Each week, we bring you a collection of the most viewed stories from The Daily Brew, condensed. Here are the top stories from the week of July 17-21.
State legislative party switches in 2023 occurring at twice the 30-year average
Last week, Georgia Rep. Mesha Mainor announced she had changed her party affiliation from Democrat to Republican, becoming the 10th state lawmaker to switch parties this year. Since 1994, we’ve tracked 173 party switches by state lawmakers—47 state senators and 126 state representatives, an average of five per year.
19.3% of all state legislator censures have occurred in 2023
Six state legislators have been censured this year—the second-highest number of state lawmakers censured in one year since the first case in 1838. In 2023, there have been three Democrats and three Republicans censured across five states.
In total, since 1838, censured state legislators include 12 Democrats, 11 Republicans (one of whom was censured twice), and seven members of other parties. Eight of the 14 states where censures have occurred have had two or more legislators censured.
Introducing Ballotpedia’s latest newsletter, Bargaining in Blue!
We’re excited to announce Bargaining in Blue, Ballotpedia’s newest monthly newsletter. By signing up, you’ll be able to explore the ins and outs of police collective bargaining agreements (CBAs) with our policy experts. Each issue will contain the latest news, policy debates, and original insights and analysis of police CBAs in all 50 states and the top 100 cities.
Bargaining in Blue will arrive in your inbox on the fourth Thursday of every month. Sign up here to receive the next edition on July 27th!
Californians to decide on repealing Proposition 8, which prohibited same-sex marriage, in Nov. 2024
On Nov. 5, 2024, California voters will decide on a constitutional amendment that would repeal Proposition 8, a 2008 amendment that defined marriage as between a man and a woman. The 2024 ballot measure would also add language to the California Constitution stating that “the right to marry is a fundamental right.”
To place a constitutional amendment on the ballot in California, a two-thirds (66.67%) vote is required during one legislative session in the Legislature.
The amendment will join six other ballot propositions on the November 2024 ballot.
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