The Independent American Party appears to have won four partisan races for county office in Nevada. The party re-elected the County Clerk/Recorder in Eureka County. It also elected the District Attorney of Esmerelda County, a County Commissioner in White Pine County, and the Public Administrator in Nye County. Thanks to Cody Quirk for this news. The Eureka County win was by only three votes, so that result is not yet certain.
On November 2, redistricting reform ballot measures passed in both Florida and California. In Florida, the measures require the legislature to draw congressional and legislative district boundaries without regard for partisanship and without regard for helping incumbents. The lines must respect county boundaries to the extent possible. Both measure (one for U.S. House boundaries, and one for legislative boundaries) needed 60%, but both attained it.
In California, over 60% of the voters voted to transfer authority for drawing U.S. House district boundaries to the same Citizens Commission that was already in place for drawing legislative boundaries. A rival measure, to eliminate the Citizens Commission, failed with only 40% of the vote.
At 12:45 a.m. Alaska time, Lisa Murkowski seems well-positioned to win re-election as a write-in candidate. The Alaska Elections Division reports write-in votes comprise 40.18% of the total for U.S. Senate. Republican nominee Joe Miller has 34.74%; Democratic nominee Scott McAdams has 24.05%; Libertarian nominee Frederick Haase has .53%; two independents together have .50%. UPDATE: as of 9 a.m. Alaska time on November 3, the figures are: write-in 41.00%; Miller 34.20%; McAdams 23.74%; Haase .54%; the two independent candidates .52%.
California’s “top-two” law came into existence because then-State Senator Abel Maldonado refused to vote for the state budget in February 2009 unless the legislature put that idea on the ballot. The voters then passed “top-two” (Proposition 14) in June 2010 with 53.73% of the total vote. Maldonado was the Republican nominee for Lieutenant Governor this year, but on November 2, 2010, he was defeated for that office by the Democratic nominee, San Francisco Mayor Gavin Newsom.
Many California newspapers endorsed Maldonado for the Lieutenant Governor post on the basis that he is the person responsible for “top-two”. Nevertheless, Maldonado only polled 39.4%.
Also on November 2, California voters passed a ballot measure ending the requirement that the budget needs a two-thirds vote in each house of the state legislature. If that change had been made before 2009, Maldonado’s maneuver would not have been possible.
California’s “top-two” law came into existence because then-State Senator Abel Maldonado refused to vote for the state budget in February 2009 unless the legislature put that idea on the ballot. The voters then passed “top-two” (Proposition 14) in June 2010 with 53.73% of the total vote. Maldonado was the Republican nominee for Lieutenant Governor this year, but on November 2, 2010, he was defeated for that office by the Democratic nominee, San Francisco Mayor Gavin Newsom.
Many California newspapers endorsed Maldonado for the Lieutenant Governor post on the basis that he is the person responsible for “top-two”. Nevertheless, Maldonado only polled 39.4%.
Also on November 2, California voters passed a ballot measure ending the requirement that the budget needs a two-thirds vote in each house of the state legislature. If that change had been made before 2009, Maldonado’s maneuver would not have been possible.
