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RandySF's JournalHouse Democrats bringing Jeffrey Epstein survivors to Trump's State of the Union speech
At least half a dozen House Democrats have invited survivors of Jeffrey Epstein to be their guests at President Donald Trump's State of the Union address Tuesday night.
They include Rep. Ro Khanna, D-Calif., one of the authors of the Epstein Transparency Act, the law that has resulted in the release of millions of files related to the politically connected financier.
Khanna said in a statement he's bringing Haley Robson, who has said Epstein trafficked her starting when she was 16, as his guest to the address to a joint session of Congress.
“Haley’s courageous fight is proof that this isn’t about politics, it’s about exposing America’s two-tiered system of justice and bringing accountability to the Epstein class involved in the horrific abuse of young girls," Khanna said. "She and her fellow survivors’ bravery was the catalyst for changing a rotten system and finally standing up for humanity and American values.”
https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/congress/house-democrats-bringing-jeffrey-epstein-survivors-trumps-state-union-rcna260285
Memphis' first partisan school board election draws no Republican candidates
Memphis Democrats will choose from a crowded candidate pool for the first partisan school board primary in May, but no Republicans will be in the race.
After months of back-and-forth votes and legal debates, the could’ve-been mega-election for the school board is no longer. Only four races will be on the ballot after the Shelby County Chancery Court ruled on Feb. 9 that putting all nine seats up for election, as the county government intended, is against state law.
The open board seats for Districts 1 and 9 will be decided by the May 5 primary, since only Democratic candidates met the qualifying petition deadline last Thursday. Districts 6 and 8 each have one Independent challenger, meaning voters will have to choose between them and the Democratic candidate in a general election on August 6.
The Shelby County Republicans voted last spring to usher in a partisan primary, hoping to capitalize on growing frustration with the current school board. Vice Chairman Luke Cymbal said in the fall that he expected to win at least two board seats by backing candidates who supported the state takeover of MSCS.
https://www.chalkbeat.org/tennessee/2026/02/23/memphis-2026-partisan-primary-draws-no-republican-candidates/
Frisco city council election recount confirms original winner
The recount for the Frisco City Council Place 1 special election is complete — and confirms the original results.
Mark Piland asked for a recount of the results last week after Ann Anderson won by 110 votes. The city confirmed Monday the audit found no discrepancies in the ballots.
KERA reached out to Piland for comment and will update this story with any response.
The city held the special election last month after the current member, John Keating, stepped down to run for mayor.
https://www.keranews.org/news/2026-02-23/frisco-city-council-election-recount-confirms-original-winner?_amp=true
School levies, drainage district pass in February special election
Several ballot measures passed in the February 2026 special election, which was certified on Friday, including school levies and the formation of the Ocean City drainage district. Only bonds to improve safety, security and school facilities in McCleary failed to pass.
The vote count was last updated Friday, Feb. 20 at 11:59 p.m. Of the 30,618 registered voters in Grays Harbor County, 9,196 ballots (30%) were accepted.
Bond measures fund capital construction projects and require a 60% supermajority to pass. Local levies require 50% of votes to pass and provide ongoing funding for educational programs that aren’t funded by the state, including extracurricular activities, support staff and technology.
https://www.thedailyworld.com/2026/02/23/school-levies-drainage-district-pass-in-february-special-election/
Early voting surges in Buncombe County, with more than 13,000 ballots cast so far
BUNCOMBE COUNTY, N.C. (WLOS) — With a week away until the 2026 primary election, early voting continues throughout Buncombe County with high turnout.
As of Monday morning, Buncombe County Election Services Director Corinne Duncan said that there have been more than 13,000 early voters. She said these numbers have surpassed the 2024 primary.
There are 11 early voting locations in Buncombe County, which are open until Saturday, Feb. 28. The most popular early voting sites this year have been the South Buncombe Library, North Asheville Library and the Weaverville Community Center.
News 13 spoke with one voter at the South Buncombe Library location, Beverly, who said everyone should treat primary elections as a big deal.
https://wlos.com/news/local/early-voting-surges-buncombe-county-western-north-carolina-wnc-13000-ballots-cast-primary-elections-turnout-primaries-voters-republican-democrat-government-politics
Early voting opens for District 5 special election in Macon Here's where you can place your votes
MACON, Ga. — Early voting has opened for District 5 commissioner in Macon-Bibb County.
The position opened up after former Commissioner Seth Clark announced his resignation to focus on a bid for lieutenant governor.
Clark served on the Macon-Bibb commission since 2021, being elected Mayor Pro-Tempore shortly after being elected to the commission.
https://www.13wmaz.com/article/news/local/early-voting-opens-for-district-5-special-election-in-macon/93-9443c3dd-2c29-40fd-902a-311c887227f1
Sheriff (I) files lawsuit after POST deadline missed amid disputed election guidance
LYNCHBURG, Tenn. — A lawsuit filed in Moore County Chancery Court could determine whether incumbent Sheriff Tyler Hatfield appears on the August 6, 2026 general election ballot.
Hatfield has filed a verified petition for a writ of mandamus asking the court to order the Tennessee Peace Officers Standards and Training (POST) Commission to certify him for the ballot and to require the Moore County Election Commission to place his name on it. A proposed order submitted alongside the petition asks the court to act quickly, citing time-sensitive ballot deadlines.
A writ of mandamus is a court order that tells a government official or agency to do something the law requires them to do. It is not used to punish someone. It is not used to award money. Instead, it is used when someone believes a public official has failed to perform a required duty.
Today’s petition has two parts. One directs POST to qualify Hatfield to run for sheriff and the second part is a mandamus order instructing election officials to include him by name on the August ballot. POST has until next Wednesday to ask for a show-cause hearing to object to today’s ruling. The following week the local Election Commissioner will have a similar show-cause hearing.
https://thelynchburgtimes.com/elections-2026-hatfield-lawsuit/
Pembroke Pines and Lauderhill gear up for municipal elections on March 10
Voters in Pembroke Pines and Lauderhill are preparing to head to the polls on Tuesday, March 10, as both municipalities hold important local elections and referenda.
According to figures from the Broward County Supervisor of Elections, the city has 123,146 registered voters eligible to participate in the municipal election — the first local vote in two years. The latest voter rolls show an increase of about 1,266 voters since 2024, when roughly 121,880 residents were registered.
Democrats remain the largest group in the city, with about 52,400 voters, or roughly 44 percent of the electorate. Voters with no party affiliation account for approximately 39,520 registrations, or about 33 percent, while Republicans total about 28,560 voters, representing around 20 percent.
In District 1, incumbent Commissioner Thomas Good is seeking reelection. He faces former Pembroke Pines police sergeant James Henry and Dennis Hinds, a Jamaican-American professional with experience in banking, finance, real estate and insurance. In District 4, Vice Mayor Mike Hernández seeks a full four-year term against community advocate Elizabeth Burns, who previously ran for mayor in 2024.
https://www.caribbeannationalweekly.com/news/local-news/pembroke-pines-and-lauderhill-gear-up-for-municipal-elections-on-march-10/
Early voting in El Paso primaries up sharply from 2022 as new voters drive turnout
El Paso County is seeing significantly higher early voting turnout for primary elections than in 2022, the last midterm election, voting records show.
Votes cast in the El Paso Democratic primary through Sunday are 51% higher than at the same point in 2022, while Republican votes are up by 35%.
Both parties have hotly contested races for the U.S. Senate. The top two Democratic candidates, state Rep. James Talarico and U.S. Rep. Jasmine Crockett, campaigned in El Paso over the weekend.
So far, El Paso Democrats appear to have an enthusiasm edge. Through Sunday, El Paso County saw 2.9 Democratic votes for each Republican vote; in 2022, the ratio was 2.6 Democratic voters for each Republican at the same point in the election.
https://elpasomatters.org/2026/02/23/el-paso-primary-early-voting-turnout-2026-democrats-republicans/
Who Has Filed to Run for Office in the Flathead So Far?
Candidates running to represent Montana in a slate of federal and state offices are officially off to the races, as filing for the June primary opened last Tuesday.
Among the contests to be decided in June are a high-profile Democratic primary for who will take on U.S. Rep. Ryan Zinke in Montana’s western congressional district; a primary contest between two Republicans for the Public Service Commission district encompassing the Flathead Valley; and several state House and Senate seats, as the Montana GOP continues a longtime debate about how it wants to govern as it has consolidated political power in a historically purple state.
Voters’ preferences on June 2 will set the final contests for November’s general election.
Flathead County has 12 state House districts and seven state Senate districts within its bounds. All 12 House districts and four of the Senate districts are up for re-election this year. Republicans hold all but two of those seats. Only a handful of districts look to have competitive primaries this spring after the first week of candidate filing.
https://flatheadbeacon.com/2026/02/23/who-has-filed-to-run-for-office-in-the-flathead-so-far/
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