Throughout October, Ballotpedia covered 14 elections in 5 states, 36% of which were uncontested.

That’s down from September when 86% of the 1,312 covered were uncontested.

Ballotpedia defines an uncontested election as one where the number of candidates running is less than or equal to the number of seats up for election. This analysis does not account for write-in candidates.

Ballotpedia covered the most elections in Alaska where 40% of the five elections covered were uncontested.

October’s rate of uncontested elections was less than the 58% average rate identified between 2018 and 2023.

It also brings the year-to-date rate of uncontested elections to 75% 

For comparison, since 2018, each year has had more uncontested than contested elections except for one, in 2021, when 50.4% of the elections Ballotpedia covered were contested.

Click on the link below to learn more about uncontested elections nationwide last month and in all previous months through 2024.