Author: Nathan Maxwell

  • Thirteen battleground Democratic primaries for New York City Council will be held on June 24, 2025

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    Ninety-five candidates are running in 28 Democratic primaries for New York City Council on June 24, 2025. That’s up from 49 candidates in 17 Democratic primaries in 2023, the special two-year post-redistricting term mandated in the City Charter. That year, just one seat was open, meaning no incumbent filed to run. This year, there are…

  • Virginia sees fewest state legislative open seats since 2011

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    Four of Virginia’s 100 state legislative seats up for election in 2025 are open, meaning no incumbent filed to run in the election. This is the fewest for the state since Ballotpedia began tracking these figures in 2011, and newcomers are guaranteed at least 3% of the legislature. The average number of open state legislative…

  • Keri Heintzeman (R) won the special election in Minnesota Senate District 6

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    Keri Heintzeman (R) defeated Denise Slipy (D) in the special election for District 6 of the Minnesota Senate on April 29, 2025, winning 60% of the vote to Slipy's 40%. The previous incumbent, Justin Eichorn (R), resigned on March 20, 2025, after his arrest for allegedly attempting to solicit a minor for sex. In the…

  • Denise Slipy (D) and Keri Heintzeman (R) are running in the special election for Minnesota Senate District 6

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    Denise Slipy (D) and Keri Heintzeman (R) are running in the special election for District 6 of the Minnesota Senate on April 29, 2025. The previous incumbent, Justin Eichorn (R), resigned on March 20, 2025, after his arrest for allegedly attempting to solicit a minor for sex. In the 2022 Senate elections, the chamber changed…

  • New Jersey to see most contested primaries, fewest open seats since 2011

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    New Jersey has 29 contested state legislative primaries in 2025, more than in any year since 2011 and an increase of 38% from the preceding cycle. Twenty-two of the 29 contested primaries are for Democrats, 83% more than the 12 Democratic primaries in 2023. Seven primaries are for Republicans, 22% down from nine in 2023.…

  • 2025 trifecta vulnerability ratings show New Jersey somewhat vulnerable, Virginia trifecta possible

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    New Jersey's Democratic state government trifecta is somewhat vulnerable in 2025, and a new Democratic trifecta in Virginia is a moderate possibility according to Ballotpedia's 2025 trifecta vulnerability ratings. A state government trifecta occurs when one party holds the governorship and majorities in both state legislative chambers. Ballotpedia's annual trifecta vulnerability ratings estimate the chances of trifectas…

  • Jonathan Curtis and Melinda Lemke won two Wrightstown School Board seats in Wisconsin

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    Jonathan Curtis and Melinda Lemke defeated Amber Cox and Jeff Nelson for two seats on the seven-member Wrightstown Community School District Board of Education in Wisconsin on April 1, 2025. Lemke received 28.7% of the vote, Curtis received 25.4%, Cox received 23.3%, and Nelson received 22.7%. Curtis and Lemke, an incumbent, ran a joint campaign…

  • Two Pennsylvania legislative districts swing toward Democrats, continuing 2025 trend

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    In two Pennsylvania state legislative special elections on March 25, Democrats continued a trend of winning a larger share of the vote than compared to the 2024 presidential election in several districts. The party has improved in 12 of the 14 contested partisan special elections for state legislature nationwide this year.  Democrats won Pennsylvania State…

  • Four candidates are running for two seats on the Wrightstown School Board in Wisconsin

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    Four candidates are running in the general election for two seats on the seven-member Wrightstown Community School District Board of Education in Wisconsin on April 1, 2025. Incumbents Melinda Lemke and Jeff Nelson and challengers Amber Cox and Jonathan Curtis are running. Lemke and Curtis are running a joint campaign for the two seats up…

  • What to know about state legislative seats that changed party control in 2024

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    Image of donkey and elephant to symbolize the Democratic and Republican parties.

    In the Nov. 5, 2024, elections, Republicans gained 55 state legislative seats, Democrats lost 54, and Independents and minor party officeholders lost one. That means the overall partisan composition across all 50 state legislatures changed by 0.7% in favor of Republicans. In 2022, the partisan composition changed 0.4% toward Republicans, with Democrats losing four seats,…