8 states overwhelmingly approve noncitizen voting ballot measures
Voters in multiple states approved ballot measures that will allow only American citizens to vote in elections. Idaho, Iowa, Kentucky, Missouri, North Carolina, Oklahoma, South Carolina and Wisconsin all passed the constitutional amendments that will require proof of U.S. citizenship to vote.
Voters in all of the eight states where the measure appeared approved it overwhelmingly by 62% or more. It’s already illegal for noncitizens to vote in elections in those states and at the federal level.
The amendments passed will modify existing language in those states’ constitutions to state that “only” citizens can vote. It currently says that “every citizen” or “all citizens” can do so.
Critics call the change “unnecessary,” while supporters say these laws are critical to protect the integrity of elections.
Some districts allow noncitizens to vote in local elections like the District of Columbia, and a few more areas in Maryland, Vermont and California.
Trump speaks of ‘incredible’ win after projected to be next US president
Donald Trump is poised to win the presidency again. How Georgia, North Carolina and Pennsylvania helped put him over the top. And while Republicans have picked up seats in the Senate, will they also take the House? A look at where things stand. These stories and more highlight your Unbiased Updates for Wednesday, Nov. 6, 2024.
Trump speaks of ‘incredible’ win after projected to be next U.S. president
Former President Donald Trump declared victory while addressing supporters in Florida early Wednesday morning, Nov. 6, as his lead over Vice President Kamala Harris grew. He picked up critical wins in key battleground states Pennsylvania, Georgia, and North Carolina.
“We overcame obstacles that nobody thought possible, and it is now clear that we’ve achieved the most incredible political thing,” Trump said. “Look what happened — is this crazy? But it’s a political victory that our country has never seen before, nothing like this. I want to thank the American people for the extraordinary honor of being elected your 47th president and your 45th president.”
Harris’ path to the 270 electoral votes has become less of a possibility, with most media outlets projecting Trump as the winner Wednesday morning. As of the time this article was published, Fox News, ABC, NBC, CBS, the Associated Press and Decision Desk HQ, a forecasting and analysis organization, have projected him to be the winner.
Donald Trump wins presidency for second time, completing improbable comeback https://t.co/VGPT8X5I88
Trump, who survived two assassination attempts during the campaign, was surrounded by family, Republican leaders, and his running mate Ohio Sen. JD Vance as he addressed the crowd inside the Palm Beach Convention Center around 2:30 a.m. ET Wednesday.
“America has given us an unprecedented and powerful mandate,” he told supporters. “Many people have told me that God spared my life for a reason and that reason was to save our country and to restore America to greatness and now we are going to fulfill that mission together.”
Vice President Harris, who picked up wins in California and New York, did not speak Tuesday night, Nov. 5, but earlier in the evening campaign co-chair Cedric Richmond spoke to supporters at Howard University. He said the vice president was not giving up the fight despite how the numbers were going.
“We will continue overnight to fight to make sure that every vote is counted, that every voice has spoken, so you won’t hear from the vice president tonight, but you will hear from her tomorrow,” he said. ”She will be back here tomorrow to address not only the HU family, not only to address our supporters, but to address the nation.”
Multiple news networks have confirmed Harris is slated to speak Wednesday morning. However, it is worth noting there reportedly has been no concession call yet from Harris to Trump.
Ray Bogan recaps election night from Washington
Washington is going to look a lot different in January.
Donald Trump made an extraordinary comeback. He lost the electoral and popular votes in 2020 after stinging defeats in Georgia, Arizona and Pennsylvania. This time around Trump won back both Georgia and Pennsylvania. He also took Wisconsin.
Republicans also won a majority in the Senate, with key victories in Ohio and West Virginia pushing them over the top. This will give them a key advantage as they work to confirm Trump’s cabinet picks and judicial nominations.
It’s important to remember that the majorities in Congress are razor-thin and nowhere near filibuster-proof in the Senate. So passing legislation will require bipartisanship.
The big question now is – who will be the Senate majority leader? The three candidates are John Thune from South Dakota, John Cornyn from Texas and Rick Scott from Florida.
Balance of power in Congress shifts, GOP retakes control of Senate
As Ray mentioned, the balance of power is shifting in Congress. Republicans will retake control of the Senate for the first time in four years.
The GOP flipped seats in West Virginia and Ohio, giving Republicans at least a 51-seat majority in the Senate.
In West Virginia, Republican Gov. Jim Justice is slated to replace the outgoing Sen. Joe Manchin, an independent who caucused with Democrats. In Ohio, Republican Bernie Moreno is projected by multiple outlets to defeat incumbent Democrat Sen. Sherrod Brown.
How the House of Representatives will play out remains to be seen. Republicans are hoping to retain control of the chamber.
They currently hold a slim majority, yet there are still over 100 races yet to be determined as of the time of publishing. Going into the night, Democrats needed to flip four seats to gain.
Stein wins in NC governor’s race, Republicans see victory in other states
Voters in 11 states also chose their next governors. While Republicans won big, Democrats did manage to retain power in several states.
North Carolina remained blue after the state’s Democratic attorney general, Josh Stein, beat out controversial Republican Lt. Gov. Mark Robinson. Robinson — who made history as the first Black lieutenant governor in the state — was already trailing in the polls, but his numbers took a dive in mid-September after CNN released a report detailing comments he allegedly made on a pornography website message board more than a decade ago on race, gender and abortion.
Thank you, North Carolina! I am honored to serve as your next governor. Tonight, we came together to resoundingly embrace a vision that is optimistic, forward-looking, and welcoming. I couldn't have done this without each of you. pic.twitter.com/3eeGGTVHed
In Delaware, Democrat Matt Meyer wins the race for governor. Meyer defeated Republican Mike Ramone and will take over from two-term Democratic Gov. John Carney.
Washington state will stay blue after Attorney General Bob Ferguson beat out Republican challenger Dave Reichert for the job. The seat was up for grabs after Democratic Gov. Jay Inslee said he would not be running again after serving three terms.
Indiana went from blue to red, with Republican Mike Braun defeating Democrat Jennifer McCormick. McCormick is a former Republican who split with the party after serving as the state’s schools superintendent.
Meanwhile, Republican Missouri remained red. The state’s Lt. Gov. Mike Kehoe is set to replace term-limited Republican Gov. Mike Parson.
North Dakota stayed red, as well. Kelly Armstrong is projected to succeed Gov. Doug Burgum, who also chose not to run again after serving three terms. It is possible Burgum will get a place in the Trump administration.
Republicans will now have governors in 27 states; Democrats in 23.
*Editor’s Note: This story has been updated since our recording to correct that North Carolina did not flip blue as the current governor, Roy Cooper, is a Democrat.
Voters in four states chose whether to enshrine abortion as a constitutional right. The measure did not pass in Florida, Nebraska or South Dakota, but did in Colorado and Nevada.
Nebraska voters actually had two abortion-related measures on their ballot. While the constitutional right to an abortion failed, the other measure, which would prohibit abortions after the first trimester, passed.
Five other states were deciding on the right to an abortion. The measures passed in Arizona, Maryland, Missouri, and New York and is expected to make it through in Montana.
3 newly elected senators, 1 congresswoman making history
History was made in three states on Election Day.
In Delaware, Lisa Blunt Rochester — who already made history as the first woman and first Black person to represent the state in Congress — will now become the first Black woman to represent Delaware in the U.S. Senate.
Maryland Democrat Angela Alsobrooks will be the first Black candidate to represent her state in the Senate.
We just won our Senate race! As a son of immigrants, a public school kid, I never could’ve imagined I’d get to serve as a US Senator. I’m deeply humbled and grateful to NJ and for everyone who got us here. I promise I’ll serve with honor and integrity as a public servant for all. pic.twitter.com/qpuobm9Vf3
New Jersey Democrat Andy Kim will become the first Korean-American ever elected to the Senate. At 42 years old, he’ll also be the Senate’s third youngest member.
Finally, Sarah McBride, who won Delaware’s only open House seat, will be the first openly transgender person to be elected to Congress.
Related Stories
Republicans claim Senate majority, end Democrats’ four-year hold
Maryland becomes first state to protect abortion in 2024 general election
Voters in Maryland officially said they want to enshrine abortion rights in the state’s constitution. The ballot measure only needed a simple majority to pass, but voters approved it by a significant margin.
Maryland’s current law allows abortion. Democratic Gov. Wes Moore signed a reproductive freedom legislation package in 2023 that further protected electronic health data, shielded abortion providers from prosecution in other states and required public colleges to give students access to comprehensive reproductive care.
The amendment does not set any limits on the procedure, it states people have reproductive freedom and “the ability to make and effectuate decisions to prevent, continue, or end one’s own pregnancy.”
“Today marks a significant victory for the rights, dignity, and autonomy of every person in our state, and those patients and their families who are forced to leave their home communities to travel to Maryland for healthcare,” Morgan Nuzzo, co-founder of Partners of Abortion Care, a clinic in Maryland, told NPR’s local affiliate.
Since Dobbs, which overturned Roe v. Wade, abortion has become a significant issue on state ballots. In the 2024 election, voters in 10 states are deciding on abortion-related measures. These states include Arizona, Colorado, Florida, Maryland, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, Nevada, New York and South Dakota.
Abortion rights groups significantly outspent their opponents in these campaigns, raising more than $160 million. That total is nearly six times what anti-abortion groups raised. In Florida alone, proponents of the abortion rights measure have raised over $75 million.
Florida’s attempt to protect abortion access failed in the 2024 general election, the first statewide measure to fail since 2022. Advocates had previously prevailed on all seven ballot measures that have gone before voters since the Dobbs decision, with many states aiming to enshrine the right to abortion in their state constitutions.
Maryland offshore wind project sued over economic and environmental concerns
A proposed offshore wind project off Maryland’s coast is encountering resistance from the nearby community of Ocean City. The city challenged the federal government’s approval of the development and filed a lawsuit against the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM). The project aims to generate over 2 gigawatts of renewable energy, potentially powering more than 700,000 homes.
The planned wind farm, located approximately 10 miles off Maryland’s coast, will consist of 1,143 turbines, each exceeding 900 feet in height. Ocean City, several industry groups and Fenwick Island, Delaware, are moving forward with the litigation process against this development in response to concerns about the project’s impact on tourism, fishing and the environment.
Ocean City Mayor Rick Meehan claimed the city’s years-long collaboration with state officials to address these concerns has been met with inadequate responses. He added that the large-scale wind farm could significantly alter the community’s coastline and local economy.
Environmental concerns, particularly for marine wildlife, are also central to the opposition. Local residents worry about potential harm to whale populations from construction activities.
“We have a responsibility to protect our ecosystem, our economy, view shed and our future,” Meehan said in a statement. “For the past seven and half years we have been trying to work with the State of Maryland and the federal government to address our concerns with this project. All of our concerns were either ignored or considered insignificant. It is unfortunate that it has come to this, but the Town was left with no choice but to file suit against BOEM.”
Just days before news of the lawsuit broke, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) established protective regulations to safeguard marine mammals during construction, including required monitoring, safe distancing, and noise reduction measures. These protections will be in effect for five years, with the potential for adjustments as more information about the project’s environmental impact becomes available.
FSIS issues alert over illegally imported foods from Myanmar
The USDA’s Food Safety and Inspection Service issued a public health alert Thursday, Oct. 24, centered on several meat and poultry products from the Republic of the Union of Myanmar. Officials said these food items were illegally imported.
The Southeast Asian nation is not eligible to export meat and poultry products to the United States. The products include cans and packages of beef, chicken and fish. The FSIS says the items do not bear an establishment number or a USDA mark of inspection.
In a statement to Straight Arrow News Friday, Oct. 25, an FSIS spokesperson said the agency is investigating how the products entered the country. The spokesperson says Barlarlar.com is the importer of the record. Straight Arrow News has reached out to the company for comment.
The FSIS directed Straight Arrow News to its “import certification checklist,” an overview of the steps needed to be taken when importing meat, poultry or egg products to the United States.
The first step being –– “products must originate from certified countries and establishments eligible to export to the united states.”
The FSIS says officials discovered the products from Myanmar while performing surveillance activities at a retailer.
The products were shipped to retail locations in nine states: Arizona, California, Iowa, Kansas, Maryland, Minnesota, Nebraska, Oklahoma and Texas.
So far, the FSIS says no adverse reactions have been reported from anyone eating these products.
This is not the first time this year the FSIS has issued a public health alert regarding meat and poultry items imported from Myanmar.
Back in August, the agency warned consumers about products not bearing any import marks that were shipped to retailers nationwide. That investigation is still active, according to the FSIS website.
A separate open investigation from July involves meat and poultry products illegally imported from the Philippines, another country ineligible to export these products to the United States. The items were shipped to restaurants and retailers to multiple states across the East Coast.
In a statement regarding this latest incident the agency says, “FSIS is concerned that some product may be in consumers’ pantries and on retailers’ shelves. Retailers who have purchased the products are urged not to sell them. Consumers who have purchased these products are urged not to consume them. These products should be thrown away or returned to the place of purchase.”
Consumers with food safety questions can call the USDA Meat and Poultry Hotline at 888-674-6854.
Dolphins’ Tua Tagovailoa sets likely return; won’t wear Guardian Cap
Miami Dolphins quarterback Tua Tagovailoa will be back at practice Wednesday, Oct. 23, for the first time since week two of the NFL season. Tagovailoa suffered his third career concussion during the Dolphins’ matchup against the Buffalo Bills in September, forcing him to sit out the past four games.
With his history of head injuries, calls for the 26-year-old to consider retirement were revived. He says he “wasn’t paying attention to any of it.”
“I appreciate your concern, I really do,” Tagovailoa told reporters during a press conference Monday, Oct. 21. “I love this game, and I love it to the death of me.”
See what QB Tua Tagovailoa and Coach Mike McDaniel had to say yesterday ⤵️
“I think the brain is, it’s just very – there’s just a gray area when it comes to that,” Tagovailoa added. “If you do know that you’re gonna get long-term, you know, disease from it or if you’re not. I just think there’s a lot of gray with it. For me, this is what I love to do. This is what makes me happy and I’m gonna do it. That’s it.”
When Tagovailao was asked if he’d wear a Guardian Cap, like the one Tampa Bay Buccaneers offensive tackle Luke Goedeke wore during the Monday, Oct. 21, game against the Baltimore Ravens, he simply said “nope.” When pressed on why not by a reporter, Tagovailoa said it was a “personal choice.”
If the Dolphins’ quarterback clears the NFL’s concussion protocol after Wednesday’s practice, he’s expected to start against the Arizona Cardinals on Sunday, Oct. 27.
Judge allows students to hold Oct. 7 vigil after University of Maryland denied them
A federal court has ruled that the University of Maryland must allow a vigil planned for Oct. 7, which marks the first anniversary of Hamas’ attack on Israel. The vigil, organized by Students for Justice in Palestine, was initially approved by the university. However, the school later canceled all events for that day, citing a desire to promote reflection through university-sponsored activities only.
Palestine Legal and the Council on American-Islamic Relations sued on behalf of the students, with the judge ruling in their favor.
The court’s ruling emphasized that the university’s blanket ban on student-led events imposed an unreasonable restriction on free speech. Following the ruling, the university announced it would comply and work with student organizers to allow their events to be held on campus.
While the university expressed safety concerns about the events, it plans to implement a robust security plan to ensure the student vigil can proceed safely. Advocacy groups have praised the decision.
“It was as clear to the court as it was to our coalition that the University of Maryland’s blanket ban would have constituted a serious and irreparable burden on student speech,” The Foundation for Individual Rights and Expression stated.
Maryland files new lawsuit over Francis Scott Key Bridge collapse
Maryland is ramping up its legal battle against the owners of the massive container ship Dali that led to the collapse of the Francis Scott Key Bridge. State officials filed a new lawsuit during the week of Sept. 22, against Singapore-based companies, joining a string of claims accusing them of knowingly sending an unsafe vessel into U.S. waters.
The lawsuit follows reports that the U.S. Department of Justice is seeking $100 million over the bridge collapse. Both Gov. Wes Moore, D-Md., and Maryland Attorney General Anthony Brown delivered a message Tuesday, Sept. 24, saying that the companies failed in their duties.
The Dali was en route to Sri Lanka when it lost power on the way out of Baltimore harbor. That power outage ultimately set off a chain reaction, and led to the destruction of the bridge and the deaths of six road workers who were filling potholes during an overnight shift.
The deadly collapse also crippled commercial shipping for months at one of the East Coast’s busiest ports. A spokesperson for Grace Ocean Private Limited has defended the company’s actions, saying they “look forward to their day in court.”
Meanwhile, the FBI is still conducting a criminal investigation. The bureau boarded the Dali back in April, and inspected another ship that is operated by Synergy Marine while it was docked in Baltimore last weekend.
Grace Ocean Private Limited and Synergy Marine are seeking to limit their financial responsibility in what could become one of the most expensive maritime accidents in history. However, according to comments made by state officials, Maryland intends to hold them fully accountable.
“We will not allow Marylanders to be left with the bill for the gross negligence… that caused this harm,” Brown said during the announcement with Gov. Moore.
The deadline for claims against shipping companies is fast approaching. Multiple parties have already filed lawsuits, including Baltimore city officials, local businesses and insurers.
University of Maryland students sue over canceled Oct. 7 vigil
Students at the University of Maryland are suing the school after it canceled a vigil planned for Oct. 7. The groups Palestine Legal and the Council on American-Islamic Relations have filed a lawsuit on behalf of a group of students who were planning the vigil to honor those killed in Gaza since Hamas attacked Israel a year earlier.
At the beginning of September, the university decided it was “best to host only university-sponsored events that promote reflection on this day.” Palestine Legal said multiple student groups had already gotten permits from the school to hold an interfaith event that day, but they were rescinded.
The University of Maryland said it will allow other memorial events or events relating to the Israel-Hamas war to be held in the days before and after Oct. 7.
The school is one of many colleges across the country that saw protests against the Gaza war in April and May, many of which led to clashes between students and law enforcement.
DOJ sues over Baltimore bridge collapse, seeks $100 million
The Justice Department is suing the owners and operators of the Dali container ship that crashed into Baltimore’s Francis Scott Key Bridge on March 26. The accident caused the bridge to collapse into the water and ended up killing six people.
The government is accusing Singapore companies Grace Ocean Private Limited and Synergy Marine Group of negligence in maintaining the ship over cost-cutting concerns. According to the DOJ, the disaster was “entirely avoidable.”
The U.S. is seeking more than $100 million to cover the costs of the government’s response to the disaster and the months of work to clear the wreckage from the waterway.
The lawsuit, filed in Maryland, lays out what investigators found out about the ship the night it lost power twice before slamming into the bridge.
“The electrical and mechanical systems on the Dali were improperly maintained and configured in a way that violated safety regulations and norms for international shipping,” the lawsuit states. “None of the four means available to help control the Dali — her propeller, rudder, anchor, or bow thruster — worked when they were needed to avert or even mitigate this disaster.”
The destruction of the Key Bridge caused economic losses, as the city of Baltimore had to close the Port of Baltimore for months to clean up bridge debris.
“The bridge was a primary route for transporting hazardous cargoes to and from the Port of Baltimore,” the lawsuit states. “It took months to restore the Fort McHenry Channel and reopen the port to its normal capacity, and it will take years to build a new bridge.”
The collapse claimed the lives of six Latino immigrant workers. The families of three of those construction workers are also taking legal action against the owner of the Dali.
Officials have committed to rebuilding the bridge, with estimated costs soaring to at least $1.7 billion and a timeline that could stretch over several years.