Delaware becomes last state to lift business restrictions implemented in response to the coronavirus outbreak

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Here are the top stories from state and local politics this week. If you're looking for more, click the button for our comprehensive review.

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** FIVE STATES TO HOLD STATE EXECUTIVE, LEGISLATIVE PRIMARIES JUNE 9
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Five states—Georgia, Nevada, North Dakota, South Carolina, and West Virginia—are holding regularly-scheduled primaries for state-level offices. Georgia and South Carolina are also holding special elections for state legislative offices.

* Across the five states holding regular elections June 9, there are 152 state senate seats and 493 state house seats up for election. A total of 15 state executive offices are also up for election, including two governors, in addition to eight state supreme court seats and six state intermediate appellate court seats.

*
Ballotpedia has identified the June 9 primaries for governor of West Virginia as battleground primaries. Here’s a look at what will be on the ballot:

*
Republican primary ([link removed]) : Incumbent Jim Justice (R) faces six challengers in the Republican primary. Justice was elected as a Democrat in 2016 before joining the Republican Party the following year. Justice’s top opponent in terms of fundraising is H. Woody Thrasher, a businessman and former member of Justice’s administration. Justice says he has the support of President Trump (R), the National Rifle Association, and West Virginians for Coal. Thrasher, who is backed by the Charleston Gazette-Mail, says he has the private sector experience necessary to lead West Virginia. The first public poll of the race conducted in May found Justice leading with 55% support to 16% for Michael Folk and 15% for Thrasher.

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Democratic primary ([link removed]) : Five candidates are running for the Democratic nomination for governor. Ben Salango, Stephen Smith, and Ron Stollings lead in fundraising and endorsements. Salango, a Kanawha County Commissioner, says he has a record of creating jobs and that he is supported by Sen. Joe Manchin (D), the West Virginia AFL-CIO, and the United Steelworkers. Smith, a former director of the West Virginia Healthy Kids and Families Coalition, says he will work to get money out of politics, adjust the state’s tax code, and legalize marijuana. Stollings, a physician and state senator, says he is best-qualified to address opioid use, coronavirus, and prescription drug costs.

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** [EXPEDITIONS]
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Make sure to check out Ballotpedia Expeditions ([link removed])  this weekend. This new educational resource from Ballotpedia explores government topics through carefully curated readings. 

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** DELAWARE BECOMES LAST STATE TO LIFT BUSINESS RESTRICTIONS IMPLEMENTED IN RESPONSE TO THE CORONAVIRUS OUTBREAK
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Delaware began the first phase of its reopening plan, becoming the 49th and final state to lift restrictions on business operations. This phase ended the state’s short-term rental ban and out-of-state quarantine and allowed restaurants and retail businesses to reopen at 30 percent capacity. Schools in the state have been closed to in-person instruction since March 16.

*
The first states to begin their economic reopening plans were South Carolina and Vermont on April 20. The only state to not issue a stay-at-home order or any business closures and thus not require a reopening plan was South Dakota.

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** OHIO PLANS FALL REOPENING OF SCHOOLS
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Ohio Gov.Mike DeWine ([link removed]) (R) announced that he intends to reopen schools for in-person instruction this fall. DeWine said that the state is still working to develop health guidelines for schools and that districts would be given the flexibility to determine their start date. Schools in the state have been closed to in-person instruction since March 16.

*
Forty-eight states, all but Montana and Wyoming, closed schools to in-person instruction for the remainder of the 2019-2020 academic year. 

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** VOTERS DECIDE STATEWIDE PRIMARIES IN SEVEN STATES
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Seven states—Idaho, Indiana, Iowa, Montana, New Mexico, Pennsylvania, and South Dakota—held regularly scheduled primaries ([link removed]) for state-level offices. The deadline for election officials to receive ballots in Idaho’s all mail-in primary was also June 2. One state—Massachusetts—also held special elections for two state legislative offices.

*
Across the seven states that held regular elections on June 2, there were 212 state Senate seats and 713 state House seats up for election. A total of 23 state executive offices were also up for election, including four governors, as well as six state supreme court seats and three state intermediate appellate court seats.

*
Ballotpedia identified three state-level primaries that took place in Montana on Tuesday as battleground primaries. Here’s a look at what happened in those races:

*
Democratic primary for governor ([link removed]) : Lt. Gov. Mike Cooney (D) defeated consultant Whitney Williams (D) in the Democratic primary for governor with 55% of the vote to Williams’ 44%. Incumbent Steve Bullock (D) was prevented by term limits from running for re-election. 

*
Republican primary for governor ([link removed]) : Rep. Greg Gianforte (R) defeated Attorney General Tim Fox (R) and state Sen. Al Olszewski (R) to win the Republican nomination for governor. Gianforte was the Republican nominee for governor in 2016 before winning a special election to the U.S. House the following year. Gianforte received 53% of the vote to 27% for Fox and 19% for Olszewski.

*
Republican primary for Secretary of State ([link removed]) : Christi Jacobsen (R) defeated five other candidates to win the Republican nomination for Montana Secretary of State, placing first with 29% of the vote. Incumbent Corey Stapleton (R) ran for U.S. House rather than seeking re-election, but was defeated in Tuesday’s primary. Jacobsen, the current Deputy Secretary of State, had Stapleton’s endorsement, whereas second-place finisher and state Senate President Scott Sales (R)had endorsements from 61 incumbent state legislators.

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** TENNESSEE COURT EXTENDS ABSENTEE VOTING ELIGIBILITY TO ALL REGISTERED VOTERS DURING COVID-19 PANDEMIC
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The Chancery Court for Tennessee's Twentieth Judicial District ruled ([link removed]) that Tennessee's absentee voting law, which limits eligibility to those meeting certain criteria, "during the unique circumstances of the pandemic, constitutes an unreasonable burden on the fundamental right to vote guaranteed by the Tennessee Constitution." The court ordered the state to extend absentee voting eligibility to all registered Tennessee voters during the course of the pandemic. 

*

*
Meanwhile, in Texas, a three-judge panel of the United States Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit stayed ([link removed]) a district court decision that had ordered that all eligible Texas voters be allowed to cast absentee ballots in order to avoid transmission of COVID-19. 

*
To date, 29 states have modified their absentee/mail-in voting procedures in response to the COVID-19 outbreak. For more information, see this article ([link removed]) . 

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** COURTS IN NINE STATES REQUIRE MASKS OR FACE COVERINGS FOR STAFF, PUBLIC
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On June 1, the Virginia Supreme Court issued ([link removed]) an order extending the judicial emergency in the state through June 28. As part of the order, the court stated that any person entering a court facility is required to wear a face covering or mask to help mitigate the spread of coronavirus.  

*
The West Virginia Supreme Court issued ([link removed]) new guidance for the public on June 3 that requires anyone entering judicial work areas to wear masks or face coverings.  

*
State courts in Arkansas, Connecticut, Delaware, Minnesota, Missouri, New Mexico, and Vermont have all issued ([link removed]) orders or guidance requiring or recommending that staff and the public wear masks or face coverings when entering court facilities.   

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** FILING PERIOD ENDS FOR STATE EXECUTIVE, LEGISLATIVE, JUDICIAL CANDIDATES IN FIVE STATES
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The filing deadlines to run for state-level offices in Alaska, Kansas, Wisconsin, Hawaii, and Minnesota passed last week. Alaska’s, Kansas’, and Wisconsin’s filing deadlines were on June 1. The filing deadlines in Hawaii and Minnesota were on June 2. 

*
In Alaska ([link removed]) , prospective candidates filed for the following state offices:

*
State Senate (10 seats)

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State House (40 seats)

*
Additionally, Alaska will hold retention elections for one supreme court justice and one court of appeals justice. 

*
In Kansas ([link removed]) , prospective candidates filed for the following state offices:

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State Board of Education (5 seats)

*
State Senate (40 seats)

*
State House (125 seats)

*
Additionally, Kansas will hold retention elections for two supreme court justices and six court of appeals justices.

*
Ballotpedia is also covering local elections in Sedgwick County, Kansas.

*
In Wisconsin ([link removed]) , prospective candidates filed for the following state legislative offices:

*
State Senate (16 seats)

*
State House (99 seats)

*
In Hawaii ([link removed]) , prospective candidates filed for the following state offices:

*
Office of Hawaiian Affairs (4 seats)

*
State Senate (13 seats)

*
State House (51 seats)

*
Ballotpedia is also covering local elections in Honolulu, Hawaii.

*
In Minnesota ([link removed]) , prospective candidates filed for the following state offices:

*
State Senate (67 seats)

*
State House (134 seats)

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Supreme Court (2 seats)

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Court of Appeals (6 seats)

*
Ballotpedia is also covering local elections in the following areas:

*
Minneapolis Public Schools (4 seats)

*
Minneapolis, Minnesota

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Hennepin County, Minnesota

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Ramsey County, Minnesota

*
Kansas’ primary is scheduled for August 4, and Hawaii’s primary is scheduled for August 8. Primaries in Minnesota and Wisconsin are scheduled for August 11. Alaska’s primary will be held on August 18. The general elections in all five states are scheduled for November 3, 2020.

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** NORTH CAROLINA SUSPENDS EVICTIONS AND FORECLOSURES DUE TO CORONAVIRUS THROUGH JUNE 20 
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On May 30, North Carolina Gov. Roy Cooper ([link removed]) (D) issued ([link removed]) a new moratorium on evictions and foreclosures in the state through June 20. Previously, North Carolina’s Supreme Court suspended eviction proceedings in the state through June 1. After Cooper’s order, the North Carolina Supreme Court issued an order on May 30 staying evictions proceedings through June 20.

*
Two governors, Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis ([link removed]) (R) and Washington Gov. Jay Inslee ([link removed]) (D), each extended moratoriums on evictions and foreclosures. On June 2, DeSantis extended Florida’s suspension of evictions through July 1. On June 4, Inslee extended Washington’s suspension of evictions through August 1. 

*
Kansas Gov. Laura Kelly ([link removed]) ’s (D) executive order temporarily prohibiting evictions and foreclosures in the state expired on May 26. Gov. Kelly originally issued an executive order suspending evictions and foreclosures through May 1 and later extended the order through May 26.

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** QUARANTINE REQUIREMENT TO END FOR OUT-OF-STATE TRAVELERS TO ALASKA WHO HAVE NEGATIVE CORONAVIRUS TEST RESULT 
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Alaska Gov. Mike Dunleavy (R) issued a new public health mandate that allows out-of-state travelers to avoid a 14-day quarantine requirement that has been in place since March if they can provide screeners in the airport with a recent negative COVID-19 test result. The new policy goes into effect Saturday, June 6. 

*

*
Travelers will not be required to quarantine if the negative result was from a test taken within 72 hours of traveling to Alaska. The new mandate also allows travelers to avoid the quarantine requirement if they can provide negative results from a test taken within five days of entering Alaska. In the second case, however, travelers would need to take a second test upon arrival and minimize contact with other people until the results come back. 

*
Travelers who do not get pre-tested before entering Alaska will need to take a test upon arrival and quarantine until results come back. 

*
Alaska residents who travel out-of-state for five days or fewer do not need to get pre-tested before coming back, although they will need to either quarantine for 14 days or get tested on arrival and quarantine while waiting for the result. 

*
In addition to the testing requirements, all travelers arriving in Alaska must fill out a travel declaration form.

*
 As states continue reopening, governors are modifying or lifting travel restrictions put in place to reduce the spread of the coronavirus. 

*
On June 1, travel restrictions in Delaware and Montana expired. Both states had previously required out-of-state travelers to quarantine for 14 days upon arrival.

*
Of the 21 executive orders issued by governors or state agencies placing restrictions on out-of-state visitors, at least seven have been rescinded.

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** CANDIDATE FILING PERIOD TO END FOR STATE EXECUTIVE, LEGISLATIVE CANDIDATES IN THREE STATES
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The filing deadlines to run for elected state offices in Connecticut, Florida, and New Hampshire will pass next week. Connecticut’s filing deadline is on June 11, and Florida and New Hampshire’s filing deadlines are on June 12.

*
 In Connecticut ([link removed]) , prospective candidates may file for the following offices:

*
State Senate (36 seats) ([link removed])

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State House (151 seats) ([link removed])

*
In Florida ([link removed]) , prospective candidates may file for the following offices:

*
State Senate (20 seats) ([link removed])

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State House (120 seats) ([link removed])

*
In New Hampshire ([link removed]) , prospective candidates may file for the following offices:

*
Governor ([link removed])

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Executive Council (5 seats) ([link removed])

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State Senate (24 seats) ([link removed])

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State House (400 seats) ([link removed])

*
Connecticut’s primary is scheduled for August 11, Florida’s primary is scheduled for August 18, and New Hampshire’s primary is scheduled for September 8. The general elections for all three states are November 3, 2020.

*
The next and third-to-last statewide filing deadline in the 2020 election cycle ([link removed]) is on June 24 in Rhode Island.

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** BALLOT MEASURES UPDATE
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Eighty-nine statewide measures ([link removed]) in 32 states have been certified for the 2020 ballot so far.

*

*
Twenty-three of the certified measures are citizen-initiated measures. Sixty-five are legislative referrals. One is an automatic constitutional revision commission question. 

*
The Louisiana State Legislature referred four additional constitutional amendments ([link removed]) to the November ballot last week.

*
Four statewide measures have been on the ballot so far this year. Four more are on the ballot over the summer, and the remaining 81 are on the November ballot.

*
Proponents of eight additional ballot initiatives ([link removed]) in California, Colorado, Michigan, Oklahoma, and Oregon submitted signatures, which are pending verification by state officials.

 
**
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** SPECIAL ELECTIONS
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Forty-seven state legislative special elections ([link removed]) have been scheduled in 24 states so far this year, with 27 seats having taken place already. Heading into those races, Democrats had previously controlled 10 of the seats, while Republicans previously controlled 16. One seat flipped from Democratic control to Republican control, and four seats flipped from Republican control to Democratic control.

*

*
In special elections between 2011 and 2019, one party (either Republicans or Democrats) saw an average net gain of four seats nationally each year.

*
An average of 56 seats were filled through special elections in each of the past five even years (2010 ([link removed]) : 30, 2012 ([link removed]) : 46, 2014 ([link removed]) : 40, 2016 ([link removed]) : 66, 2018 ([link removed]) : 99).

*
An average of 88 seats were filled through special elections in each of the past five odd years (2011 ([link removed]) : 95, 2013 ([link removed]) : 84, 2015 ([link removed]) : 88, 2017 ([link removed]) : 98, 2019 ([link removed]) : 77).

*
Upcoming special elections include:

*
June 9

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Georgia State Senate District 4 ([link removed])

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South Carolina House of Representatives District 115 (primary) ([link removed])

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June 23

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Kentucky State Senate District 26 ([link removed])

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Mississippi House of Representatives District 88 ([link removed])

[States in session]

Sixteen states—California, Colorado, Delaware, Hawaii, Iowa, Louisiana, Massachusetts, Michigan, Mississippi, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, and Vermont—are in regular session ([link removed]) . 
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