ICYMI: Top stories of the week


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Help Desk: when states can begin processing and counting absentee/mail-in ballots

While all states have some form of absentee/mail-in balloting, some restrict when and why voters can cast such ballots. Upon receiving completed absentee/mail-in ballots, election officials must process the ballots before they can be counted. 

In 12 states, processing begins at some point on Election Day, though the exact time varies by state. In 22 states, processing can begin before Election Day, and in 10 states, processing can begin upon receipt. Click below to read more on the rules in the remaining six states.

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Ballotpedia presents 2022’s top 15 elections to watch

Ballotpedia’s editorial staff will cover roughly 15,000 races on Election Night—the most in the organization’s 15-year history. Our team has selected 15 elections from that coverage to make up our list of the most important, compelling, and competitive elections in the country.

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The answer to your general election questions

Election Day is only a few weeks away! Many readers will have questions about what to expect in elections at all levels of government, from casting ballots to certifying final results. Ballotpedia’s 2022 Election Help Desk is here with answers.

The Help Desk contains articles answering frequently asked questions about elections and election administration. Click below for the full guide.


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Voters will decide 129 statewide ballot measures this November

Voters in 36 states will decide on 129 ballot measures on Nov. 8, covering issues ranging from abortion to marijuana to election laws. 

Five measures were decided earlier this year, and three more are slated for December, bringing the total number of statewide ballot measures for 2022 to 137.

This total—137—is more than the number of measures in 2020, which was 129. But it is lower than the preceding decade’s (2010-2022) average of 164.

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