ICYMI: Top stories of the week


Season’s greetings! As we wrap up the 12 Days of Ballotpedia, we want to express our heartfelt gratitude for your support. 

Throughout this time, we have shone a light on various facets of Ballotpedia’s mission and work. We aimed to demonstrate how our work impacts our readers, providing them with accurate and trustworthy information about politics and policy. This initiative was an opportunity to highlight the importance of being well-informed in today’s world.

As we look ahead to 2024, a year brimming with potential, your support becomes even more crucial. It is your partnership that enables us to sustain this vital work and continue to expand our reach. We are committed to bringing you top-notch information on politics and policy, and your encouragement is the driving force behind our efforts.

To keep this momentum going and to be a part of our journey in the coming year, please visit donate.ballotpedia.org/12daysofballotpedia to support Ballotpedia’s initiatives. Every contribution helps us make a larger impact.

Once again, thank you for being a part of the Ballotpedia family. We eagerly anticipate what 2024 will bring and are excited to have you with us on this journey. Your support doesn’t just help us grow—it inspires and energizes our entire team.


Chocolate Chip Cookie wins third nonconsecutive term as Ballotpedia’s Holiday Cookie

This year’s race was close enough to have many of us hanging on the edge of our seats. With 100% of precincts reporting, a winner has emerged: Chocolate Chip Cookie wins Ballotpedia’s 2023 Holiday Cookie Election with 39.6% of the vote.

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A year-end look at the state of election administration legislation

This week we took a step back to look at what happened in the world of election administration in 2023.

Click the link below for the full report. We explore bills related to RCV, ballot access, private funding bans, election audits and qualifications for auditors, photo ID requirements, and noncitizen voting

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Nearly half of seats in Kansas’ school board elections uncontested in 2023

Ballotpedia covered every school board election in seven states on Nov. 7: Colorado, Kansas, Minnesota, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Virginia, and Washington. This week we took a look at Kansas. 

Of the 1,160 school board seats up for election, 579 (49.9%) were uncontested. Overall, Republicans won 901 seats (78%), Democrats won 145 (13%), and independent or minor party candidates won 102 (9%). There were 12 winners (1%) whose affiliations we couldn’t identify.

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