Ballotpedia News Releases

Ballotpedia Reports: 2026 State Legislative Elections Are the Third Most Competitive Since 2010

Thu, 15 Oct 2026 10:17:00 -0400

Both major parties are contesting 66% of seats, nearly matching the 2018 record, while the share of open seats is below average Middleton, Wisconsin--(Newsfile Corp. - October 15, 2026) - This year's state legislative elections are the third most competitive since 2010, according to Ballotpedia's recently released 16th Annual State Legislative Competitiveness Report.Competitiveness measures the extent of choice available to voters. More open seats, more contested primaries, and more races where...

What State Executives Earn as Voters Head to the Polls

Tue, 06 Oct 2026 10:17:00 -0400

Newly released data show salaries ranging from $7,113 to $489,000 for the offices voters oversee Middleton, Wisconsin--(Newsfile Corp. - October 6, 2026) - As voters prepare to elect governors in 36 states and dozens of other statewide officials this November, new Ballotpedia data show how much pay for those offices varies from state to state.According to Ballotpedia's analysis, New York's commissioner of education was the highest-paid state executive official in 2025, at $489,000. The...

Eight of 2026's 10 Battleground Governor's Races Have No Incumbent

Thu, 01 Oct 2026 10:17:00 -0400

Ballotpedia's Gubernatorial Races to Watch Middleton, Wisconsin--(Newsfile Corp. - October 1, 2026) - Of the 36 governorships on the ballot in 2026, Democrats and Republicans each hold 18. Fifteen incumbent governors are term-limited: six Democrats and nine Republicans. Ballotpedia has identified 10 of the 36 races as battlegrounds, split evenly between five Democratic-held and five Republican-held governorships. Eight of the 10 have no incumbent running.Three governors who were eligible to run...

Ballotpedia Launches 2026 Voter Toolkit: Helping Voters Every Step of the Way

Tue, 15 Sep 2026 09:17:00 -0400

Resources include the Sample Ballot, polling locations, poll opening and closing times, registration deadlines, and more. Middleton, Wisconsin--(Newsfile Corp. - September 15, 2026) - For all voters, whether it's their first time or they've been voting for decades, Ballotpedia's 2026 Voter Toolkit is here to help.To view an enhanced version of this graphic, please visit:https://images.newsfilecorp.com/files/11226/314191_6ecf952ff49e3af9_002full.jpgThe 2026 Voter Toolkit is designed to make it...

Voters in 40 States Will Decide 164 Ballot Measures This November

Thu, 10 Sep 2026 09:17:00 -0400

Direct democracy measures reached their highest total of the 21st century, voter ID proposals span seven states, and citizen initiatives increased in several states. Ballotpedia's new ballot measures hub tracks all of them. Middleton, Wisconsin--(Newsfile Corp. - September 10, 2026) - As of September 8, 2026, 164 statewide ballot measures had been certified in 40 states for elections in 2026.HighlightsNine measures in seven states address the initiative and referendum process, the most in any...

States Enacted 419 Election Bills in 2026, Outpacing Recent Midterm Years

Thu, 03 Sep 2026 08:17:00 -0400

Democratic trifectas enacted 38% of new election laws, up from 19% at this point last year; Republican trifectas enacted 53%, down from 70% Middleton, Wisconsin--(Newsfile Corp. - September 3, 2026) - State legislatures have enacted 419 election-related bills across 44 states so far in 2026, according to Ballotpedia's State of Election Policy Legislation 2026 Mid-Year Report. That is 48% more than the 284 enacted at this point in 2024 and roughly double the 210 enacted by this point in 2022, the...

State ESG Lawmaking Reaches a Five-Year Low in 2026

Thu, 27 Aug 2026 08:17:00 -0400

14 bills became law out of 174 introduced, and Democratic-controlled states enacted none supporting ESG Middleton, Wisconsin--(Newsfile Corp. - August 27, 2026) - State legislatures have enacted 14 environmental, social, and corporate governance (ESG) bills thus far in 2026, the fewest in a single year since 2021. This represents 8% of the 174 ESG-related bills introduced, according to Ballotpedia's Environmental, Social, and Governance Legislation Tracker.Of the bills that were not enacted, one...

Laws Expanding Executive Agency Authority Outnumber Laws Restricting It

Tue, 25 Aug 2026 09:17:00 -0400

Republican and Democratic trifectas both enacted more bills increasing agency power in 2026 Middleton, Wisconsin--(Newsfile Corp. - August 25, 2026) - States have enacted more laws expanding the authority of administrative agencies than restricting it thus far in 2026, according to Ballotpedia's newly released Administrative State 2026 Legislation Report.Agencies are responsible for implementing the laws and writing the rules that govern services, products, and aspects of daily life in each...

Ballotpedia Reports: Forty-eight States Now Have Laws Addressing Sexually Explicit Deepfakes

Wed, 05 Aug 2026 09:17:00 -0400

Ballotpedia's just-published report finds almost half of all deepfake bills enacted so far this year had bipartisan sponsorship. Middleton, Wisconsin--(Newsfile Corp. - August 5, 2026) - Every state except Ohio and New Mexico now has laws addressing sexually explicit deepfakes, according to Ballotpedia's third annual report on state deepfake legislation. Overall, states have enacted 58 deepfake-related bills so far in 2026, down from 64 by this point last year.Deepfake laws have advanced with...

Data Center Disputes Fuel 33 Recall Efforts, Ballotpedia Finds

Tue, 07 Jul 2026 09:17:00 -0400

Recall campaigns tied to AI infrastructure are an emerging trend Middleton, Wisconsin--(Newsfile Corp. - July 7, 2026) - Ballotpedia has identified 33 recall efforts related to data center development during the first six months of 2026, an early indication that disputes over the infrastructure powering artificial intelligence are reaching the ballot box."Recalls have long been a feature of American government, but the issues driving them shift with the times," said Daniel Anderson,...