On May 19, the Sixth Circuit issued a two-page order in Ohio v Raimondo, 21-3294. It says Ohio does have standing to sue the Census Bureau over the late redistricting data. The Sixth Circuit sent the case back to the U.S. District Court for a decision on the merits. Thanks to Political Wire for this news. The three judges were Amul Thapar (a Trump appointee); David McKeague (a Bush Sr. appointee: and Martha Daughtrey (a Clinton appointee).
On May 18, California held a special legislative election in Assembly district 54 in Los Angeles. There were five Democrats and one Socialist Workers Party candidate. The SWP candidate, Bernard Senter, was handicapped by California election law that did not allow him to list his party affiliation. Instead the ballot said, “Party preference: none.”
The results: Senter polled 4.5%, placing fifth. The Democrats polled these percentages: Isaac Bryan 49.7%; Heather Hutt 24.3%; Cheryl Turner 10.6%; Dallas Fowler 7.6%; Samuel Morales 3.2%. See here.
On May 18, Pennsylvania held special elections in four legislative districts. In State Senate 22, the percentages were: Democratic 51.18%; Republican 38.45%; Green 9.22%; Libertarian 1.15%. That was the second-highest showing for a Green Party nominee for the Pennsylvania legislature, in races with both major parties, in the party’s history. The only legislative race in which a Pennsylvania Green did better (in a race with both major parties) was in 2010, when the Green polled 18.50% in the 194th state house district.
When this seat was last up, in November 2018, the percentages were: Democratic 61.33%; Republican 38.67%.
In State Senate 48, the percentages were: Republican 62.33%; Democratic 29.91%; independent 4.72%; Libertarian 3.04%. When this seat was last up, in November 2018, the percentages were: Republican 62.94%; Democratic 37.06%.
In State House 59, the percentages were: Republican 65.48%; Democratic 32.02%; Libertarian 2.50%. When this seat was last up, in November 2020, only a Republican ran.
In State House 60, the percentages were: Republican 76.39%; Democratic 19.38%; Libertarian 4.22%. When this seat was last up, in November 2020, only a Republican ran. See more details here.
According to this story, the Speaker of the Mississippi House of Representatives, and the Lieutenant Governor, favor calling a special session of the legislature to save the initiative process. The Governor says he will decide soon on whether to call a special session of the legislature to restore the initiative process.
On May 17, five Georgia county election board members, and other groups and individuals, filed a federal lawsuit against the part of SB 202 that allows the State Election Board to remove county election boards and take complete control of election administration in such counties. The lawsuit challenges other parts of SB 202 as well. Coalition for Good Governance v Raffensperger, n.d., 1:21cv-2070.
The Complaint is 206 pages long. Thanks to Thomas Jones for this news.
