Year: 2026
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State lawmakers enacted 37 bills on ballot measures and direct democracy through mid-2026
States have enacted 37 bills and resolutions concerning the three powers of direct democracy in the U.S. — the ballot initiative, referendum, and recall election — in 2026, through Aug. 5, 2026. The average number of bills and resolutions enacted per year from 2018 to 2025 was 41. While most bills are adopted during the…
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Primaries and incumbent contests down in New Hampshire this year—record lows since 2010
In 2026, 25% of the state legislative incumbents running for election in New Hampshire will face primary contests, a record low since 2010. In total, 77 incumbents face contested primaries across the New Hampshire House and Senate. The average number of incumbents contested each year from 2010 to 2024 was 111. Sixteen of the contested…
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Two states have veto-proof majorities opposite their governor's party — that could change this year
Heading into the 2026 elections, there are two states with a governor of one party and a veto-proof state legislative majority of the opposing party: Kansas and Kentucky. At least one legislative chamber is up for election this year in both states, meaning their veto-proof majority status could change. Voters in Arizona, Nevada, North Carolina,…
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422 candidates, the second most since 2010, running in Missouri’s Aug. 4 state legislative primaries
Four hundred twenty-two candidates, the second most in any year since 2010, are running in Missouri’s Aug. 4 primaries. All 163 seats in the Missouri House of Representatives and 17 seats in the Missouri Senate are up for election this year. There are 62 open seats with no incumbent running for re-election. This is the…
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Signatures submitted for Colorado graduated income tax measure that competes with proposed income tax cap initiative
In Colorado, signatures were submitted to the secretary of state on August 3, 2026, for a ballot initiative to establish a graduated income tax. Known as Initiative 195, the measure would establish a six-tier structure for state income taxes, ranging from 3.7% to 8.4%, and remove the uniform tax rate requirement from the Taxpayer's Bill…
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What the Democratic candidates in the Aug. 11 Minneapolis-area U.S. House primary have said on immigration
Five candidates are running in the Democratic primary for Minnesota's 5th Congressional District on Aug. 11, which includes Minneapolis and its surrounding areas. This primary will be the first since Operation Metro Surge, the federal immigration enforcement effort in Minnesota between December 2025 and February 2026. Three of those candidates lead in media attention: incumbent…
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Spanberger restores voting rights to thousands of individuals with felony convictions in return to previous governors' processes
On July 31, Virginia Gov. Abigail Spanberger (D) announced that since taking office on Jan. 17, she has restored the voting rights of 66,085 Virginia residents with felony convictions. Virginia is one of three states, along with Iowa and Kentucky, where individuals convicted of any felony never regain the right to vote without some form…