The South Carolina Legislature is set to convene a special session in early December to address redistricting.

The House will convene on December 1, while the Senate is set to convene on December 6.

The Florida Legislature adjourned the special session on COVID-19 mandates on November 17 after just three days in session.

Lawmakers approved four anti-mandate bills, which are now awaiting approval by Gov. Ron DeSantis.

The president of the South Carolina Senate announced a special election to replace the late Sen. Hugh Leatherman.

The primary election will occur on January 25, 2022, with runoffs, if necessary, on February 8, 2022, and the special general election on March 29, 2022.

Gov. Larry Hogan has announced a special session of the Maryland General Assembly to begin on December 6.

The session will focus on reviewing the certified redistricting maps presented by Hogan, which were drawn by the new Maryland Citizens Redistricting Commission.

The General Assembly does have the final say over these maps and must either approve them or adopt its own redistricting plan by the 45^th day of the 2022 legislative session, which is scheduled to begin on January 12, 2022.

This does not affect lobbyist reporting.

Republican Winsome Sears is set to become the first female and first woman of color to serve as Virginia’s Lieutenant Governor after defeating Del. Hala Ayala in the general election.

Sears is also the first Black Republican woman to be elected to the Virginia Assembly back in 2001 when she was elected to represent House District 90.

She had also challenged U.S. Rep. Bobby Scott in 2004 but was ultimately unsuccessful.

Former Savannah, Georgia Mayor Edna Jackson wins the special election for State House District 165.

Jackson’s victory was by a significant margin avoiding the need for a runoff election.

Jackson will succeed longtime friend, the late Rep. Mickey Stephens, in representing District 165, which mostly includes East Savannah.

Alabama State Rep. Howard Sanderford has announced he will not seek reelection in 2022 after 33 years in office.

Sanderford first secured his seat in the Alabama House of Representatives after winning a special election in 1989.

Jason Mariner has secured the Republican nomination for U.S. House in Flordia’s 20th District.

Mariner defeated Greg Musselwhite, who unsuccessfully challenged the late U.S. Rep. Alcee Hastings for the seat in 2020.

Mariner’s opponent for the January special general election is still unknown with the crowded Democrat primary race being too close to call.

In a very close race, Kelvin Butler defeats Gary Brumfield to win the special election for Mississippi Senate District 38.

Butler previously represented District 38 until he resigned in 2016 to run for Pike County Chancery Clerk.

Butler had also run for the seat in 2019.

However, he was defeated by Tammy Witherspoon, who resigned earlier this year leading to the vacancy which prompted this special election.

With no candidate securing a majority, the Mississippi Senate District 32 race is heading for a runoff election.

Rob Hickman and Dr. Minh Duong will face each other in the special runoff election scheduled for November 23.

In a close race which garnered national attention, Republican candidate Glenn Youngkin will be Virginia’s next governor after defeating Terry McAuliffe.

Youngkin becomes the first Republican to win a gubernatorial bid since 2009.

The Tennessee General Assembly adjourned the third special session on October 30.

Lawmakers passed several bills limiting COVID-19 restrictions and mandates.

In addition to these measures, lawmakers also introduced and passed Senate Bill 9009 making school board elections partisan elections.

All of these bills now await action by Gov. Bill Lee.

Gov. Ron DeSantis has set the dates for the November Florida Legislature’s special session concerning COVID-19 vaccine mandates.

Lawmakers will convene the special session on November 15 and can adjourn no later than November 19.

Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis has announced special election dates for Senate District 33, House District 88, and House District 94.

The special primary election will be held on January 11, 2022, followed by the special general election on March 8, 2022.

The three seats became available in July when Sen. Perry Thurston and Reps. Bobby DuBose and Omari Hardy resigned to run for U.S. House District 20, a seat vacated by the late Rep. Alcee Hastings.

This announcement comes after three months of delays and a lawsuit filed two weeks ago seeking to compel DeSantis to set election dates.

The delay will result in the new lawmakers missing preparations and the start of the 2022 legislative session.

Further, if a general election is needed, the new lawmakers will miss out on most of the session, which is scheduled to end on March 11, 2022.