Eight Maine legislators, all Republicans, have introduced LD 234, which would repeal ranked choice voting for the partisan offices that now use it. Maine uses ranked choice in general elections for President and Congress, but not state office. In primaries, it is also used for both federal and state office.
The sponsors are Senator Richard Bradstreet, and Representatives Richard Campbell, Irene Gifford, Randall Greenwood, Abigail Griffin, Shelley Rudnicki, Michael Soboleski, and Tiffany Strout.
Labor Notes has this article by Steve Early about Dan Osborn. He is a labor union leader who ran for the U.S. Senate in Nebraska in November 2024, as an independent. Democrats did not run anyone. Osborn received 46.65% of the vote in the two-race, which was a higher percentage than any Democrat running for U.S. Senate in Nebraska had received since 2006.
On January 21, the state of New York filed this response brief in Upstate Jobs Party v Kosinski, 24-503. This is the case over New York’s law that lets individuals contribute more money to the nominees of a qualified party, than to any other candidate. The state says the unequal limits are for the purpose of avoiding corruption.
On January 23, U.S. District Court Judge John Coughenour issued a Temporary Restraining Order against the federal government, to block for 14 days the new Trump Order changing the meaning of birthright citizenship. Here is the two-page order. During the next fourteen days proceedings will be held in that court do decide if the Executive Order should be enjoined.
Coughenour is a Reagan appointee.
On January 21, the Virginia Senate Privileges and Elections Committee passed SB 1009. It lets local governments use ranked choice voting for elections for their own officers. Here is the text of the bill.
