Anything interesting down ballot in your State/locality this year?

Politics
1

Down ballot excludes all Federal offices

Pretty much anything else on your ballot that you find of interest is fair game for this thread, including State and local ballot questions.

https://s3.amazonaws.com/ncsbesb/20201103/140_86_B0001.pdf

Link to my ballot (northwest rural Surry County, North Carolina).

North Carolina, as with my previous State Pennsylvania, stupidly elects all its Judges on a partisan basis.

So starting with the Supreme Court. Currently 6 Democrats, 1 Republican, the Chief Justice being Democrat. The one incumbent Republican Justice has vacated his seat to run against the incumbent Chief Justice. So there is one open Associate Justice seat being contested and one Democrat Associate Justice seat being contested. If Republicans sweep, Democrats would still control the court 4 to 3. If Democrats sweep, they would control all 7 seats.

The Court of Appeals (in North Carolina it is a single statewide court that sits in 3 Judge panels) is currently divided 8 Democrats to 7 Republicans. 3 Democrat seats are up versus 1 Republican seat, so this court could swing to Republican control.

My State House and State Senate races are uninteresting as both are Safe Republican seats.

Nothing at all of interest for me at the County, School Board or local level.

No ballot questions of any kind.

Going back up the ballot, there are 10 total statewide Council of State races, including the Governor, Lieutenant Governor, Attorney General, Auditor, Agriculture, Insurance, Labor, State, Public Instruction and Treasurer. Republicans currently hold a 6 to 4 majority on the Council of State.

Other than Cooper for Governor, I have not made any firm choices in any of these races, though I have made soft choices in a number of races. But I will do so before the end of this month.

So what do you all have of interest your down ballot?

2

Y’know, Mr. Guy Whose Name Makes Me Think Of Beer, I honestly haven’t been paying too much attention to the down ballot stuff this year. I need to do better. I do live in Virginia so we literally go to the polls every November. So easy to lose track.

3

Virginia is kind of weird that way. :smile:

I am about 2 miles from Virginia in a straight line. My sister and her husband have a summer home nearby just outside of Hillsville, Virginia, but I believe they are still registered in Florida.

4

No sample ballots here yet. Can’t think of anything too extraordinary off hand.

5

Yes:

6

Florida CD 19 is currently represented by Republican Francis Rooney, who is retiring.

It is a Safe Republican seat, so the winner of the Republican primary, Byron Donalds, is essentially the new Congressman, the general election being a mere formality.

So for whoever tried the dirty trick, it didn’t work. :smile:

7

Only question worth mentioning on jerseys ballot, is the the question to legalize weed and tax it.

Will pass easily.

Allan

8

In GA’s Senate race, we are actually voting on 2 Senate seats due to the retirement of Johnny Isaakson. His seat is in a special election running concurrently with the general election. This will be the first time I’ve ever had the opportunity to vote for 2 Senate seats at one time.

9
Type Title Subject Description
CICA Amendment 1 Suffrage States in the state Constitution that only U.S. citizens can vote in federal, state, local, or school elections
CICA Amendment 2 Minimum wage Increases the state minimum wage to $15 by 2026
CICA Amendment 3 Elections Establishes a top-two open primary system for state office primary elections
CICA Amendment 4 Direct democracy Requires voter-approved constitutional amendments to be approved by voters at a second general election
LRCA Amendment 5 Taxes Increases the period during which a person may transfer “Save Our Homes” benefits to a new homestead property from two years to three years
LRCA Amendment 6 Taxes Allows a homestead property tax discount to be transferred to the surviving spouse of a deceased veteran

Here are the six questions that will be on the statewide ballot in Florida. The first four are citizen’s initiatives, the last two are legislative.

All require 60% of the vote to pass.

#1 is obviously “red meat” sort of stuff. Only citizens can vote anyway. I think this one may backfire and draw the people to the polls other than those intended.

#2 is a matter that should be handled legislatively.

#3 requires a further look before I say yes or no.

#4 is a no. Amendments already require 60% of the vote, a two election requirement is just an attempt to shut down citizen’s initiatives altogether.

#5 & #6 are the sort of stuff that typically passes easily.

10

Florida Amendment #3 adds the following text to the Florida Constitution:

© All elections for the Florida legislature, governor and cabinet shall be held as follows:

(1) A single primary election shall be held for each office. All electors registered to vote for the office being filled shall be allowed to vote in the primary election for said office regardless of the voter’s, or any candidate’s, political party affiliation or lack of same.

(2) All candidates qualifying for election to the office shall be placed on the same ballot for the primary election regardless of any candidate’s political party affiliation or lack of same.

(3) The two candidates receiving the highest number of votes cast in the primary election shall advance to the general election. For elections in which only two candidates qualify for the same office, no primary will be held and the winner will be determined in the general election.

(4) Nothing in this subsection shall prohibit a political party from nominating a candidate to run for office under this subsection. Nothing in this subsection shall prohibit a party from endorsing or otherwise supporting a candidate as provided by law. A candidate’s affiliation with a political party may appear on the ballot as provided by law.

(5) This amendment is self-executing and shall be effective January 1, 2024.

It establishes a jungle primary system in Florida, but only for a limited number of offices as stated in the amendment text.

I like the idea of a jungle primary and don’t oppose the amendment, however, jungle primaries have not delivered the hoped for result, that being a moderating influence on those elected to office.

11

Not my state but apparently 1,000 people got caught mailing in and voting in person in the Georgia primaries. Sooo does anyone think this could never happen in a Presidential election?
Voter fraud is a felony in most states buuut, that MFF of Kamala Harris fame could come in handy! https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.ajc.com/politics/1000-people-double-voted-in-georgia-primary-and-may-face-charges/RR7ZPMO2SBBVLOSCUUAV7S3JEQ/%3FoutputType=amp

12

Adjacent district has the race between Jeff Van Drew, who was a Democrat forever, having served in other political offices as a Democrat before he was elected to fill the congressional seat held by Republicans for decades. Near the middle of his term, he switched parties, and is running for re-election as a Republican against Amy Kennedy. She is a liberal Democrat whose second husband is one of Ted Kennedy’s sons. Not much down ballot, and our BOE, last time I looked, is running unopposed.

13

https://www.voterfocus.com/SampleBallots/WHSampleBallot.php?county=brevard&precinct=116.1&party=GEN&election=95&city=&ward=

Sample ballots have just been finalized in Florida, the above is from north Brevard County, along the east coast of central Florida.

It has the six Constitutional Amendments I spoke of in an earlier post.

One Supreme Court retention election and six District Court of Appeals retention elections.

Interestingly, no incumbent Justice or Judge has ever lost a retention election in Florida since the system was established in the mid 1970’s.

14

We are getting to replace Lamar Alexander in Tn so hopefully we will get a conservative rather than the moderate(at best) Alexander.

We replaced Corker with Marsha Blackburn who is terrific last election!

I hear she has the most conservative voting record in the Senate.