Gov. Matt Bevin executed a writ of election to fill the vacant Senate 38th District seat.

The special election will be held on Tuesday, January 14, 2020.

The seat became vacant after Sen. Dan Seum resigned effective November 16.

A replacement map for North Carolina’s congressional districts was finalized with new lines drawn to address alleged extreme partisan bias.

The map was redrawn after state judges blocked lines drawn in 2016 from being used next year.

The judges ruled there was enough evidence of partisan gerrymandering to make it likely that the 2016 map violated the state constitution.

The voters whose legal challenge led to the new map went to court immediately to oppose the newly drawn map.

However, the North Carolina Supreme Court refused to fast-track the redistricting appeal.

Without a bypass to the state Supreme Court, any appeal would have resulted in a lengthy process that would likely not have been resolved until the 2020 elections were over, making a ruling largely moot.

Gov. Jim Justice issued a proclamation calling for the West Virginia Legislature to convene in special session on Monday, November 18.

The session will coincide with regularly scheduled interim committee meetings.

The purpose of the special session is to consider three bills.

The first bill would amend the West Virginia Tourism Act to extend the availability of the Tourism Development Act Tax Credit Program and authorize the tourism office to participate in reviewing, processing, and approving applications.

The second bill would bring certain DUI expungement procedures into compliance with federal law.

The third bill relates to spending authority for debt service payments on roads to prosperity general obligation bonds for rounds two and three.

Also on the call is legislation to pay for the special session.

Interim meetings are already scheduled for Sunday, Monday, and Tuesday.

Gov. Gavin Newsom set March 3, 2020, as the date for the special elections to fill the vacant 25th Congressional District seat and 28th Senate District seat.

The 25th Congressional District seat became vacant when former Rep. Katie Hill resigned amid allegations that she violated House ethics rules.

The 28th Senate District seat became vacant when former Sen. Jeff Stone resigned to accept an appointment to become the U.S. Department of Labor’s western regional director.

A runoff election will be held on May 12 if no candidate wins a majority.

March 3 is also the scheduled date for California’s 2020 presidential primary election.

Gov. Matt Bevin conceded defeat after a recanvass of last week’s gubernatorial election results showed he was still trailing Andy Beshear by more than 5,000 votes.

During his announcement, Bevin stated he would not contest the results of the election.

Beshear will be sworn into office on December 10, 2019.

The Multnomah County Board of Commissioners adopted campaign finance disclosure regulations aimed at changing how money influences politics.

Beginning December 7, 2019, all county candidates will be required to disclose funding sources on campaign communications funded with more than $300.

The disclosure requirements also apply to individuals and entities such as political organizations, corporations, and nonprofits that fund communications in support of or opposition to county candidates.

Kentucky Senate President Robert Stivers created more election controversy, stating the legislature could decide the hotly contested governor’s race.

The comments came shortly after Gov. Matt Bevin refused to concede to Attorney General Andy Beshear, who led by roughly 5,100 votes when all of the votes were counted.

There is less than one-half of 1% separating the two candidates.

Gov. Bevin formally requested an official recanvass of the election results.

Secretary of State Alison Lundergan Grimes announced she will forward the recanvassing request to the State Board of Elections.

The county board of elections will convene on November 14 at 9:00 a.m. to conduct the recanvass.

Sen. Jeff Stone resigned from Senate District 28 on November 1 to accept an appointment as the U.S. Department of Labor’s western regional director.

Gov. Gavin Newsom must call a special election within 14 days of the vacancy to fill the seat.

It is likely Gov. Newsom will schedule the special election to coincide with the March 3 primary election.

The Alaska Division of Elections declined to certify a petition to recall Gov. Mike Dunleavy from office, citing a legal opinion by the state attorney general.

The Alaska Attorney General Kevin Clarkson issued the opinion finding the petitioners gathered enough signatures, paid the appropriate fees and did the technical work correctly.

However, the four allegations against the governor fail to meet any of the listed grounds for recall that include neglect of duty, incompetence, and lack of fitness.

Over 49,000 signatures were gathered in little over a month because of discontent with the governor’s decision to veto more than $400 million from the state operating budget.

The petitioners intend to file an appeal in the Anchorage Superior Court.

If the recall petition is upheld in court, backers need to collect 71,252 verified signatures to trigger a special election.

On December 19, the Fair Political Practices Commission (FPPC) will consider proposed amendments to the materiality standard in both Regulations 18702.4 and 18702.5.

The proposed amendment to Regulation 18702.4 would set the appropriate materiality standards for economic interests in sources of gifts.

Standards would be such that a financial effect on a nonprofit source of income would be considered material if the source is a nonprofit organization that will be financially affected under the materiality standards applied to a nonprofit source of income interest.

The FPPC would also repeal the existing Regulation 18702.5 and adopt new language.

New language would update the materiality standard applicable to a personal financial effect for improved clarity and guidance.

Language would make that standard an objective, bright-line standard, met when a decision would have a personal financial effect worth $500 or more rather than when the official or the official’s immediate family member will receive a measurable financial benefit or loss from the decision.

The FPPC is accepting written comments on the proposals until December 17, 2019.

In a historic ruling, the nonprofit group Equal Citizens obtained a judicial ruling that, for the first time since Citizens United, could restore limits on donations to independent groups and Super PACs.

Anchorage Superior Court Judge William F. Morse ordered the state to impose limits on donations to political groups in Alaska.

Morse said that the Alaska Public Offices Commission (APOC), which handles election enforcement, should reinstate enforcement of the annual per person $500 contribution limit to independent expenditure groups.

In Alaska, independent expenditure groups function like Super PACs. Groups can advocate and raise money for a candidate while remaining unaffiliated with the candidate.

Attorneys for the Alaska Department of Law, appearing on behalf of APOC, appealed the case to the Alaska Supreme Court.

The hope for Equal Citizens is the case makes its way to the U.S. Supreme Court to clarify aspects of Citizens United and how limits are enforced on contributions made to political groups.

The Alaska Senate Republicans voted to confirm Gov. Mike Dunleavy’s choice to fill a vacant seat in the chamber.

Rep. Josh Revak was appointed to the South Anchorage state Senate seat vacated by the passing of Chris Birch.

The appointment created a vacancy in the South Anchorage state House of Representatives seat.

District 25 Republicans are expected to create a list of nominees for Gov. Dunleavy to make a selection to fill the vacancy.

On Monday, October 28, a state court blocked the use of current congressional districts in North Carolina for the 2020 elections.

The ruling could lead to the drawing of new districts that would make several Republican-held districts far more competitive.

A panel of three Superior Court judges issued a preliminary injunction preventing elections under the district lines, starting with the March 3 primary.

The judges ruled that voters had a strong likelihood of winning a lawsuit that argued Republicans unlawfully manipulated district lines for partisan gain.

The judges gave no date by which a new map must be drawn.

However, the judges suggested lawmakers could redraw them on their own quickly to ensure congressional primaries be held as scheduled.

The State Board of Elections has said lines needed to be finalized by Dec. 15.

Gov. Larry Hogan has set February 4, 2020, as the date for the special primary election to fill the vacant 7th Congressional District seat.

The seat is vacant after Rep. Elijah Cummings passed away earlier this month.

The special general election to fill the remainder of Rep. Cumming’s term will be held on April 28, 2020; the same day as Maryland’s regularly scheduled primary election.