The Tap covered election news, public policy, and other noteworthy events from February 2016 to February 2022. The excerpts below were compiled from issue #30 of The Tap, which was published on August 20, 2016. READ THE FULL VERSION HERE.
- Primary runoff election: Oklahoma
- State legislature: Thirteen primary runoffs—seven in the state Senate and six in the state House—will take place. None of the runoffs involve an incumbent. Republicans control both chambers with strong majorities. With Republican Governor Mary Fallin, Oklahoma is one of 23 Republican state government trifectas.
- In Alabama, two of five school board seats on the Huntsville City Board of Education will be up for general election. Local business owners have backed District 1 incumbent Laurie McCaulley and District 5 challenger Carlos Mathews, while former U.S. Rep. Parker Griffith has backed board critics Michelle Watkins (District 1) and Pamela Hill (District 5). The school district has been working to lift a federal desegregation order from 1970 through a Department of Justice-backed plan initiated during the 2015-2016 school year. The district was the sixth-largest in Alabama and served 23,656 students during the 2013-2014 school year. Another 11 Alabama school districts will put 24 seats on the ballot in the general election on November 8, 2016.
- In Ohio, Upper Arlington City Council members John C. Adams, David DeCapua, Kip Greenhill, and Debbie Johnson will face a recall election. The recall effort began due to allegations of fiscal mismanagement, a $14 million redevelopment of a local park, and a tax initiative from the November 2014 ballot. As of August 3, 2016, a political action committee (PAC) supporting the recall had raised $10,360 and a PAC opposing the recall had raised $31,483. Supporters of the recall collected more than 3,000 signatures for each targeted council member, which was more than the 2,273 required to move the effort forward.
- In California, Los Banos Unified Board of Education member John Mueller will face a recall election. The district’s school board has split into warring factions, and Mueller is a member of the minority faction. He won the Trustee Area 7 seat in 2010 and then won re-election by defeating challenger Ruben Santos by 22 votes in 2014.
- The recall effort began due to six separate reasons, according to supporters. These included poor communication with his constituents, low student test scores, nepotism, disruptive behavior at board meetings, approving the construction of a new junior high school, and opposing the use of local contractors to build it. The district used a “lease-leaseback” method to pay for the new school, which avoids the bidding process and puts the cost of the construction on a contractor chosen by the district. The district can then pay back that cost in increments.
- In response to the recall, Mueller indicated that he was available to constituents “at all times” and that the recall’s proponents had met with him but disagreed with his positions. He denied condoning nepotism and said he “simply believes in hiring those best qualified for the job.” Mueller stated that the new school's construction was a unanimous board decision and that the building contractor was chosen due to relevant experience with the school's design. He also argued that student test scores have risen since he took office and that he was passionate but not disruptive in board meetings.
- FILING DEADLINE: Deadline to file in retention elections for local judgeships in Missouri. The election will be held on November 8, 2016. In these elections, judges do not compete against another candidate, but voters are given a “yes” or “no” choice on whether to keep the judge in office for another term. The judge must receive a majority of “yes” votes to remain in office.
The Tap covered election news, public policy, and other noteworthy events from February 2016 to February 2022. | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
|
