On March 1, the Alabama Senate unanimously passed SB 15. All Alabama legislators have four-year terms. The bill says if a legislative vacancy occurs in the second half of a four-year term, the seat would simply remain vacant until the next regular election.
This change requires a change in the state Constitution, so if it passes, the voters would vote on it. The rationale for the bill is to save costs associated with holding special elections. The sponsor is Senator Rusty Glover (R-Semmes).
On February 28, the Georgia Senate passed SB 403. It says that vote-counting machines with no paper trail cannot be used starting in 2024, and the state will replace the old machines sooner than that if funding is provided.
On March 2, New York Governor Andrew Cuomo signed AB 8917, which moves this year’s primary (for state and local office) from September 11 to September 13. That gives New York the latest primary date of any state, for 2018.
On March 1, Arkansas Representative Mark McElroy announced that he will run for re-election as an independent. He had been elected as a Democrat in 2012, 2014, and 2016. He represents the 11th House district, in southeast Arkansas.
Joel Giambra, who was the elected County Executive of Erie County 1999-2007, is ending his bid for the Republican nomination for Governor of New York. But he will seek the Reform Party nomination, so as to run in November. See this story.
