Year: 2026

  • Turek, Hinson running for open U.S. Senate seat in Iowa as Ernst retires

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    Josh Turek (D), Ashley Hinson (R), and Thomas Laehn (L) are running in the general election for U.S. Senate in Iowa on November 3, 2026. Incumbent Joni Ernst (R), first elected in 2014, is not running for re-election. Ernst endorsed Hinson on January 10, 2026. The Iowa Capital Dispatch's Robin Opsahl wrote, "Republicans have seen…

  • Redistricting redraws Ohio's 9th District ahead of 2026 Kaptur-Merrin rematch

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    Incumbent Marcy Kaptur (D), Derek Merrin (R), and Matthew Althaus (L) are running in the general election for Ohio's 9th Congressional District on November 3, 2026. The election is taking place in the context of redistricting that changed the boundaries of the 9th District from those used in 2024. Inside Elections' Nathaniel Rakich said, "[The]…

  • Jocelyn Benson (D) won the Democratic gubernatorial primary in Michigan

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    Jocelyn Benson defeated Chris Swanson in the Democratic primary for Governor of Michigan on August 4, 2026. Incumbent Gov. Gretchen Whitmer (D) was term-limited, leaving the office open in 2026. Michigan has a divided government, meaning neither party controls both chambers of the state legislature and the governor's office, which is called a state government…

  • Elaine Luria's (D) primary victory sets up general election rematch in Virginia's 2nd Congressional District

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    Elaine Luria defeated Nila Devanath, Bill Fleming, and Patrick Mosolf in the Democratic primary for Virginia's 2nd Congressional District on August 4, 2026. Luria and Devanath led in fundraising and media attention ahead of the election. Luria will face incumbent Jennifer Kiggans (R) in the general election. Luria represented the district from 2019 to 2023.…

  • Trump ends July with second term low approval rating

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    At the end of July, approval polling averages showed President Donald Trump (R) at 39% approval, a tie with June 2, 2026, for the lowest average approval rating of his second term. Fifty-eight percent of voters disapproved of his performance. The highest average approval rating Trump has received in his second term was 54%, last…

  • Lake County, Fla., Commission candidates talk development in Ballotpedia’s Candidate Connection survey

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    Both candidates running in the Republican primary for Lake County Commissioner Board District 4 in Florida—Leslie Campione and David Williamson—completed Ballotpedia’s Candidate Connection survey. These survey responses allow voters to hear directly from candidates about what motivates them to run for office. All survey respondents are asked to tell voters about their three key campaign…

  • Voters defeated three measures that Republican Legislatures put on the ballot in Missouri and Kansas

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    Welcome to the Thursday, Aug. 6, 2026, Brew.  By: Lara Bonatesta Here’s what’s in store for you as you start your day: Voters defeated three measures that Republican Legislatures put on the ballot in Missouri and Kansas On Aug. 4, voters in Missouri and Kansas defeated three constitutional amendments that their Republican-controlled legislatures put on…

  • New Hampshire legislators remove student IDs for voting, enact 24 other election bills in 2026 session

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    The New Hampshire General Court adjourned its 2026 regular session on June 4 after passing 25 election-related bills. Gov. Kelly Ayotte (R) signed all 25 bills between March and July. Among those bills was HB 323, which removes student identification cards from the list of acceptable forms of identification for voting purposes. HB 323 passed…

  • Maryland voters to decide ballot measure on whether state constitutional criteria for political boundaries apply to congressional districts

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    The Maryland General Assembly voted on Aug. 4 to send a ballot measure to voters in November that would provide that constitutional requirements for contiguity, compactness, substantially equal population, and consideration of natural and political subdivision boundaries apply only to state legislative districts, not congressional districts, and that the Maryland Constitution establishes no criteria for…

  • Voters in Washington, D.C., and Denver, Colorado, will decide on foie gras ban ballot initiatives in November

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    Voters in Washington, D.C., and Denver, Colorado, will decide similar ballot initiatives on November 3, 2026, concerning the force-feeding of birds and the sale of foie gras. Foie gras means fatty liver in French. The USDA defines goose- and duck-liver foie gras as liver “obtained exclusively from specially fed and fattened geese and ducks.” Pro-Animal…