Debriefing the 2022 WV Regular Legislative Session — Elections


Brian Skinner Elections, Government & Policy, Legislation, Legislature

By Brian J. Skinner, Esq. After the 2020 general election, many state legislatures have made election integrity a priority. Many states have enacted legislation that affects everything from voter registration timelines and absentee ballots to election crimes, ballot harvesting, and drop boxes. The West Virginia Legislature’s efforts during the second session of the 85th Legislature …Read More

Redistricting: Changes will affect legislative elections


Brian Skinner Elections, State Government, State Legislatures

By Brian J. Skinner, Esq. Recently you may have read about a series of meetings around the state designed to share information with the public about how state lawmakers should redraw congressional and legislative boundaries. Under the West Virginia Constitution, the state Legislature is required to redraw the lines every 10 years, using U.S. Census …Read More

Republicans Maintain Advantage in Control of State Legislative Chambers


Brian Skinner Elections, State Legislatures

Route Fifty — By Kate Elizabeth Queram, Staff Correspondent — November 4, 2020 Democrats in several state legislatures saw their hopes for claiming majorities in more chambers slip away Wednesday as early election returns indicated that Republicans largely maintained or increased their legislative power.  “I think the overall results are a big disappointment for the …Read More

Elections Are Not Just About Candidates


Brian Skinner Elections

By Brian J. Skinner Although most of the discussion following yesterday’s voting is focused on the Presidential race, several states also had referendums on the ballot. Some of the more notable referendums include: Marijuana — New Jersey and Arizona legalized recreational marijuana use, while South Dakota and Mississippi approved medical marijuana. Now, one in three Americans live in …Read More

Weed stocks surge as Kamala Harris vows to decriminalize pot in debate


Brian Skinner Elections, Marijuana policy
Marijuana Flower

Reuters — By Shariq Khan — October 8, 2020 U.S.-listed shares of major cannabis producers surged on Thursday after Democratic vice president nominee Kamala Harris said marijuana would be decriminalized at a federal level in the United States under a Biden administration. During Wednesday night’s debate with Vice President Mike Pence, Harris said she and Democratic presidential …Read More

Are Poll Watchers Permitted in West Virginia?


Brian Skinner Elections

By Brian Skinner, Esq. During last Tuesday night’s presidential debate, President Trump urged his supporters, as he has done before, “to go into the polls and watch very carefully.” The president’s remarks have caused growing concern over potential confrontations at polling places due to deep partisan divides and baseless claims by President Trump that Democrats …Read More

Judge: Multiple Ohio ballot drop boxes allowed in each county; next steps unclear


Brian Skinner Elections, Vote by Mail

  Columbus Dispatch – By Jackie Borchardt and Jessie Balmert –  Sep 15, 2020  Each county could have more than one drop box for ballots this election, a Franklin County judge ruled Tuesday. Franklin County Common Pleas Judge Richard Frye concluded state law does not allow Secretary of State Frank LaRose to limit the number of ballot drop …Read More

Mailing It In: VBM Ballot Deadlines Explained


Brian Skinner Elections

By Democracy Docket A voter in Sacramento, California and a voter in Flint, Michigan mail their ballots three days before Election Day. Each ballot is postmarked three days before Election Day and arrives at their respective local election offices the day after Election Day. However, only one ballot counts. Why?  Under some state laws, mail ballots …Read More

Do I Need an Excuse to Vote By Mail? Not Always.


Brian Skinner Elections

  By Democracy Docket Once you have registered to vote, there are a number of ways to cast your ballot, including early voting and voting on Election Day. Another option in most states is “vote by mail” or “absentee voting,” where the state sends you a ballot in the mail. Depending on your state, you can return that ballot …Read More