Governor Steve Beshear has set December 18, 2012 as the date of a special election to fill the 16th district senate seat.

The seat was held by senate president David Williams, who resigned upon his appointment to circuit judge.

The timing of the election will allow the seat to be filled before the start of the 2013 legislative session.

Campaign Finance

“Result Won’t Limit Campaign Money Any More Than Ruling Did” by Nicholas Confessore in The New York Times.

“It’s hard to follow the money” by Ruth Marcus in the Columbia Daily Tribune.

“Campaign finance reform on Klobuchar’s to-do list” by John Croman in KARE11 News.

“Super-PACs already planning for 2014” by Megan R. Wilson in The Hill.

“Colbert shuts down super PAC” by Kevin Robillard in Politico.

California: “Secret donation hindered campaigns, GOP advisors say” by Chris Megerian in the Los Angeles Times.

Illinois:  “Illinois congressional races belie fears that outside, anonymous money can buy elections” by John O’Connor in The Republic.

Kentucky:  “Three Kentucky Agencies Probe Requests for Political Contributions” by The Associated Press in WKU Public Radio.

Montana: “Montana Voters Overwhelmingly Said That Corporations Aren’t People” by Erin Fuchs in Business Insider.

Oklahoma: “Oklahoma political action committee fails to file campaign financial reports” by Michael McNutt in the Oklahoman.

Texas: “County moving toward digitizing campaign finance reports” by Nolan Hicks in the San Antonio Express-News.

Lobbying

“Super PACs Make Move to Lobbying” by Elizan Newlin Carney in Roll Call.

“Street Talk: Plum K St. Jobs Scarce in Post-Election Market” by Kate Ackley in Roll Call.

“Good news for lobbyists: Cyber dollars” by James Ball in The Washington Post.

“Majority of K Street Lobbyists’ Former Capitol Hill Staff” by David K. Rehr in the Huffington Post.

California: “Tim Howe, longtime political consultant and lobbyist, dies” by Robert D. Davila in the Sacramento Bee.

Ethics

District of Columbia: “Former DC Council chairman to be sentenced for bank fraud, campaign finance violation” by The Associated Press in The Washington Post.

Illinois: “Blago gets ‘booked’” by Mackenzie Weinger in Politico.

Maryland:  “Annapolis To Revise City Ethics Code” by Anna Staver in the Annapolis Patch.

Campaigns and Elections

“Obama’s Victory Is a Win for Big Data” by Steve Towns in Government Technology.

Voters approved an amendment to the state constitution requiring the governor and lieutenant governor to run on the same ticket.

Beginning with the general election of 2018, the lieutenant governor will no longer be elected separately and will no longer preside over the senate.

A runoff election will be held for Mississippi House District 52 on November 27, 2012.

The top two candidates in the special election held November 6 are Bill Kinkade and Jeremy Bryan.

They are vying for the seat vacated by Representative Tommy Woods, who resigned on the advice of his doctors after suffering a mild stroke after the last election.

Voters rejected changing Arizona’s primary election system to a top-two structure.

Proposition 121 would have allowed primary elections in which all voters, regardless of party affiliation, vote in a single and combined primary. The top two vote-getters for each seat would then have advanced to a general election ballot. The proposition would not have affected elections where no party affiliation appears on a ballot.

Voters also rejected a proposition aimed squarely at the judicial department. Proposition 115 would have increased the term length of judges and raised their retirement ages.

The proposition additionally included procedural changes, such as requiring court decisions to be published online, requiring the Supreme Court to send copies of judicial performance reviews for each judge who is up for retention to the legislature, and allowing a joint legislative committee to meet and take testimony on justices and judges up for retention.

Campaign Finance

“Outside Spending Defines Elections” by Eliza Newlin Carney in Roll Call.

California: “California’s 11th-hour, $11 million campaign finance uproar” by Alexander Burns in Politico.

California: “California watchdog only half-way to bottom of Arizona donation” by Peter Henderson (Reuters) in the Chicago Tribune.

Maine:  “Ethics Commission Rules a Republican Candidate Violated State Election Law” by The Associated Press in WABI News.

Lobbying

“2 firms unite in Capitol lobbying” by Mary Jo Pitzl in the Arizona Republic.

Ethics

“Campaigns use secretive ethics process as weapon against opponents” by Jordy Yager in The Hill.

Campaigns and Elections

“One Final Preview of the Election” by Meagan Dorsch in NCSL’s The Thicket.

“5 Unforgettable Social Media Election Moments” by Juliet Barbara in Forbes.

“How to cut through social media noise on Election Night” by Jenna Sakwa on CBS News.

“5 social media questions 2012 will answer” by Steve Friess in Politico.

“Tweet, like, and vote: Social media in modern campaigns” by Rachel Sadon and Leah Yarnshon in TechHive.

“The Politics Of Social Media” by Krister Rollins in WCSH News.

“Social Technologies Changing How the Next Generation Votes (Infographic)” by Crystal Hutter in the Huffington Post.

Lobbying

“Start-ups aim for a more democratic lobbying system” by Jeffrey MacMillan in the Washington Post.

“More banks raise efforts on lobbying” by Carter Dougherty (Bloomberg) in NorthJersey.com.

Campaign Finance

“Former lawmakers sit on piles of cash” by Molly K. Hooper in The Hill.

Arizona: “Updated: Arizona group ordered to turn over campaign donation records” by The Associated Press in the East Valley Tribune.

Arkansas: “State senator’s campaign money went to girlfriend, records show” by John Lyon in the Arkansas News.

California: “Fight over campaign donation audit goes to California top court” by Tim Gaynor in Reuters.

Michigan: “Campaign spending in Michigan hits $175M” by Chad Livengood in the Detroit News.

Nevada: “Dollars in the Desert: Nevada State Senate Contest Rakes in Big Money” by Ben Wieder in Stateline.

Oklahoma:  “Super PACs altering Oklahoma’s political landscape” by Randy Krehbiel and Curtis Killman in the Tulsa World.

Washington: “Big names and big money define Washington state election” by The Associated Press in The Oregonian.

Ethics

“2 top Texas judges on ballot fighting ethics fines” by Jim Vertuno in the Austin American-Statesman.

Campaigns and Elections

“New Jersey to allow voting by e-mail and fax” by Ginger Gibson in Politico.

“In Legislative Elections, Majorities and Supermajorities at Stake” by Josh Goodman in Stateline.

With election day less than a week away, the electoral college is still perhaps the most influential and simultaneously least understood aspect of American Presidential elections. After tens of millions of votes are cast, only 270 are required to be elected President of the United States. Established under Article II, Section 1 of the U.S. Constitution, the electoral college was later amended by both the twelfth and twentieth amendments to arrive at its current form. The idea is that states vote for the President and Vice President, and the people vote for the legislature. This method was essentially a compromise between those who wanted Congress to elect the President versus those who prefered a nationwide popular vote.

Each state is allotted a number of electors equal to the size of its congressional delegation. For example, Ohio’s 18 electoral votes equal it’s 16 members of the House of Representatives and two Senators. With a total of 538 electors (Washington D.C. is allotted three votes despite having no voting members in Congress) a majority of 270 is required to win election. Though the process varies, electors are generally selected by the political parties at statewide conventions or by each parties central committee’s. On election day, voters choose the electors by casting votes for one of the Presidential candidates on the ballot. With the exception of Maine and Nebraska, all of a state’s electors are awarded to the candidate who receives the most total votes. Maine and Nebraska award electors proportionally allowing these states to award votes to more than one candidate.

The electors meet to cast votes on the first Monday following the second Wednesday in December in their respective states, and send the certified results to Congress. Congress then counts the official tally in a joint session on January 6 following the year of the electors meeting. While there is no Constitutional provision or federal law that requires an elector to cast a ballot based on the popular vote of their respective states, most state and party laws require electors to adhere to popular vote pledges. Additionally, the Supreme Court has traditionally held that electors must vote consistent with the results in their states. In practice, electors generally do not go against the will of the electorate. According the National Archives, the official record keeper of Presidential elections, less than 1 percent of electoral voters have not voted in accordance with the popular vote historically.

Essentially what all of this means is that each candidate is focused on a small number of states that are likely to go either way instead of running nationwide campaigns trying to win the popular vote. Based on a number of recent maps drawn from incessant polling and statistical models, there are between 7 and 9 states still rated as toss-ups in the election (FL, CO, IA, NC, NH, NV, OH, VA, WI). Without the electoral votes offered by these states, President Obama currently has between 237 and 243 electoral votes (NV leans D in some projections) to Governor Mitt Romney’s 191 to 206 votes (NC leans R in some projections).

If there is any confusion as to which states each candidate deems vital to winning the election, look no further than each campaigns schedule over the next few days. Both President Obama and Governor Romney will present their closing arguments in each of the aforementioned swing states hoping to turn that last undecided voter before election day. And if you’re still curious, keep in mind that no republican has EVER won the Presidency without winning Ohio, so expect to see a lot of the Romney campaign in the buckeye state.

To learn more about the electoral college visit the National Archives and to build your own electoral map and lay the path to 270 for each candidate, visit 270towin.com.

A federal court’s preliminary injunction has found the state’s 100-year ban on election-day campaigning to be an unreasonable restraint on free speech. The lawsuit was filed by the Center for Competitive Politics, a pro-free speech group. The Center represents Gary Emineth, who wishes to post yard signs on his property, distribute fliers, and discuss the upcoming election with his neighbors.

The North Dakota statute bans any person, on election day, from trying to induce or persuade others to support or oppose any candidate or ballot measure.

The court’s ruling also orders state officials to refrain from prosecuting any person for a violation of N.D.C.C. §16.1-10-06 for the pendency of the case.

Lobbying

“K Street Lobbyists Ready for Post-Sandy Disaster Aid Requests” by Kate Ackley and Janie Lorber in Roll Call.

“The Hill’s 2012 Top Lobbyists” in The Hill.

“5 Wisconsin lawmakers settle suit with groups seeking ALEC emails” by Jason Stein in the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel.

Campaign Finance

“Outside cash trumps candidates’ in half a dozen tight races” by Kevin Bogardus and Megan R. Wilson in The Hill.

California: “Judge backs Jerry Brown, FPPC on Arizona campaign donations” by Kevin Yamamura in the Sacramento Bee.

Oklahoma: “Oklahoma candidates accept corporate contributions, afoul of state law” by Megan Rolland in The Oklahoman.

Oklahoma: “Chickasaw Nation leads state superPAC donors” by Randy Kehbiel in the Tulsa World.

Campaigns and Elections

“Where’s Your Polling Location? On IOS 6, There’s Now An App To Help You Find Out” by Sarah Lai Stirland in TechPresident.

“Federal Offices, Metrorail System in Washington Closed Monday” in the National Journal.

Lobbying

“Lobby shop revenues continue fall” by Catherine Ho in the Washington Post.

“K Street Lobbyists Hit the Campaign Trail in Virginia” by Kate Ackley in Roll Call.

“Jack Abramoff on America’s bipartisan culture of corruption” by Joseph Cotto in the Washington Times.

Michigan:  “Most term-limited Michigan officials stay in government or lobbying” in the Lansing State Journal.

Campaign Finance

“In state races, N.Y.C., Albany dominate campaign donations” by Jon Campbell in the Democrat and Chronicle.

Ethics

“Ron Paul-Inspired Group Lobbies for Bill Prompted by Paul Reimbursements” by Jonathan Strong in Roll Call.

Campaigns and Elections

“Campaign lawyers gear up for nail-biter election” by Michael Knigge in Deutsche Welle.

Lobbying

“K Street flags shortcomings of lobbying law” by Dave Levinthal in Politico.

“Lobbying spending goes up even with Congress away” by Dave Levinthal in Politico.

“K Street prepares for sequestration battle” by Kevin Bogardus in The Hill.

“Facebook continues record lobbying spending” by Jennifer Martinez in The Hill.

“Lobbying Groups Object to Proposed NY Ethics Regulations” by Chris Vest in Associations Now.

“Romney and the lobbysists” by Heath Brown in The Hill.

Campaign Finance

“Citizens United: What Obama, Romney would do about campaign finance reform” by Justin Elliott in the Alaska Dispatch.

“Mauled by Ads, Incumbents Look to Declaw Outside Groups” by Jennifer Steinhauer in The New York Times.

Campaigns and Elections

“Why Are Elections On Tuesdays?” by Selena Simmons-Duffin on NPR.

“Why Campaigns Are Happy Your Vote Isn’t as Private as Many Think It Is” by Nick Judd in TechPresident.

Tech and Social Media

“Federal website satisfaction dips slightly” by Joseph Marks in Nextgov.