Election 2022
New state utility regulator wants to reduce rates, introduce renewable mandates
After defying the odds to become the first openly LGBTQ person elected to a statewide office, Davante Lewis intends to use the momentum to take on utility giants such as Entergy and move the state toward more renewable energy in his first six-year term on Louisiana’s Public Service Commission. Many see Lewis’ victory as a […]
Louisiana Democratic Party ‘funneled’ utility donations to climate candidate’s challenger
This article was first published by DeSmog, a global organization that works to provide climate accountability and serve as an antidote to science denial and disinformation through nvestigative journalism, in-depth research, and collaborations with other investigative outlets. Louisiana Democratic Party leaders are accused of funneling thousands of dollars from utility companies to the campaign of a fossil […]
Near record-high numbers of young people voted during the midterms
The November 2022 midterms have come and gone, but there are still some potential lasting implications that could influence the next election season. One is that young people, aged 18 to 29, had one of the highest voter turnouts in a midterm election in recent history, according to our early analysis. Specifically, an estimated 27% […]
Voters approve 3 amendments to Louisiana Constitution
Louisiana voters gave their nod of approval to three amendments to the state constitution Saturday, including two that call for legislative scrutiny of the governor’s appointees to a pair of important review panels. The governor picks six of the seven members on both the State Civil Service Commission and the State Police Commission. Each handle […]
Davante Lewis becomes Louisiana’s first openly LGBTQ person elected to state government
With his upset win Saturday to the Public Service Commission, Davante Lewis became the first openly LGBTQ person ever elected to a state-level office in Louisiana. He is also the first openly LGBTQ Black person elected in state history. “I think it’s important that our elected officials start to reflect the actual people of our […]
Raphael Warnock wins U.S. Senate runoff, giving Democrats a 51-seat majority
ATLANTA – Democratic U.S. Sen. Raphael Warnock will return to Washington to represent Georgia for the next six years after winning his Senate runoff Tuesday, handing Senate Democrats a coveted 51st seat. The Associated Press called the race at 10:26 p.m. Tuesday. By early Wednesday morning, Warnock had 51.3% of the vote, edging out Republican […]
Decision day: Georgia’s whirlwind U.S. Senate runoff comes to a dramatic close
ATLANTA – When the sun rises Wednesday morning, Georgians will hopefully know who will represent them in the U.S. Senate for the next six years. Democrats are hoping to elect incumbent Sen. Raphael Warnock and end their year on a happy note. Though the party outperformed expectations nationwide, just narrowly losing control of the U.S. […]
Public Service Commission runoff draws Black Democrats to the polls
Early voting for the Dec. 10 general election has disproportionately drawn Democrats to the polls for a Louisiana Public Service Commission runoff, according to figures from the Secretary of State. The race for the District 3 Public Service Commission seat between incumbent Lambert Boissiere III and challenger Davante Lewis has become the headliner in an […]
3 more constitutional amendments for Louisiana to consider Dec. 10
After considering eight amendments to the Louisiana Constitution on the Nov. 8 ballot — and rejecting five of them – voters will decide the fate of three more changes to the state charter Dec. 10. The early voting period for the election is currently underway. This proposal would add language to the Louisiana Constitution that […]
Can Warnock or Walker win over the 81,000 Georgians who voted for the Libertarian in November?
What is to become of the 81,278 voters who marked their ballots for Libertarian Chase Oliver in Georgia’s U.S. Senate race? Will those voters return to the polls for the Dec. 6 runoff between Sen. Raphael Warnock and Herschel Walker? Those 81,278 Georgians could sway the pivotal Senate race, but there are doubts among experts […]
Gritty, Elmo and Mayor McCheese for Congress — why do people throw their votes away on write-ins?
Why would a voter write in “my butt” for Congress instead of choosing between Rep. Tom Malinowski and Tom Kean Jr. in New Jersey’s 7th District House race? A variation on this question has bugged me since 2016, when I wrote about a surge of New Jersey voters casting write-in ballots for president rather than […]
Georgia can start voting Saturday after Thanksgiving with state Supreme Court ruling in lawsuit
ATLANTA – Early voting is set to take place in more than a dozen Georgia counties both days on Thanksgiving weekend after the Georgia Supreme Court rejected a last-ditch attempt by Republican groups to block the polls from opening on Saturday for the runoff for the U.S. Senate. On Wednesday, the Supreme Court justices unanimously […]