• There will be 93 state executive offices up for election across 23 states. This includes elections for 12 governors, nine lieutenant governors, 10 attorneys general, eight secretaries of state, nine state treasurers, eight state auditors, one state comptroller, two agriculture commissioners, 17 public service commissioners, five insurance commissioners, one labor commissioner, five public education commissioners, one natural resources commissioner, five superintendents of public instruction, and one railroad commissioner. Ballotpedia has identified the following races as some of the most notable:
  • Indiana Governor: The gubernatorial election in Indiana will feature Lieutenant Governor Eric Holcomb (R) facing former state Speaker of the House John Gregg (D). Gregg also ran for the office in 2012 as well, but lost his bid to Governor Mike Pence (R) by 3 percentage points. Holcomb was selected to be the Republican nominee after Pence was asked to serve as Donald Trump’s vice presidential nominee. At stake in November is a five-year Republican trifecta; if Republicans lose the governorship, it will end the trifecta. The race is rated a "Toss-up," with Gregg leading in October polls.
  • West Virginia Governor: The gubernatorial election in West Virginia will feature businessman Jim Justice (D) facing state Senate President Bill Cole (R). The office is being vacated by Governor Earl Ray Tomblin (D), who was prevented from running for re-election by term limits. In 2014, Republicans won both chambers of the state legislature for the first time since the 1930s, leaving West Virginia with a divided government. If Cole wins the governor’s mansion, the GOP will gain trifecta control of the state. The race is rated a "Toss-up," with Justice leading an October poll.
  • Missouri Attorney General: The attorney general election in Missouri will feature law professor Josh Hawley (R) facing Cass County Prosecutor Teresa Hensley (D). The office is being vacated by Attorney General Chris Koster (D), who decided to run for governor instead. Democrats have held the attorney general office since 1993, but the previous two races have been close and this one is rated a “Toss-Up.”
  • New Mexico Secretary of State: The secretary of state election in New Mexico will feature Bernalillo County Clerk Maggie Toulouse Oliver (D) facing state Rep. Nora Espinoza (R). This is a special election stemming from the resignation of Dianna Duran (R) following her indictment on charges of fraud, money laundering, and embezzlement in October 2015. New Mexico currently has a divided government and is generally considered a battleground state. Prior to Duran’s election in 2010, Democrats had occupied the secretary of state’s office since 1930.
• There will be 5,923 seats up for election in 86 state legislative chambers across the nation. Republicans currently control 69 chambers, while Democrats hold 30 chambers. Historically, the party that wins the presidency typically sees down-ballot races ride the coattails of the newly elected president. Democrats have a greater opportunity to gain seats in 2016 due to their position as the minority party in most of the nation's state legislatures.
  • Ballotpedia has identified 20 battleground chambers where the party out of power has the best chance to topple the other party from its current position of majority control. Republicans control almost twice as many battleground chambers (13) as do Democrats (7), putting them at greater partisan risk of losing chambers.
  • The states and chambers that made Ballotpedia’s list are Colorado (S) (H), Iowa (S) (H), Kentucky (H), Maine (S) (H), Michigan (H), Minnesota (S) (H), Nevada (S), New Hampshire (S) (H), New Mexico (S) (H), New York (S), Washington (S) (H), West Virginia (S), and Wisconsin (S).
• There will be 236 state judicial seats up for election in 63 state supreme courts and intermediate appellate courts across 34 states. A total of 65 of the 236 positions on the ballot will be state supreme court seats. Of those 65, 29 will be up for retention election in 12 states. The remaining state supreme court seats on the ballot will appear in partisan or nonpartisan elections. Four of the six states with partisan courts of last resort will have seats on the ballot. Another pair of states that have judges nominated by political parties at state conventions, Michigan and Ohio, will also have state supreme court seats on the general election ballot. Ballotpedia has identified the following races as some of the most notable:
  • Kansas Supreme Court: Five of the seven seats on the Kansas Supreme Court will be up for retention election on November 8, 2016. This means that Kansas voters will cast "yes" or "no" ballots on whether to keep each of the five sitting justices on the court. Each justice must receive more than 50 percent "yes" votes in order to be retained for another six-year term. The justices facing retention are the focal point of both a statewide school funding battle and dissatisfaction with the court's decisions in several recent death penalty cases. The state court's decisions in these cases were overturned by the U.S. Supreme Court. Several groups have coordinated campaigns supporting or opposing the retention of the justices.
  • North Carolina Supreme Court: Only one seat on the North Carolina Supreme Court is up for election in November, but the winner of that seat will determine the political balance of the court. Although the court and election are nonpartisan, the political philosophies of the justices are well known. Associate Justice Robert Edmunds was first elected to the court in 2000 and re-elected in 2008. Edmunds is a member of the court's conservative faction, which holds a 4-3 majority on the court heading into the election. His opponent, Superior Court Judge Michael Morgan, is expected to join the liberal faction and thereby shift control of the court if he ousts Edmunds.
• There will be 154 statewide measures on the ballot in 34 states home to over 200 million U.S. residents. Of that total, 71 are citizen initiatives and four are veto referendums, for a total of 75 measures on the ballot because of successful signature petition drives. This is more citizen-initiated measures than since 2006. The remaining 79 measures on the ballot were put there by state legislatures or by laws that automatically referred them to voters. Ballotpedia has identified the following measures as some of the most notable:
  • Maine Question 5: Maine voters will decide whether or not to make their state the first to employ ranked-choice voting, or instant-runoff voting, for the state's U.S. senators, U.S. representatives, governor, and state legislators. The proposed ranked-choice voting system would do away with primaries and general elections. Instead, it would implement a voting system in which voters rank candidates in order of their preference and votes are counted in rounds, eliminating candidates with the least votes until one candidate has a majority.
  • California Proposition 61: More money has been spent on the campaigns surrounding California Proposition 61 than on the campaigns for any other measure in 2016. Moreover, Proposition 61 will likely be the most expensive ballot measure battle in the history of the nation. The initiative would require state government agencies to pay no more for prescription drug prices than the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) pays. Opponents have poured over $109 million into the campaign to defeat Prop. 61, with most of the campaign funds coming from pharmaceutical companies. Opponents have outspent supporters by a ratio of seven to one. The AIDS Healthcare Foundation provided most of the funds to put the initiative on the ballot and campaign in support of it. There are varying opinions about what effect the proposition would have on prices paid for prescription drugs. Supporters argue that Prop. 61 would force drug companies to stop price gouging and save taxpayers billions of dollars in healthcare costs. Opponents argue that Proposition 61 could result in an increase in drug prices for veterans, increased prescription costs statewide, and a decrease in the availability of certain drugs. California spent nearly $3.8 billion on prescription drugs in the 2014-2015 fiscal year, nearly 83 percent of which was paid by Medi-Cal and the Public Employees’ Retirement System (CalPERS).
    • The AIDS Healthcare Foundation qualified a very similar initiative for the 2017 ballot in Ohio. This could be intensifying the fight over Proposition 61 since AIDS Healthcare Foundation has shown that it is willing to push this policy in other states.
  • Marijuana state ballot measures: With marijuana-related measures on nine statewide ballots this year, as many as 80 million Americans could experience loosened rules concerning marijuana. Five states could legalize recreational marijuana, and voters in four states will decide whether or not to allow or expand medical marijuana programs.
    • States with recreational marijuana legalization on the ballot: Arizona, California, Maine, Massachusetts, and Nevada
    • States with medical marijuana legalization or expansion on the ballot: Arkansas, Florida, Montana, and North Dakota
    • This election could have effects on marijuana policy that extend beyond the boundaries of the states in which legalization is on the ballot. Some theorize that if enough states legalize marijuana, federal prohibition could end and 2016 could be this "tipping point." Potential legalization in California—home of over 39 million residents, a Gross Domestic Product (GDP) of $2.46 trillion in 2016, and 53 representatives in the U.S. House—is one of the factors that make this a significant election for marijuana policy.

Local

• Across America’s largest 100 cities by population, 33 cities are holding elections for mayor or city council. A total of 157 positions are up for election, and incumbents are running in 112 of those races. Of the 14 mayoral positions up for grabs, six are held by Republicans and 7 are held by Democrats. The last position is held by a mayor of unknown political affiliation. In the 12 counties covered by Ballotpedia, there are 128 county official and special district offices up for election, with incumbents running in 87 of those races. Ballotpedia has identified the following races as some of the most notable:
  • Maricopa County will hold general elections for county sheriff, where Sheriff Joe Arpaio (R) is defending his position against challenger Paul Penzone (D). Arpaio has made national headlines for his tough stance on immigration and the lawsuits filed against him and his office. Arpaio has raised over $12 million, according to his campaign finance report submitted on September 27, 2016. For comparison, Arizona Governor Doug Ducey (R) raised about $8 million for his race in 2014. Also on the ballot are county assessor, county attorney, county recorder, county treasurer, six justices of the peace, and eight constables. Additionally, several special district board seats are up for election: three for the Maricopa Integrated Health System, five for the Central Arizona Water Conservation District, and four for the Maricopa County Community College District.
  • Travis County, Texas, will hold general elections for county sheriff, with four candidates seeking to replace outgoing Sheriff Greg Hamilton (D). Joe Martinez (R), Sally Hernandez (D), Libertarian candidate Eric Guerra, and Green Party candidate Debbie Russell will face off, and the debate has centered around immigration and the county’s cooperation with the U.S. Department of Homeland Security. Also on the ballot in Travis County are two of the five seats on the commissioners court, county attorney, county tax assessor-collector, all five constable positions, and four seats on the Austin Community College District Board of Trustees.
  • Baton Rouge will hold primary elections that include races to replace term-limited Mayor Kip Holden (D) and to fill 12 city council seats. The Baton Rouge Metro Council has seven Republican members and five Democratic members entering the election, but the retirement of three Republican incumbents means partisan control of the council could switch. In races where no candidate wins an outright majority, the top two vote recipients will advance to a runoff election on December 10, 2016. Candidates across the city are trying to answer questions about law enforcement, crime, and race following the fatal police shooting of Alton Sterling and the murder of three police officers by Gavin Long in July 2016. Sterling's death led to protests by local activists concerned about the police department's use of force, while Long's actions raised concerns among city officials of prolonged violence.
  • The city of Stockton, California, will hold general elections for mayor and three city council seats. Stockton's municipal elections are nonpartisan, but Mayor Anthony Silva identifies as a Republican and challenger Michael Tubbs identifies as a Democrat. Stockton is the last large Bay Area city with a Republican mayor, and Tubbs received more votes than Silva in the primary election. Stockton declared bankruptcy in 2012 after years of dropping tax revenues and growing budget commitments. The city cut budgets for public safety departments prior to 2012, possibly contributing to a spike in violent crime rates. Mayoral candidates have sparred over the best direction for the city following its emergence from bankruptcy in 2015.
  • Jersey City will hold a special election for the Ward B seat on the city council. The city council appointed city attorney John Hallanan III to fill the seat until the special election could be held. The seat became vacant when Councilman Khemraj "Chico" Ramchal resigned in May 2016 after pleading guilty to two charges following a drunk driving accident in March 2015. Hallanan is running to retain the seat and faces challengers Chris Gadsden and LeKendrick Shaw.
• Local judicial positions are up for election across 35 states. In 2016, a total of 3,726 seats are up for election. Incumbents are running in 3,070 of those races. A total of 620 of those incumbents are up for retention, facing no competition by default. Another 2,027 judicial candidates are unopposed in races where candidates could file to challenge them.
• Across America’s 1,000 largest school districts by enrollment, 337 school districts are holding elections. In these races, 956 incumbents and 1,524 newcomers filed to run. Ballotpedia has identified the following races as some of the most notable:
  • In Michigan, Detroit Public Schools (DPS) will hold general elections for seven seats on a newly constituted school board. Sixty-three candidates filed in the race for an average of nine candidates running per seat. Previously, DPS was served by an 11-member school board overseen by a state-appointed emergency manager. The election in 2016 represents a turning point in both the board's composition and power. Detroit schools were placed under emergency management in March 2009 due to budget deficits and declining academic performance. On July 1, 2016, a state law divided DPS into two districts: DPS and the Detroit Public Schools Community District. DPS remains as a legal entity to pay down more than $400 million in debt. The Detroit Public Schools Community District manages day-to-day operations for public schools in conjunction with the state-appointed Detroit Financial Review Commission. The emergency manager's office will be eliminated after the first meeting of the newly elected board in 2017. The emergency manager's office will be eliminated after the first meeting of the board. All seven seats on the new board are on the ballot in 2016. Sixty-three candidates, including 10 of the 11 previous members of the board, filed to take on challenges that include enrollment decreases, funding issues, and relations with state government. The restructuring bill was touted by Gov. Rick Snyder (R) as "a new day for Detroit families, with DPS free from debt and strong accountability measures for all schools in the city that promises a brighter future for all of Detroit's children." Detroit Public Schools served 49,043 students during the 2013-2014 school year—3.15 percent of all public school students in Michigan.
  • In California, the Los Banos School District will hold general elections for three seats on its school board. The incumbents in Trustee Areas 2, 4, and 6 all filed for re-election. Each incumbent faces one challenger. In August 2016, Trustee Area 2 incumbent and former Los Banos Mayor Tommy Jones was arrested on bribery charges related to a construction contract for the district. After his arrest, residents of Trustee Area 2 and the president of the Los Banos Teachers Association called for Jones' resignation. Jones, however, maintained his innocence and refused to step down. Members of the school board responded by calling a special meeting to censure Jones in September 2016. This action helped to split the race for the three school board seats into two camps: those supported by the teachers union and those supported by the Community Advocacy Coalition (CAC), a local advocacy group supporting Jones. In June 2016, Trustee Area 4 incumbent Dominic Falasco was arrested and charged with two counts of misdemeanor drug possession. Falasco said he would fight any criminal charges against him and that while he would take responsibility for the drugs because they were in his vehicle at the time of his arrest, the drugs were not his. The Los Banos School District served 10,065 students during the 2013-2014 school year—0.2 percent of all public school students in California.
  • In Nevada, the Clark County School District will hold general elections for four seats on its school board. The incumbents in Districts A, B, C, and E each face one challenger in the election after the candidate field was narrowed during a primary election held on June 14, 2016. In September 2016, the district obtained legislative approval to undertake a massive restructuring, which will be implemented by the school board during the 2017-2018 school year. The new structure calls for each school to be its own district, with the principal acting as the primary decision-maker on issues such as budget, personnel, salaries, and curriculum. The restructuring also requires the central office to cut its budget to 20 percent of the overall district budget, distributing 80 percent of the district's funding to the schools. Despite support from lawmakers, principals, city officials, and the local teachers union, concerns were raised by the American Civil Liberties Union and the Clark County school board. Members of these groups question the impact restructuring may have on the student achievement gap, as salary policy provisions may lead more experienced teachers to leave the district. The Clark County School District is the largest school district in Nevada and the fifth-largest school district in the U.S by enrollment. It served 320,532 students during the 2013-2014 school year—71 percent of all public school students in the state.
  • Pinellas County Schools in Florida will hold general elections for two seats on its school board. In District 1, the incumbent did not file to retain the at-large seat. Four newcomers competed for the seat in a primary election held on August 30, 2016, and two of these candidates face one another on November 8. District 5 incumbent Carol Cook faces a single challenger in the race to retain her by-district seat. The Pinellas County school board is under critical examination after an investigation of the board and district—titled "Failure Factories"—was published in 2015. The report described the daily strife of black students in the county, particularly in five elementary schools whose ratings changed from average to failing over a few years. The investigation tied these students' struggles to a 2007 decision made by the school board to effectively segregate the district's schools, and the report triggered a still-in-progress civil rights investigation by the U.S. Department of Education. The report, which won the 2016 Pulitzer Prize in Local Reporting, also showed that the board's vote appeared to be a symptom of other deep-seated problems in the district. Three of the board members who voted for the de-integration plan still sit on the board in 2016: Peggy O'Shea, Linda Lerner, and Carol Cook. These incumbents have been re-elected to the board multiple times, exemplifying the 100 percent incumbency success rate the district saw in re-election bids from 1998 to 2014. Pinellas County Schools served 103,411 students during the 2013-2014 school year—3.8 percent of all public school students in Florida.
  • Jersey City Public Schools will hold general elections for three seats on the school board. In the school board election, three candidate slates emerged with differing views on solving the long-struggling district's classroom and administrative issues. The Education Matters slate expressed a desire to shorten board meetings, build consensus between school leaders and local politicians, and improve public school curriculum and infrastructure. The same slate name was used by successful candidates in the 2015 election. The Jersey City United slate argues for a commitment to district diversity, increased responsiveness to community demands, and the modernization of communications between the school district and district parents. The Fix It Now slate proposes multi-lingual accessibility, moderate support for charter schools, mentor programs to prevent student violence, and the fostering of close relationships between the board of education and state and local officials. This election takes place as hours-long board meetings turn contentious and state officials debate new funding formulas for public schools. Jersey City Public Schools served 27,571 students during the 2013-2014 school year—2.0 percent of all New Jersey public school students.
• More than 500 local measures will be on the ballot across California. Prior to the November election, Ballotpedia has covered 162 local ballot measures in California and notable local measures across the United States in 2016. These measures relate to issues such as taxes, school bonds, land development, medical marijuana, election processes, city policies, transportation, and more. Ballotpedia has identified the following measure as one of the most notable:
  • The Measure JJJ initiative to spur development of affordable housing with local labor will be on the ballot for voters in Los Angeles, California. The plan centers around requiring developments of a certain size to incorporate affordable housing and encourage developers to use local workers, pay standard wages, and employ members of apprenticeship training programs and workers with real-world experience. To view a full list of provisions on this initiative, click here.