The Republican Party of Wisconsin postponed its annual state convention from May to July because of the coronavirus pandemic.

The convention will now take place over two days instead of three on July 10-11 in Green Bay.

State Democrats have already changed their convention to one day, June 12, in Wisconsin Dells.

Additionally, the party will decide by May 1 whether it will be in-person or change to a virtual event.

The special election to fill two vacancies on the Board of Aldermen, originally scheduled for May 19, has been postponed to June 23 by a state appeals court panel.

Mayor Lyda Krewson had requested the Board of Elections postpone the special election in wards 4 and 12 due to the coronavirus pandemic.

The board had to go to court to reschedule as, under city charter requirements, May 19 was the latest possible date for voting in Ward 4.

Additionally May 26 the latest date allowed in Ward 12.

The Iowa Ethics and Campaign Disclosure Board issued a reminder for campaign disclosure report due dates.

Reports for the period of January 1 through May 14 are due no later than 4:30 pm on May 19.

Although the board is working remotely during the disaster proclamation, because reports are filed electronically, filing deadlines have not changed.

The 154th regular session of the General Assembly adjourned sine die on April 16.

The Republican supermajority in both the House and Senate voted to override Gov. Andy Beshear’s veto of Senate Bill 2.

Senate bill 2 requires voters to present government-issued photo identification in order to cast a ballot beginning with the November general election.

Additionally, a passed bill proposing a constitutional amendment will appear on the November ballot.

The amendment will increase the term of office for district judges from four years to eight years beginning in 2022.

St. Louis Mayor Lyda Krewson has requested the Board of Elections postpone the special elections currently scheduled for May 19.

The elections are to fill two vacancies on the Board of Aldermen.

The death of Ward 4 Alderman Sam Moore on February 25, and the resignation of Ward 12 Alderman Larry Arnowitz on March 3 caused, the two vacancies.

The Senate confirmed the appointment of Robert C. Cook of Ashland to the Missouri Ethics Commission.

Confirmation happened on April 8, ending three weeks of limbo.

The commission had been unable to meet or take any action after the terms of three of its six members expired on March 15 because commissioners cannot serve once their terms expire.

The Kentucky General Assembly’s 2020 session will reconvene on April 14, one day earlier than previously announced.

Lawmakers will consider overriding vetoes cast by Gov. Andy Beshear.

The governor’s time to veto recently passed bills expires on April 13.

Lawmakers also have the option to convene on April 15, the latest possible day they can meet in regular session this year under state constitution guidelines.

The Legislative Council of Iowa met virtually to suspend the legislative session until April 30.

The council makes rules when the legislative body isn’t in session.

The suspension comes due to concerns over the increasing number of coronavirus cases in the state.

Lawmakers have not passed a budget for next year and the current fiscal year ends June 30, but a bill passed in March before the session’s suspension extends this year’s budget through the end of August.

This does not affect lobbyist reporting.

Gov. Gretchen Whitmer announced today a special primary election will be held August 4.

The purpose will be to fill the vacant seat in House District 4 of former State Rep. Isaac Robinson, who died March 29.

The special election for the seat will be held with the general election on November 3.

The Board of Ethics is extending the first quarterly report filing deadline from April 20 to June 1 due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

First quarter reports cover the period from January 1 to March 31 and must be filed even if there was no activity.

In addition, 2020 mandatory online lobbyist training has not been posted and the training deadline has been extended past June 30.

The Lobby Registration Commission is extending the first period activity report filing deadline from May 31 to July 15.

First period activity reports cover the period from November 1, 2019, to April 30, 2020.

Any late fees imposed for reports filed June 1 to July 15 will be waived, but reports filed after July 15 will be subject to late fees.

The Lobby Registration Commission staff will continue to work from home in compliance with Executive Order 20-18, issued by Gov. Eric Holcomb to extend Indiana’s stay-at-home order until April 20.

The Joint Commission on Ethics and Lobbying Reform missed the March 31 deadline for submitting their draft report.

The commission cited the unprecedented challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic.

The commission was established in December of 2019 to consider ethics reform in Illinois.

Since its inception, the commission has conducted six public hearings, heard testimony from 38 witnesses, and received extensive feedback from stakeholders.

It’s work was nearly complete with the only task remaining of issuing a final report.

The commission last met March 5 and had planned to meet once more before the deadline.

Members requested reasonable date extensions for completion of the report, but those requests were denied.

This leaves the completion date for the report open-ended at this time.

The Wisconsin Supreme Court struck down Gov. Tony Evers’ executive order delaying the state’s presidential primary over coronavirus fears.

The court ruled 4-2 Evers lacked the authority to move the election on his own.

The decision means the election will occur as originally scheduled on Tuesday.

Absentee ballots must be postmarked by Tuesday to count after the U.S. Supreme Court reinstated the deadline in the first coronavirus-related case to reach the justices.

Gov. Tony Evers issued an executive order to delay the state’s presidential primary from April 7 until June 9 because of the coronavirus pandemic.

If Evers’ executive order holds, Wisconsin would become the 16th state to delay its election amid the pandemic.

Republicans are expected to immediately challenge the governor’s order in state court.

Evers had been reluctant to act due to concerns a postponement would be quickly overturned by the state Supreme Court and impact his authority to fight the pandemic.