Year: 2025
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Iowa General Assembly adjourns the first year of the two-year legislative session, addresses two potential constitutional amendments
The Iowa General Assembly adjourned on May 1, ending the first year of the two-year legislative session. During this legislative session, legislators addressed two constitutional amendments that may be placed on the ballot for voters to decide in 2026 and 2028. Senate Joint Resolution 11 (2025) First, the Iowa State Senate passed Senate Joint Resolution…
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81% of last April’s elections were uncontested
Throughout April, Ballotpedia covered 19,290 elections across 21 states, 81% of which were uncontested. That’s up from March, when 39% of the 194 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…
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Vermont voters to decide on constitutional amendment establishing right to collective bargaining and banning right-to-work laws, following Illinois in 2022
Voters in Vermont will decide on a ballot measure, titled Proposal 3, on Nov. 3, 2026. Proposal 3 would amend the Vermont Constitution’s Declaration of Rights to provide that employees have a state constitutional right to organize and join a labor organization for collective bargaining with their employer. This constitutional right to collective bargaining would…
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Why do some states report election results faster than others?
Why do some states report election results faster than others? (Episode #184) On this episode: States don’t all count ballots at the same speed, and the reasons why are more complicated than they might seem. In some places, unofficial election results are nearly complete by the end of Election Day. In others, it can take…
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Trump directs agencies to skip public input to speed certain deregulations
What’s the story? President Donald Trump (R) issued a memorandum on April 9 directing federal administrative agencies to revoke facially unlawful regulations without the 30 to 60-day public notice and comment period the Administrative Procedure Act of 1946 (APA) normally requires before agencies adopt, change, or revoke a rule. The memorandum prioritizes regulations that have been deemed…
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State supreme court vacancy count for April 2025
In this month’s state supreme court vacancy update, Ballotpedia tracked announced retirements, nominations, appointments, confirmations, and the swearing-in of justices from March 31, 2025, to April 30, 2025. Ballotpedia tracks court vacancies in all 52 state supreme courts. Announced retirements: During April 2025, four justices announced their intent to retire later this year. Candidates nominated,…
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Alabama voters to decide on expanding list of non-bailable offenses under Aniah’s Law in May 2026
Alabama voters will decide at the May 2026 primary election whether to expand a bail law, known as Aniah’s Law, by adding to the list of crimes for which bail can be denied. When a defendant is charged with a crime and not yet convicted, an amount of money—a specific range tied to specific crimes—referred…