Volume 30 | November 13, 2020
President-Elect Joe Biden and Vice President-Elect Harris Begin Governing
As of this writing, election officials in Georgia are recounting votes by hand. Regardless of that outcome, three facts will remain:

President-Elect Joe Biden and Vice President-Elect Kamala Harris will have received the most votes ever in a presidential race with 75+ million votes.

President Trump will have received the second most votes ever at 70+ million.

The Biden-Harris ticket will have flipped five states (Arizona, Georgia, Michigan, Pennsylvania, Wisconsin) back to the Democrats and amass 306 Electoral College votes: the same number President Trump received in 2016. And the last time a Democratic ticket carried both Arizona and Georgia was 1948.

As of this writing, President Trump is scheduled to address the American people today at 4:00 pm.
VT and NH resoundingly re-elect Governors Scott and Sununu
Governor Scott won his reelection bid by 69% of the votes with 98% of the count reported. At his victory speech recorded from his garage, Governor Scott thanked his challenger, Lt. Gov. David Zuckerman, as well as his family and supporters. Governor Scott also spoke of the “hate, fear and division” that has “infected” many Americans. “We must confront this with the same force and energy we’re putting toward the coronavirus,” he said.
Governor Sununu won his reelection bid with 65% of the votes at 99% reported. Governor Sununu told a crowd of supporters, “We know that the election can leave bad feelings on one side or the other, but the main message is, those feelings end tonight. Tomorrow we come together as neighbors in our communities, understanding we still have a lot of challenges ahead, and if we don’t come together one way or the other, and we don’t leave the political stuff behind, we’re not going to get anywhere.”
Congressional Balance of Power Tightens
Democratic hopes to take over the Senate chamber have diminished. Currently, Democrats have a net gain of one seat. To win the majority, they would need at least two more. Meanwhile, a run-off election in early January for both Georgia Senate seats will determine if the Democrats control the chamber, or whether the Republicans maintain control, or if there is an even split. If the election leads to a 50-50 party split in the Senate, the Vice-President’s vote will give the majority to her party.
State Ballot Initiatives
Two CONEG states (MA and RI) had ballot referendums for this November election.
In Massachusetts, two indirect initiated state statutes were certified for the ballot.


The Amend Right to Repair Law was passed, but the ranked choice voting option was denied.
 
In Rhode Island, a state Constitutional Amendment to remove "Providence Plantations" from the official state name was approved by a narrow margin.
News from the States
Connecticut
Governor Lamont Approves $11 Million in State Funding for Capital Improvement Projects in 94 Connecticut Towns

Governor Lamont Announces the Release of a Statewide Strategic Plan on Workforce Development Created by the Governor’s Workforce Council

Maine
Mills Administration Releases Report on Strengthening Maine’s Clean Energy Economy

Governor Mills Continues State of Civil Emergency as Maine Fights COVID-19
  
Massachusetts
 
Department of Public Utilities Opens Investigation Assessing Future of Natural Gas in Massachusetts

New Hampshire
Governor Chris Sununu Letter to US Air Force Regarding PFAS

Governor Chris Sununu issued Executive Order 2020-21, extending the State of Emergency
New York
Governor Cuomo Announces $328 Million for Home Heating Aid to Assist New Yorkers During Cold Weather Months
 
Governor Cuomo Announces PSC Approval of Expanded Clean Energy Standard to Decarbonize New York's Power Sector and Combat Climate Change
 
Rhode Island
Raimondo Administration Announces Remote Work Grant Program
 
RI set to double down on offshore wind power (Providence Journal)

Vermont
Governor Phil Scott Announces Pause to the State's Safe Travel Policy, Compliance Checks and Expanded Testing

Governor Phil Scott and Health Commissioner Mark Levine Issue an Advisory on Social Gathering Size
Regional and Federal Updates
October 2020 was the globe’s fourth-warmest October on record (NOAA)

EIA releases November's U.S. Short-Term Energy Outlook (EIA)

Declining Snow Cover in U.S. Northeast Will Have Major Impacts on Rivers, Study Finds (YaleE360)

Maine could show the way on overcoming rural obstacles to electric vehicles (Energy News Network)
Did you know?
New research indicates that snow cover across the U.S. Northeast is declining as a result of climate change, and that by 2100 as much as 59 percent of the region will not accumulate any snow. The study also found that the transition period from winter to spring — known as the vernal window, or more commonly, mud season — is likely to occur earlier and last longer, with major impacts on rivers and forested ecosystems,” Yale E360 reports.