Ada County, Idaho

Gov. Brad Little won a third term, the Associated Press projected, defeating Democrat Terri Pickens and extending Idaho's two-decade streak of GOP statewide wins. Secretary of State Phil McGrane, Lt. Gov. Scott Bedke, Controller Brandon Woolf, and Treasurer Julie Ellsworth also led their reelection bids. Attorney General Raúl Labrador edged past challenger Lori Hickman, who had been endorsed by dozens of former deputy attorneys general, while Superintendent Debbie Critchfield held a solid lead over her opponent.

Proposition 1, which would have expanded abortion access in Idaho, failed by a wide margin after a costly campaign that drew nearly $10 million combined from supporters and opponents, with backers conceding early Wednesday.

An Ada County judge denied a preliminary injunction sought by the Idaho Family Policy Center and the Too Extreme for Idaho PAC to halt television ads supporting Idaho's Proposition 1, which would expand abortion access. Judge Davis VanderVelde cited insufficient evidence that Idahoans United for Women and Families, Prop 1's main backer, violated campaign finance law by routing over $620,000 through the state Democratic Party to secure candidate-level ad rates. The ruling follows VanderVelde's earlier denial of a temporary restraining order. Prop 1 supporters and the state Democratic Party deny wrongdoing, calling the suit frivolous, while opponents maintain the arrangement unfairly gamed advertising rules ahead of the Nov. 3 election.

Florida election officials have outlined the key dates voters need to know ahead of the 2026 midterm. The deadline to register to vote, or to update a name, address, or party affiliation, is Oct. 5. Voters who want to cast a mail-in ballot must request one by Oct. 22. Early voting runs from Oct. 24 through Oct. 31, with Election Day set for Nov. 3.

To be eligible, a voter must be a U.S. citizen and Florida resident at least 18 years old, not be deemed mentally incapacitated for voting purposes, and not have an unrestored felony conviction. Registration can be completed online, at tax collector's offices that issue Florida driver's licenses or state ID cards, through designated voter registration agencies, or by mail. Local supervisors of elections, including in Leon County, are extending office hours on the registration deadline day to accommodate last-minute registrants. Turnout for Florida midterms historically trails presidential-year turnout significantly, with the 2026 ballot set to decide the governor's race, legislative control, and congressional seats.

These deadlines matter for prediction markets tracking turnout and registration trends ahead of Florida's competitive 2026 races.

The U.S. Supreme Court on Sept. 25 ruled that Missouri must use its 2022 congressional map, not the Republican-drawn 2025 version, for the 2026 midterm elections. The decision capped weeks of legal battles that began after Missouri Republicans redrew the state's map to shift a 6-2 GOP advantage to 7-1. A Democrat-led referendum petition challenged the change, and the Missouri Supreme Court ruled the petition valid, holding the new map never took effect. The case bounced between federal courts, with a district judge and later the 8th Circuit siding with Republicans on using the 2025 map since it had already been used in August primaries. The Supreme Court ultimately reversed course, ruling without dissent that it was too late in the election cycle to implement new lines despite their primary-season use.

The ruling reshapes expectations for Missouri's House delegation heading into 2026 and arrives alongside other major news this week, including Trump's state-visit meeting with Xi Jinping in Washington and world leaders convening for the UN General Assembly in New York.

Idaho Democrat David Roth has formally withdrawn his name from the November general election ballot in the U.S. Senate race against Republican incumbent Jim Risch. Roth submitted his withdrawal on Aug. 28, citing a lack of support from the Democratic Party, after announcing in July he was ending his campaign. Roth said he faced pressure from Ada County Democratic leaders and supporters of independent candidate Todd Achilles, who argue an independent has a better shot at unseating Risch in a head-to-head race. Roth did not endorse Achilles and expressed frustration that party leaders backed a candidate other than their own primary winner.

Roth's campaign had raised about $14,600 with roughly $10,100 in debt as of June 30. Achilles has reported raising close to $700,000, while Risch's campaign held more than $4.4 million. The Senate race will now feature Risch, Achilles, independent Natalie Fleming, and Libertarian Matt Loesby on the general election ballot.