
Democrats expanded their majority in the Virginia House of Delegates on November 4, 2025, gaining 13 seats. The Virginia House was one of two state legislative chambers with elections in 2025. Twelve Republican incumbents lost in Virginia, tying 2017 for the most incumbents defeated since 2011. Two incumbents lost in the 2023 elections, one Republican…

At least 15 incumbents lost in the state legislative elections in New Jersey and Virginia, with six New Jersey contests still uncalled as of 4:30 p.m. EST on Nov. 5. That’s the most general election incumbent defeats in an odd year since 21 were defeated in 2011. All 15 defeated incumbents were Republicans. Twelve Republican…

The Virginia General Assembly is considering a constitutional amendment that would allow the legislature to conduct mid-decade congressional redistricting through 2030. For voters to weigh in on the amendment before the next U.S. House primary elections, a special election would be required. The last time Virginia held a special election for a state ballot measure,…

With three weeks to go until Election Night, our staff is busy preparing to cover elections across the country. In preparation, our team has selected 10 elections from that coverage to make up our list of the most important, compelling, and competitive elections in the country. Our editorial department selected these elections based on past…

Incumbent Sheriff Dave Rosado (Write-In) and Wallace Chadwick III (R) are running in the general election for Sheriff of Chesapeake, Virginia, on Nov. 4, 2025. According to the sheriff's office official website, the office's "primary responsibilities include operating the Chesapeake Correctional Center, transporting inmates, providing security for all courts within the city, and serving as…

Virginia’s 2025 House of Delegates election could decide the fate of three proposed constitutional amendments. One would remove a constitutional ban on same-sex marriage, one would create a constitutional right to reproductive freedom, and one would allow persons convicted of felonies to vote following their release from incarceration. The constitutional amendment process in Virginia requires…

All 18 state legislative incumbents who do not have general election challengers this November are Democrats. There are 168 incumbents running for re-election. That means 10.7% of the state legislative incumbents running this year in New Jersey and Virginia are guaranteed re-election. Ballotpedia uses the number and percentage of incumbents in uncontested general elections to…

Democrats are running for every state legislative seat up for election in 2025, and Republicans are running for 88% of them. That means 12% of seats this year are guaranteed to Democrats due to a lack of Republican competition in those races, and none are guaranteed to Republicans due to a lack of Democratic competition.…

Thirty-eight state legislative incumbents faced contested primaries in 2025, representing 22% of all incumbents who filed for re-election. While that was two fewer than the 40 contested incumbents in 2021, it was larger by percentage than each of the three previous odd-year cycles following presidential elections. Twelve percent were contested in 2013, 16% in 2017,…

There are eight open seats in this year’s state legislative elections, four percent of all 180 seats up for election. That is the lowest by percentage of any odd-year cycle since 2011. An open seat is where no incumbent filed to run, meaning it is guaranteed to be won by a newcomer. Ballotpedia uses the…