Category: 2026 elections
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Laurie Buckhout (R) defeated Asa Buck (R), Robert Hanig (R), Eric Rouse (R), and Ashley-Nicole Russell (R) in the Republican primary for North Carolina's 1st Congressional District
Laurie Buckhout (R) defeated Asa Buck (R), Robert Hanig (R), Eric Rouse (R), and Ashley-Nicole Russell (R) in the Republican primary for North Carolina's 1st Congressional District on March 3, 2026. The election took place in the context of redistricting that changed the district's boundaries from those used in 2024. The Assembly's Christa Dutton said…
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Nate Sheets (R) defeated incumbent Sid Miller (R) in the Republican primary for Texas Commissioner of Agriculture
Nate Sheets (R) defeated incumbent Sid Miller (R) in the Republican primary for Texas Commissioner of Agriculture on March 3, 2026. President Donald Trump (R) endorsed Miller in February 2026. Gov. Greg Abbott (R) endorsed Sheets in January 2026. The Texas Tribune's Kate McGee said Abbott's endorsement was "an exceptionally rare rebuke of a fellow…
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Rep. Ryan Zinke becomes the 52nd U.S. House member who is not seeking re-election in 2026
Rep. Ryan Zinke (R-Mont.) announced on March 2, 2026, that he will not seek re-election to the U.S. House of Representatives in 2026. In a statement announcing his retirement, Zinke said, “Service is a duty that I will always hold sacred, and I am grateful for the opportunity to make a difference. As for my…
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Elections Ballotpedia is covering in March 2026
In March 2026, Ballotpedia is tracking 33 elections across 13 states. These include 24 special elections to fill vacancies in 10 states and one recall election. Last month, Ballotpedia tracked 27 elections across 14 states. This included one statewide election, 21 special elections, four local elections, and one recall election. In March 2024, Ballotpedia tracked…
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Four candidates are running in the Democratic primary for Illinois Comptroller on March 17
Four candidates are running in the Democratic primary for Illinois Comptroller on March 17, 2026: Margaret Croke (D), Stephanie Kifowit (D), Holly Kim (D), and Karina Villa (D). Incumbent Susana Mendoza (D), who took office in 2016, is not running for re-election. The Chicago Tribune's Rick Pearson and Jeremy Gorrner wrote that Mendoza's retirement "creates…
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What to know about states that don't use primary elections to nominate candidates
Arkansas, North Carolina, and Texas have their statewide primaries on March 3, kicking off the 2026 primary season. Generally, political parties use primary elections to determine their nominees in advance of a general election. In some cases, however, political parties can — or must — nominate candidates for the general election without conducting a primary.…
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State legislative special elections show shift toward Democrats compared to previous regular elections
In the state legislative special elections that have happened since January 2025, there was an average shift of 5.6 percentage points towards Democrats. Additionally, Democrats retained 10 percentage points more of their voter turnout from the previous regular election than Republicans. We found these figures by comparing candidates' special election performance to their performance in…
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Tom Malinowski became the first former House member running for a formerly held seat to be defeated in 2026
Rep. Tom Malinowski (D) became the first former member of Congress to face voters in a bid for their old office in the 2026 election cycle. In the special election for New Jersey’s 11th Congressional District, Analilia Mejia (D) defeated Malinowski 29% to 28%. Malinowski represented New Jersey’s 7th Congressional District from 2019 to 2023.…
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30% of congressional incumbents not seeking re-election this year have endorsed a successor
On Feb. 9, U.S. Rep. Jerrold Nadler (D-N.Y.), who is not seeking re-election this year, endorsed Micah Lasher (D) in the Democratic primary election to succeed him in representing New York's 12th Congressional District. In doing so, Nadler joined 17 other retiring members of the U.S. Congress who have so far endorsed candidates in primary…
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Recent midterm election years featured more open state legislative seats than presidential years
According to Ballotpedia’s annual competitiveness analyses, midterm election years like 2026 tend to feature more open state legislative seats than presidential election years. Voters across 46 states will choose who will represent them in 6,155 state legislative districts this November. On March 3, 2026, three states—Arkansas, North Carolina, and Texas—will hold the first primary elections…