Year: 2026

  • Newcomers are guaranteed 17% of this year's state legislative races

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    There are 1,064 open seats in this year’s state legislative elections, 17% of all 6,137 seats up for election. That is below the average of 19% in each cycle since 2010. Looking only at previous midterm election years since 2010, that average was 20%. An open seat is where no incumbent filed to run, meaning…

  • Voters in three cities will decide on ballot measures to implement ranked-choice voting in local elections on November 3

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    Voters in three local jurisdictions will decide on ballot measures that would implement ranked-choice voting systems on Nov. 3, 2026. Voters in Irvine, California, will decide on Measure D. Voters in Honolulu, HI, will decide on Question 5. Both would amend city ordinances. Longmont, CO voters will decide on Question 3C, a city charter amendment.…

  • States are recruiting poll workers for November. Here's what they require.

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    Welcome to Ballot Bulletin: Ballotpedia's Weekly Election Policy Digest. Every Tuesday, we deliver the latest updates on election policy around the country, including nationwide trends and recent legislative activity.  In this week’s edition, we cover eight bills state legislatures acted on last week and look at state-level requirements for poll workers. The state of election…

  • This year's congressional primaries drew the most candidates since 2014

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    Welcome to the Tuesday, Sept. 22, 2026, Brew. By: Briana Ryan Here’s what’s in store for you as you start your day: This year's congressional primaries drew the most candidates since 2014 More candidates ran in primaries for the U.S. Congress this year than in any election cycle since 2014, according to our analysis of…

  • Ohio leads states in number of local ballot measures on data centers for 2026

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    Voters in eight states—Ohio, Illinois, Wisconsin, Kansas, California, Michigan, Nevada, and Florida—will decide on 38 data center-related ballot measures in 2026. The ballot measures span 35 jurisdictions in 30 counties. Ohio accounts for 20 measures across 17 jurisdictions, more than half of the total. Illinois has seven measures, including four in Madison County. The remaining…

  • Majority control at stake in Arizona Senate elections on Nov. 3

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    Elections for the Arizona State Senate will take place in 2026. The general election is on November 3, 2026. Arizona Public Media's Nick Rommel wrote, "While Republicans’ advantage in the Senate has remained fairly constant for the last decade, Democrats have chipped away at their majority in the House. Republicans clawed back a slightly larger…

  • Primaries in Providence, Rhode Island, highlight information that endorsements can provide voters

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    Across Rhode Island on Sept. 9, Democratic incumbents lost the gubernatorial primary and primaries in several of the state's largest cities. Democratic voter registration outpaces Republican registration in Rhode Island by 24 percentage points — meaning that in some heavily Democratic areas, these primaries might in effect decide who wins the general election. Endorsements are…

  • EPA repeals power plant carbon standards

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    The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) on Sept. 14 repealed most Biden-era carbon emissions standards for coal- and gas-fired power plants and proposed eliminating remaining federal greenhouse gas requirements for the power sector. EPA Administrator Lee Zeldin announced the actions during a meeting of G20 energy ministers in Houston. The Biden-era standards required certain coal-fired power…

  • 2026 had the fewest ballot initiatives filed since 2014, with 692

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    Welcome to the Monday, Sept. 21, 2026, Brew.  By: Lara Bonatesta Here’s what’s in store for you as you start your day: 2026 had the fewest ballot initiatives filed since 2014, with 692  In 2026, petitioners filed 692 ballot initiatives in the 26 states that have the initiative and referendum process — the fewest since…

  • Incumbent Tom Barrett and William Lawrence are running in battleground Michigan's 7th Congressional District on Nov. 3

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    Incumbent Tom Barrett (R), William Lawrence (D), and Shane Dedrick (G) are running in the general election for Michigan's 7th Congressional District on Nov. 3. In the 2024 general election, Barrett defeated Curtis Hertel (D) 50.3% to 46.6%. In the presidential election that year, President Donald Trump (R) defeated Kamala Harris (D) in the district…