States Enacted 419 Election Bills in 2026, Outpacing Recent Midterm Years
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 two most recent comparable even-numbered years. Enacted bills are down 11.4% from the 473 recorded at this point in the 2025 session,...
2026-09-03 8:17 AM EDT
State ESG Lawmaking Reaches a Five-Year Low in 2026
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 was vetoed without an override, eight advanced to a second chamber, 79 failed, and 72 remain...
2026-08-27 8:17 AM EDT
Laws Expanding Executive Agency Authority Outnumber Laws Restricting It
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 state. Most agencies are led by appointed — not elected — officials, and the amount of...
2026-08-25 9:17 AM EDT
Ballotpedia Reports: Forty-eight States Now Have Laws Addressing Sexually Explicit Deepfakes
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 support from both parties, and almost half of this year's enacted bills were sponsored by both parties. Why it matters:...
2026-08-05 9:17 AM EDT
Data Center Disputes Fuel 33 Recall Efforts, Ballotpedia Finds
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, Ballotpedia's Associate Director of Elections & Data. "This year, we're...
2026-07-07 9:17 AM EDT
States Have Passed Nearly 2.5 Times as Many Election Measures This Year as at the Same Point Four Years Ago
Middleton, Wisconsin--(Newsfile Corp. - May 12, 2026) - 2026 has already been a year of significant activity in election legislation across the 50 states. Lawmakers have considered bills on issues ranging from voter ID and proof of citizenship to mail-in ballot deadlines and ranked-choice voting, touching nearly every one of the 127 election policy areas Ballotpedia tracks. According to Ballotpedia's 2026 Election Legislation Report, as of April 24, states have already enacted 236...
2026-05-12 9:17 AM EDT
Ballotpedia Reports: Gubernatorial Races to Watch in 2026
Middleton, Wisconsin--(Newsfile Corp. - February 18, 2026) - As important as the 2026 congressional elections are for national politics, 80% of the races voters will decide when they head to the polls in November will be for state and local offices. Among those races are 36 gubernatorial elections. "Governors wield enormous power in shaping their states, from appointing judges to state supreme courts and filling vacant U.S. Senate seats, to naming cabinet members and agency heads who oversee...
2026-02-18 9:17 AM EST
Ballotpedia Identifies Key Policy Trends Emerging in 2026
Middleton, Wisconsin--(Newsfile Corp. - January 28, 2026) - As states begin certifying ballot measures for the 2026 election cycle, Ballotpedia is tracking a growing number of initiatives and constitutional amendments addressing voting requirements, abortion policy, marijuana and psychedelics, and sex, gender, and LGBTQ issues. Visit the Ballotpedia YouTube page to watch an overview of the 2026 ballot measures preview. To view an e
2026-01-28 9:17 AM EST
Ballotpedia Releases 2025 Analysis of State Election Legislation
Middleton, Wisconsin--(Newsfile Corp. - December 17, 2025) - Ballotpedia's 2025 annual review of election-related state legislative activity highlights another significant year of voting and election process policymaking across the country. Visit the Ballotpedia YouTube page to watch an overview of the State of Election Administration Legislation 2025 Ye
2025-12-17 9:17 AM EST
Ballotpedia Highlights Top Ballot Measures to Watch in the 2025 General Election
Middleton, Wisconsin--(Newsfile Corp. - October 21, 2025) - Ballotpedia recently released its analysis of the top ballot measures to watch ahead of the November 4, 2025, general election, where voters in six states will decide on 24 statewide measures. In total, 30 statewide ballot measures are certified across nine states in 2025. Earlier this year, voters in Louisiana, Ohio, and Wisconsin decided on six measures, two approved and four defeated.
2025-10-21 9:17 AM EDT
Ballotpedia's Top 10 Elections to Watch on Election Night
Middleton, Wisconsin--(Newsfile Corp. - October 16, 2025) - While this year may not be a major election year, the 2025 elections will shape the political landscape heading into 2026 and beyond. From governors' mansions to city halls, and from state courts to Congress, Ballotpedia's editorial staff will be covering hundreds of races on election night for offices up and down the ballot. The organization's elections coverage team has selected 10 of those races that they see as the most...
2025-10-16 9:17 AM EDT
Ballotpedia Spoke to School Board Members Nationwide About Their Roles: Here's What They Told Us
Middleton, Wisconsin--(Newsfile Corp. - September 4, 2025) - As schools nationwide welcome students back for the 2025-2026 academic year, Ballotpedia released findings from its "School Board Listening Tour", a study examining the experiences of America's school board members. The initiative aimed to develop a deeper understanding of how school board members across the United States view their roles, responsibilities, and challenges. It is intended to serve as a resource for voters,...
2025-09-04 9:17 AM EDT
State Deepfake Laws Hit Record Pace
Middleton, Wisconsin--(Newsfile Corp. - July 30, 2025) - As artificial intelligence (AI) has become more advanced, one topic that has become a growing political and social issue is the use of deepfakes. Deepfakes are AI-generated or manipulated videos, images, or audio files that realistically portray something that did not actually occur. States have enacted 64 new laws related to deepfakes so far in 2025, bringing the total number of states with deepfake laws to 47. Forty-seven states have...
2025-07-30 10:17 AM EDT