It's Election Day—here's what you can expect today and this week

By

Ballotpedia staff

Welcome to the Tuesday, Nov. 4, Brew.

By: Briana Ryan

Here’s what’s in store for you as you start your day:

  1. It's Election Day—here's what you can expect today and this week
  2. Previewing the elections that we're following today

It's Election Day—here's what you can expect today and this week

Election Day 2025 is here! If you haven't voted yet, check out our resources on everything to do with today's election, including when and where to vote, and what's on your ballot. If you don't have any races where you live, explore what we’re covering for the next election:

  • Sample ballot: Our Sample Ballot Lookup tool helps you learn about the candidates and issues on your ballot. 
  • Poll opening and closing times: A state-by-state look at poll opening and closing times for today's elections.
  • Where to vote: Links about where to find polling locations in your state. 
  • Identification: Information on voter ID requirements in your state, so you know what to expect when you get to the polls.
  • Voting policies in the United States: Voting policies are enacted and enforced primarily at the state level. This article provides a list of links to our content about voting procedures and election administration in each state.

We'll be here tomorrow with results, analysis, and our biggest takeaways from today's elections! 

In the meantime, check out our 2025 election results overview page. We'll update this page throughout the night as races are called. Here, you'll find election updates and results for all of the battleground races below—including gubernatorial, state supreme court, and state legislative elections, and more! Stay tuned!

Previewing the elections that we're following today

We've previewed the elections we've been watching closely these past few months. In case you missed it, here are some storylines we're following:

Gubernatorial elections

Two states—New Jersey and Virginia—are holding gubernatorial elections. Nationally, there are 27 Republican and 23 Democratic.

Other statewide elections

State legislative elections

All seats in the New Jersey General Assembly and the Virginia House of Delegates are up for election. Elections in those two chambers represent 180 of the country's 7,386 state legislative seats (2.4%).

  • New Jersey: Democrats have a 52-28 majority in the chamber. Republicans must win 13 seats to win control of the chamber. Democrats can only afford to lose 11 seats and retain control of the chamber.
  • Virginia: Democrats have a 51-48 majority (with one vacancy) in the chamber. Republicans must win three seats to win control of the chamber. Democrats can not afford to lose any seats and retain control of the chamber.

Local elections

We're covering a total of 13,750 elections for local offices across 29 states. Here are the eight local elections that we're covering as battlegrounds:

Mayoral elections

We're covering mayoral elections in 19 of the 100 most populous U.S. cities. Currently, 17 of these cities have Democratic mayors and two have Republican mayors. We're also following mayoral elections in 12 state capitals, including nine that fall outside of the top 100 most populous cities list. Currently, 11 of these state capitals have Democratic mayors and one has a Republican mayor. Here are the six mayoral elections that we're covering as battlegrounds:

Ballot measures

Voters in six states will decide on 24 statewide ballot measures. We’re also covering 188 local ballot measures. Here are the most interesting ballot measures we’re watching:

  • California Proposition 50 would allow the state to use a new, Legislature-drawn congressional district map for 2026 through 2030.
  • Maine Question 1 would require voters to present photo ID and make changes to absentee voting and ballot drop box rules.
  • Maine Question 2 would establish a process for obtaining an Extreme Risk Protection Order (ERPO), which would restrict someone's access to weapons "capable of producing death or serious bodily injury."
  • Colorado Propositions LL and MM are both related to the state's Healthy School Meals for All Program (HSMA), which reimburses public schools for providing free breakfast and lunch to students.
  • Texas Proposition 3 would require judges or magistrates to deny bail to individuals accused of certain violent or sexual offenses that are punishable as a felony if it is demonstrated after a hearing through a preponderance of the evidence that the accused will likely not willfully appear in court or by clear and convincing evidence that the accused is a danger to the community or victim.
  • Texas Proposition 15 would provide that parents have the right "to exercise care, custody, and control of the parent's child, including the right to make decisions concerning the child's upbringing" and the responsibility "to nurture and protect the parent's child."
  • Texas Proposition 16 would provide that "persons who are not citizens of the United States" cannot vote in the state. Since 2018, 14 states have voted on similar constitutional amendments.
  • Texas Propositions 2, 6, and 8 would prohibit certain types of taxes.
  • New York City Question 6 would move the city's local elections to coincide with federal presidential election years, beginning in 2028. The state constitution would also need to be amended for this to take effect.
  • New York City Questions 2, 3, and 4 would address housing and land use.

For more information about the elections that we're watching today, click on the links below to view two special episodes of our podcast, On the Ballot. In these episodes, our host Norm Leahy speaks with members of our staff about the key elections happening across the country today.