Every state had big stakes on the ballot. I previewed them before Nov. 3 — and now we know enough to revisit it all.
Here's a new thread on each & every state, and DC & Puerto Rico too. Idea is to encapsulate as much of what went down as I can within 280 characters. Let's go!
Here's a new thread on each & every state, and DC & Puerto Rico too. Idea is to encapsulate as much of what went down as I can within 280 characters. Let's go!
As a first step: Here's the pre-election thread if you want to explore it.
Of course, most of the information here is available on my http://whatsontheballot.com/2020-general-election!
And a series of December/January runoffs, of course, still loom large. The cycle is not over! https://twitter.com/Taniel/status/1308168355371778048
Of course, most of the information here is available on my http://whatsontheballot.com/2020-general-election!
And a series of December/January runoffs, of course, still loom large. The cycle is not over! https://twitter.com/Taniel/status/1308168355371778048
Oregon:—became the first state to decriminalize drug possession
—legalized psilocybin
—Dems flipped the Secretary of State office
—Portland/Mulntomah adopted preschool for all
—Portland's mayor beat left challenge
—Rep. DeFazio re-elected in tighter than usual race
Colorado:—Dems gain a US Senate seat, & a state Senate seat
—Anti-abortion measure lost
—Voters approved Popular Vote Compact, *&* paid medical/family leave, *&* bringing back wolves, *&* lowering income tax
—New reform-minded DAs
—Boebert won
—Boulder voted to curb evictions
Florida—Swings to Trump
—GOP gains US House *&* legislative seats
—Voters approve $15 minimum wage
—Dems gain Miami-Dade mayor
—Progressive wins Orlando DA. "Tougher-on-crime" loses in Tampa
—Pinellas sheriff wins
—Reject: initiative to make initiatives harder, "Top 2" system
South Carolina:—Lindsey Graham wins
—Dems flip Charleston sheriff's office with candidate who vowed to end ICE contract
—GOP keeps Charleston's prosecutor office amid racial justice faultlines
—GOP picks-up House seat (SC-1).
—GOP expands majority in both legislative chambers
South Dakota:—Approved legalizing marijuana
—Separately, approved legalizing medical marijuana
North Dakota:—Rejected an initiative that would have made future citizen initiatives harder (one of 3 states to reject this)
—GOP Gov. re-elected, & GOP grows in legislature
Oklahoma—GOP flipped #OK05
—Rejected a measure to make some sentences less harsh
—GOP defended Oklahoma Co. board (OK's most populous)
—Trump won every county (trend since 2000)
—State's first Muslim lawmaker
Idaho—GOP flipped back Ada Co. commission (ID's most populous)
Minnesota:—Dems flip a state Senate seat, but fall short of gaining the chamber & the trifecta.
—Dems held for Biden, & for Tina Smith
—& for a Justice facing a conservative challenge
—GOP flip MN07, a very Trump-friendly district
—Some municipalities adopt ranked-choice

Missouri—GOP won Gov race, & MO-02
—Adopted measure erasing 2018's redistricting reform
—Cori Bush heads to Congress
—Kim Gardner reelected
—St. Louis approved approval voting, *&* raising tax to fund childhood services
—St. Louis rejects allowing police to not live in city

Alaska:—Approved new electoral system ("Top 4", mixed with ranked-choice voting)
—GOP keeps U.S. Senate, U.S. House seat
—Narrowest GOP presidential win since 1992
—Uncertain if GOP controls trifecta (Dems/GOP dissidents won enough to keep their legislative coalition going)

Washington D.C.—Decriminalized (mostly) psilocybin mushrooms
—1st election since DC abolished felony disenfranchisement
—Council moves left (but the more progr. lost at-large race)

Virginia—Approves redistricting reform
—Richmond mayor wins
—No flip in US House races

Maryland:—Approved measure to strengthen legislature
—Legalized sports betting
—School board candidates that want to get police out of schools do well in Prince George's Co.
—Baltimore approved weakening mayoral power
—Baltimore approved affordable housing, schools, bonds

Montana:—Marijuana legalization wins
—GOP wins U.S. Senate & U.S. House races
—GOP flipped open Governor's race. First wince since 2000. And it's Gianforte.
—GOP grows in legislature. Also wins SoS & AG races.
—GOP seizes trifecta
—Measure to preempt local gun control wins

Kansas: —GOP wins U.S. Senate race. Dems haven't won since 1932.
—GOP defends #KS02, and Dems defend #KS03
—GOP keeps its legislative supermajorities
—GOP keeps Shawnee DA office over reform candidate

New Hampshire—Dems win big in federal races: WH, US Senate, US House
—GOP wins big in state races: keep Gov., flip House & Senate, seize trifecta

Connecticut:—Dems expand legislative majorities, maybe easing path for stalled reforms
—Dems keep all federal offices

Vermont—GOP governor re-elected
—Dems/progressive lose their supermajority in state House
—Criminal justice reformers win elections for high bailiff
—Dems win AG, SoS, LG, Treasurer races
—Biggest shift against the GOP in the presidential race of all states

Washington—Approves mandatory sex ed
—Gov. Inslee wins
—as do Justices he named
—as does GOP SoS
—as does the school superintendent targeted over sex ed
—The more moderates win all-D runoffs for LG & WA10
—No net change in legislature; Tarra Simmons wins
—No federal change

Ohio —Dems flip Supreme Court seat. GOP keeps 2nd, & majority
—Trump easily
—Reformer wins Cincinnati sheriff
—Cincinnati prosecutor beats reformer
—Columbus prosecutor protested over policing loses
—Columbus sets up police oversight board
—No change in U.S. House races

Mississippi:—Legalizes medical marijuana
—Approves new state flag
—GOP wins Senate, Supreme Court races

Arkansas:—Rejected initiative to make progressive initiatives harder
—Renewed sales tax for transportation
—GOPer who targeted challenger for being black wins AR-2

Michigan—Biden flips it.
—Dems flip state Supreme Court (gain one Justice)
—Dems kept U.S. Senate seat. No House change.
—GOP defends state House
—Reformer wins Oakland & Washtenaw prosecutor
—GOP sheriff reelected in Oakland
—Approve requiring warrants for electronic data

Utah—GOP flips UT-04
—Voters approve removing constitutional allowance of slavery as a punishment
—Dems keep mayor of Salt Lake Co.
—GOP keeps Gov, AG
—Trump gained

Indiana—GOP wins IN-05
—GOP wins Gov & AG races
—GOP net seats in state House (but Dems +1 in Senate)

Wisconsin—Biden wins presidential race: tipping-point state
— Dem gains in Assembly; GOP gains in Senate
—GOP fails to win supermajorities in either gerrymandered chamber

New Jersey—Legalized marijuana (easily)
—No flips in US House, incl. Dem NJ7 & Van Drew's NJ2

Maine—Susan Collins wins re-election, big Senate win for GOP
— #ME02: goes for Trump, & for the Dem House incumbent
—Portland, ME, voted for higher minimum wage, new housing protections, ban on facial recognition tech
—Dems defend state Senate & House, keep their trifecta

Kentucky:—Mitch McConnell re-elected
—Very large GOP gains in legislature
—Conservative wins Supreme Court race
—Voters adopt Marsy's Law
—Voters reject doubling prosecutors' terms

Alabama:—Sen. Doug Jones loses
—Voters approve "citizens only" voting measure

Puerto Rico:—Approves statehood measure
—PNP's Pierluisi wins Gov.

Wyoming:—In legislature, far-right surge in GOP primaries, and then Dem losses in Nov
—Voters rejects lifting debt ceiling for some local projects

Arizona—Biden flipped it
—Dems now hold both US Senate seats
—Easily legalized marijuana
—Raised tax on higher incomes for public education
—GOP kept legislature, trifecta
—Arpaio's ex-deputy lost vs. Maricopa's Dem sheriff
—But GOP won DA, recorder, board races in Maricopa

Massachusetts: —Rejected ranked choice voting
—Dems flip Norfolk Co. sheriff's race, a dress rehearsal for 2022

Hawaii:—More centrist candidate wins Honolulu Mayor
—For Honolulu prosecutor, more reform-minded of 2 runoff candidates wins
—Kai Kahele headed to DC

Rhode Island:—Removed 'plantation' from state name
—Legislature remains overwhelmingly Dem, with shifts:
—Wave of progressive wins over incumbents in primaries (they won in Nov. too)
—Centrist (Dem) Speaker ousted by GOP, upends chamber

Nebraska:—Bidens flipped Omaha's electoral vote
—GOP defended #NE02
—GOP fell short of legislative supermajority
—Voters removed constitutional allowance of slavery as a punishment
—Voters capped payday lending interests

New Mexico—GOP flips NM-02
—Dem defend open U.S. Senate seat
—Legislature shifts left (after prog. gains in Senate primaries)

Delaware—Progressives gained in Dem primaries (& won in Nov.)
—Dems expanded legislative majorities in Nov.

Texas—GOP kept state House (no losses), & trifecta
—GOP keeps all its congressional seats
—Win for left for Travis Co. DA
—Austin approves transit $
—GOP sweeps SC, BoEd, Railroad Commission
—Tarrant GOP sheriff wins. Fort Bend & Williamson's flip Dem. Nueces DA stays Dem.

West Virginia:—Really huge GOP gains in legislature (+18 in House)
—GOP sweeps statewide races, incl. Gov., AG, SoS
—GOP winning Treasurer ousts rare statewide Dem

Tennessee —New GOP U.S. Senator
—An ex-Dem lawmaker who'd sided with GOP on key bills loses to a Dem
Read on Twitter