Author: Joseph Brusgard
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North Carolina Supreme Court race on Nov. 3 could shape 2028 majority
Incumbent Anita Earls (D) and Sarah Stevens (R) are running in the partisan general election for a seat on the North Carolina Supreme Court on November 3, 2026. The Carolina Journal's Andrew Pomeranz wrote, "Democratic Justice Anita Earls faces Republican former state Rep. Sarah Stevens in North Carolina’s only Supreme Court race this November, a…
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Twenty-five states are holding state supreme court elections in November. Six of those elections are battlegrounds.
Twenty-five states are holding elections for state supreme courts in November. Of the courts up for election, 13 have a majority of Republican-appointed/elected justices, 11 have a majority of Democratic-appointed/elected justices, and one court is split. Each state and the District of Columbia has at least one supreme court, or court of last resort. Oklahoma…
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School board incumbents have won re-election 82.5% of the time since 2018 as voters in 30 states and D.C. head to the polls on Nov. 3
This November, school board elections are happening across the country. In 2026, Ballotpedia is covering elections for roughly 8,000 seats across more than 2,700 districts in 30 states and Washington, D.C. This includes all school districts in the nation’s 100 most populous cities and the 200 largest school districts by student enrollment. Ballotpedia also covers…
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What the Arizona Corporation Commission does and who is running for two seats on Nov. 3
Incumbent Kevin Thompson (R), Jonathon Hill (D), Clara Pratte (D), Ralph Heap (R), and Mike Cease (G) are running in the general election for the Arizona Corporation Commission on November 3, 2026. The two candidates who receive the most votes will be elected. The commission is responsible for regulating state utilities, including water, gas, and…
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Omaha Public Power District voters will elect three board members on Nov. 3 who will help choose the next CEO
Six candidates are running in the general election for three seats on the Omaha Public Power District Board on Nov. 3, 2026. Sara Kohen and Christian Mapes are running for Subdivision 1. Mark Gudgel and Jay Ignowski are running for Subdivision 2. Carol Blood and Jim Smith are running for Subdivision 3. The incumbents in…
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Nine states are holding public service commission elections in 2026, with two expected to be battlegrounds
On Nov. 3, elections are happening in nine states for public service commissions. Gubernatorial elections are happening in 30 other states where the governor appoints members to their state’s commission, and state legislative elections are happening in one state — South Carolina — where the Legislature appoints members. All 50 states have public service commissions…
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Candidates in 331 races this year share a last name; up from 206 such races in 2024
In 331 races on Nov. 3 across 28 states, 668 candidates share a last name with another candidate running in that race. This total includes races for one congressional race, 13 state contests, and 317 local races in Ballotpedia’s coverage scope. Two hundred fifty-six of these races are nonpartisan, and 75 are partisan. Nebraska has…
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Four states are holding direct elections for state insurance commissioner this year
California, Georgia, Kansas, and Oklahoma are holding direct elections for state insurance commissioner this year. Republicans hold three of these offices, and Democrats hold one. In 32 states, the control of the insurance commission office will be decided indirectly, based on the results of the gubernatorial and state legislative elections. In those states, the governor…
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Forty-nine state financial offices are up in 2026, with majority control at stake
Forty-nine state financial offices are up for election in 30 states this November. This includes elections for three offices: Auditors, Comptrollers, and Treasurers Heading into the election, there are: These officials are responsible for tasks such as auditing other government offices, managing payroll, and overseeing state pensions. In some states, certain state financial officers are…
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A look at wave elections since 1918 and the thresholds needed for a wave election in 2026
The term wave election is frequently used to describe an election cycle in which one party makes significant electoral gains. As is often the case with midterms, pundits have speculated about whether or not this year's elections will amount to a wave election. How many offices need to change party control, though, for an election…