Thread by @Taniel

November 3rd has a mountain of important elections that could upend the criminal legal system & mass incarceration.

These often fly under radar, or stakes are opaque.

We at @theappeal's Political Report have planned a big series on these. I'll keep track here, in this thread.

1️⃣ Oregon could become the first state to decriminalize drug possession with its Measure 110 referendum.

@ZachWritesStuff reports on what this would look like: theappeal.org/politicalrepor…

2️⃣ DeKalb County, IL, has a prosecutor's race: The Dem challenger to the GOP prosecutor took part in protests, & is running against Trump's messaging that the tougher-on-crime policies are what is necessary to fuel public safety. I talked to her about why: theappeal.org/politicalrepor…

3️⃣ & 4️⃣: Two of the biggest progressive winners in DA primaries (Worrell in Orlando, & Garza in Austin) are favored in the general election. Still, both face opponents they'll need to get thru.

Florida context: theappeal.org/politicalrepor…

Texas context: theappeal.org/politicalrepor…

5️⃣ & 6️⃣ Two very populous counties in the Atlanta suburbs — Cobb & Gwinnett — have been bastions of pro-ICE policies. But now they're also trending blue.

And @TimothyJPratt reports that their two sheriff's races could considerably roll back ICE's power. theappeal.org/politicalrepor…

7️⃣ Summer's BLM protests echoed in many ways demands & demonstrations already ongoing in Charleston, South Carolina.

Now the area is electing its new DA, and a challenger wants to confront racial injustice by "shutting off the mass incarceration mindset." theappeal.org/politicalrepor…

8️⃣ Cincinnati has emerged as an epicenter for the death penalty nationally, despite some emerging GOP pushback there.

The prosecutor's race this year could end that, @rmc031 reports. Biggest election on the death penalty this year?
theappeal.org/politicalrepor…

9️⃣ The Maricopa County sheriff's office was nation's most infamous under Joe Arpaio. In his comeback bid, Arpaio lost the GOP primary in August.

But, @jerryiannelli reports, the GOP nominee is Arpaio's longtime deputy -- and tied to a lot that took place. theappeal.org/politicalrepor…