Throughout July, Ballotpedia covered 31 elections in 11 states, 29% of which were uncontested.

That’s down from June, when 70% of the 896 elections covered were uncontested.

Ballotpedia defines an uncontested election as one where the number of candidates running is less than or equal to the number of seats up for election. This analysis does not account for write-in candidates.

Iowa had the highest rate of uncontested elections, with a single special election being uncontested. Rhode Island followed with 67% of its races uncontested (two of three), and Arizona had 60% (three of five). South Carolina had a lower proportion, with 22% of its nine races uncontested (two of nine).

In contrast, several states had no uncontested races among those covered. These included California, the District of Columbia, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, and Missouri, each with one to five races covered.

July’s rate of uncontested elections was less than the 64% average rate identified between 2018 and 2024.

It also brings the year-to-date rate of uncontested elections to 75%. 

For comparison, since 2018, each year has had more elections uncontested than contested except for one, in 2021, when 50.4% of the elections Ballotpedia covered were contested.

Click on the link below to learn more about uncontested elections nationwide last month and in all previous months through 2025.