Latest news with #ElectionCode
GMA Network
3 days ago
- Politics
- GMA Network
Comelec: One-year appointment ban on losing candidates in effect
The Commission on Elections reiterated Monday that unsuccessful Eleksyon 2025 could not be appointed to any government positions one year after the polls. Comelec Chairman George Erwin Garcia made the remarks after a losing local candidate posted on social media a photo with government officials, thanking them for the opportunity to serve again. The post has been take down. Sought for comment, an executive assistant of one of the officials seen in the photo told GMA News Online that no appointment has been issued yet because of the ban. "Nakalagay sa ating Saligang Batas saka sa Election Code na bawal ang kahit anong appointment sa pamahalaan isang taon pagkatapos ang elections," Garcia told reporters. (The Constitution and the Election Code prohibits appointment one year after the polls.) "Kung ano ang nature ng appointment, maaaring 'yan ay debatable. Maaaring subject sa interpretation pero kami basta appointment, kino-consider namin na prohibited. Kung paano nila ide-depensa ang sarili nila sila ang bahala diyan. Nasa sa kanila yan," he added. (The nature of the appointment may be debatable or subject to interpretation but for the Comelec, we consider all appointments as prohibited. How they will defend themselves is up to them.) The 1987 Constitution states that 'no candidate who has lost in any election shall, within one year after such election, be appointed to any office in the government or any government-owned or controlled corporations or in any of their subsidiaries'. Violators, including those who issued the appointment, may be subject to criminal, administrative, and civil charges, according to Garcia. 'Inuulit natin, lahat ng natalo sa halalan, 'di pupwedeng maitalaga sa pamahalaan one year after ng elections,' he added. (Again, all losing candidates are not allowed to hold government positions a year after the polls.) —with Joahna Lei Casilao/AOL, GMA Integrated News For more Eleksyon 2025 related content and updates, visit GMA News Online's Eleksyon 2025 microsite.
Yahoo
30-06-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
How we're working with others to get out the vote
If voters had to decide today, we know who would be Santa Fe's next mayor. Congratulations, Mayor Undecided. We're behind you. Well, at least 58% of us are behind you. So goes the state of the 2025 local election. Council positions are on the ballot, but the flow of candidate announcements has been more of a trickle than a gush. The mayor's race is different. At least seven candidates are running for mayor, with others interested in this political dream of running the city — along with being criticized daily for doing so. An early poll — emphasis on the words 'early' and 'poll' — offers scientific proof that there is no science behind why so many mayoral candidates want a job that so few voters think they deserve. According to this poll, the leading choice is no choice — because 58% of the respondents said Undecided is their pick for mayor. Factor in Ranked Choice Voting — where voters must brush up on calculus AND become a Vegas (Nevada, mind you) expert on gaming theory — and it's unknown if the 'undervote,' 'overvote,' 'skipped ranking,' 'unused ranking,' 'duplicate ranking' and 'next ranked' will keep Undecided from a clear voter mandate. No wonder 'exhausted ballot' is another term you'll find in the city's Election Code. (If you have trouble sleeping, start with Chapter 9-1.7.) Add math to the mad that many voters feel — of citywide issues that seem to be on a constant repeat cycle — and this has the makings of a local election that feels like you're caught in traffic on North Guadalupe Street watching a dumpster fire involved in a train wreck. Jay Baker for mayor, anyone? In a real effort to nab a fake person, the city already has spent taxpayer dollars trying to find the fictional-ish Jay Baker. That's led to another city-induced lawsuit that future Mayor Undecided will need to deal with in another episode of As The City Different Turns. Let's put the snark and silliness aside. It's evident Santa Fe residents are concerned and curious about what November will bring with candidates and Ranked Choice Voting, especially in a mayoral field with many unknowns. This is one of many reasons why The Santa Fe New Mexican, KSFR Santa Fe Public Radio, KSWV Que Suave Radio and Santa Fe Community College are partnering extensively to educate voters about the 2025 local election. Any of us could have gone this alone. Instead, we've agreed to educate and empower voters on the issues, the candidates and Ranked Choice Voting. The election-content partnership — made available free for all — came together quickly because it fit all of our missions. This is a good group of locally owned and independent media outlets. Santa Fe Community College — which will host two forums — and KSFR are well-regarded public institutions with community service embedded in their combined résumé. KSWV brings a loyal audience and strong local ownership to this creative effort to reach voters across media delivery platforms. 'This great collaboration will ensure that our community members gain valuable insights into the election process and the individuals who may lead our city in the future,' Estevan Gonzales, owner of KSWV Que Suave Radio, said in the recent news release about the partnership. 'Trusted local coverage is journalism at its best.' Candidates and voters should save these dates for public forums in the Jemez Room at Santa Fe Community College's main campus: * 5:30 p.m. Wednesday, Sept. 3: City Council Candidate Forum * 5:30 p.m., Wednesday, Sept. 17: Mayoral Candidate Forum Look for announcements in the coming months, including how to watch the forums via livestream or on demand. Undecided could be a good starting point to revitalize trust and transparency in Santa Fe city government. Follow the coverage across KSFR, KSWV and The New Mexican. Join us for the September public forums at Santa Fe Community College. Ask questions, learn about issues and the candidates. And vote.
Yahoo
10-06-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Georgia Supreme Court rejects changes sought by Trump-aligned board ahead of 2024 election
Members of Georgia's State Election Board sit during a Sept. 23 meeting at the Georgia state capitol in Atlanta. Ross Williams/Georgia Recorder (file photo) The Georgia Supreme Court has permanently blocked four rules the State Election Board approved last fall, concluding Tuesday that members of the board exceeded their authority in attempting to implement rules that went beyond the scope of Georgia's election laws. A total of seven rules were approved by the Republican-led board ahead of the 2024 general election, with supporters claiming that the changes were necessary to ensure accuracy and restore public confidence in Georgia's election integrity. If enacted, the rules would have ordered poll workers to hand count all ballots cast on election day, made it easier for local election officials to delay certifying election results and required family members and caregivers to present a photo ID when dropping off absentee ballots on behalf of another voter, among other changes. Election officials and voting rights groups opposed the rules, arguing that last-minute changes could sow confusion and doubt into the election process, and that implementing the new rules would violate Georgia's election laws. Last October, the Georgia Republican Party and Republican National Committee filed an emergency motion urging the state Supreme Court to reinstate the rules ahead of the general election, but the court declined to expedite their appeal. In a 96-page opinion, Chief Justice Nels Peterson upheld most of the Fulton County Superior Court's ruling, declaring that the State Election Board 'can pass rules to implement and enforce the Election Code, but it cannot go beyond, change, or contradict' existing Georgia law. The October ruling from Judge Thomas A. Cox Jr. argued that the seven rules were 'illegal, unconstitutional and void,' and that the State Election Board had exceeded its authority by passing them. However, in a slight reversal of the lower court ruling, the state Supreme Court allowed a rule mandating video surveillance of ballot drop boxes to take effect, finding that the rule was consistent with current election laws. Two other rules that would have expanded mandatory poll-watching areas and required election workers to publicly post daily totals of early and absentee voters were sent back to the Fulton County Superior Court for further consideration. The State Election Board is tasked with writing rules to ensure that elections run smoothly and hearing complaints about alleged violations. The three most conservative members of the Republican-led board — Janice Johnston, former state Sen. Rick Jeffares and Janelle King — made national headlines last fall after approving seven election rules in spite of Attorney General Chris Carr's warnings that the changes likely would not stand up in court. Then-presidential candidate Donald Trump also praised King, Jeffares and Johnston during a campaign rally in Atlanta for supporting changes to election certification rules, calling them 'pit bulls' for 'victory.' State Election Board Chairman John Fervier did not respond to a request for comment on the Supreme Court's ruling. The ACLU of Georgia, which helped represent the plaintiffs, applauded Tuesday's ruling. 'This is a resounding affirmation of voters' rights,' said Theresa Lee, a senior staff attorney at the ACLU Voting Rights Project. 'The court recognized what we've argued all along — that this rule was unlawful and entirely unnecessary. Today's decision safeguards not just the letter of Georgia election law, but the democratic principle that every vote must be counted accurately and without interference.' Eternal Vigilance Action, a conservative election advocacy organization that sued the State Election Board over the rule changes, also celebrated the ruling. 'This ruling makes clear: the legislative power belongs to the General Assembly, not executive agencies operating without proper constraints,' Eternal Vigilance Action founder and former Republican state Rep. Scot Turner said in a statement. As new election laws passed in 2024 begin to take effect, including a ban on the use of QR codes to tabulate ballots, the board will likely continue to draft rules to guide local election officials tasked with implementing the changes. However, this year the board is workshopping changes to the rulemaking process in the hopes of avoiding a repeat of the chaos that defined the 2024 election cycle. During a May meeting, state election board members discussed the possibility of forming a rules committee with election directors, legislators, Georgia residents, and election law attorneys. Rules would be vetted by the committee before being presented to the full board. Senior reporter Stanley Dunlap contributed to this report. s25a0362 SUPPORT: YOU MAKE OUR WORK POSSIBLE
Yahoo
10-06-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Georgia Supreme Court partially invalidates state election rules
The Brief Georgia Supreme Court strikes down four state election rules, citing overreach by the State Election Board. Court rules organizational plaintiffs lack standing; individual voters Turner and Hall can challenge. Chief Justice highlights nondelegation doctrine to prevent legislative power transfer to agencies. ATLANTA - In a significant ruling, the Georgia Supreme Court has invalidated four of seven state election rules approved by the State Election Board before the November 2024 general election. Additionally, it found that two of the remaining rules could not be considered during the appeal. PREVIOUS STORY: Georgia Supreme Court considering if judge was right to block State Election Board rules The three-person Republican majority on the State Election Board, which was praised by then-former President Donald Trump during a rally in Atlanta in August, voted to adopt multiple rules in August and September 2024 over the objections of the board's lone Democrat and the nonpartisan chair. What we know The decision, which partially affirms, reverses, and vacates a previous ruling by the Fulton County Superior Court, sends the case back to the trial court for further review. Fulton County Superior Court Judge Thomas Cox had ruled in mid-October that 7 of the rules were "illegal, unconstitutional and void." The rules in question included requirements for county election boards to conduct "reasonable inquiries" before certifying election results, hand-counting ballots, daily reporting of vote totals, expanded access for poll watchers, photo ID requirements for absentee ballot drop-offs, and video surveillance of drop boxes. The Court found that only the video surveillance rule was valid, while the others exceeded the State Election Board's authority. The underlying lawsuit, brought by Eternal Vigilance Action, Inc. and individuals Scot Turner and James Hall, argued that the 7 rules contradicted the state Election Code. RELATED STORY: Georgia election battle: Parties clash in court over controversial voting rules The State, along with the Republican National Committee, appealed, questioning the plaintiffs' legal standing. The court heard oral arguments in Cartersville on March 19. The Court concluded that organizational plaintiffs (Eternal Vigilance and Georgia State Conference of the NAACP) lacked standing, but individual voters Turner and Hall did have standing. What they're saying Chief Justice Nels S.D. Peterson, in a unanimous opinion, emphasized the importance of the nondelegation doctrine, which prevents the transfer of legislative power to administrative agencies. The Court's decision underscores the need for clear statutory authority in rule-making and highlights the ongoing debate over election integrity and governance in Georgia. Click to open this PDF in a new window.
Hans India
15-05-2025
- Politics
- Hans India
TDP Sets Dates for 2025 Mahanadu in Kadapa, Announces Key Leadership Changes
The time for the prestigious Mahanadu, organized by the Telugu Desam Party (TDP), has been fixed. The TDP Polit Bureau met on Wednesday (May 14) under the chairmanship of TDP National President and Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu. The meeting discussed the organization of the Mahanadu, and the report given by the Committee of Ministers, headed by Minister Nara Lokesh, was reviewed. Later, the TDP Polit Bureau decided to organize the Mahanadu in Kadapa for a total of three days, on May 27, 28, and 29, 2025. It is known that the Mahanadu was not organized last year due to the Election Code. Therefore, it was decided in the Polit Bureau meeting to organize a grand Mahanadu this time. During this meeting, Minister Nara Lokesh presented several key proposals. Lokesh proposed that a person should not hold the same post for more than three terms. The TDP Polit Bureau gave a green signal to Lokesh's proposal. Additionally, it was decided to change the mandal party presidents who have been in office for six years. Those who have served as mandal presidents three times will be given higher positions. It was also decided to design a calendar for the year so that a welfare scheme is implemented every month.
