Year: 2025

  • Tennessee will be 15th state to decide on a Marsy’s Law ballot question

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    Tennessee voters will decide on a ballot question to add a list of crime victims’ rights to its state constitution, also known as  Marsy’s Law, in November 2026. Tennessee will be the 15th state to decide on a Marsy’s Law ballot measure. The effort to institute Marsy's Law across the U.S. has been primarily backed…

  • Incumbent Jean Stothert and John Ewing Jr. are running in the nonpartisan general election for mayor of Omaha on May 13, 2025

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    Incumbent Jean Stothert and John Ewing Jr. are running in the nonpartisan election for mayor of Omaha, Nebraska, on May 13, 2025. Both advanced from the April 1 top-two primary, where Stothert received 37% of the vote and Ewing received 31.9%. Omaha World Herald's Henry J. Cordes and Julie Anderson wrote, "While the mayor’s race…

  • ICYMI: Top stories of the week

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    Texas Gov. Greg Abbot signs state DOGE and judicial nondeference bill On April 23, Texas Gov. Gregg Abbott (R) signed Senate Bill 14 (SB14) into law. SB14 seeks to create a new department that promotes efficiency in the state's government and prohibits judicial deference to state agencies.  The bill will establish a Texas Regulatory Efficiency…

  • The Ballot Bulletin: Ballotpedia's Weekly Digest on Election Administration, April 25, 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 355 bills state legislatures acted on in the past week. Weekly highlights The big takeaways from the…

  • Why do some states count and report election results faster than others?

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    Welcome to the Friday, April 25, 2025, Brew.  By: Lara Bonatesta Here’s what’s in store for you as you start your day: Why do some states count and report election results faster than others? If you’ve followed results on election night, you’ve probably noticed that some states seem to count their ballots faster than others.…

  • Denise Slipy (D) and Keri Heintzeman (R) are running in the special election for Minnesota Senate District 6

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    Denise Slipy (D) and Keri Heintzeman (R) are running in the special election for District 6 of the Minnesota Senate on April 29, 2025. The previous incumbent, Justin Eichorn (R), resigned on March 20, 2025, after his arrest for allegedly attempting to solicit a minor for sex. In the 2022 Senate elections, the chamber changed…

  • Rep. Andy Barr announces 2026 run for the U.S. Senate in Kentucky

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    Rep. Andy Barr (R-Ky.) announced on April 22, 2025, that he will run for the U.S. Senate seat in Kentucky in 2026 rather than another term in the U.S. House of Representatives. The seat is open since incumbent Sen. Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) announced he would not seek re-election. As of April 23, 2025, independent race…

  • Rep. Haley Stevens announces 2026 run for the U.S. Senate in Michigan

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    Rep. Haley Stevens (D-Mich.) announced on April 22, 2025, that she will run for the U.S. Senate seat in Michigan in 2026 rather than another term in the U.S. House of Representatives.  The seat is open since incumbent Sen. Gary Peters (D-Mich.) announced he would not seek re-election. As of April 23, 2025, independent race…

  • On this day in 1956, Alaska voters passed the Tennessee Plan to gain statehood. How is that plan being used today?

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    On April 24, 1956, Alaska voters passed Proposition 2, otherwise known as the Tennessee Plan Measure, which led to Alaska’s statehood. The measure was approved with 61% of voters supporting the proposition and 39% of voters rejecting it. The Tennessee Plan refers to the strategy of a territory electing senators and representatives to send to…

  • Sen. Dick Durbin announces he will not seek re-election to the U.S. Senate in 2026

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    Sen. Dick Durbin (D-Ill.) announced on April 23, 2025, that he will not seek re-election to the U.S. Senate in 2026. On his retirement, Durbin said, “The decision of whether to run for re-election has not been easy. I truly love the job of being a United States Senator. But in my heart, I know…