Abortion bans, voting restrictions and hateful anti-LGBTQ laws aren’t coming from Congress, but from state legislatures. Republicans overwhelmingly control state legislative chambers. Unfortunately, Democrats have not been as committed to building state power in the same way as Republicans, and now our democracy is suffering because of it. The bulk of laws impacting everyday life are passed by state lawmakers. This November, 88 of the country’s 99 state legislative chambers will hold elections. The exception is Nebraska, the only state with a unicameral (single-chamber) legislature. Control of state legislaturesĮach state has a legislature divided into two chambers, typically a lower House or Assembly chamber and an upper Senate chamber. This isn’t an exhaustive list of 2022 races - other statewide elected offices include the lieutenant governor, auditor, controller and/or treasurer and more. territories will hold elections for attorneys general this fall. The state’s chief legal officer is a powerful position, but attorneys general take very different routes: Some sue other states to overturn election results while others shut down harmful pharmaceutical companies, challenge fossil fuel polluters and protect against voter intimidation. That is changing though: Across the country, “Big Lie” election deniers are running for the office on platforms undermining democracy. It’s an important, but often overlooked, position. Secretaries of state also have non-election related responsibilities that can include registering corporations or charities, publishing session laws and votes, maintaining state archives, issuing land permits and more. In 37 states, this individual is either elected or appointed and acts as the chief elections official. There are secretaries of state in all states except Alaska, Hawaii and Utah. Virgin Islands - are also holding gubernatorial elections this year. territories - Guam, the Northern Mariana Islands and the U.S. This is a big problem given that governors play a central role in the certification of election results. This year, 36 gubernatorial seats are up for election and candidates, many endorsed by former President Donald Trump, are running on election subversion platforms. Governors veto legislation, implement laws and serve as the head executive of states. 2022 will determine whether Democrats can hold onto their razor-thin majority in Congress for the rest of President Joe Biden’s first term. Second, Padilla is in a regular election to serve in the seat for the next six years.)Īccording to Ballotpedia, the Senate seats up for election this year include 14 held by Democrats and 21 held by Republicans. First, he is in a special election to complete the final few weeks of Vice President Kamala Harris’ term that he was appointed to in 2020. Alex Padilla (D-Calif.) in two races on the ballot this fall. (Here’s an odd technicality: California voters, don’t be surprised if you see Sen. When are midterm elections 2022 plus#This November, there are 34 seats up for their regularly scheduled elections, plus one special election due to Sen. Consequently, senators serve six-year terms that rotate one-third of the chamber’s 100 seats are up for reelection every two years to give the institution stability. Senate was created as a more deliberative body (which is ironic, however, given its lack of deliberation). While the House was designed to be more dynamic, shifting its composition every two years, the U.S. The Washington Post created a tool to see how you may have been impacted by the redrawn political districts. Then, congressional seats are reapportioned based on those population changes, with some states gaining or losing House seats. Census Bureau releases its census results capturing how the nation’s population (and its distribution across states) has changed over the past decade. There’s an added catch this year - your congressional district may have changed because of redistricting. The seats of non-voting congressional delegates from Washington, D.C. Next year, there will be six states that are represented by only one member of the House on the other end of the spectrum, 52 House members will represent California. The 435 seats are divided among the 50 states based on population. Since these members of Congress serve two-year terms, all 435 are up for election this November. House of Representatives (although some argue it’s time to expand the House once again). House of Representativesįor almost a hundred years, there have been 435 members of the U.S. In today’s Explainer, we review the races and consider what’s at stake for democracy. However, there’s a host of other important federal, state and local races taking place across the country. The 2022 midterm elections take place in the middle of the presidential term, hence the name “midterms,” so you won’t be seeing candidates for president and vice president on your ballot this November.
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |