RandySF
RandySF's JournalCould absence of party line lead to primary election surprises?
n the first year where neither major political party is using the “party line” on election ballots, some changes are already evident, says Julia Sass Rubin, the Rutgers University professor whose research helped fuel the court challenge to the line.
Both Democrats and Republicans in almost every county in the state used the party line to group their preferred candidates in one column on the ballot.
“I would say the two most notable impacts so far are that so many Democrats and Republican candidates, including pretty legitimate candidates with a shot at winning, [are] choosing not to go for an endorsement. That would have been unheard of before,” said Rubin, an associate dean at Rutgers University’s Edward J. Bloustein School of Planning and Public Policy.
“And the other impact is just the number of people running for the Legislature, so we have twice the number of people running as we did two years ago.”
https://www.njspotlightnews.org/video/could-absence-of-party-line-lead-to-primary-election-surprises/
Sheriff Hutson halts re-election campaign
It’s Thursday and that means it’s time to catch up on politics with The Times-Picayune/The Advocate’s editorial director and columnist, Stephanie Grace. Today she tells us about the political turmoil unfolding since the Orleans Parish jailbreak, including Sheriff Hutson halting her re-election campaign.
If you’ve ever looked at the vast spreads of prepared food at groceries, bakeries, café’s, and restaurants, and wondered where it all goes at the end of the day, the answer is usually – the garbage can.
But an app that just launched in Baton Rouge and New Orleans is trying to help that food find a home and reduce the environmental impact of food waste. Allie Denburg, associate director of Strategy and Operations for the “Too Good To Go,” app gives us the details.
The Mid-Barataria Sediment Diversion project is the largest in Louisiana’s Coastal Master Plan. The $3 billion project would divert freshwater carrying sediment from the Mississippi River into Barataria Bay to build more land and stave off Louisiana’s land loss crisis.
https://www.wwno.org/show/louisiana-considered/2025-05-22/sheriff-hutson-halts-re-election-campaign-new-app-tries-to-curb-food-waste-mid-barataria-projects-uncertain-future
MULTNOMAH COUNTY VOTER TURNOUT SURGES, EXCEEDING PROJECTIONS FOR MAY 20 SPECIAL ELECTION
Engaged citizens of Multnomah County showed up for democracy, submitting a surge of ballots on Election Day, resulting in a notable turnout for the May 20 Special District Election. The county's latest update disclosed that as of 6 p.m. Wednesday, voter participation hit 24.7%, translating to 141,909 ballots accepted, numbers that broke past initial turnout projections.
It's quite the pile-up: the day's total was beefed up by more than 47,000 ballots received on Election Day itself plus another 9,500+ that were postmarked by Election Day and arrived Wednesday, amounting to nearly 40% of all ballots accepted in this race so far. More votes are expected to roll in as remaining postmarked ballots make their way to be counted, adhering to state law, in the week following the election day.
Providing a current snapshot of voter preferences, Multnomah County Elections has incorporated all accepted ballots into their most recent election results release, also posted as of 6 p.m. Wednesday. Typically, turnout for elections like these wobble somewhere between 15% and 40%, and this latest figure is right on script.
Illuminating decision-making and community prioritization, the May election featured a roster of decisions for local ballot measures, school and college district boards, as well as various service and water district boards, showcasing the vestments of local power and influence. Over at the elections office, the usual bustle of delivering transparent, effective democracy attracted attention, including that of officials from the Honolulu Election Division, this band of observers came curious, seeking insights post-Hawaii's vote-by-mail approval and found a familiar operation in scale and logistics as their own, according to Rhowell Ruiz, an assistant election administrator from the Honolulu Elections Division who relayed their observations in a statement obtained by Multnomah County News.
https://hoodline.com/2025/05/multnomah-county-voter-turnout-surges-exceeding-projections-for-may-20-special-election/
Lehigh County executive primary election results: Roger MacLean wins Republican primary, will face Josh Siegel (D)
Roger MacLean, a former Allentown police chief, county detective and City Council member, has defeated Michael Welsh, an insurance company owner and former Allentown School Board director, in the Republican primary contest for Lehigh County executive.
Unofficial tallies Wednesday morning showed MacLean with 7,713 votes, and Welsh with 6,997, with all 161 precincts fully reporting.
In a cordial debate last month, both men touted traditional Republican credentials — fiscally conservative, tough on crime — in casting themselves as the best choice to take on likely Democratic nominee Josh Siegel, the state representative and former Allentown Council member who is unopposed in his party’s primary.
Welsh said Wednesday morning that he called MacLean to congratulate him Tuesday night, adding that he he told him he supports him 100%. He said he was proud to represent the Lehigh County Republican Committee in the primary.
https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/politics/lehigh-county-executive-primary-election-results-roger-maclean-wins-republican-primary-will-face-josh-siegel-in-november/ar-AA1F9SQ3
Bethlehem mayoral election primary results: J. William Reynolds (D) defeats Grace Crampsie Smith (D)
Bethlehem Mayor J. William Reynolds appears headed to his second term in office, after defeating City Council member Grace Crampsie Smith in Tuesday’s Democratic primary.
With all precincts fully reporting, Reynolds had a sizable 2,000-vote lead, with 4,400 votes to Crampsie Smith’s 2,318
Reynolds, reached by phone Wednesday morning, thanked supporters for voting him in for a second term.
“You talk to hundreds and hundreds of ppl at the polls on Election Day and just hearing their excitement and dedication to the idea of building a true community is inspiring,” Reynolds said.
https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/politics/bethlehem-mayoral-election-primary-results-j-william-reynolds-defeats-grace-crampsie-smith/ar-AA1F9Xst
SATURDAY IN-PERSON ABSENTEE VOTING BEGINS; UPCOMING DEADLINES FOR THE 2025 MUNICIPAL GENERAL ELECTION
JACKSON, Miss. – As a reminder, Mississippians need to be aware of upcoming important dates and deadlines.
Municipal Clerk's Offices will be open this Saturday, May 24, from 8:00 a.m. until noon for in-person absentee voting for the Municipal General Election.
The last day to vote in-person absentee is Saturday, May 31. Municipal Clerk's Offices will be open from 8:00 a.m. until noon.
All mail-in absentee ballots must be postmarked by Tuesday, June 3 (Election Day). To track your mail-in absentee ballot, visit the My Election Day portal. To learn more about absentee voting requirements, visit the Secretary of State's Absentee Voting Information webpage.
https://www.redhillsmsnews.com/saturday-person-absentee-voting-begins-upcoming-deadlines-2025-municipal-general-election-682f572735d5e?e_term_id=12610
LOW TURNOUT IN CLACKAMAS COUNTY, JUST 20.3% OF VOTERS CAST BALLOTS IN SPECIAL DISTRICT ELECTION
Clackamas County reported a mere 20.3% voter turnout in the Tuesday Special District Election.
According to Clackamas County Elections, 62,268 ballots had been counted by Wednesday afternoon, reflecting what seems to be a declining trend in civic participation.
Amid the casting of ballots, taken as of the unofficial election results at 3:19 p.m. on May 21, the county clerk appreciated the effort of those behind the democratic process.
"The majority of eligible voters decided not to participate in yesterday’s special district election. Our local elections are an opportunity for citizens to weigh in on how to allocate local resources and choose local leaders who will make important decisions for school, water and fire districts," County Clerk Catherine McMullen stated, as reported by the official county news update.
https://hoodline.com/2025/05/low-turnout-in-clackamas-county-just-20-3-of-voters-cast-ballots-in-special-district-election/
Ballots mailed out on Friday for the special election on the Karman Line Annexation
COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (KOAA) — Ballots for the City of Colorado Springs' Special Election will be sent out to residents on Friday, May 23.
Military and Overseas Ballots (UOCAVA) were mailed out on May 2.
Voters will consider a ballot question on Ordinance No. 25-16, also known as the Karman Line Annexation, and whether or not the annexation of the land will be approved.
In January, the Colorado Springs City Council approved the annexation through several ordinances, but the council faced backlash from conservancy groups.
https://www.koaa.com/news/politics/ballots-mailed-out-on-friday-for-the-special-election-on-the-karman-line-annexation
Hubbard Fire District operations narrowly passing
Voters in the May 20 election are narrowly approving a Hubbard Fire District operations levy that would cost property owners $1.10 per $1,000 of assessed value.
The current levy, which expires June 30, charges property owners 99 cents per $1,000.
The levy on the ballot would cost about $275 per year for an assessed property value of $250,000 and raise $2.4 million over five years. That's about $26.60 per year more than the current levy.
The money from the levy on the May 20 ballot would be used for personnel and to purchase updated medical and firefighting equipment for the district, which covers 6.8 square miles and has four paid firefighters.
https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/us/election-results-hubbard-fire-district-operations-levy-narrowly-failing-in-early-results/ar-AA1F7J4y
Nevada governor vetoes bill to expand mail drop boxes before Election Day
LAS VEGAS (KLAS) — Republican Nevada Gov. Joe Lombardo vetoed a proposal Thursday aimed at expanding ballot dropboxes.
The proposal, Assembly Bill 306, would have required Clark County to establish 10 drop boxes be available between the end of early voting and the day before Election Day. The bill included smaller numbers for other counties. The proposal passed the Nevada Senate along party lines and in the Nevada Assembly with one Republican joining Democrats.
“Nevada is already among the easiest states in the nation to cast a vote,” Lombardo wrote in his veto message Thursday. “AB 306 appears to be well-intentioned but falls short of its stated goals while failing to guarantee appropriate oversight of the proposed ballot boxes or the ballots cast. I believe additional election reforms should be considered as part of a larger effort to improve election security, integrity and allow Nevada to declare winners more quickly.”
“I am disappointed that Governor Lombardo vetoed AB306,” Assembly Speaker Steve Yeager said in a statement. “AB306 was a bipartisan measure aimed at ensuring that voters, especially working families, seniors, and those with disabilities, have secure and accessible ways to return their mail ballots between the end of early voting and election day, allowing election workers to count votes quicker. However, I remain committed to protecting Nevadans’ right to vote in a safe and secure manner and I look forward to working with Governor Lombardo over the waning days of session to find a mutually acceptable compromise.”
https://www.8newsnow.com/news/politics/nevada-legislature/nevada-governor-vetoes-bill-to-expand-mail-drop-boxes/
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