Your Cheat Sheet to the 2024 General Elections
Bolts guides you through more than 500 elections up and down the ballot, and why they matter.
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October 2, 2024
It’s not all about the presidential race and its few core swing states on Nov. 5: Beyond the battle between Kamala Harris and Donald Trump, voters are deciding tens of thousands of offices and ballot measures.
Enter our annual cheat sheet to help you track this busy general election.
On this page, we have identified 540 elections (and counting) up and down the ballot, and why they matter. This includes powerful officials, from U.S. senators and state supreme courts to sheriffs and mayors, plus dozens of ballot measures.
Our guide features at least one non-federal race for all 50 states, plus Washington, D.C. and Puerto Rico.
You can also download a printable, PDF version to use as a worksheet on Election Night.
So, which districts that will decide who runs the nation’s tightest legislative chambers, what measures will shape criminal justice and voting rights, which local school boards feature heated battles for power? Scroll down to explore what interests you below—or simply search for key terms like your state on your browser: The items will unfurl even when they’re closed.
You can also jump straight to the sections of this guide that break down the key state legislatures, the battle for Congress, attorneys general, state courts, state and local election officials, prosecutors, sheriffs, local leaders like mayors and councilors, and school boards, as well as referendums on abortion, criminal justice, drug policy, voting rights, labor, transit, housing, climate, education, and much more. Bolts has also published guides to all supreme court races, all secretary of state races, and the 33 most pivotal sheriff and prosecutor races.
Keep an eye on other key races to be added through election day. But remember, this is not an exhaustive list but our selection of what to watch among thousands of possibilities. You can likely get a sample ballot on the website of your local election offices for a full list of what you’ll be voting on in your backyard.
We also encourage readers to visit Ballotpedia for its invaluable resources. And be sure to return on and after election night, as we will update with results once they are known.
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The 51 trifectas
U.S. Senate
| Democrats are likely to hold 42 seats, and the GOP 46 seats, before accounting for the 12 races on this list. |
| Dem-held | |
| Arizona | GOP |
| Michigan | Dem |
| Maryland | Dem |
| Montana | GOP |
| Nevada | GOP |
| Pennsylvania | GOP |
| Ohio | GOP |
| Wisconsin | Dem |
| West Virginia | GOP |
| GOP-held | |
| Florida | GOP |
| Nebraska | GOP |
| Texas | GOP |
U.S. House
| A seat is included if rated unsafe by one of: Cook, Crystal Ball, and Inside Elections. |
| All Dem-held districts carried by Donald Trump in 2020: | |
| AK-AL | GOP |
| ME-02 | Dem |
| NC-06 | GOP |
| NC-13 | GOP |
| NC-14 | GOP |
| OH-09 | Dem |
| PA-08 | GOP |
| WA-03 | Dem |
| Only if competitive, Dem-held districts carried by Joe Biden in 2020: | |
| CA-09 | Dem |
| CA-47 | Dem |
| CA-49 | Dem |
| CO-08 | GOP |
| CT-05 | Dem |
| FL-09 | Dem |
| IL-17 | Dem |
| IN-01 | Dem |
| KS-03 | Dem |
| MD-06 | Dem |
| MI-03 | Dem |
| MI-07 | GOP |
| MI-08 | Dem |
| MN-02 | Dem |
| NV-01 | Dem |
| NV-03 | Dem |
| NV-04 | Dem |
| NH-01 | Dem |
| NH-02 | Dem |
| NM-02 | Dem |
| NC-01 | Dem |
| NY-03 | Dem |
| NY-18 | Dem |
| OH-01 | Dem |
| OH-13 | Dem |
| OR-04 | Dem |
| OR-06 | Dem |
| PA-07 | GOP |
| PA-17 | Dem |
| VA-07 | Dem |
| TX-28 | Dem |
| TX-34 | Dem |
| WA-08 | Dem |
| All GOP-held districts carried by Joe Biden: | |
| AL-02 | Dem |
| AZ-01 | GOP |
| AZ-06 | GOP |
| CA-13 | Dem |
| CA-22 | GOP |
| CA-27 | Dem |
| CA-40 | GOP |
| CA-45 | Dem |
| LA-06 | Dem |
| NE-02 | GOP |
| NJ-07 | GOP |
| NY-04 | Dem |
| NY-17 | GOP |
| NY-19 | Dem |
| NY-22 | Dem |
| OR-05 | Dem |
| PA-01 | GOP |
| VA-02 | GOP |
| Only if competitive, GOP-held districts carried by Trump: | |
| AZ-02 | GOP |
| CA-03 | GOP |
| CA-41 | GOP |
| CO-03 | GOP |
| FL-13 | GOP |
| FL-27 | GOP |
| IA-01 | GOP |
| IA-03 | GOP |
| MI-10 | GOP |
| MT-01 | GOP |
| NY-01 | GOP |
| PA-10 | GOP |
| TN-05 | GOP |
| TX-15 | GOP |
| WI-01 | GOP |
| WI-03 | GOP |
President: The race to 270
| Harris is likely to win 225 electoral votes, and Trump 219, before the following eight results. |
| The “Blue Wall” | |
| Michigan 15 | GOP |
| Pennsylvania 19 | GOP |
| Wisconsin 10 | GOP |
| The Sun Belt | |
| Arizona 11 | GOP |
| Georgia 16 | GOP |
| Nevada: 6 | GOP |
| North Carolina 16 | GOP |
| The Blue Dot | |
| Nebraska’s 2nd district 1 | Dem |
Governors
| This covers all governor’s races taking place this fall. |
| Dem-held | |
| Delaware | Dem |
| North Carolina | Dem |
| Washington | Dem |
| GOP-held | |
| Indiana | GOP |
| Missouri | GOP |
| Montana | GOP |
| New Hampshire | GOP |
| North Dakota | GOP |
| Utah | GOP |
| Vermont | GOP |
| West Virginia | GOP |
Key legislative chambers
| These are chambers that may flip, or where a supermajority is at stake. |
| GOP-held: Will it flip? | |
|---|---|
| Arizona Senate | GOP |
| Arizona House | GOP |
| New Hampshire House | GOP |
| New Hampshire Senate | GOP |
| Pennsylvania Senate | GOP |
| Wisconsin House | GOP |
| Wisconsin Senate | GOP |
| Dem-held: Will it flip? | |
|---|---|
| Maine Senate | Dem |
| Maine House | Dem |
| Michigan House | GOP |
| Minnesota Senate | Dem |
| Minnesota House | Tied |
| Nevada House | Dem |
| Pennsylvania House | Dem |
| Will Dems win a supermajority? | |
|---|---|
| California Senate | Yes |
| California House | Yes |
| Delaware House | No |
| Nevada House | No |
| Nevada Senate | No |
| Vermont Senate | No |
| Vermont House | No |
| Will GOP win a supermajority? | |
|---|---|
| Kansas House | Yes |
| Kansas Senate | Yes |
| Montana House | No |
| Montana Senate | No |
| Nebraska Senate | Yes |
| North Carolina Senate | Yes |
| North Carolina House | No |
Key legislative districts
| Alaska Senate | What matters for control? The bipartisan coalition running the chamber is sure to retain a majority next year, but its size could shrink if coalition members lose Districts D, L, and N, the Alaska Beacon reports. Also, District P may determine whether Democrats have more members within the coalition. |
| Alaska House | What matters for control? In this complex chamber, some Democrats and independents are caucusing with the GOP while two Republicans don’t. The GOP hopes to strengthen its numbers, and many districts could change hands based on the August primary: HD 1, 6, 9, 10, 11, 15, 22, 31, 38, and 40. |
| Arizona House and Senate | What matters for control? To gain this legislature for the first time in decades, Democrats must flip two seats in each chamber. The key races are in legislative districts 2, 4, 9, 13, 16, 17, 23, and 27, the Arizona Republic reports. (House and Senate members are elected within the same districts.) In the Senate, Democrats’ main target is SD2, where GOP incumbent Shawnna Bolick voted earlier this year to advance a measure that could nullify the reelection bid of her husband, a supreme court justice. |
| Delaware | What matters for a supermajority? Democrats need to gain two seats to win a supermajority in this chamber, which could come in handy to override vetoes even if the governor is a Democrat. Watch HD 9, 21, and 22 as Democrats’ best opportunities. Democrats are certain to keep a supermajority in the state Senate. |
| Georgia Senate | SD 48 Republican Senator Shawn Still was a fake Trump elector in late 2020, and he was indicted alongside the former president for trying to interfere with the presidential race. He is now challenged by Ashwin Ramaswami, a 25-year old Democrat. |
| Michigan House | What matters for control? Can Michigan Democrats keep their trifecta for two more years? The governorship and Senate are not on the ballot, so it all comes down to the House: Democrats unexpectedly flipped it in 2022 with a narrow majority (56 to 54) and many competitive seats could go either way this year; the GOP needs to gain just one seat to tie the chamber. Two years ago, Democrats won 11 seats by margins that were well under ten percentage points (HD22, 27, 31, 38, 44, 48, 58, 61, 83, 103, 109), and the GOP won six by such tight margins (HD28, 29, 54, 55, 57, 62), so watch those closely. |
| Minnesota Senate | SD 45 There’s just one Senate district on the ballot this fall—it’s a special election—but Democrats have just a one-seat majority in the Senate and they need to defend this seat to retain control. |
| Minnesota House | What matters for control? The GOP needs to gain three seats to tie this Democratic-run chamber, and plenty of seats could shift to one party or another: This chamber has a lot of tight districts. MinnPost identifies 18 districts to watch. The GOP hopes to gain 7B, 14B, 18A, 26A, 32B, 35A, 35B, 48B, 54A. Democrats hope to gain 3B, 11A, 14A, 36A, 41A, 41B, 45A, 55A, 57B. |
| Nebraska Senate | What matters for a supermajority? Democrats have blocked some bills via filibusters in recent years, but the GOP gained a supermajority in April when Senator Mike McDonnell switched parties. He is not seeking reelection, and Democrats hope to flip back his seat (SD5). But they also must defend several seats that lean red: SD3, 15, and 49. Plus, candidates’ party IDs will not be listed on the ballot, so more races could defy expectations. |
| Nevada Senate | What matters for a supermajority? Democrats are one Senate seat short of having veto proof majorities in the Nevada legislature, and they have one clear target to close that gap: SD15, a district that Biden carried in 2020 and from which the GOP incumbent is retiring. Two other seats to watch: SD5 and 6, two tight districts, one held by each party, where incumbents are running for reelection. |
| New Hampshire House | What matters for control? Control of this chamber is very uncertain given that it ended in a near-tie two years ago; but the state is divided into 400 small districts, so there can be no succinct list of key races for control. |
| North Carolina House & Senate | What matters for a supermajority? The GOP currently can override the Democratic governor’s vetoes, but with no votes to spare in either chamber. For Democrats to gain just one seat in either chamber would end that. In the Senate, Democrats’ best shot of a pick-up is to target GOP incumbents Michael Lee in SD7 or Lisa Barnes in SD11. But the GOP is hoping to gain ground instead, and flip Dem-held SD13, 18, or 42. Democrats have more targets in the House: They say they hope to oust GOP incumbents in HD24, 25, 32, 37, and 105; they’re also running on abortion to flip the open HD98. Erin Paré, the HD37 incumbent, is the only Republican left in Wake County. But here, too, the GOP is on the offensive in seats like the open HD35, and against incumbents in HD73 and 115. |
| North Carolina | House District 105 This one will help determine if the GOP keeps its veto proof majority in the House, but it’s more than that: Representative Tricia Cotham’s decision to switch to the GOP last year gave Republicans their supermajority, paving the way for rapid upheavals like new abortion restrictions. She now faces Democrat Nicole Sidman in a race that Democrats have made a priority this fall—but the GOP redrew the House map to help Cotham. |
| Pennsylvania | What matters for control? Democrats haven’t run this chamber in three decades, and this year they likely can’t do better than a tie because only half the chamber is up. Just to get there, they need to flip three seats. The Capital Star identifies the GOP’s vulnerable seats as SD15, SD37, and SD49, while Democrats have to defend SD45. |
| Pennsylvania House | What matters for control? Democrats unexpectedly flipped this chamber in 2022 with the thinnest of majorities (102 to 101), and the chamber is now one of the most competitive in the nation, with a large field of competitive races previewed here by Spotlight Pennsylvania and the Inquirer. Pay close attention to the districts where the results were within 10 percentage points two years ago; that’s Democratic-held HD72, 118, 121, 144 and 151, and GOP-held HD 7, 9, 18, 137, and 142. |
| Washington | House District 2 Two conservative Republicans are facing off in this general election, but the race stands out because one of the candidates—Matt Marshall—has ties to right-wing militia and has defended a former lawmaker removed from the state legislature over accusations of domestic terrorism. |
| Wisconsin House and Senate | What matters for control? The victory of a liberal supreme court justice in April of 2023 paved the way for a ruling that struck down the GOP’s heavy legislative gerrymanders last year. This fall’s legislative elections are taking place under radically different maps that give Democrats their best chance at flipping the chambers—especially in the Assembly, since only half of the state Senate is up this year. Given the new maps, there are too many potentially competitive districts to list here—but Wisconsin journalist Dan Shafer has analyzed each and every Assembly and Senate race. |
| Wyoming House | What matters for control? The state’s far right, organized in the Wyoming Freedom Caucus, already made major gains in the GOP primaries this summer. Now the Freedom Caucus is in a strong position to capture a majority of the legislature by itself, without needing the rest of the Republican Caucus. WyoFile reports that Democrats will need to win many contested seats, with HD11, HD33, and HD41 leading the way as the most competitive. |
Who will run the federal government?
| Result | |
|---|---|
| White House? | GOP |
| Senate? | GOP |
| House? |
Who will run each state?
Currently Dem-run (17 states):
| Result | |
|---|---|
| CA | Dem |
| CO | Dem |
| CT | Dem |
| DE | Dem |
| IL | Dem |
| HI | Dem |
| MA | Dem* |
| MD | Dem* |
| ME | |
| MI | Split |
| MN | |
| NJ | Dem* |
| NM | Dem |
| NY | Dem |
| OR | Dem |
| RI | Dem* |
| WA | Dem |
Currently GOP-run (23 states):
| Result | |
|---|---|
| AL | GOP* |
| AR | GOP |
| FL | GOP |
| GA | GOP |
| ID | GOP |
| IN | GOP |
| IA | GOP |
| LA | GOP* |
| MS | GOP* |
| MO | GOP |
| MT | GOP |
| NE | GOP |
| NH | |
| ND | GOP |
| OK | GOP* |
| OH | GOP |
| SC | GOP |
| SD | GOP |
| TN | GOP |
| TX | GOP |
| UT | GOP |
| WV | GOP |
| WY | GOP* |
Currently split government (10 states):
| Result | |
|---|---|
| AK | Split |
| AZ | |
| KS | Split |
| KY | Split* |
| NC | Split |
| NV | Split |
| PA | Split |
| VT | Split |
| VA | Split* |
| WI | Split |
Referendums
Abortion rights
| Arizona Prop 139: On establishing a right to abortion access. | Yes |
| California: San Francisco Prop O: On shoring up local protections for abortion rights. | Yes |
| Colorado Amendment 79: On establishing a right to abortion access. | Yes |
| Florida Amendment 4: On establishing a right to abortion access, overturning a 6-week ban. | No |
| Maryland Question 1: On establishing a right to reproductive freedom, including abortion access. | Yes |
| Missouri Amendment 3: On establishing a right to abortion access; this would overturn a state ban. | Yes |
| Montana Amendment 128: On establishing a right to abortion access. | Yes |
| Nebraska Amendments 434 & 439: One of these measures (#439) would establish “a right to abortion until fetal viability;” the other (#434) would bar abortion in the second and third trimester. The amendments’ coexistence may be setting up a legal showdown. | Yes (434) & No (439) |
| Nevada Question 6: On establishing a right to abortion access. | Yes |
| New York Prop 1: On protecting people from discrimination on a number of grounds, including ethnicity, sexual orientation, and reproductive healthcare. | Yes |
| South Dakota Amendment G: On establishing a right to abortion access, overturning a state ban. | |
| Texas, Amarillo Prop A: On banning people from traveling out of state for an abortion. | No |
Drug policy
| Arkansas Issue 3: On legalizing medical marijuana. (Update: The secretary of state and supreme court have invalidated the measure.) | N/A |
| Florida Amendment 3: On legalizing recreational marijuana. | No |
| Massachusetts Question 4: On legalizing psychedelic substances. | No |
| Nebraska Amendments 437 & 438: On legalizing and regulating marijuana for medical use. | Yes |
| North Dakota Measure 5: On legalizing recreational marijuana. | No |
| South Dakota Measure 29: On legalizing recreational marijuana. | No |
| Texas: Dallas Prop 18: On decriminalizing the possession of small amounts of marijuana locally, instructing the police to stop issuing citations and making arrests. | Yes |
Criminal justice and policing
| Arizona Prop 314: On significantly ramping up state involvement in immigration enforcement. | Yes |
| Arizona Prop 311: On a new fee on criminal convictions to establish a first responder death benefit. | Yes |
| Arizona Prop 312: On threatening localities that don’t enforce homelessness bans with loss of property tax revenue. Read more in Bolts and The Marshall Project. | Yes |
| California Prop 6: On removing the “slavery clause” from the state constitution and ending forced prison labor, Bolts reports . | |
| California Prop 36: On increasing sentences for some theft and drug crimes. | Yes |
| Colorado Amendment I: On removing a right to bail for people accused of first-degree murder. | Yes |
| Colorado Prop 128: On making some incarcerated people have to wait longer before they can apply for parole. | |
| Colorado Prop 130: On allocating $350 million from the general budget for initiatives meant to boost policing like increasing officer salaries or making new hires. | Yes |
| Nevada Question 4: On removing the “slavery clause” from the state constitution, which may help reduce forced prison labor. | Yes |
| Texas, Dallas Prop 21: On requiring that Dallas hire hundreds of additional police officers. |
Labor
| Alaska Measure 1: On increasing the minimum wage, and setting up paid sick leave. | Yes |
| Arizona Prop 138: On lowering the tipped minimum wage by 25 percent. | No |
| California Prop 32: On increasing the minimum wage to $18. | |
| Louisiana: New Orleans On adding a ‘worker’s bill of rights’ to the city charter to bolster labor protections. | Yes |
| Massachusetts Question 3: On allowing rideshare drivers to unionize. | Yes |
| Massachusetts Question 5: On increasing the tipped minimum wage. | No |
| Missouri Prop A: On increasing the minimum wage to $15, and mandating paid sick leave. | Yes |
| Nebraska Amendment 436: On requiring businesses to offer paid sick leave to their employees. | Yes |
| South Dakota Amendment F: On paving the way to work requirements for people to obtain Medicaid. | Yes |
| See also: The list of criminal justice referendums, above, details two measures in Nevada and California that touch on forced prison labor. |
Voting and election rules
| 1. Redistricting reform | |
| California: Los Angeles Measures DD and LL: On setting up independent redistricting processes for the city council and for school districts, in the wake of the scandals that surrounded the most recent gerrymandering. | Yes |
| Ohio Issue 1: On bringing an independent redistricting commission to Ohio as a way to halt gerrymandering. | No |
| 2. Who can vote? | |
| California: Albany Measure V: On lowering the voting age to allow 16- and 17-year olds to vote in municipal elections. | |
| California: Santa Ana Measure DD: On allowing noncitizen residents to vote in municipal elections, a practice in place in some places around the nation. | No |
| Idaho, Iowa, Kentucky, Missouri, North Carolina, Oklahoma, South Carolina, and Wisconsin In each state, on adding bans in state constitutions against noncitizens voting in elections. | Yes |
| Iowa Amendment 1: On allowing 17-year olds to vote in primaries if they will be 18 by the time of the general election. The measure also bars noncitizens from voting. | Yes |
| 3. On accessing ballots | |
| Connecticut On allowing no-excuse mail voting in the state, a reform that’d particularly expand access for people with disabilities. | Yes |
| Nevada Question 7: On imposing voter ID rules. | Yes |
| 4. On the design of elections | |
| Alaska Measure 2: On repealing the state’s open primary and ranked-choice voting system. Native leaders have mobilized to defend it, Bolts reports. | |
| Arizona Prop 133: On requiring partisan primaries, and outlawing ranked-choice voting. | No |
| Arizona Prop 140: On setting up a new voting system with open primaries, and candidates that move forward regardless of party. | No |
| Arizona Prop 137: On ending elections for judges, including for the current cycle. Read more in Bolts. | No |
| California: Richmond Illinois: Oak Park These are the localities voting on adopting ranked-choice for their own elections. | |
| Colorado Prop 131: On making Colorado use open primaries and ranked-choice voting for its elections. | No |
| Florida Amendment 1: On making school board elections partisan in Florida. | No |
| Florida Amendment 6: On ending public funding for campaigns. | No |
| Idaho On making Idaho use open primaries and ranked-choice voting for its elections, reversing a 2023 ban. | No |
| Maine Question 1: On restricting financial contributions to PACs. | Yes |
| Missouri Amendment 7: On banning ranked-choice voting in the state, and banning noncitizen voting. | Yes |
| Montana Initiatives 126 and 127: These are designed together; they would replace the partisan primaries with an all-party primary that advances four candidates; and then require 50 percent to win that general election (without specifying a method). | |
| Nevada Question 3: On bringing open primaries and ranked-choice voting to Nevada elections; it’s a repeat of a 2022 vote, which Bolts reported on at the time, as an initiative must pass twice. | No |
| Oregon Measure 117: On making Oregon run its federal and state elections using ranked-choice voting; the voting method is already largely used in the Portland region. | No |
| South Dakota Amendment H: On replacing partisan primaries with an all-party primary and a top 2 general election. | No |
| Washington, DC Initiative 83: On bringing ranked-choice to D.C. elections, and allowing independents to vote in primaries. | Yes |
| 5. On the rules of direct democracy | |
| Arizona Prop 134 and 136: On making it harder to qualify citizen-led initiatives for the ballot, as Bolts reported, and on making it easier for people to challenge ballot initiatives in court. | No |
| North Dakota Measure 2: On making it tougher for ballot initiatives to pass, including by requiring that they be adopted twice on different dates within the same year. | No |
| Utah Amendment D: The state supreme court on Sept. 26 voided this measure, which would have overturned a recent court ruling that shielded some ballot initiatives from legislative gutting. It will still appear on the ballot, but the results will not count. | N/A |
| Texas: Houston Prop 9: On making it easier to qualify citizen-initiated ballot measures. |
Housing
| California Prop 33: On authorizing local governments to set up rent control. | |
| California: Los Angeles County Measure A: On a 0.5 percent sales tax to fund affordable housing and homelessness services. | |
| California: San Francisco Prop G: On setting up a new affordable housing fund. | |
| Colorado: Denver On a 0.5 percent sales tax to fund affordable housing. | |
| Louisiana: New Orleans On setting up a new trust fund for affordable housing. | |
| Rhode Island Question 3: On a $120 million bond for housing. | Yes |
Climate
| California Prop 4: On authorizing $10 billion in bonds for various environmental projects. | |
| Hawaii: Honolulu Measure 1: On allocating a portion of tax revenue to a Climate Resilience Fund | |
| Louisiana On devoting revenue derived from renewable energy sources to coastal restoration work. | |
| South Dakota Referred law 21: On blocking a state law that critics say is meant to ease the way for carbon dioxide pipelines. | No |
| Washington Initiative 2066: On barring restrictions on natural gas, and strike down new environmental regulations. | |
| Washington Initiative 2117: On barring cap-and-trade policies and repeal a state program to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. | No |
Transportation
| Arizona: Flagstaff On increasing the local sales tax to specifically fund public transit through 2040. | |
| Arizona: Maricopa County On continuing a sales tax devoted to transportation, with roughly a third going to public transit. | |
| California: San Francisco Prop L: On taxing Uber and Lyft rides to fund public transit. | |
| California: San Diego On setting up a half-cent sales tax to pay for transportation projects, including public transit. | |
| Colorado: Eight counties within the Denver region’s RTD On removing revenue restrictions from the Regional Transportation District, allowing it to continue spending more money on transit projects. | |
| Georgia: Cobb & Gwinnett counties On increasing each counties’ sales tax to fund bus operations and bus rapid transit projects. | |
| Ohio: Columbus region On increasing the sales tax to significantly ramp up bus services, plus build new pedestrian and bike paths. | Yes |
| South Carolina: Richland County On continuing a sales tax increase that funds transportation services, including some public transit. | |
| South Carolina: Charleston On increasing the sales tax to fund transportation projects, including some public transit. | |
| Tennessee: Nashville On increasing the local sales tax to fund bus services and pedestrian paths. | Yes |
| Virginia: Fairfax County On authorizing $180 million in bonds to upgrade the Metro system. | |
| Washington: Seattle On a property tax levy to fund street projects, including bike lanes. |
Guns
| Colorado Proposition KK: On imposing a new tax on gun and ammo sales. |
| Tennessee, Memphis On imposing new gun control measures. GOP state lawmakers have made it clear they’ll take action to block it amid a state culture of preemption. |
Education
| California Prop 2: On authorizing $10 billion in bonds for education spending. | Yes |
| Colorado Amendment 80: On adding “rights to school choice” in the state constitution, defining school choice to include private schools and charter schools. | No |
| Colorado: Denver On a $975 million proposal that is the biggest bonds plan Denver has asked voters for public schools funding. | Yes |
| Kentucky Amendment 2: On allowing public funding of private schools. | No |
| Massachusetts Question 2: Would end a requirement that students pass the standardized MCAS test to graduate | Yes |
| Nebraska Referendum 435: On whether to keep a program that funds children to attend private schools. | Repeal |
| Utah Amendment A: On ending mandate that Utah spend income tax revenue o public schools. (Update: A state court voided this measure.) | N/A |
| Utah Amendment B: On increasing funding to public schools. | Yes |
Governance
| Arizona Prop 135: On limiting the power of the governor vis-a-vis the legislature when it comes to declaring a state of emergency. | No |
| Arizona Prop 315: On limiting the power of regulatory agencies to issue regulations without the legislature. | No |
| California, Los Angeles Amendment ER: On strengthening the city’s ethics commission; the measure comes in the wake of scandals that engulfed City Hall. | Yes |
| Oregon Measure 115: On creating a path for lawmakers to impeach state officials. | Yes |
| Colorado Amendment H: On creating a new independent body to oversee misconduct in the judiciary. | Yes |
| Massachusetts Question 1: Would empower the state auditor to evaluate the legislature. | Yes |
| New Hampshire On increasing the retirement age of judges. | No |
Taxation
| California Prop 5: On lowering the threshold for ballot measures authorizing new housing and infrastructure bonds, from two-thirds to 55 percent. | No |
| Colorado Prop JJ: On allowing Colorado to keep excess tax revenue from casinos and other betting operators, instead of refunding it to them. | Yes |
| Florida Amendment 5: On exempting more home value from property taxes. | Yes |
| Georgia On increasing the state’s property tax exemptions. | |
| Nevada Question 5: On exempting diapers from the sales tax. | Yes |
| North Dakota Measure 4: On eliminating property taxes, which would be a national first. | No |
| Oregon Measure 118: On increasing corporate taxes to distribute $1,600 to every state resident. | No |
| South Dakota Measure 28: On banning sales tax on groceries. | No |
| Washington Initiative 2109: On repealing a capital gains tax on the wealthy. | No |
Modernizing language
| Nevada Question 2: On amending the constitution to remove certain terms like “the insane” and replace them with people-first language. |
| North Dakota Measure 1: On amending the constitution to remove certain terms like “the insane” and replace them with people-first language. |
| South Dakota Amendment E: On removing generic male pronouns from the state constitution. |
Other topics
| California Prop 34: This one is complicated: It’d restrict how the AIDS Healthcare Foundation can spend its money, largely in a bid by the landlord lobby to kneecap an organization that’s pushed for rent control and resisted some development projects. | |
| Colorado Prop 127: On banning trophy hunting in the state. | No |
| Colorado: Denver On banning slaughterhouses in Denver, and the manufacturing and sale of fur products. | No |
| Illinois: Seven counties On whether the counties should secede from Illinois, a conservative-driven symbolic proposal. | Yes |
| Maine Question 5: On greenlighting a new state flag for the state of Maine. | No |
| Missouri Amendment 2: On legalizing sports betting in Missouri. | Yes |
| Puerto Rico On asking residents whether they would prefer statehood or independence, or a third path. | Statehood |
| Rhode Island Question 1: On deciding if Rhode Island should hold a convention to revise its constitution. | No |
| West Virginia Amendment 1: On prohibiting physician-assisted suicide. | Yes |
State Offices
Supreme courts
| Alabama This court ruled earlier this year that frozen embryos are children, endangering IVF. One of the associate justices who voted with the majority is the GOP nominee for chief justice; she faces a Democratic challenger. Learn more in Bolts. | GOP |
| Arkansas Two sitting justices—moderate Karen Baker and conservative Rhonda Wood—are running for chief justice, in a game of musical chairs that could shift the court even further to the right, Bolts reports. | Baker |
| Arizona: Two seats Progressive organizers are pushing voters to reject two justices who voted to revive a 19th century law banning abortion, Bolts reports. | All retained |
| Colorado: Three seats This supreme court drew headlines in late 2023 with its short-lived ruling kicking Trump off of the state’s ballot. Three justices are seeking new terms. Learn more in Bolts. | All retained |
| Florida: Two seats Two conservative justices who voted to uphold the state’s abortion ban are seeking new terms, though no justice has ever lost a retention race in Florida. Learn more in Bolts. | All retained |
| Kentucky The race to replace a retiring conservative justice may shift this court to the left; liberals support Pamela Goodwine and conservatives back Erin Izzo. (This race is in a central Kentucky district.) Learn more in Bolts. | Goodwine |
| Michigan: Two seats Democrats have a 4-to-3 majority and each party is defending a seat this fall, so the GOP could gain a majority. The court has issued major decisions from criminal justice to democracy, Bolts reports. | Dems win both. |
| Minnesota: Two seats Two justices who were appointed or promoted by Tim Walz face conservative challengers. Learn more in Bolts. | Incumbents won. |
| Mississippi Justice James Kitchens, who dissented in the court’s 2021 decision striking down direct democracy, is running for reelection against four challengers. Learn more. | |
| Montana: Two seats This supreme court has been a thorn in the side of GOP politicians. Two justices are retiring, and conservatives see this as a major opportunity to reshape the court in their favor, Bolts reports. | Split results. |
| North Carolina Democrats hold just two of seven seats and are in danger of slipping further as Justice Allison Riggs, a former civil rights attorney, seeks a full term. Learn more in Bolts. | |
| Ohio: Three seats Republicans have a 4-to-3 majority, and three seats are on the ballot—two held by Democrats, one by the GOP—so the court could shift in either direction, including a potential flip to Democrats. Learn more. | GOP |
| Oklahoma: Three seats Conservatives have mounted a campaign to oust three justices, each appointed by a Democratic governor, and who they say are stymieing right-wing change in the state. | One of three was ousted. |
| Texas: Six seats There are six seats across two high courts. Abortion rights groups are targeting three GOP incumbents on the supreme court over rulings upholding the state’s near-total ban. Three arch-conservatives are seeking seats on the Court of Criminal Appeals; they won primaries against GOP incumbents who drew hard-right ire politicians for rulings that limited Attorney General Ken Paxton’s power to prosecute election crimes. Learn more. | All GOP |
| Washington The race to fill this open seat is ostensibly nonpartisan, but Sal Mungia is backed by the Democratic governor; Dave Larson has criticized the current court for issuing decisions that are too progressive. Learn more. | |
| There are many other supreme court seats on the ballot this year, though dozens are uncontested or uncompetitive. Find out more in our state-by-state guide. |
Appellate courts
| Arizona | Court of Appeals Angela Paton, a court of appeals judge, is running for retention; her husband lobbied for a constitutional amendment that, if passed, would nullify Paton’s election result. | Retained |
| Florida | Court of Appeals After local judge Jared Smith drew national scrutiny in early 2022 for denying a teenager an abortion, Tampa voters ousted him from the bench that summer. But Ron DeSantis appointed him to a court of appeal instead in the state’s 6th district. Smith now faces a retention vote to stay on the bench. | Retained |
| Kentucky | Court of Appeals Lisa Payne Jones, who was appointed to this appellate court by Democratic Governor Andy Beshear last year, is challenged by self-described conservative Jason Fleming. (The race is nonpartisan.) | Jones |
| North Carolina | Court of Appeals (three seats) In one of the nation’s most polarized judicial systems, Republicans already have a large majority on this appeals court—11 to 4. Democrats are defending one seat, and the GOP is defending two seats, in this fall’s statewide races. |
Elections chiefs: Secretary of state, or equivalent office
| Missouri A Republican lawmaker who repeats Trump’s lies about 2020 wants to become secretary of state. Learn more at Bolts. | GOP |
| Montana The GOP secretary of state is seeking reelection after spending her first term backing new restrictions on voter access. Learn more in Bolts. | GOP |
| Oregon In this open race for secretary of state, the GOP nominee is a lawmaker who wants to eliminate mail voting and fought to overturn the results of the 2020 election. Learn more in Bolts. | Dem |
| Vermont A Democratic secretary of state is running for a second term against a Republican election denier. Learn more in Bolts. | Dem |
| Utah The GOP lieutenant governor, the official in charge of elections here, is running for reelection after beating an election denier in her primary. Learn more in Bolts. | GOP |
| Washington The Democratic secretary of state is challenged by a Republican who takes issue with some of the state’s election rules. Learn more in Bolts. | Dem |
| West Virginia The GOP secretary of state, who attended a “stop the steal” rally, is retiring, and his brother is running to take his place. Learn more in Bolts. | GOP |
| In Delaware, Maine, New Hampshire, North Carolina, and Tennessee, voters are deciding their elections chief indirectly this fall—by choosing the public officials who’ll have appointment power. Our Bolts guide walks you through each of them. |
Attorneys general
| Indiana GOP Attorney General Todd Rokita attacked a physician who provided an abortion to a 10-year-old rape victim, and was reprimanded for it by his state’s highest court. He now seeks a full-term against Democrat Destiny Scott Wells. | GOP |
| Missouri Andrew Bailey amassed a conservative record since he was appointed last year, including stalling n initiative to protect abortion rights and fighting to defeat a deal to spare the life of Marcellus Williams despite the paucity of evidence against him. He faces civil rights attorney Elad Gross. | GOP |
| Montana The Associated Press reported this spring that incumbent Austin Knudsen had recruited someone to challenge him in the GOP primary so he’d be allowed to raise more money. Knusden faces Democrat Ben Alke. | GOP |
| North Carolina Dan Bishop, who voted to overturn the 2020 elections, would gain authority to investigate elections and affect voting rights if he becomes attorney general; he faces Democrat Jeff Jackson. | Dem |
| Oregon With the Democratic incumbent retiring, the GOP is going for its first statewide win since 2016; the race features a Republican prosecutor versus the state’s former Democratic speaker. | Dem |
| Pennsylvania A former Democratic auditor faces a Republican DA for an office that can be a stepping stone for higher ambitions, in addition to having influence on the state’s criminal justice policies. | GOP |
| Washington Democrat Nicholas Brown, a former U.S. Attorney, faces Pete Serrano, director of a conservative organization that has fought against the state’s gun regulations. The two have also clashed over some of the state’s abortion protections. | Dem |
| Three other states have attorney general races: Utah, Vermont, and West Virginia. |
Other statewide offices
| Arkansas | Treasurer Secretary of State John Thurston, now running for treasurer, just helped stall and sink a ballot measure that was meant to protect abortion rights, which Democrat John Pagan is faulting him for. | GOP |
| Montana | Clerk of the supreme court This is the only state in the nation that elects its supreme court clerk. The GOP incumbent is making the case he can be a conservative guardrail against a court that leans liberal. | GOP |
| North Carolina | Lieutenant governor Who’ll replace Mark Robinson? Republican Hal Weatherman is assailing “woke” ideas like social-emotional learning; he faces Democrat Rachel Hunt. | Dem |
| North Carolina | Superintendent of public instruction Republican Michele Morrow has called public schools “indoctrination centers,” suggested Barack Obama should be executed, and called on Trump to use the military to overturn the 2020 election. She ousted the GOP incumbent in the primary, and now faces Democrat Mo Green. | Dem |
| North Carolina | Auditor A conservative Republican is challenging an appointed Democrat, and promising to set up a division to pursue investigations into elections. Learn more in Bolts. | GOP |
| North Carolina | Labor commissioner This office has been in GOP hands for decades despite Democratic success in other state elections. Labor groups are hoping to elect the first hourly union worker to the job, Democrat Braxton Winston. He faces Republican attorney Luke Farley. | GOP |
| North Carolina | Secretary of state Democrat Elaine Marshall has been secretary of state for more than a quarter of a century, and she is running for an eighth term in an expensive race. | Dem |
| North Carolina | Treasurer, agriculture commissioner, and insurance commissioner The many elections above are likely North Carolina Democrats’ best shots to win down ballot offices. But if Robinson’s scandals drags down the GOP, watch these three races for upsets. The treasurer race is open, while the other two races feature GOP incumbents. | GOP |
| Oregon | Treasurer Two state senators are facing off to be the next treasurer and oversee the state’s investments, Democrat Elizabeth Steiner and Republican Brian Boquist, who was barred from seeking reelection because he took part in a walkout with others in his party. | |
| Pennsylvania | Auditor general GOP incumbent Timothy DeFoor faces Democrat Malcolm Kenyatta, a lawmaker who came off an unsuccessful Senate bid to challenge him. Learn more in Bolts. | |
| Pennsylvania | Treasurer Democratic leaders once targeted GOP incumbent Stacy Garrity for associating herself with election deniers. Now that she faces a reelection bid, they’re largely writing off Erin McClelland, a substance abuse counselor who scored an upset in the Democratic primary. | |
| Washington | Superintendent of public instruction In this nonpartisan race, Democrats back incumbent Chris Reykdal; the state GOP endorsed David Olson. They differ starkly on whether to expand school vouchers and on inclusionary policies toward trans students. | |
| Washington | Public land commissioner Jaime Herrera Beutler, a former member of Congress, is arguably the GOP’s best chance to win a statewide office in Washington this year, but Dave Upthegrove will benefit from the state’s blue lean. Democrats came wildly close (51 votes out of 2 millions cast) from not even having a candidate in this general election for the office that oversees the department of natural resources. | |
| The states of Delaware, Indiana, Missouri, Montana, North Dakota, Vermont, Utah, and Washington are electing some statewide executive officials who are not on this present list. |
State boards
| Arizona | Corporate Commission (three seats) Democrats can grab a majority on this body, which regulates state utilities, if they sweep all three seats on the ballot. All candidates appear on one statewide ballot, and the top three win. |
| New Hampshire | Executive council: Districts 1, 3-5 This unusual body has powers like confirming state judges and other appointments. The GOP has a 4-1 edge, but all five seats are on the ballot this fall. The GOP only narrowly won districts 1, 3, 4, and 5 two years ago. |
| Nebraska | State board of education: Districts 1-4 While these races are ostensibly nonpartisan, board members have affiliations and they differ on issues such as charter schools and trans rights. Earlier this year, the board voted 5-to-3 against adopting a book-banning policy pushed by conservatives. All four seats that are up this year are held by members in the majority in that decision, and none is seeking reelection. In districts 1 to 3, conservatives backed by a PAC called Protect Nebraska Children face candidates backed by the Nebraska State Education Association, a labor group. In the 4th, an NSEA-backed Democrat faces an independent. |
| Nevada | Board of education: District 1 An activist with the conservative organization Moms for Liberty, Tim Underwood, is running for one of the four elected seats on Nevada’s board of education. Underwood has said current members of the board are abusing and indoctrinating children due to inclusive policies and tolerance for LGBTQ-themed books. |
| Texas | State board of education: District 11 The GOP already dominates this board, though conservatives have tried to push it further right. In District 11, in the Fort Worth region, a 27-year old conservative pastor ousted a GOP incumbent in the primary but he now must win a general election against a Democratic math teacher. Elsewhere in the state, two GOP incumbents who barely survived primary challengers want new terms in Districts 10 and 12. Democrats are favored to win Districts 1, 3, and 4. The GOP is favored to win District 15. |
Local Offices
Election administrators
| Arizona | Maricopa County (Phoenix) In the nation’s largest swing county, the office that runs elections is up for grabs: The incumbent GOP recorder was ousted in the primary by Justin Heap, a lawmaker whose campaign drew heavy support from prominent election deniers. Heap now faces Democrat Tim Stringham. |
| Arizona | Yuma County David Lara, who has repeated false information about elections in Arizona and who helped inspire the debunked far-right film “2,000 Mules,” ousted the Republican incumbent recorder in the August primary and now faces Democrat Emilia Cortez. |
| Arizona | Cochise County If Arizona as a whole has been a hotbed of false conspiracies about fraud, a lot of conservatives’ most visible efforts to upend the elections system have taken place in Cochise County. That’s in part because of Recorder David Stevens, a Republican who has worked closely with prominent election deniers. He is now running for reelection against Democrat Anne Carl, who faces a tough path in this conservative area. |
| Florida | Alachua, Hillsborough, Monroe, Palm Beach, Osceola, and Seminole A coordinated coalition of ‘America First’ candidates want to take over the offices of supervisor of elections across Florida. Coalition candidates advanced to the general election in these six counties, Bolts reports. |
| Florida | Miami-Dade County Miami-Dade is choosing its first elected supervisor of elections. The Democratic nominee is J.C. Planas, a former Republican lawmaker who says he switched parties to protest Trump’s lies about the 2020 election. He’ll face Republican Alina Garcia, a lawmaker who was endorsed by Trump. |
| Michigan | Antrim County This county clerk was set to retire this year, but, upset that a candidate with affinities to false election conspiracies won the GOP primary, she is mounting a write-in bid to stay in the office. |
Prosecutors
| Arizona | Maricopa County (Phoenix) County Attorney Rachel Mitchell, a Republican, faces Democrat Tamika Wooten who has accused her of “leniency” toward defendants and faulted the use of diversion programs. Learn more in Bolts‘ guide. | |
| California | Alameda County (Oakland) Pamela Price, Oakland’s progressive DA, vowed to lessen incarceration and now faces a recall vote organized by the same forces who targeted Chesa Boudin in San Francisco, Bolts reports. | |
| California | Los Angeles County DA George Gascón, who introduced big reforms after winning in 2020, faces a tough reelection battle against Nathan Hochman, a former Republican nominee for attorney general who wants to roll back his changes. | |
| California | San Francisco DA Brooke Jenkins, who replaced the progressive Chesa Boudin after Boudin’s recall in 2022, now faces Ryan Khojasteh, a former prosecutor who was hired by Boudin and fired by Jenkins. Learn more in our guide to DA races. | |
| Colorado | 18th District (Arapahoe County) This populous county may end up with its first reform-minded DA, Bolts reports, if Democrat Amy Padden defeats former Republican prosecutor Carol Chambers. | |
| Colorado | 23rd District (Douglas County) Republican George Brauchler, a tough-on-crime former DA, is close to completing his comeback as he runs in a newly designed conservative district, Bolts reports. | |
| Florida | Hillsborough County (Tampa) Two years after Ron DeSantis removed him from office as Tampa’s chief prosecutor, Democrat Andrew Warren is running for his old job against his Republican replacement, Bolts reports. | GOP |
| Florida | Orange (Orlando) and Osceola counties Here, too, a Democratic prosecutor suspended by DeSantis is asking voters to return her to the job; unlike in Tampa, the DeSantis-appointed incumbent is running as an independent. | Dem |
| Georgia | Clarke (Athens), Oconoee and Chatham (Savannah) counties A new GOP law that permits the removal of prosecutors by a state board was widely perceived to target first-term Democratic DAs Deborah Gonzales (in Clarke and Oconee counties) and Shalena Cook Jones (in Chatham County). Now they face reelection against independent Kalki Yalamanchili and Republican Andre Pretorius, respectively. Learn more in our guide to DA races. | Yalamanchili and Cook Jones |
| Georgia | Fulton County (Atlanta) Democratic DA Fani Willis is heavily favored in blue Atlanta, but her race against a former Trump lawyer is heavy with symbolism given Willis’ attempts to prosecute Trump. | Dem |
| Illinois | Lake County and DeKalb County Few prosecutors in Illinois backed the reform abolishing cash bail. One year after implementation, the reform is occasioning debates in two counties, Bolts explains: Lake County, where a Democratic incumbent favorable to the reform faces a GOP challenger, and DeKalb County, where a Republican prosecutor who strongly opposed it is retiring. | |
| Kansas | Johnson County In the state’s most populous county, longterm Republican DA Steve Howe faces Democrat Vanessa Riebli. Issues of abortion and policing have been are the forefront; learn more in our guide to DA races. | GOP |
| Michigan | Ingham County As one of the four members of the State Board of Canvassers in November 2020, Norm Shinkle refused to certify Trump’s loss. Now he is the GOP nominee against Democratic incumbent John Dewane. | Dem |
| Michigan | Macomb County In this county north of Detroit, Republican DA Pete Lucido has faced accusations of ethical misconduct and sexual harassment, and he now faces Democrat Christina Hines. Learn more in our guide to DA races. | GOP |
| Michigan | Oakland County In another suburban county, Democratic incumbent Karen McDonald, who has pursued some criminal justice reforms during her first term, faces GOP challenger Scott Farida who wants to roll them back. Learn more in our guide to DA races. | Dem |
| New York | Albany County The anti-reform DA of New York’s capital county was defeated in the Democratic primary, but he’s now mounting a write-in bid. Read more in Bolts. | Dem |
| Ohio | Hamilton County (Cincinnati) Republican Melissa Powers, appointed as Cincinnati’s prosecutor last year, faces former Democratic lawmaker Connie Pillich. While Pillich has not focused on criminal justice reform, Powers has cast herself as a critical barrier to “woke” officials. Learn more in our guide to prosecutor races. | Dem |
| Ohio | Franklin County (Columbus) Shayla Favor, a Columbus councilmember, won a tough Democratic primary on what she called a “progressive vision for public safety.” She’s favored to win this general election in this blue county against Republican John Rutan who has shared conspiracy theories about 9/11 and election fraud. | Dem |
| South Carolina | Charleston County A staff prosecutor was fired by the GOP solicitor for making comments that mocked racial justice; he’s now challenging his former boss as the Democratic nominee. Learn more in our guide to prosecutor races. | GOP |
| Texas | Harris County (Houston) DA In the Democratic primary, former prosecutor Sean Teare ousted his former boss, DA Kim Ogg, who was a leading antagonist of local bail reforms. Teare now faces Republican Dan Simons, another former prosecutor, and he has continued to defend ramping up local criminal justice reforms. | Dem |
| Texas | Travis County (Austin) DA José Garza, Austin’s reform-minded DA, prevailed in the Democratic primary over a challenger backed by tech money who accused him of endangering public safety. Republican Daniel Betts has picked up where the primary left off, but the incumbent is favored to win in this blue county. | Dem |
Sheriffs
| Arizona | Maricopa County (Phoenix) Republican Jerry Sheridan, a former deputy under Sheriff Joe Arpaio, is running again, four years after he lost his first bid for sheriff. This time, he faces Democratic nominee Tyler Kamp, a former police officer in Phoenix who has stressed as a positive that he has not worked under Arpaio. Learn more in our guide to sheriff races. | GOP |
| Arizona | Pima County (Tucson) The race between Democratic Sheriff Chris Nanos and Republican challenger Heather Lappin, who works in his office, has erupted in controversy in the final stretch of the campaign, in a race that’s unfolding against the backdrop of deaths in the local jail and statewide debates on immigration. Learn more in our guide to sheriff races. | |
| Florida | Clay County Former sheriff Darryl Daniels is running for his old job against incumbent Michelle Cook, four years after losing to her amid an abuse of power scandal involving allegations that he wrongfully detained a mistress. Daniels, who was acquitted by a jury in 2022, also has a history of aggressive statements against Black Lives Matter protesters. | |
| Florida | Miami-Dade County This is Miami-Dade County’s first sheriff election since the 1960s—the position was appointed for decades—and Republican Rosie Cordero-Stutz faces Democrat James Reyes. | |
| Georgia | Chatham County (Savannah) The Savannah jail, long plagued by allegations of neglect and abuse has become a flashpoint in the race between GOP Sheriff John Wilcher and his Democratic challenger Richard Coleman. Learn more in our guide to sheriff’s races. | Dem |
| Georgia | Cobb and Gwinnett counties Democrats in 2020 flipped the sheriffs offices of these two suburban counties, and the new sheriffs quickly withdrew from ICE programs. But the GOP retaliated by passing a law that requires sheriffs to collaborate with ICE. Now, Republicans are trying to gain back the offices. | Dem |
| Kansas | Johnson County Democrats hope to flip the office in Kansas’ most populous county for the first time in nearly a century, even if the primary defeat of Sheriff Calvin Hayden, an election denier who kept investigating the 2020 election, has muted the race. Learn more in our guide to sheriff races. | |
| New Jersey | Bergen County A Republican police chief, fresh off being vindicated against an indictment but with a broader history of controversy, is challenging a Democratic sheriff for the second time. | |
| Ohio | Portage County Republican Sheriff Bruce Zuchowski called on residents of his county to “write down all the addresses” of people who support Kamala Harris. He is up for reelection against Democrat Jon Barber, who told Bolts that he thinks Zuchowski engaged in “voter intimidation.” Learn | |
| South Carolina | Charleston County The first-term Democratic sheriff restricted collaboration with ICE soon after she won office in 2020; the GOP is attacking her furiously on that position. | |
| Texas | Harris County (Houston) sheriff Sheriff Ed Gonzalez, a Democrat who embraced bail reform and other changes, but who is also overseeing jails that are rife with abuse, faces Republican Mike Knox, a former Houston police officer who wants to ramp up policing and join ICE’s 287(g) program, which Gonzalez left in 2017. | |
| Texas | Tarrant County (Fort Worth) Sheriff Bill Waybourn is seeking reelection against Democrat Pat Moses, after two terms that saw a surge in jail deaths and heavy organizing for more accountability into the office practices, Bolts reports. | GOP |
| Washington | Pierce County The incumbent is retiring in the state’s second most populous county, to be replaced by Democrat Patti Jackson or Keith Swank. Amid scandals involving use of force by office, advocates hope for reforms to local law enforcement. |
Local leadership: Mayors, councils, county boards
| Arizona | Control of the Maricopa County board Democrats could flip the local government in one of the nation’s largest counties—alternatively, the far-right could grow its presence on the board. It’ll come down to two races. In District 1, Republican Jack Sellers, the chair of the board who received death threats for rejecting far-right lies about fraud in the 2020 and 2022 elections, was ousted in the GOP primary. Sellers has since crossed party lines to endorse Democrat Joel Navarro instead of Mark Stewart, a Republican has declined to say if he would have certified results either year. Democrats also hope to flip the 3rd district, which is held by a retiring Republican but voted for Joe Biden in 2020. The party needs to sweep both races to gain control of the board. | |
| Arizona | Mesa mayor The first-round in August saw two candidates who are ideologically close prevail over more progressive or conservative candidates; now one of Mark Freeman and Scott Smith will become the mayor of Arizona’s third most populous city. | |
| California | Los Angeles city council, District 14 Councilmember Kevin de León, who refused to resign after being recorded in a conversation making racist remarks alongside other Los Angeles officials, faces challenger Ysabel Jurado. | Jurado |
| California | Control of the San Diego County board Can Democrats defend this populous county? They won a 3-2 majority on the board in 2020 for the first time in more than 30 years. But Supervisor Terra Lawson-Remer now faces a tough challenge in the third district from former San Diego Mayor Kevin Faulconer, a Republican who performed poorly in his run for governor in 2021. | |
| California | Oakland mayor (recall) Oakland Mayor Sheng Thao, a progressive first elected in 2022, faces a recall vote pushed by real-estate and tech interests, alongside the county’s DA. But she also faces a federal probe that involved a federal raid of her home in June. | Recalled |
| California | Sacramento mayor (nonpartisan) In this open, nonpartisan race, an epidemiologist is making the case that her public health background would benefit the city as it confronts issues of gun violence and homelessness, Bolts reports. | |
| California | San Diego mayor (nonpartisan) Mayor Todd Gloria faces Larry Turner, a police officer challenging him from his right; former public defender Geneviéve Jones-Wright, who challenged Gloria from the left, was eliminated in the primary. | Gloria |
| California | San Francisco mayor Mayor London Breed, who has pushed changes to boost policing, is seeking a second term against opponents like Mark Farrell who want an approach that’s more punitive, and Daniel Lurie, as well as against the more progressive Aaron Peskin. | Lurie |
| California | San Francisco board of supervisors (six seats) Dean Preston, the progressive supervisor of District 5, faces a deluge of tech money as he battles challengers who disagree with him on criminal justice and housing, as Mission Local details. Five other races have drawn less fireworks but are important too. In District 1, progressive incumbent Connie Chan faces challengers to her right. District 7’s Myrna Melgar has challengers who want to boost police presence. The third, ninth, and 11th district are open races with clear contrasts between the city’s left-leaning and centrist blocs. | |
| Florida | Tallahassee council (District 2) Progressives could flip control of the Tallahassee council, The Tallahassee Democrat reports, if former Mayor Dot Inman-Johnson ousts council member Curtis Richardson. The race is nonpartisan, but Republicans groups are pouring money to help Richardson. | Richardson |
| Montana | Bozeman study commission Tenants’ rights advocates are using a once-in-a-decade chance to reshape the way in which their municipal government is structured; they’re making the case that this would create more equitable representation and, eventually, more affordable housing. Bolts reports that this effort is coming to a head in November’s election for five seats on a study commission. | |
| Nevada | Las Vegas mayor In the ostensibly nonpartisan race, Democrats are bidding to regain the mayor’s office for the first time since 2010 with Shelley Berkley, a former Democratic member of Congress, facing Victoria Seaman, a Republican city councilmember. | Berkeley |
| New Jersey | Control of the Atlantic County commission Biden carried Atlantic County but the GOP has a 7 to 2 edge on the county commission. This year, three GOP-held seats are on the ballot (one at-large seat, plus districts 2 and 5), so Democrats could flip control. | GOP |
| New Jersey | Cumberland and Gloucester County commissions These two counties are a test of whether the GOP can maintain its gains in South Jersey, which were very notable in the last gubernatorial cycle in 2021. In Cumberland, the GOP now holds all seven commissioner seats. In Gloucester, the GOP is in the minority but flipped two commissioners’ seats and the sheriff’s office, in upsets. Now, Democrats are looking to flip them back in Gloucester, and make a dent in Cumberland. | |
| New Mexico | Control of the Sandoval County commission The GOP has a 3-2 edge in the county commission of this county, home to Bernalillo. Can Democrats flip it? With two GOP incumbents retiring in districts 2 and 4, Democrats need to flip just one of the second or fourth districts. | GOP |
| Oklahoma | Tulsa mayor The sitting mayor is a Republican, but the GOP was shut out of this runoff between two Democrats—Monroe Nichols, a progressive lawmaker, and Karen Keith, a county commissioner who is now courting more conservative voters. | Nichols |
| Oklahoma | Tulsa city council This race has drawn attention for the candidacy of Republican Eddie Huff, who opposes public funding for art, museums, and libraries, and says the city library is a “haven for the homeless.” He is challenging Democratic incumbent Lori Decter Wright. | Decter Wright |
| Oregon | Portland mayor This mayor’s office is transitioning to be more of a figurehead under a new system that will feature a non-elected administrator, but there’s still a fierce battle between 19 candidates, to be decided with ranked-choice voting. Many contenders have embraced hardline positions on law enforcement, especially when it comes to homelessness issues that have defined recent public debates in the city. Portlanders must also decide between 98 candidates running for 12 city council positions, an explosion in the number of candidates due to new voting rules. | Keith Wilson |
| Texas | Austin mayor In his bid for reelection, Mayor Kirk Watson has piled campaign cash as he faces four challengers, some with backgrounds in community organizing. | Watson |
| Virginia | Richmond mayor Five candidates are running to lead Virginia’s capital; the nonpartisan race has been fairly quiet and low on policy contrasts, and more of a test of how the city’s demographics are changing, The Richmonder reports. | |
| Washington | Seattle council (District 8) Only one council seat is up this year: Tanya Woo, an incumbent councilor who is part of the centrist faction that has gained ground recently, faces a more progressive challenger Alexis Mercedes Rinck. | |
| Utah | Salt Lake County mayor, and control of the board Democrats have a shot at gaining full control of the local government of Utah’s largest county: County Mayor Jennie Wilson, a Democrat, is running for reelection. And Dems would flip the county board if they win three of the four seats on the ballot—an at-large seat, plus districts 2, 4, and 6. | |
| Vermont | Addison County high bailiff This little-known office connected to the criminal legal system features a local official, now running for reelection, who is using his bully pulpit to argue for the abolition of elected sheriffs, Bolts reports. | |
| Washington, D.C. | City council There’s typically little suspense in D.C.’s general elections, and, as usual, few of the council races are even contested this fall. There is technically some competition for the at-large council seats, one of which has to go to a non-Democrat, but independent incumbent Christina Henderson is the heavy favorite. |
Local judges
| California | Los Angeles judgeships #39, #48, and #97 Public defenders are running for these seats by emphasizing a goal of reducing incarceration. Learn more in Bolts. |
| Illinois | Cook County Injustice Watch‘s rich guide to the Chicago region’s judicial elections walks you through the records of the 77 judges who are up for retention this fall. Pay attention in particular to the results of the races of Maura Slattery Boyle, Mary Margaret Brosnahan, and Mike McHale, three judges who have faced controversy for their practices on the bench. |
| Minnesota | District 10 judge A judicial candidate, Nathan Hansen, deleted thousands of social media posts in which he spread conservative conspiracy theories like Pizzagate, the Minnesota Reformer reports. He is challenging incumbent Helen Brosnahan, who was appointed by Governor Tim Walz. |
| Texas | Houston criminal courts Houston’s criminal court judgeships have been fiercely contested in recent years due to local debates over the jail and bail; this fall, twelve criminal court seats are contested across the county, Houston Landing details. |
School boards
| California, San Francisco (four seats via one election) Two years after the recall of three left-leaning members, this board is in for more upheaval: Three incumbents are retiring, and the local teacher’s union unexpectedly endorsed a trio of moderates to replace them, as well as a progressive incumbent (Matt Alexander) who is seeking a new term. |
| Florida | Six elections across the state DeSantis, Florida’s conservative governor, has tried to move school boards to the right for years—and this year he endorsed 23 local candidates, often overlapping with Moms for Liberty. Eleven of his candidates lost in the August primary, and 6 prevailed. The remaining 6 are vying in November runoffs in Brevard (Matt Susin), Hernando (Mark Cioffi), Lee (Vanessa Chaviano), Miami-Dade (Mary Blanco), Pinellas (Stacy Geier), and Volusia (Donna Brosemer) counties. |
| Illinois | Chicago school board Chicago is electing school board members for the first time; elections will take place in each of 10 districts. The contests have morphed into a confrontation between the teacher’s union (a progressive force that endorsed a candidate in each district) and groups backing charter schools that have raised millions. |
| Nevada | Clark County (Las Vegas) school board In one of the nation’s largest school districts, elections for two of the board’s seven seats feature candidates who have been active with Moms for Liberty, a group looking to push school policies to the right. Lydia Dominguez, running in District B, and Lorena Biassotti, running in District E, have targeted the current board for inclusive policies on matters like the rights of LGBTQ+ students. (They both distanced themselves from Moms for Liberty in the campaign’s final stretch.) |
| North Carolina | Wake County board of education Conservatives are looking to gain a majority on the board of education of North Carolina’s most populous county, and are campaigning alongside the far-right candidate who is trying to take over the statewide school system, The News & Observer reports. Democrats currently have a 7 to 2 majority, but four of their incumbents are running for reelection in districts 4, 5, 8, and 9. (A Republican is running for reelection in District 3.) |