Wyoming lawmakers have advanced a proposal to switch the state’s elections to a runoff system, after rejecting a similar proposal three months ago.

Runoff election systems are favored in states in which a political party holds a strong majority.

Wyoming, a republican stronghold, has seen a divide grow between main party republicans and more conservative candidates.

As the more conservative side of the party grows, the fear of vote splitting during primaries increases.

Oregon Gov. Kate Brown announced she is calling a special legislative session to adopt the new congressional and legislative district maps.

The session will commence September 20, leaving the Legislature seven days to finalize the maps before the September 27 deadline.

Lawmakers have an arduous task during this special session as Oregon added an additional congressional district as a result of the 2020 census.

Justice Michael K. Davis of the Wyoming Supreme Court announced his plans to retire in January.

The retirement gives Republican Gov. Mark Gordon his first Supreme Court appointment.

Currently, all five sitting justices were appointed by former Gov. Matt Mead, also a Republican.

Gordon will select a justice from a list of three names submitted to him by the state Judicial Nominating Commission.

Judge Bloch of Multnomah, Oregon County Circuit Court ruled contribution limits do not violate free speech and are constitutional.

The ruling allows for a $500 limit on individual campaign donations.

This limit was put into place by voters in 2016, along with spending limits and disclosure requirements for contributions in political ads.

Oregon is one of the five states that do not have limits on political contributions.

State courts historically invalidated contribution limits, but an April Oregon Supreme Court decision reversing a ruling barring limits have heralded new conversations within the state.

The Alaska Legislature convened for their third special session of this year Monday, August 16.

Gov. Dunleavy has tasked lawmakers to consider amendments to the Alaskan Constitution relating to the Constitutional Budget Reserve fund and the Alaska Permanent Fund.

The amendments seek to alter the appropriation limits from these funds to help repair infrastructure and aid in the recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic.

Gov. Kate Brown announced Monday she is accepting applications to fill a seat on the Oregon Supreme Court.

Justice Lynn Nakamoto is set to retire December 31 and the new appointee will fill the vacancy on January 1, 2022.

The 9^th Circuit Court of Appeals struck down three provisions of Alaska’s campaign finance law.

In Thompson Vs. Hebdon the plaintiffs challenged four of the state’s finance contribution restrictions.

After being remanded back to the 9^th Circuit Court of Appeals Court from the United States Supreme Court, the 2-1 panel rejected the $500 per-year limit on the amount of money an Alaskan can contribute to a particular candidate, the $500 per-year limit on contributions to a particular political group, and the $3,000 limit on the amount of money a candidate can accept from all out-of-state donors combined in a given year.

Until the legislature passes a new restriction, individuals may give unlimited amounts to Alaskan politicians.

Oregon State Rep. Gary Leif passed away this Thursday, having served as the representative of House District 2 since 2018.

Before being appointed, he was elected as the Douglas County commissioner in 2016.

Commissioners from Douglas, Jackson, and Josephine counties will select a replacement from a list of nominees gathered by the Oregon Republican Party.

The California Fair Political Practices Commission (FPPC) met on July 15 to discuss new regulations concerning behested payments.

A campaign finance watchdog report noted in a report there has be a substantial rise in donations to charities that have a connection to a candidate or committee via behested payments.

Currently, there are no reporting requirements if a donation is given to a charity that has ties with a candidate or committee.

The pending regulations seek to shed light on who is making these donations and what candidate or committee is tied to the charity receiving the donation.

The FPPC only has the regulatory authority to make rules that require disclosure, any rules prohibiting such donations must come from the Legislature.

Formal voting and hearings over the proposed regulations are set to occur in September.

Idaho is slated to start its redistricting process this September.

Based on the most recent Census, Idaho gained an additional congressional district, bringing their total up to two.

Legislators will be tasked with dividing the state into two congressional districts and redrawing the state’s 35 legislative districts.

Legislative and party leaders appoint six members, three Republicans and three Democrats, to the Citizen Committee for Reapportionment to approve the newly drawn maps.

It takes at least four votes to approve a map.

Once the Citizen Committee for Reapportionment holds its first meeting, it has 90 days to adopt the newly drawn maps.

Montana Gov. Gianforte signed a bill raising contribution limits to state candidates.

Senate Bill 224 raises the limit to $1,000 for candidates filed jointly for the office of governor and lieutenant governor; $700 for a candidate to be elected for state office in a statewide election; and $400 for a candidate for any other public office.

The bill also amends the definitions of contribution and expenditure to exclude the use of a person’s real property for a fundraising reception or other political event.

The bill is effective October 1.

The Alaska Legislature adjourned a second special session June 28.

Legislators came to an agreement changing the effective date of the state budget, allowing Alaska to avoid a government shutdown.

A third special session will take place some time in August.

The monthly report for legislative lobbying during June is due by July 31.

Montana District Court Judge Michael Menahan said he will temporarily block the implementation of two sections of Senate Bill 319.

The bill was amended late, with the amendment adding the two sections in question.

One amendment revised how political committees could operate on college campuses.

The other amendment prohibited judges from presiding over a case if they had received campaign contributions of $91 or more from a party within a six-year timespan.

Judge Menahan intends to issue the order sometime before July 1.

California Secretary of State Shirley Weber announced the recall campaign against Gov. Gavin Newsom had enough signatures to move forward.

The recall effort was able to collect 1,719,900 signatures for the election.

The election will most likely take place in October or November 2021.