April 9, 2013 •
Chicago Voters to Choose Jesse Jackson Jr.’s Replacement
Former Chicago Bear also running for Romeoville mayor
Voters in the Chicago area are heading to the polls this morning to choose a new representative to the United States Congress, as well as other local offices. Voters on the south side of the city must pick a successor to former Representative Jesse Jackson Jr. Jackson resigned from Congress earlier this year for personal reasons and has since pleaded guilty to illegally using campaign funds for personal expenses.
The Democratic nominee, Robin Kelly, is the favorite in the heavily Democratic district. Kelly is a former state lawmaker who hails from Matteson, a village in the south suburbs.
Her opponent is the Republican nominee, Paul McKinley. McKinley, who served almost 20 years in prison for armed robbery, burglary, and aggravated battery, is running on a promise to stop the Chicago political machine and put ex-offenders back to work to help turn their lives around.
In another high profile race, former Chicago Bears defensive lineman Steve McMichael will take on incumbent John Noak for Romeoville mayor. Romeoville is about 30 miles southwest of Chicago and has a population of almost 40,000.
Towns throughout the area will also be deciding whether to allow video poker machines and whether to approve multiple bond requests. Polls close at 7 p.m. local time and the weather looks promising for a good turnout.
April 4, 2013 •
Mississippi House District 95 Special Election May 14
Runoff scheduled June 4 if needed
The seat for House District 95 will be filled by special election on May 14, 2013.
A runoff, if needed, will be held on June 4.
The seat was left vacant by the death of Representative Jessica Upshaw in March.
Photo of the Mississippi State House by Shawn Lea on Wikipedia.
Election will fill seat of the late Rep. Ford
Governor Rick Scott has scheduled the special election for House District 2 for June 11, 2013.
A primary election will be held May 14.
The election will replace the late Representative Clay Ford, who lost his battle with cancer in March.
April 2, 2013 •
Tuesday Lobbying and Campaign Finance News
Keep up with the latest government relations news with these articles:
Lobbying
“Street Talk: The Curious Cases of Vanishing Lobbyists” by Kate Ackley in Roll Call.
California: “Special interests spent $277 million lobbying in 2012 at state Capitol” by Marc Lifsher in the Los Angeles Times. (via the Political Activity Law blog.)
New Mexico: “Former New Mexico state senator, ex-lobbyist Odis Echols dies at 82” by The Associated Press in The Republic.
North Carolina: “NC Court of Appeals sends case against former lobbyist back to trial court” by Anne Blythe in the News & Observer.
Campaign Finance
Los Angeles, California: “Our porous campaign laws” op-ed piece in the Los Angeles Times.
New York: “Groups Seek State Campaign Finance Reform” on WNYF News.
Ethics
Connecticut: “Bills to address the costs of blight and conflicts of interest” by Ken Dixon in the Connecticut Post.
Iowa: “Session may adjourn with ethics charges unresolved” by William Petroski in the Des Moines Register.
Texas: “Senate panel OKs tweaks to ethics panel; critics say major reforms ignored again” by Mike Ward in the Austin American-Statesman.
From the State Legislatures
New Jersey: “150 candidates file peititons to seek legislative nominations” by Anthony Campisi in the Bergen Record.
“Expulsions of State Legislators are Rare” in NCSL’s The Thicket.
Elections
“Presidential Election Commission: It’s Official” by Wendy Underhill and Karen Shanton in NCSL’s The Thicket.
Government Teach and Social Media
“The Present, and Future, of Social Media in Government” by Mark Micheli in Government Executive.
March 27, 2013 •
California Governor Calls Special Election
May 21 primary set for Assembly District 80
Governor Jerry Brown has called a special election for Assembly District 80 to fill a vacancy following the resignation of Assembly Member Ben Hueso.
The primary will be held May 21, 2013.
If no candidate receives a majority of the votes, a special general election will be held on July 30, 2013.
March 20, 2013 •
Wednesday Government Relations News
Here is our roundup of the latest articles on lobbying, ethics, and more!
Lobbying
Georgia: “Ga. Senate expected to unveil lobbying rules” by The Associated Press in WSAV TV.
Indiana: “Purdue moving to trim its federal lobbying costs” by The Associated Press in the Indianapolis Business Journal.
Ethics
Arizona: “Campaign-finance case against Horne recommended for dismissal” by Lindsey Collom and Craig Harris in the Arizona Republic.
Georgia: “Ethics reform at critical juncture” Chris Joyner and Kristina Torres in the Atlanta Journal-Constitution.
New Jersey: “N.J. Politics Roundup: House committee investigates Andrews over spending” by Brent Johnson in the Star-Ledger.
Rhode Island: “R.I. ethics panel mulls statute of limitations on complaint filings” by Karen Lee Ziner in the Providence Journal.
Elections
Ohio: “Ohio House panel OKs elections bill” by Michelle Everhart in the Columbus Dispatch.
Procurement
Iowa: “Iowa businesses would get preference on state contracts under bill approved by Iowa Senate” by William Petroski in the Des Moines Register.
From the State Legislatures
“State Legislative Leaders Gather in Washington” by Jon Kuhl in NCSL’s The Thicket.
Term Limits
Texas: “Senate votes to let voters decide on term limits for statewide officeholders” by Mike Ward in the Austin American-Statesman.
March 11, 2013 •
California Special Election Scheduled for 16th Senate District
Primary to be held May 21, 2013
Governor Jerry Brown has called a special election for Senate District 16 to fill a vacancy following the resignation of Senator Michael Rubio.
The primary will be held May 21, 2013.
If no candidate receives a majority of the votes, a special general election will be held on July 23, 2013.
March 8, 2013 •
News You Can Use Digest – March 8, 2013
Here are highlights from the latest edition of News You Can Use:
Federal:
Are Hashtags a Political #Wasteoftime?
Pro-Obama Group Reverses Stance on Corporate Cash
From the States and Municipalities:
California – LA Mayor’s Race Heads to Runoff between Democratic Rivals Who Share Much Common Ground
California – Oakland City Council Approves Campaign Sunlight Ordinance
Colorado – Federal Judge Dismisses Challenge to Colorado Campaign Finance Law
Florida – Florida Legislators Work to Regain Voter Trust
Massachusetts – Cahill to Pay $100,000 to Settle Case
New Mexico – House Approves Bill for State Ethics Commission
Tennessee – Rep. Curry Todd Lived Rent-Free in Lobbyist’s Home
Texas – Watchdogs: Ethics loopholes obscure lobby perks
Vermont – New Twist on Campaign Finance Debate
Wyoming – Wyoming Legislative Leaders Decry Lobbying Tactics
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.
February 27, 2013 •
Wednesday Government Relations News
Keep up with the latest articles on lobbying, campaign finance, and more!
Lobbying
“Web Entrepreneur Tries to Bridge K Street and Grass-Roots Advocacy” by Kate Ackley in Roll Call.
“K Street Files: Manufacturers, Citing Job Losses, Oppose Carbon Tax” by Kate Ackley in Roll Call.
“Lobbying World” in The Hill.
“Lincoln actor joins museum leaders lobbying in DC” by The Associated Press in the Peoria Journal Star.
Campaign Finance
“Pay to play?” by Allison MacDonald on MSNBC.
Arizona: “Clean Elections consolidation bill advances” by The Associated Press in the Arizona Daily Sun.
Montana: “Montana Senate endorses limit on corporate campaign spending” by The Associated Press in the Missoulian.
Ethics
“Feinstein asks court for campaign treasurer’s records” by John Myers in KXTV News 10.
Open Government
Minnesota: “Social media tests Minn. open meeting law” by Brian Bakst in Minnesota Public Radio.
South Carolina: “S.C. legislators wouldn’t be able to keep communication secret under altered House bill” by Stephen Largen in the Post and Courier.
Redistricting
North Carolina: “Attorneys wrap up arguments in NC redistricting” by Gary D. Robertson in the Winston-Salem Journal.
February 26, 2013 •
Alabama Director of Elections Retiring
Will be succeeded by supervisor of voter registration
Secretary of State Beth Chapman announced Janice McDonald, Director of Elections, will retire at the end of the month.
She has worked in the elections division for more than a decade.
Her replacement will be the current supervisor of voter registration, Ed Packard, who has been with the office for more than 15 years.
February 19, 2013 •
Mississippi Governor Schedules Special Election for Vacant House Seat
House District 11 election set March 26
Governor Phil Bryant has set the special election to fill the seat of the late Representative Joe Gardner.
The House District 11 election will be held March 26, 2013.
The candidate qualifying deadline is February 25.
February 19, 2013 •
May Elections May Move in El Paso
Voters to Decide
This May El Paso, Texas voters will decide whether to move city elections to November or let them remain in the spring.
The City Council voted on February 14, 2013, to allow the voters to amend the city’s charter and choose the timing of future municipal elections. The council did not make any recommendation as to its preference.
If approved, the first November election would be held in 2018, according to the El Paso Times.
February 8, 2013 •
Special Elections in Massachusetts Announced for First Suffolk Senate District and Eighth Suffolk District House
Overlapping Election Dates
Special election dates for a Massachusetts Senate seat and a state House seat have been announced by the Secretary of State.
The special primary election for the First Suffolk Senate District seat will be held on April 30, the same date as the special primary election for the U.S. Senate seat recently vacated by Senator John Kerry. The special general election for the Senate seat will be held on May 28.
May 28 will also be the special primary election date for the Eighth Suffolk District House seat. The special election for the house seat will be held on June 25, the same date as the special general election for the U.S. Senate.
The House election is being called to fill a vacancy caused by the resignation of Representative Martha Marty Walz. The Senate election is being called to fill a vacancy caused by the resignation of Senator Jack Hart.
February 1, 2013 •
News You Can Use Digest – February 1, 2013
Here are highlights from the latest edition of News You Can Use:
Federal:
Menendez Pushes Back on Scandal Implications
On K Street, Score One for the Little Guy
From the States and Municipalities:
Colorado
Accidental E-mail Attachment Gets Lobbyist in Hot Water with Senate Majority Leader
Florida
House Proposes Closing Slush Funds, Raising Contribution Limits
Georgia
Georgia Speaker Unveils Sweeping Ethics Legislation
Hawaii
Lobbying Lessons: What Hawaii can learn from other states
Idaho
Armed Man in Security Video is Sorry He Alarmed Idaho Legislators
Illinois
Ex-Illinois State Ethics Panel Member Gets Ethics Fine
Kansas
Labor Groups Suffer Blow in Kansas House
Michigan
North Carolina
N.C. Budget Chairs Change Seats, Start Lobbying Careers
Pennsylvania
Pa. Lawmaker Seeks to Change Offensive Name of Mountain
Rhode Island
RI Rep: Ban lobbyist contributions during session
South Carolina
Ethics Panel Created by Gov. Haley Releases Report
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.
