Category: 2026 elections
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Amy Klobuchar becomes the fourth U.S. Senator from Minnesota to run for governor since 1913
On January 29, Sen. Amy Klobuchar (D) announced she would run for governor of Minnesota. Her announcement comes weeks after incumbent Tim Walz (D) withdrew his re-election bid, making the seat open for the first time since 2018. Klobuchar’s entry makes her the fifth current or former U.S. senator running for governor of their state…
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New York redistricting commission ordered to redraw state’s congressional map
On Jan. 21, 2026, New York state judge Jeffrey Pearlman ruled that New York’s 11th Congressional District unconstitutionally diluted Black and Latino voting power. Pearlman ordered the New York State Independent Redistricting Commission to redraw the congressional map by Feb. 6. On Jan. 26, Republicans appealed the decision. The lawsuit, filed in October 2025, argued…
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Ballotpedia identifies 21 battleground Republican primaries for North Carolina House
On March 3, 2026, North Carolina voters will vote in 39 contested Republican primaries for North Carolina House of Representatives. The News & Observer's Luciana Perez Uribe Guinassi said this year’s elections "could be complicated by a group of candidates running in the upcoming primary election who switched political parties last year." According to Guinassi,…
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What to know about early voting, the second-most common way to cast a ballot
In the 2024 election, more than 48.8 million voters cast a ballot using early voting, according to Election Assistance Commission data, making it the second-most common method of casting a ballot behind Election Day voting. As of January 2026, 47 states and the District of Columbia offer no-excuse early voting in some form. Alabama and…
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Three candidates are running in the Democratic primary for Mississippi's 2nd Congressional District on March 10, 2026
Incumbent Bennie Thompson (D), Evan Turnage (D), and Pertis Williams III (D) are running in the Democratic primary for Mississippi's 2nd Congressional District on March 10, 2026. Thompson and Turnage have led in media attention. The primary is similar to other Democratic primaries this cycle, in which older, long-serving incumbents face challenges from younger candidates…
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Jerry Carl (R), Rhett Marques (R), Joshua McKee (R), and three others are running in the Republican primary for Alabama's 1st Congressional District on May 19, 2026
Jerry Carl (R), Rhett Marques (R), Joshua McKee (R), and three others are running in the Republican primary for Alabama's 1st Congressional District on May 19, 2026. As of January 2026, Carl, Marques, and McKee led in fundraising and local media attention. Incumbent Barry Moore (R) is running for U.S. Senate rather than seeking re-election.…
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Wisconsin Legislature places two constitutional amendments on the ballot, addressing emergency closure of places of worship and preferential treatment by government entities
The Wisconsin State Legislature advanced two proposed constitutional amendments on Jan. 21, 2026, for the statewide general election ballot for Nov. 3, 2026. Both amendments were also approved during the previous legislative session. In Wisconsin, a proposed constitutional amendment must receive majority approval in each legislative chamber during two consecutive sessions before it can be…
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Virginia voters will decide on automatically restoring voting rights for people convicted of a felony
On Nov. 3, Virginia voters will decide on a constitutional amendment that would automatically restore voting rights for people convicted of a felony after they complete their prison sentence. Virginia is one of 10 states that never automatically restores voting rights for individuals convicted of a felony. Instead, people must apply to the governor's office…
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Alaska's federal elections are using ranked-choice voting (RCV) for the third consecutive cycle
On January 12, 2026, former U.S. Rep. Mary Peltola (D) announced her campaign for U.S. Senate against incumbent Dan Sullivan (R). With Peltola’s entry into the race, we’re taking a look at Alaska’s use of ranked-choice voting (RCV) since its adoption in 2020 and how it's played out in other statewide elections. Peltola was first…
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More former members of Congress have announced candidacies for a non-consecutive term in any cycle since 2016
This year, 19 former House members announced candidacies for a non-consecutive term. Three former Senators have announced campaigns for office, meaning a total of 22 former members of Congress have announced candidacies, the highest number in any cycle going back to 2016. The 19 House members are running in 13 states, though two — Rod…