Year: 2025

  • Tracker: Article III federal judicial nominations by president by days in office since 2001

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    There were 48 vacancies out of 890 authorized federal judicial posts as of July 31, 2025. Forty-seven of those were for Article III judgeships. This report is limited to Article III courts, where appointees are confirmed to lifetime judgeships. Since June 15, 2025: By July 31, 2025—193 days in office—President Donald Trump (R) had nominated…

  • Rep. Danny Davis becomes the fifth member of Illinois’ congressional delegation to announce their retirement

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    Rep. Danny Davis (D-Ill.) announced on July 31, 2025, that he will not seek re-election to the U.S. House of Representatives in 2026. On his retirement, Davis said, “The road has not always been the easiest, but I tell you I’ve had so much fun doing this job, I would do it for nothing.” While…

  • President Donald Trump (R) ends June with 44% approval, down one point from last month

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    Image of the south facade of the White House.

    At the end of July, approval polling averages showed President Donald Trump (R) at 44% approval. Fifty-three percent of voters disapproved of his performance. This is the lowest approval rating he’s received during his presidency. He last received this approval rating in June. The highest approval rating Trump has received is 54%, last seen on…

  • Thirteen states could consider redrawing congressional boundaries before the 2026 midterms

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    Welcome to the Monday, August 4, Brew.  By: Briana Ryan Here’s what’s in store for you as you start your day: Thirteen states could consider redrawing congressional boundaries before the 2026 midterms While states must redraw district boundaries through congressional redistricting after every 10-year census, at least 13 states must, are considering, or may be…

  • The Ballot Bulletin: Ballotpedia’s Weekly Digest on Election Administration, August 1, 2025

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    Welcome to The Ballot Bulletin: Ballotpedia’s Weekly Digest on Election Administration. Every Friday, we deliver the latest updates on election policy around the country, including nationwide trends and recent legislative activity.  In this week’s Ballot Bulletin, we cover eight bills state legislatures acted on in the past week. Weekly highlights The big takeaways from the…

  • ICYMI: Top stories of the week

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    The school year is about to begin—see how much your district received in federal pandemic relief   Between 2020 and 2021, Congress provided roughly $190 billion in aid to K-12 school districts as part of a program called Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief (ESSER). As students around the country prepare to go back to school…

  • Which states let primary losers run in the general election?

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    Welcome to the Friday, Aug. 1, 2025, Brew.  By: Lara Bonatesta Here’s what’s in store for you as you start your day: Which states let primary losers run in the general election? On July 14, Former New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo (D) announced that he would run as a third-party candidate for New York City…

  • 29% of last July’s elections were uncontested

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    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…

  • All candidates for port commission in Port of Skagit, Wash. complete Ballotpedia’s Candidate Connection survey

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    All candidates running in the special primary for Skagit Port Commission District 2 —Keith Chaplin, Melanie Mankamyer, and Edwin Stickle—completed Ballotpedia’s Candidate Connection survey. These survey responses allow voters to hear directly from candidates about what motivates them to run for office. All survey respondents are asked to tell voters what areas of public policy…

  • All candidates for city council in Renton, Wash., complete Ballotpedia’s Candidate Connection survey

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    All candidates running in the primary for Renton City Council Position 2—Mary Clymer, Raman Mann, and Carmen Rivera—completed Ballotpedia’s Candidate Connection survey. These survey responses allow voters to hear directly from candidates about what motivates them to run for office. All survey respondents are asked to tell voters about their three key campaign messages. In…