Year: 2026

  • U.S. Supreme Court says candidates may challenge election laws before Election Day

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    On Jan. 14, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled that candidates have standing to sue over election laws they believe to be unconstitutional before voting takes place. The 7-2 ruling in Bost v. Illinois State Board of Elections allows U.S. Rep. Michael Bost (R) and two 2024 presidential electors to move forward with a lawsuit challenging…

  • Ten candidates are running in the Democratic primary for U.S. Senate in Illinois on March 17, 2026

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    Ten candidates are running in the Democratic primary for U.S. Senate in Illinois on March 17, 2026. Three candidates have led in fundraising, media attention, and polling: Robin Kelly (D), Raja Krishnamoorthi (D), and Juliana Stratton (D). Incumbent Dick Durbin (D), who was first elected in 1996, announced his retirement on April 23, 2025. The…

  • First year of Trump's second term by the numbers

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    Welcome to the Tuesday, Jan. 20, 2025, Brew.  By: Lara Bonatesta Here’s what’s in store for you as you start your day: First year of Trump's second term by the numbers  One year ago today, Donald Trump (R) assumed office as the 47th president of the United States, making him one of only two U.S.…

  • Robe & Gavel: SCOTUS concludes January 2026 sitting 

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    Welcome to the Jan. 19 edition of Robe & Gavel, Ballotpedia’s newsletter about the Supreme Court of the United States (SCOTUS) and other judicial happenings around the U.S. "Darkness cannot drive out darkness, only light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate, only love can do that." Welcome back to your #1 destination for…

  • 1,990 candidates responded to Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey in 2025

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    Since 2018, Ballotpedia has invited candidates to participate in our Candidate Connection initiative. We survey candidates across all levels of government to help voters better understand how candidates intend to govern and what motivates them on both a personal and political level. A total of 1,990 candidates from 40 states and the District of Columbia…

  • Weekly Brew: January 16, 2026

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    How states oversee federal grants Federal grants to states totaled about $1.12 trillion in 2023, accounting for 36.7% of all state revenue. Federal funds as a portion of total revenue differ widely by state. Louisiana had the highest share of its state budget come from federal sources at 51.6%, while Hawaii had the lowest at…

  • The Ballot Bulletin: Ballotpedia's Weekly Digest on Election Administration, January 16, 2026

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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 235 bills state legislatures acted on in the past week.  Weekly highlights The big takeaways from the…

  • Signatures filed for two Washington ballot initiatives on school sports eligibility based on biological sex and certain parental rights in public schools

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    Welcome to the Friday, Jan. 16, 2026, Brew.  By: Lara Bonatesta Here’s what’s in store for you as you start your day: Signatures filed for two Washington ballot initiatives on school sports eligibility based on biological sex and certain parental rights in public schools Let's Go Washington, a political action committee (PAC) that hedge fund…

  • 2025 sees record number of state justice vacancies

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    2025 state supreme court vacancy count Ballotpedia tracks court vacancies in 52 state supreme courts across all 50 states. Since 2024, Ballotpedia has published an annual state supreme court vacancy count outlining vacancies that occurred within the past year. Number of vacancies In 2025, a record 27 vacancies occurred in 21 state supreme courts nationwide.…