Oklahoma Governor Orders Special Election

Gov. J. Kevin Stitt ordered a special election to fill the vacancy in House District 92 after Rep. Forrest Bennett resigned to become President of the Oklahoma AFL-CIO. A special primary election will be held on June 16, 2026 and a special runoff election is scheduled for August 25, 2026, if necessary. The special general election is scheduled for November 3, 2026, but will be moved up if the primary or runoff election is not needed. The full term for House District 92 is also up for election on the regular 2026 election calendar, and candidates may run on both ballots.

The Utah Legislature anticipates convening in special session on December 9 for the purpose of election system clarity, according to a joint press release issued by the House and Senate. The announcement follows a trial court decision in an ongoing lawsuit on congressional district maps.

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The Oklahoma Ethics Commission approved advancing two rulemaking amendments proposed at the November 13 meeting. Requested revisions to Rule 5.16 would allow a lobbyist principal to provide meals to either chamber of the Legislature during session, rather than only to a committee or subcommittee. Amendments to Rules 5.2 and 5.6, and a repeal of Rule 5.8, would potentially loosen gift restrictions to allow for expenditures on traditional business expenses, such as meals and events, while doing away with the requirement that gifts from lobbyists come only at infrequently occurring occasions of personal significance to the recipient. The commission will also consider issuing a guidance letter on Rule 5.14 to clarify only the actual cost of the food and beverage at an event to which all members of the Legislature are invited needs to be reported. The Ethics Commission will consider the drafted revisions, and public comment, at a hearing on December 19.

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Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders ordered new dates for the special elections for House District 70 and Senate District 26.  The special primary elections will be held on January 6, 2026, and special runoff elections are scheduled for February 3, 2026, if necessary. The special general elections are set for March 3, 2026. Two trial court judges in separate lawsuits ordered the original dates moved forward and the Arkansas Supreme Court denied the governor’s requests to stay the orders. The new dates were set “with objection” while the cases remain open on appeal. 

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On October 28, the Oklahoma Ethics Commission launched the beta phase of Guardian 2.0, the new online lobbyist and campaign finance disclosure system. During the beta phase, filers may access the system and enter contributions and expenditures as they prepare their required reports.  For the initial phased release, official report submission is temporarily disabled to ensure the accuracy of campaign finance data before it becomes public. Users will have the opportunity to provide direct feedback on the new platform via a dedicated email address, GuardianSupport@ethics.ok.gov. The Oklahoma Ethics Commission will not penalize users for issues tied to system limitations or problems. The deadline for PAC third-quarter reports which became due on October 31 is considered extended a minimum of 30 days or longer, if necessary. Affected entities are being given priority access and support through Oklahoma Ethics Commission.

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City Council called a special election to fill the vacancy in City Council, Place 7 after Deputy Mayor Pro Tem Julie Holmer resigned to launch her campaign for Collin County Commissioner, Precinct 4. The special election date is set for January 31, 2026.

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The New Mexico Legislature adjourned the Second Special Session of the 57th Legislature sine die on November 10. In the one-day session, lawmakers passed a bill appropriating funds for food benefits until mid-January, or until federal SNAP funding is restored if earlier. Judicial security and systems updates were also addressed. This does affect lobbying reporting. The grassroots lobbying report for advertising campaigns will be due on November 25.

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Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham announced a special session beginning November 10 to extend state-funded food benefits. The special session is expected to last one day. This does affect lobbying reporting. Expenditures of $500 or more made or incurred by a lobbyist or employer during the special session must be reported within 48 hours. The grassroots lobbying report for advertising campaigns will be due 15 days after the end of the session.

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The Louisiana Legislature adjourned the 2025 First Extraordinary Session sine die on October 29. Lawmakers passed bills concerning the spring 2026 elections, including adjusting the spring primary election date from April 18, 2026 to May 16, 2026 and the spring general election date from May 30, 2026 to June 27, 2026. The adjustment has the potential to give legislators more time prior to the elections to consider any congressional map-related action that might follow a future ruling in the U.S. Supreme Court case Louisiana v. Callais. Per the new bills, PACs participating in the election of a candidate for major office in the May 16, 2026 election, excluding a candidate for party primary office, will have until November 20 to file a pre-election report complete through November 7.

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A representative from the Office of Secretary of State testified at a recent meeting of the Legislature’s Special Committee on Campaign Contributions and Transparency. Among the items raised was a legislative proposal to file campaign finance and lobbyist disclosure reports online and directly with the Kansas Public Disclosure Commission instead of through the Office of Secretary of State. Another proposal would have lawmakers repeal a requirement for PACs to report information about sub-vendors in reports of expenditures made directly to vendors. If viewed favorably, these reforms may be taken up for consideration in next year’s legislative session.

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Gov. Greg Abbott ordered a special election to fill the vacancy in Senate District 4 after Sen. Brandon Creighton resigned to become chancellor of the Texas Tech University System. The special election date is set for May 2, 2026.

Gov. Jeff Landry called for the Legislature to convene in extraordinary session beginning on October 23. Lawmakers are being asked to consider bills regarding election dates, deadlines, and plans for the 2026 election cycle. The special session may last up to 22 days, until November 13.

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Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders ordered a special election to fill the vacancy in House District 70 after  Rep. Carlton Wing resigned to become CEO of Arkansas PBS. A special primary election will be held on March 3, 2026 and a special runoff election is scheduled for March 31, 2026, if necessary. The special general election is set for June 9, 2026.

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The Utah Legislature concluded its work in the First Special Session of the 66th Legislature on October 6. Lawmakers approved a congressional map, subject to ongoing litigation, and enacted standards for evaluating redistricting plans for compliance with voter-imposed state law. Other adopted measures concern the method of appointment of the chief justice of the Utah Supreme Court, berm management of the Great Salt Lake, and statutory recodification and technical corrections.

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