St. Louis to use approval voting for first time in city's mayoral primary

• St. Louis, Missouri, will hold a mayoral primary using an electoral system called approval voting for the first time in the city's history on March 2. Candidates of all political affiliations will appear on the ballot without partisan labels and voters may choose any number of candidates to vote for. The two candidates receiving the most votes will advance to the general election on April 6. Voters approved the method through the passage of Proposition D in November 2020.
• Mayor Lyda Krewson (D) is not running for re-election. Four candidates are running in the primary: 2017 mayoral candidate Andrew Jones, St. Louis Treasurer Tishaura Jones, Aldermen President Lewis Reed, and Alderwoman Cara Spencer. Each candidate’s partisan affiliation is as follows: A. Jones ran as a Republican in 2017, and the other three candidates have previously run for office as Democrats.
• The city of St. Louis utilizes a strong mayor and city council system. In this form of municipal government, the city council serves as the city's primary legislative body and the mayor serves as the city's chief executive.

Alaska governor among state and local officials testing positive for coronavirus

• Alaska Gov. Mike Dunleavy (R) announced he tested positive for COVID-19 on Feb. 24. 
  • Earlier, on Feb. 22, Dunleavy said he tested negative after coming in contact with someone who tested positive for the virus. He said he would enter a self-quarantine and work from home the next seven days. However, he received a second test the morning of Feb. 22 because he felt unwell the night before. 
• New York state Sen. Susan Serino (R) announced she tested positive for COVID-19 on Feb. 22.
• Florida state Rep. Dan Daley (D) announced he tested positive for COVID-19 on Feb. 22.
• Ohio state Rep. Bride Rose Sweeney (D) announced she tested positive for COVID-19 on Feb. 23.
• Alaska state Rep. Mike Cronk (R) announced he tested positive for COVID-19 on Feb. 24.

Connecticut announces age-based vaccination schedule

Here are some notable changes to vaccine availability and distribution in various states during the past week:

• On Feb. 22, Connecticut Gov. Ned Lamont (D) announced a schedule for the state’s age-based distribution expansion. Lamont also said clinics will open in March to focus on vaccinating teachers. More details on vaccination clinics for school staff will be released closer to the date of their opening. The age-based expansion is scheduled as follows:
  • Eligibility expands to individuals ages 55 to 64 on March 1, 2021.
  • Eligibility expands to individuals ages 45 to 54 on March 22, 2021.
  • Eligibility expands to individuals ages 35 to 44 on April 12, 2021.
  • Eligibility expands to individuals ages 16 to 34 on May 3, 2021.
• On Feb. 23, Indiana residents aged 60 and above became eligible for a coronavirus vaccine. Previously, only people 65 and older were eligible for vaccination. 
• In Illinois, people ages 16 and older with state-defined high-risk conditions became eligible for vaccinations on Feb. 23. The state’s list of qualifying conditions includes cancer, obesity, and diabetes.

Rhode Island voters to decide seven bond issues totaling $400 million

• Rhode Island voters will decide seven bond issues totaling $400 million at a special election on March 2. Gov. Gina Raimondo (D) approved the state’s 2021 budget that included the measures on Dec. 18. The ballot titles, amounts, and purposes of each question are listed below:
  • Question 1: Issues $107.3 million in bonds for the University of Rhode Island Fine Arts Center, the Rhode Island College Clarke Science Building, and the Community College of Rhode Island
  • Question 2: Issues $74 million in bonds for state beaches, parks, recreational facilities, and water projects
  • Question 3: Issues $65 million in bonds for building and renovating public housing projects
  • Question 4: Issues $71.7 million in bonds for transportation infrastructure
  • Question 5: Issues $15 million in bonds for the Early Childhood Care and Education Capital Fund
  • Question 6: Issues $7 million in bonds for the Cultural Arts and the Economy Grant Program and the State Preservation Grants Program
  • Question 7: Issues $60 million in bonds to fund improvements to industrial facilities infrastructure
• To put a legislatively referred bond question before voters, a simple majority vote is required in both the Rhode Island State Senate and the Rhode Island House of Representatives. In Rhode Island, the state General Assembly must ask voters to issue general obligation bonds over $50,000, except in the case of war, insurrection, or invasion.
• Between 2008 and 2020, voters in Rhode Island decided on 22 bond measures, totaling $1.3 billion in principal value. Voters approved 100 percent of the bond measures, with support ranging from 55.23 percent (Question 2 of 2010) to 83.89 percent (Question 3 of 2016). Voters have not rejected a bond measure since 2006 when 50.56 percent of electors rejected a $4.0 million bond for improvements in Fort Adams State Park.
• The last odd-year bond election in Rhode Island was in 1985 where nine bond measures were approved.

Angelica Guerrero-Cuellar appointed to Illinois House of Representatives

• Angelica Guerrero-Cuellar (D) was appointed to represent District 22 in the Illinois House of Representatives on Feb. 25, replacing Edward Guerra Kodatt (D), who resigned on Feb. 24 after three days in office. Former Illinois House Speaker Michael Madigan (D) held the seat for fifty years before resigning earlier this month.
• Kodatt had been appointed on Feb. 21 after an endorsement by Madigan, who held 56% of the weighted vote in choosing his successor due to his role as 13th Ward Democratic committeeman. Three days later, Madigan called on Kodatt to resign due to allegations of misconduct. 
• “After learning of alleged questionable conduct by Mr. Kodatt, it was suggested that he resign as state representative for the 22nd District,” Madigan and Quinn said in a joint statement. “We are committed to a zero-tolerance policy in the workplace.” 
• The 22nd District’s ward and township committeemen then chose Guerrero-Cuellar, who had received the second-highest vote total when Kodatt was appointed. At the time of her appointment, Guerrero-Cuellar worked in community services on COVID-19 education and contact tracing. 
• With Guerrero-Cuellar’s appointment, the partisan breakdown of the Illinois House of Representatives is 73 Democrats and 45 Republicans.

New Mexico, North Carolina among states lifting coronavirus restrictions

• New Mexico Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham (D) announced the addition of a new, least-restrictive level (Turquoise) to the state’s red-yellow-green risk level classification system on Feb. 24. The state also made the Red, Yellow, and Green levels less restrictive. 
  • Bars and clubs can now operate in the Green and Turquoise levels, and recreational facilities (like amusement parks, bowling alleys, and arcades) can reopen in all risk levels. Large entertainment venues (like sports stadiums, concert venues, and movie theaters) can open in Yellow, Green, and Turquoise levels. State parks also opened to camping and out-of-state visitors.
• North Carolina Gov. Roy Cooper (D) lifted some of the state’s coronavirus restrictions on Feb. 26 at 5 p.m. The Modified Stay at Home Order that imposed a curfew on individuals and businesses between 10 p.m. and 5 a.m. expired. Additionally, the indoor gathering limit increased from 10 people to 25. Businesses are now allowed to sell alcohol for onsite consumption until 11 p.m. 
  • Cooper first implemented the Modified Stay at Home Order on Dec. 11, 2020. Before the state eased restrictions, gatherings had been capped at 10 people since Nov. 13.

New Jersey state Senator Gerald Cardinale dies

• New Jersey Sen. Gerald Cardinale (R) died on Feb. 20 after being hospitalized with an illness unrelated to COVID-19. Cardinale was first elected to Senate District 39 in 1981 and was the second-longest-serving New Jersey legislator. Before joining the state Senate, Cardinale was a member of the New Jersey General Assembly from 1980 to 1982.
• During his Senate tenure, Cardinale served as deputy majority leader (1994-2001), majority whip (1992-1993), assistant minority leader (1987-1989), and minority whip (1985-1986). 
• Vacancies in the New Jersey legislature are filled by an interim appointment by the county leadership of the political party that holds the seat. Cardinale’s seat, like the rest of the New Jersey State Senate, will be up for regular election in November 2021.
• So far this year, there have been 27 state legislative vacancies in 20 states. Ten of those vacancies have already been filled.

Minnesota reopens middle, high schools to in-person instruction 

• In Minnesota, all middle and high school students were allowed to return to the classroom for either full-time in-person or hybrid instruction starting Feb. 22. Gov. Tim Walz (D) said he expects all schools to offer some in-person instruction by March 8. Parents can still opt to keep their children home for remote instruction.
• Previously, high schools and middle schools could only reopen if local health officials approved reopening based on county health data. Elementary schools were allowed to open regardless of COVID-19 case data on Jan. 18.
• Nationwide:
  • Four states (Calif., Del., Hawaii, N.M.) and Washington, D.C. had state-ordered regional school closures, required closures for certain grade levels, or allowed hybrid instruction only.
  • Four states (Ark., Fla., Iowa, Texas) had state-ordered in-person instruction.
  • One state (W.Va.) had state-ordered in-person instruction for certain grades.
  • Forty-one states left decisions to schools or districts.

Diego Hernandez resigns from Oregon House of Representatives

• Rep. Diego Hernandez (D) resigned from the Oregon House of Representatives on Feb. 21. He had represented District 47 since 2017.
• The interim House Conduct Committee in the Oregon House of Representatives opened an investigation on May 4, 2020, after seven individuals accused Hernandez of verbal and physical sexual harassment and creating a hostile workplace environment. Hernandez did not participate in the investigatory hearing and filed a tort claim against the Oregon state legislature on May 11 regarding the committee’s investigation.
• The House Conduct Committee voted 4-0 in February to recommend Hernandez’s expulsion from the House after a nine-month investigation. Hernandez filed a lawsuit to halt further action, but United States District Judge Ann Aiken declined to intervene in the case. 
• Vacancies in the Oregon Legislature are filled by the board of county commissioners representing the vacant seat. This can only be done when the legislature is in session or when the vacancy happens more than 61 days before the next scheduled general election. The board must consider at least three candidates and select a person from the political party that last held the vacant seat. Persons selected to fill House seats serve for the remainder of the unexpired term.

Special elections

• Twenty-seven state legislative special elections have been scheduled in 16 states so far this year, with six elections having taken place already. Heading into those races, Democrats had previously controlled two of the seats, and Republicans previously controlled four.
  • In special elections between 2011 and 2020, one party (either Republicans or Democrats) saw an average net gain of four seats nationally each year.
  • An average of 57 seats were filled through special elections in each of the past six even years (2010: 30, 2012: 46, 2014: 40, 2016: 66, 2018: 99 2020: 59).
  • An average of 88 seats were filled through special elections in each of the past five odd years (2011: 94, 2013: 84, 2015: 88, 2017: 98, 2019: 77).
• Upcoming special elections include:
  • March 2
    • Alabama State Senate District 26
    • California State Senate District 30 (primary)
    • Connecticut State Senate District 27
    • Massachusetts House of Representatives 19th Suffolk District (primary)
  • March 9
    • Georgia House of Representatives District 90 (runoff)
    • Maine State Senate District 14