Year: 2025

  • Majority control at stake in special election for Minnesota Senate District 60

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    Doron Clark (D) and Abigail Wolters (R) are running in a special election for District 60 in the Minnesota Senate on Jan. 28, 2025. The district is vacant due to the death of state Sen. Kari Dziedzic (D) on Dec. 27, 2024. Her death left a vacancy that turned Democrats’ 34-33 majority in the Senate…

  • 303 state legislative incumbents lost re-election campaigns in 2024

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    There were 5,807 state legislative seats up for election on November 5, 2024, in 44 states. Across those elections, 303 incumbents lost their re-election bids: 134 in general elections and 169 in primaries. This was the second even-year election in a row that primary defeats outnumbered those in general elections. Across primary elections in 2024,…

  • No members of Congress have announced 2026 retirement plans since Dec. 19

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    Since our last update on Dec. 19, no members of the U.S. Congress have announced plans to not seek re-election in 2026. That means the total number of congressional retirements for 2026 remains at one. The last incumbent to announce their retirement was Rep. Raúl Grijalva (D-Ariz.), who said he would not seek re-election to…

  • Senate Budget Committee holds confirmation hearing for Russell Vought for director of the Office of Management and Budget

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    The Senate Budget Committee held a confirmation hearing for Russell Vought for director of the Office of Management and Budget on Jan. 22, 2025. At the time the hearing ended, the committee had not scheduled a meeting to vote on his nomination. Vought must receive a majority approval vote in the committee before his nomination…

  • Marco Rubio confirmed as Secretary of State

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    The U.S. Senate voted to confirm Marco Rubio as secretary of state on Jan. 20, 2025. The Senate voted unanimously in favor of his confirmation. This was the first member of Trump’s Cabinet confirmed in his second presidential term. Rubio is the first Latino to serve as U.S. secretary of state. Trump announced on Nov.…

  • Ohio becomes the 23rd state to adopt what supporters call a Parents’ Bill of Rights

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    Welcome to the Thursday, Jan. 23, 2025, Brew.  By: Lara Bonatesta Here’s what’s in store for you as you start your day: Ohio becomes the 23rd state to adopt what supporters call a Parents’ Bill of Rights A version of this story appeared in Ballotpedia’s Hall Pass on Jan. 22. Hall Pass is our weekly…

  • Hall Pass: Your Ticket to Understanding School Board Politics, Edition #140

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    Welcome to Hall Pass, a newsletter written to keep you plugged into the conversations driving  school board governance, the politics surrounding it, and education policy.  In today’s edition, you’ll find: Reply to this email to share reactions or story ideas! On the issues: The debate over New Jersey’s elimination of teacher tests In this section,…

  • Senate Veterans’ Affairs Committee holds confirmation hearing for Doug Collins for secretary of veterans affairs

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    The Senate Veterans’ Affairs Committee held a confirmation hearing for Doug Collins for secretary of veterans affairs on Jan. 21, 2025. The committee scheduled a meeting for Jan. 23 to vote on Collins’ nomination. Collins must receive a majority approval vote in the committee before his nomination can be put up for a confirmation vote…

  • Senate Foreign Relations Committee holds confirmation hearing for Elise Stefanik for U.N. ambassador

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    The Senate Foreign Relations Committee held a confirmation hearing for Elise Stefanik for U.S. ambassador to the United Nations on Jan. 21, 2025. At the time the hearing ended, the committee had not scheduled a meeting to vote on her nomination. Stefanik must receive a majority approval vote in the committee before her nomination can…

  • Update on 2025 and 2026 ballot measure certifications: Wisconsin certifies Voter ID Amendment for April 1

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    The number of certified ballot measures for 2025 and 2026 is trending above the average as of Jan. 21, 2025. For 2025, six statewide ballot measures have been certified in three states—Louisiana, Ohio, and Wisconsin. Six is three measures more than the average of three for this point in an odd-numbered-year election cycle since 2010.…