April 3, 2012 •
South Carolina to Hold Special Election
Dates set to fill vacated seat
A special election will be held on July 24, 2012 to fill the empty seat in House District 68. Thad Viers recently vacated the seat after being charged with harassing his ex-girlfriend.
The primary election will be held June 5, 2012. If necessary, a primary runoff will be held on June 19, 2012.
Photo of the South Carolina State House by Nikopoley on Wikipedia.
March 30, 2012 •
Highlighted Site of the Week – 4President.org
Here is a website that lets you learn more about the presidential campaigns.
Back in September 2010, we highlighted a website called The Museum of the Moving Image: The Living Room Candidate. It featured a history of presidential campaign television commercials since the time of President Dwight Eisenhower.
In honor of the 2012 presidential race, I’ve found another great site with even more historical information about presidential campaigns. Our Highlighted Site of the Week is 4President.org.
According to their site: “Learn about each election by downloading a candidates issues brochure, reading campaign announcement and acceptance speeches, viewing campaign logos, and analyzing popular vote and electoral college data.”
Starting with the Kennedy/Nixon race in 1960, 4President.org offers speeches from the candidates announcing their candidacy for president and their acceptance speeches for their party’s nomination at the conventions. You can view the campaign buttons, bumper stickers, and even television advertisements. For the campaigns from 1996 forward, you can even see their old campaign websites!
Have fun with this site and have a beautiful weekend.
March 23, 2012 •
News You Can Use Digest – March 23, 2012
Here are highlights from the latest edition of News You Can Use:
National:
Study: State governments at high risk for corruption
Federal:
Federal Contractors Donate to Super PAC Backing Romney
GOP Super PAC Men Seek to Overturn Donation Limits
Insider Trading Ban for Lawmakers Clears Congress
Senate Dems Push ‘Disclose Act 2.0’
From the States and Municipalities:
Alabama
Key Corruption Trial Attorneys to Be in Benefit
Georgia
Atlanta Ethics Nominee Withdraws Name; Legislation to Give City Council More Power is Shelved
Illinois
Democrats Now Press Smith to Resign
Kansas
Kansas Bill Would Allow Officials to Explain Ballot Items in ‘Plain English’
Wisconsin
Ethics Violations Filed against Prosser
Wisconsin
Supreme Court Dismisses Case Challenging Political Ad Rules
State and Federal Communications produces a weekly summary of national news, offering more than 80 articles per week focused on ethics, lobbying, and campaign finance.
News You Can Use is a news service provided at no charge only to clients of our online Executive Source Guides, or ALERTS™ consulting clients.
March 22, 2012 •
South Carolina House Representative Resigns
Special election to be called
Thad Viers announced his resignation as State Representative for House District 68. The announcement came after Mr. Viers was charged with harassing his ex-girlfriend. She told investigators he continued to call, text and email for more than five months after they broke up, according to a Myrtle Beach police report.
Due to the vacancy, a special election will be held following the writ of election to be issued by the speaker of the house. There is currently an unrelated special election scheduled for Senate District 41 on July 17, 2012.
Photo of Thad Viers courtesy of the South Carolina House of Representatives website.
Derrick Smith, an Illinois lawmaker who has been arrested on federal bribery charges, has won the Democratic primary for the state House race in the fall.
For full news coverage, read:
“Indicted Illinois House member wins Dem nomination” by John O’Connor (Associated Press) in The State Journal-Register.
“Chicago lawmaker charged in bribe case wins primary” by Andrew Stern (Reuters) in the Chicago Tribune.
ᔥ Thanks go to Jim Sedor, Editor of News You Can Use, for finding this article.
ᔥPhoto courtesy of the Illinois General Assembly website.
With a dose fun and healthy skepticism, Lobby Comply takes a look into the future:
This week instead of one site, we are highlighting a host of sites. Every presidential election brings with it the desire to predict an outcome. Here are the forecasts of a few pundits (and otherwise):
For the “tried and true”
If you like a voice of experience, take a look at James Zogby’s “Predicting the Presidential Election: 2012” in the Huffington Post. His article presents the finding of American University professor Allan Lichtman, who has correctly predicted the outcome of every election from 1984 through 2008. His vote is on Obama.
U.S. News and World Report’s Paul Bedard and Lauren Fox also talk about Lichtman in “Never-Wrong Pundit Picks Obama to Win in 2012.”
Forbes gives us “Yahoo’s Signal Predicts Presidential Election: Obama Over Romney” by Tomio Geron. Yahoo uses a system called The Signal, which claims to be correct 88% of the time, with a 3% margin of error.
Nate Silver’s Five Thirty Eight blog on The New York Times gives Republican primary projections and so does Larry Sabato’s Crystal Ball in “Romney Set to Dominate Race Through April.”
For the social media aficionados
USA Today published “Can social media predict election outcomes?” by Scott Martin and Jon Swartz, who take a look at Facebook and Twitter conversations as election indicators.
The Meltwater Group gives us this word cloud showing us how much buzz the candidates are generating in social media from “We the People – Social Media Voices on Election 2012.”
PRMarketing.com posted “Predicting the 2012 President” by James Rognon, where he predicts Lady Gaga would win if we look solely at social media connections.
For the betting type of person
There is the “2012 United States Presidential Election Betting Odds” on politicalbettingodds.com.
Electoralmap.net’s 2012 Electoral Map Forecast says it uses “data from the Intrade prediction market, where individuals place wagers on the outcome of the 2012 Presidential election in each state.”
Who knows, perhaps someday a super-computer will come along with a super algorithm that can – with extreme accuracy – predict the outcome of an upcoming election and we could dispense with all of the campaign ad spending and debates, etc. Until that time, enjoy these sites as they cast their predictions.
Have a wonderful weekend!
March 9, 2012 •
Highlighted Site of the Week – The Delegate Trackers
Keeping a tally of the delegates needed to win the Republican nomination in the 2012 presidential campaign.
With all of the attention placed 
on the Republican primaries and caucuses – especially with Super Tuesday happening this week – our Highlighted Site of the Week is a trio of delegate tracker sites.
Politico has a great Delegate Tracker page that can help you make sense of where each of the candidates stands in gaining the biggest portion of the 2,286 delegates needed to win the nomination at the GOP National Convention.
I personally like the GOP Delegate Tracker on The Wall Street Journal’s Election 2012 site. It has a bar graph with the candidates, an interactive map of the states, and even an interactive timeline.
There is, of course, always The New York Times. They have their Republican Delegate Count page and their State-by-State Primary Results page. As part of the NYTimes Election 2012 online resources, you can easily navigate to reviews of the debates and summaries of campaign finance information for each candidate.
Video courtesy of The Associated Press.
Have a great weekend everyone!
March 6, 2012 •
Social Media and Super Tuesday!
Here is a look at Super Tuesday through the lens of Facebook and Twitter:
“Can social media predict election outcomes?” by Jon Swartz in USA Today.
“Twitter and The Countdown To Super Tuesday” by Shea Bennett on All Twitter.
“Romney to Win Republican Nomination, Facebook Says” by Kate Knibbs in Mobiledia.
“Facebook users not talking about Rick Santorum (infographic)” by Emil Protalinski on ZDNet.
“Will Romney’s Facebook fans help win Super Tuesday?” by Athima Chansanchai on MSNBC’s Digital Life.
“Santorum’s Facebook Fans Silent Before Super Tuesday” by Jennifer Moire on All Facebook.
March 2, 2012 •
Texas Primary Date Changed
Runoff Election Date Also Rescheduled
A federal court has pushed back Texas’s primary date from April 3 to May 29.
Additionally, the Texas general primary runoff election has also changed to July 31 from June 5.
A three judge panel from the US District Court for the Western District of Texas San Antonio Division, having entered redistricting plans for the 2012 elections for the US House of Representatives, the Texas House of Representatives and the Texas State Senate, found it necessary to make certain adjustments to the election schedule. The court’s order, issued March 1, stipulates various other changes of filing dates and deadlines for candidates and for voting activities concerning elections of federal, state, county, and local offices held in the state.
The court order also mandates that for the 2012 elections to the Texas House and Senate, a person must be a continuous resident of the district the person seeks to represent from April 9, 2012 until the date of the General Election.
The court’s order can be found, via the website Texas Redistricting.
February 13, 2012 •
Redistricting in the News
Here is a selection of redistricting news items from around the nation.
Arizona: “Arizona submits congressional map to US for review” by The Associated Press in the Arizona Capitol Times.
Colorado: “Political insiders in Colorado organized nonprofits to fund redistricting efforts” by Lois Beckett in the Denver Post.
Florida: “Redistricting maps will spur big changes in Central Florida” by Aaron Deslatte in The Orlando Sentinel.
Missouri: “Missouri Supreme Court to consider redistricting fight” by The Associated Press in The St. Louis Post-Dispatch.
New York: “Campaigns on hold awaiting remap” by Bob McCarthy in the Buffalo News.
Pennsylvania: “With Pa. redistricting plans up in the air, candidates use 2001 maps” by Jennifer Fitch in the The Herald-Mail.
Texas: “In Fight Over Redistricting Maps, Sometimes It’s Where They Play the Game” by Ross Ramsey in The New York Times.
Wyoming: “Wyoming redistricting expected to be contentious” by Joan Barron in the Casper Star-Tribune.
February 9, 2012 •
Illinois State Board of Elections Moves Springfield Office
Effective February 10, 2012
The Illinois State Board of Elections will be relocating its Springfield office beginning Friday, February 10, 2012.
The new address is 2329 S MacArthur Boulevard, Springfield, Illinois, 62704-4503.
All other contact information remains the same.
January 30, 2012 •
News You Can Use Digest – January 30, 2012
Here are highlights from the latest edition of News You Can Use:
National:
Study Finds Compliance Officers Are Highly Stressed
Federal:
Ex-Gingrich Adviser Now Trying to Close Lobbying Loopholes
Gabrielle Giffords Bids an Emotional Farewell to Congress
From the States and Municipalities:
California
Campaign Donation Limits Lifted
Georgia
Ethics Bill Gets Cool Reception in Georgia House
Hawaii
Think Hawaii’s Tough on Ethics? Try Iowa
Massachusetts
Scott Brown, Elizabeth Warren Pledge to Curb Outside Campaign Spending
New Mexico
Protesters Scuffle with [Lawmakers]
Ohio
Cleveland Television Station Covering High-Profile Ohio Bribery Trial with On-Air Puppet Help
Ohio
Lobbyists Sponsor Party for Kasich
Oklahoma
Ethics Proposal Would Allow Lobbyists to Skirt Spending Limit, Buy Meals for Oklahoma Lawmakers
Pennsylvania
Limits Raised on Philly Campaign Contributions
Utah
Gym Fees? Utah Politicians Find Loophole in Ethics Law
Washington
Appeals Court: Top 2 Primary OK, but not recall contribution limits
State and Federal Communications produces a weekly summary of national news, offering more than 80 articles per week focused on ethics, lobbying, and campaign finance.
News You Can Use is a news service provided at no charge only to clients of our online Executive Source Guides, or ALERTS™ consulting clients.
January 20, 2012 •
Highlighted Site of the Week – PBS NewsHour 2012 Political Calendar
How can we keep track of the many speaking engagements and campaign events held the by 2012 presidential candidates? It’s easy – PBS NewsHour has done all of the work for us!
Our Highlighted Site of the Week this week is PBS NewsHour’s 2012 Political Calendar. Did you know that today Former House Speaker Newt Gingrich addresses the Southern Republican Leadership Conference in Charleston, South Carolina? Former Massachusets Gov. Mitt Romney is visiting his campaign headquarters in Greenville, South Carolina, too. Also, Former Pennsylvania Sen. Rick Santorum is holding a town hall in Lexington, South Carlina at 11 AM. And certainly not to be forgotten, Texas Rep. Ron Paul is making a campaign stop at the Charleston International Airportat 11:15.
According to the site: “Our politics calendar tracks the whereabouts of all the 2012 presidential candidates as well as other key events. Check back early and often for updates. All events are listed in Eastern Time. Please credit PBS NewsHour and link to this page if you are using events from this calendar.”
Have fun with this page and have a terrific weekend everyone!
January 16, 2012 •
News You Can Use Digest – January 16, 2012
Here are highlights from the latest edition of News You Can Use:
Federal:
Democratic National Convention Rules Set off K St. Scramble
GOP Uses Citizens United to Challenge Corporate Donation Ban
What Donors? Super PACs Buy Time to Keep Secret the Names of Donors Ahead of GOP Primaries
From the States and Municipalities:
Arizona
State Sen. Scott Bundgaard Resigns from Legislature
California
Assemblywoman Mary Hayashi’s Shoplifting Incident Raises Medical Questions
Georgia
Idaho
Idaho Leaders Ready to Strengthen Ethics Laws
Illinois
Lobbying Disclosure Rules Spotty
Massachusetts
Ex-Avon Worker’s Revenge Attempt Brings $5,000 Fine
Mississippi
Mississippi Court Halts Quick Release of Some Pardoned
Montana
SCOTUS Expected to Weigh Montana Campaign Finance Appeal
New Jersey
Bill to Prohibit Political Fundraising at Government Facilities Wins Legislature’s Approval
New Mexico
Judge Puts Parts of Contribution-Limits Law on Hold
North Carolina
Oregon
Campaign Finance Regulations Go Before High Court
State and Federal Communications produces a weekly summary of national news, offering more than 80 articles per week focused on ethics, lobbying, and campaign finance.
News You Can Use is a news service provided at no charge only to clients of our online Executive Source Guides, or ALERTS™ consulting clients.
State and Federal Communications, Inc. provides research and consulting services for government relations professionals on lobbying laws, procurement lobbying laws, political contribution laws in the United States and Canada. Learn more by visiting stateandfed.com.
