Incumbents advance in Boston council primaries

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It's time for another roundup of state and local political news. Check out our highlights from the week below, and find our complete review by clicking the button to read the full edition.

Read the full Tap online ([link removed])

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** EARLY VOTING BEGINS FOR LOUISIANA'S OCTOBER 12 GUBERNATORIAL PRIMARY
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Early voting for Lousiana's elections ([link removed]) , including the gubernatorial and state legislative top-two primaries, began Saturday and lasts one week, ending on October 5. A candidate can win the election outright by receiving more than 50 percent of the vote in the October 12 primary. Otherwise, a general election for the top two finishers will be held November 16. 

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In Louisiana's gubernatorial primary ([link removed]) , the top three candidates are incumbent John Bel Edwards (D), U.S. Rep. Ralph Abraham (R), and businessman Eddie Rispone (R). Three polls released since September 21 have shown Edwards with 46 to 47 percent support and Abraham and Rispone 2 to 6 percentage points apart for second place.

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Edwards says that Louisiana went from having a budget deficit to a budget surplus during his tenure and that he increased funding for education and expanded Medicaid in the state. Abraham and Rispone say that Louisiana's economy ranks last in the nation. Both say they would increase jobs and lower taxes. Abraham has campaigned on his record in the U.S. House, referring to himself as a conservative Christian leader. Rispone describes himself as a conservative outsider and job creator, highlighting his background as a businessman.

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Edwards is the only Democratic governor in the Deep South and the only Democrat holding statewide office in Louisiana. Both the Democratic Governors Association (DGA) and the Republican Governors Association (RGA) are targeting the race.

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The gubernatorial election coincides with elections for the state Senate ([link removed]) and state House ([link removed]) , meaning that all three trifecta components will be on the ballot. Neither party will be able to form a trifecta without winning the gubernatorial election. Democrats would need to retain the gubernatorial seat and win majorities in both chambers of the state legislature while Republicans would need to maintain their legislative majorities and pick up the governor's mansion.

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** FIVE INCUMBENTS ADVANCE TO NOVEMBER 5 GENERAL ELECTION AFTER BOSTON'S CITY COUNCIL PRIMARIES
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In Massachusetts, four at-large seats and four district seats on the 13-seat Boston City Council were up for primary ([link removed])) . The council's other five seats are also on the ballot this year, but they did not hold primaries because two or fewer candidates filed per seat. The candidate filing deadline passed on May 21, and the primary winners advanced to the general election on November 5.

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Here are the primary results:

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At-large (four seats): All four at-large incumbents—Michael Flaherty, Althea Garrison, Annissa Essaibi George, and Michelle Wu—and challengers David Halbert, Julia Mejia, Erin Murphy, and Alejandra St. Guillen advanced from the 15-candidate primary. Eight candidates advanced from the primary because there are four at-large seats up for election, and two candidates advance per seat.

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District 5: Ricardo Arroyo and Maria Esdale Farrell advanced from the eight-candidate primary. Incumbent Tim McCarthy did not run for re-election.

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District 7: Incumbent Kim Janey and challenger Roy Owens defeated Valerie Hope Rust to advance from the primary.

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District 8: Kenzie Bok and Jennifer Nassour advanced from the five-candidate primary. Incumbent Josh Zakim did not run for re-election.

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District 9: Liz Breadon and Craig Cashman advanced from the seven-candidate primary. Incumbent Mark Ciommo did not run for re-election.

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The five city council races not on the primary ballot were for Districts 1, 2, 3, 4, and 6. District 4 is scheduled to hold a contested general election between incumbent Andrea Campbell and challenger Jeff Durham in November. The incumbents in the other four seats—Lydia Edwards in District 1, Edward Flynn in District 2, Frank Baker in District 3, and Matt O'Malley in District 6—are all running unopposed for re-election.

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Boston ([link removed]) is the largest city in Massachusetts and the 24th-largest city in the U.S. by population.

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** ELEVEN CANDIDATES CHALLENGE MEMPHIS MAYOR STRICKLAND ON OCTOBER 3
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Twelve candidates are on the ballot ([link removed])) Thursday for a four-year term as mayor of Memphis, Tennessee. Local media sources have identified three as frontrunners: incumbent Jim Strickland ([link removed]) , former Mayor Willie Herenton ([link removed]) , and County Commissioner Tamara Sawyer ([link removed]) .

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Strickland, who defeated incumbent A.C. Wharton in the 2015 mayoral election, says he is running to continue his first-term policy agenda. He says that he delivered on campaign promises to hire more police officers and expand pre-K and summer youth programs while leading Memphis through a period of economic growth. 

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Strickland's campaign materials emphasize efficiency in government, which he says has been a hallmark of his administration. He has been endorsed by eight members of the Shelby County Commission as well as the Memphis Commercial Appeal.

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Herenton served 18 years as mayor before resigning during his fifth term in 2009. He says that while he was in office the city government's priority was reducing poverty and that since he left office this focus has been lost. 

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Herenton describes himself as an experienced leader whose policies will focus on improving the average citizen's quality of life. His endorsers include the Memphis Fire Fighters Association and the Memphis Police Association.

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Sawyer was first elected to the Shelby County Commission in 2018. She says that Memphis' government has focused on businesses over residents and has not done enough to address the city's long-term challenges. Sawyer supports policies which she says would increase wages and expand access to housing and job training programs. 

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On the campaign trail, Sawyer emphasizes her experience with local politics as a founder of the #takeemdown501 movement, which supported the removal of statues depicting figures associated with the Confederate States of America. Her endorsers include one member of the Shelby County Board of Education, Women for Tennessee's Future, and the Democratic Socialists of America.

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Campaign finance reports filed Thursday which covered fundraising through September 23 show that Strickland has raised $390,000 since January 16, while Sawyer has raised $160,000 and Herenton $130,000 during the same period. As of September 23, Strickland had $320,000 in cash on hand to Sawyer’s $46,000 and Herenton’s $42,000.

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Although the election is officially nonpartisan, Strickland, Herenton, and Sawyer are all members of the Democratic Party. There are no runoffs in Memphis mayoral elections, meaning whichever candidate receives the most votes will win outright. Other offices ([link removed])) on the ballot include city court clerk, three seats on the municipal court, and all 13 seats on the city council.

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** MISSISSIPPI STATE SENATE DISTRICT TO HOLD NOVEMBER 5 SPECIAL ELECTION IN CERTAIN PRECINCTS
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Mississippi Gov. Phil Bryant (R) called a special election ([link removed]) for Mississippi State Senate District 50 ([link removed]) on November 5, 2019. The election was deemed necessary after a Harrison County Circuit Court judge vacated the August 6 regular primary's results in five of the district's 16 precincts and ordered a new election to be held.

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Candidates Scott DeLano ([link removed]) and Dixie Newman ([link removed]) had both competed in the August Republican primary, and certified results showed Newman received 3,184 votes to DeLano's 3,183 votes. On August 26, DeLano filed a petition with the Republican County Executive Committee of Harrison County contesting the certified primary results. He cited his concern that not all votes cast in the district were counted. The committee ruled that a special election should be held and requested that the judge call a new election.

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Voters in five precincts will return to the polls in November, but voters in the other 11 precincts will not re-vote and their original votes from the August 6 primary will be combined with the results of the November re-vote. Since no other candidates filed for the seat, the person who wins the most votes in the combined primaries will be declared the winner.

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Excluding the five precincts headed to a re-vote and counting only the results from the 11 precincts where the results are finalized, Newman received 2,287 votes (51.4%) and DeLano received 2,161 votes (48.6%).

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Entering the 2019 election, the Mississippi State Senate ([link removed]) has 18 Democrats, 31 Republicans, and three vacancies. All 52 seats are up for election. A majority in the chamber requires 27 seats. Mississippi has a Republican state government trifecta ([link removed]) . A state government trifecta exists when one political party simultaneously holds the governor’s office and both state legislative chambers.

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** MAINE SUPREME COURT JUSTICE RETIRES, GOV. MILLS (D) TO APPOINT SUCCESSOR
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Maine Supreme Judicial Court Justice Jeffrey Hjelm ([link removed]) announced that he is retiring ([link removed])) , effective upon the confirmation of his successor.

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Selection of state supreme court justices in Maine occurs through gubernatorial appointment, although the governor's nominee must be confirmed by the Maine State Senate. Once confirmed, justices serve seven-year terms and must be reappointed if they wish to serve additional seven-year terms.

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The Maine Supreme Judicial Court is the court of last resort in the state. It currently includes the following justices:

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Chief Justice Leigh Ingalls Saufley - first appointed by Gov. Angus King (I)

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Justice Ellen Gorman - first appointed by Gov. John Baldacci (D)

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Justice Thomas Humphrey - first appointed by Gov. Paul LePage (R)

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Justice Joseph Jabar - first appointed by Gov. John Baldacci (D)

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Justice Andrew Mead - first appointed by Gov. Paul LePage (R)

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Justice Donald Alexander - first appointed by Gov. Angus King (I)

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Justice Jeffrey L. Hjelm - first appointed by Gov. Paul LePage (R)

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Hjelm was nominated to the court by LePage on May 7, 2014, to succeed Jon Levy. Hjelm's appointment was confirmed July 24, 2014. He previously served on the Knox County Superior Court from 1998 to 2014 and the Maine District Courts from 1992 to 1998. Hjelm received his undergraduate degree from Hamilton College and his J.D. from the Case Western Reserve University School of Law.

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In 2019, there have been 19 supreme court vacancies across 13 of the 29 states where replacement justices are appointed instead of elected. Of those 19 vacancies, 12 are in states where a Republican governor appoints the replacement. Six vacancies occurred in a state where a Democratic governor fills vacancies, while another occurred in a state where a Republican-controlled legislature appoints replacements.

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** BALLOT MEASURES UPDATE
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** 2019:
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Thirty-six statewide measures ([link removed]) will be on 2019 ballots in Colorado, Kansas, Louisiana, Maine, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Texas, and Washington. 

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Besides the 24 binding statewide measures, Washington voters will see 12 non-binding advisory votes ([link removed]) concerning revenue-increasing bills recently passed by the legislature that were automatically added to the ballot.

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With the certification of these 12 advisory votes in Washington, 2019 statewide ballot measures are finalized. Four Louisiana measures are on the Oct. 12 ballot. The rest will be on the Nov. 5 ballot.

[Tuesday Count]

 
** 2020:
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Forty statewide measures ([link removed]) in 19 states have been certified for the 2020 ballot so far.

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Six of the 40 certified 2020 measures are citizen-initiated measures. Thirty-three are legislative referrals. One is an automatic constitutional revision commission question.

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Florida Amendment 1 ([link removed])) , a citizen initiative, was the most recent statewide measure to be certified for the ballot and the first in Florida. Amendment 1 would amend the Florida Constitution to state that “only a citizen” (rather than “every citizen”) of the U.S. can vote in Florida. Voters in Alabama will decide a similar measure ([link removed])) .

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** SPECIAL ELECTIONS
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So far this year, 77 state legislative special elections ([link removed]) have been scheduled in 24 states. Special elections have been held for 52 seats so far; heading into those races, Democrats had previously controlled 30 of the seats while Republicans previously controlled 22. Four seats have flipped from Democratic control to Republican control. One seat has flipped from Republican control to Democratic control. One seat has flipped from Republican control to an independent officeholder. 

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In special elections between 2011 and 2018, one party (either Republicans or Democrats) saw an average net gain of four seats nationally each year.

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An average of 91 seats were filled through special elections in each of the past four odd years (2011 ([link removed]) : 94, 2013 ([link removed]) : 84, 2015 ([link removed]) : 88, 2017 ([link removed]) : 98).

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An average of 55 seats were filled through special elections in each of the past five even years (2010 ([link removed]) : 26, 2012 ([link removed]) : 45, 2014 ([link removed]) : 40, 2016 ([link removed]) : 65, 2018 ([link removed]) : 99).

 
** UPCOMING SPECIAL ELECTIONS INCLUDE:
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October 1

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Georgia House of Representatives District 71 (runoff) ([link removed])

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South Carolina House of Representatives District 84 ([link removed])

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** STATES IN SESSION
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[States in session]Five states—Massachusetts, Michigan, North Carolina, Ohio, and Wisconsin—are in regular session ([link removed]) . New Jersey, Pennsylvania, and Virginia are in recess. Forty-two states have adjourned their 2019 legislative sessions.

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