Today’s Brew previews the upcoming general election in Louisiana + the first filing deadline of the 2020 election cycle  
The Daily Brew
Welcome to the Friday, Nov. 8, Brew. Here’s what’s in store for you as you start your day:
  1. Louisiana voters to decide governor, House veto-proof majority Nov. 16
  2. Alabama’s 2020 filing deadline is today, Nov. 8
  3. You are amazing.
 
Programming note: We will not be publishing the Brew this Monday, November 11. Happy Veterans Day to all who have served in our armed forces!

Louisiana voters to decide governor, House veto-proof majority Nov. 16

The 2019 election season isn’t over yet! Louisiana voters will head to the polls Nov. 16 to vote in general elections for statewide and local races. The state is holding elections for the following offices, in addition to other elections beyond Ballotpedia's coverage scope:

  • Governor;

  • Secretary of state;

  • One of 11 seats on the Louisiana Board of Elementary and Secondary Education;

  • Five of 39 seats in the state Senate;

  • 19 of 105 seats in the state House of Representatives;

  • A special election for Louisiana Supreme Court District 1; and

  • A special election for the 19th Judicial District Court, Section 2, Division L.

Headline races in Louisiana include the gubernatorial election and the state House of Representatives elections. Gov. John Bel Edwards (D) and businessman Eddie Rispone (R) advanced from the primary with 46.6% and 27.4% of the vote, respectively. Edwards is the only Democratic governor in the Deep South. The Democratic Governors Association and the Republican Governors Association spent more than $5 million combined toward the race as of late September, and President Donald Trump (R) held a rally for Rispone and another Republican candidate ahead of the primary. If Edwards wins, the state will maintain a divided government. If Rispone wins, Louisiana will be a Republican trifecta, meaning the GOP will control the governorship and both chambers of the state legislature.

Republicans secured a majority in the state House in the primaries. The general election will determine whether they also gain a veto-proof majority of 70 seats in the chamber or whether Democrats and independents win enough seats to prevent that. Heading into the general election, Republicans control 63 seats. The seven state House general elections feature one Republican and a candidate of a different affiliation. In the state Senate primaries, Republicans won 27 seats—one more than is needed to override a gubernatorial veto.

Voters in New Orleans will also decide four local ballot measures.

Louisiana held primary elections on Oct. 12 for all candidates, regardless of party affiliation. Candidates who received more than 50 percent of the primary vote won outright. The general election is being held for the top two vote-getters who did not reach that threshold in each race. 

Early in-person voting for Louisiana's Nov. 16 general elections, which began on Nov. 2, ends Saturday, Nov. 9. Voters wishing to cast an absentee ballot must apply for one by 4:30 p.m. Central Time Nov. 12.

Louisiana voters must have an accepted reason to vote absentee. Examples include working offshore, residing in a nursing home, or being sequestered because of jury duty. You can read the full list here. Voters may fill out an application online or submit a printed application through the mail, in person, or by fax to their parish's registrar of voters. The registrar must receive completed absentee ballots by 4:30 pm Central Time Nov. 15.

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New briefing

Alabama’s 2020 filing deadline is today, Nov. 8

Since I’m still riding the high of covering this week’s elections, it’s hard to believe the first filing deadline of 2020 is already here! Even though 2019 isn’t quite over, we’ve officially crossed the starting point for the 2020 cycle. Alabama’s 2020 filing deadline for presidential primary candidates and partisan candidates for U.S. Senate and U.S. House seats is today, Nov. 8. Below you can find a quick rundown of the offices up for election next year:

  • One U.S. Senate seat

  • All seven U.S. Congressional seats

  • Five state executive offices

  • Two seats on the state Supreme Court

  • Four seats on the state’s intermediate appellate courts

  • Five statewide ballot measures

The filing deadline for independent candidates running for the U.S. Senate or U.S. House seats from Alabama is March 3, 2020. Alabama’s primary election will also be held on that day, with a primary runoff election, if needed, on March 31. The state uses an open primary system, in which registered voters do not have to be members of a party to vote in that party's primary.

For a candidate to appear on the ballot for a state or federal office, they must meet a variety of state-specific filing requirements and deadlines. Partisan candidates for the U.S. Senate or House must pay a $3,480 filing fee (2% of base salary). You can read more about candidate requirements here

The next five statewide filing deadlines are Arkansas (11/12), Illinois (12/2), California (12/6), Texas (12/9), and Ohio (12/18). You can view our full list of filing deadlines for the 2020 election cycle here.


You are amazing. 

I just wanted to take a moment to say, “Thank you!”

This has been an exciting week for Ballotpedia. We’re humbled by how many of you and your neighbors came to Ballotpedia to be informed about the 2019 elections.

You know we’re always good for some data, so here are some fun stats to show you what good company you’re in. Over 200,000 voters looked up their sample ballot at Ballotpedia on November 5 alone. All told, in 2019 we’ve seen the sample ballot used over 800,000 times!

If you average the number of website visits we’ve seen over the last month, you’ll find Ballotpedia was in the top 325 most-visited sites in the United States! That means readers have come to Ballotpedia more than the LA Times, Newsweek, the NHL, Nordstrom, Priceline, Apartments.com, Cars.com, Walgreens, or Fandango!

Thank you so much for trusting us to deliver your election information. We don’t take this responsibility lightly, and are striving to continue to help you through 2020 and beyond.

If you have any ideas, questions, feedback, we’re always here for you! Just reply to this email to drop me a line. I read them all. 

Have a great weekend!

Sincerely,
Dave, 
and the rest of the over-caffeinated Ballotpedia team


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The Lucy Burns Institute, publisher of Ballotpedia, is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization. All donations are tax deductible to the extent of the law. Donations to the Lucy Burns Institute or Ballotpedia do not support any candidates or campaigns.
 


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