Category: State
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On this date in 1889, Washington voters decided which city should be the state capital
Washington state residents voted on Oct. 1, 1889, to determine the location of the state capital. No one city achieved a majority, leading to an election between the top three in 1890. The City of Olympia had acted as the capital for the Territory of Washington since 1853. With the people’s approval of the Washington…
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Texas AG launches investigation of proxy advisors
Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton (R) announced his office is investigating Institutional Shareholder Services (ISS) and Glass Lewis, the two largest proxy advisory firms, for “potentially misleading institutional investors and public companies by issuing voting recommendations that advance radical political agendas.” The announcement followed a U.S. district court injunction pausing the state’s new law regulating…
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Missouri joins group of states where congressional district boundaries could change before the 2026 elections
Missouri joins a group of five states that may have new congressional maps before the 2026 elections. A new Missouri congressional map awaits Gov. Mike Kehoe’s (R) signature after it received final legislative approval on Sept. 12. Texas approved redrawn congressional districts in August. California voters will decide in a Nov. 4, 2025, special election…
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New Missouri congressional map awaits governor’s signature, referendum effort underway
Missouri is expected to become the second state to officially redraw its congressional district boundaries ahead of the 2026 elections. A bill that aims to net one additional Republican U.S. House seat awaits Gov. Mike Kehoe’s signature after the legislature gave it final approval on Sept. 12. The new map would draw the state’s 5th…
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Ballotpedia publishes 15th Annual State Legislative Competitiveness Report
Ballotpedia’s 15th Annual State Legislative Competitiveness Report shows state legislative contests this year are less competitive than the record high in 2021 but still the second-most competitive of any odd year since 2011. In 2025, the nationwide State Legislative Competitiveness Index is 38.1, down from 40.0 in 2021 but above the average of 31.6 since…
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Maine became the seventh state to approve initiative and referendum 117 years ago, on September 15
Voters in Maine approved a constitutional amendment establishing the state’s initiative and referendum process 117 years ago, on September 15. The vote was 53,785 (68.7%) to 24,543 (31.3%). Maine was the seventh state to adopt the initiative and referendum, and the first state east of the Mississippi River. The constitutional amendment provided for an indirect…
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A look at campaign fundraising in North Carolina's state supreme court elections
In 2026, incumbent North Carolina Supreme Court Justice Anita Earls (D) will be up for re-election. According to the North Carolina Board of Elections, as of September 11, 2025, Earls has raised over $585,000, while state Rep. Sarah Stevens (R), the only other candidate who has filed, has raised almost $141,000. In elections going back…
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Understanding primaries – State primary laws and types, explained
State laws governing primaries can be confusing. In some states, political parties control their primaries, including whether to hold a primary at all. Elsewhere, primaries are mandatory. Lawmakers and voters also frequently amend primary rules, whether making minor changes or significant ones. To understand the procedures governing primary elections, a voter needs to understand what…
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State legislative session updates: possible special sessions
As of Sept. 8, eight state legislatures are in regular session for this year, and one state is in special session, according to the 2025 MultiState Insider Resource. California’s regular session ends on Sept. 12. North Carolina’s regular session ends on Nov. 5. Massachusetts' regular session ends on Nov. 19. The remaining five states—Michigan, New…
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California Prop 50 campaigns top $41.4m, exceeding combined funding for three prior initiatives to create, expand, and repeal the Citizens Redistricting Commission
The campaign committees surrounding California Proposition 50 received a combined $41.4 million as of Sept. 4. Supporters received $21.3 million, while opponents received $20.1 million. That combined total ($41.4 million) for Proposition 50, which qualified for the ballot on Aug. 21, exceeds the aggregate total surrounding the three citizen-initiated ballot measures to create the Citizens…