Southeastern United States

Incumbent Republican Steven Snell and Democratic challenger Heather Jefts are competing for Williamson County judge, a role overseeing county operations, budget, emergency response and policy. Snell, appointed in March 2025 after Bill Gravell left for the Trump administration, points to his record managing growth as a former school superintendent and favors the proposed justice complex site near Georgetown for its operational advantages. Jefts, a former Cedar Park council member, calls for more public input, opposes the justice complex's current location over proximity to schools and neighborhoods, and wants faster progress on a county medical examiner's office, including hiring a chief examiner immediately. Snell cites accreditation needs and a possible regional partnership with Travis County. Early voting runs Oct. 19–30; Election Day is Nov. 3.

Southeast Regional Library in Wake County, North Carolina, has closed until Nov. 2 after staff reported symptoms including burning eyes, brain fog, and dizziness, which they linked to fumes from an ongoing roof replacement project. According to Wake County Library Workers United, staff evacuated the building on Oct. 1 as visitors arrived for a children's storytime event, and the group alleges administrators failed to plan adequate safety measures and did not properly address health concerns raised by employees.

A county spokesperson said the General Services Administration investigated after a fume report on Sept. 28, adjusting air handling equipment, but could not conclusively determine the fumes' source after multiple site visits. A later report prompted a safety coordinator visit, though no smell was detected at that time. The county says it took added precautions, including ventilation adjustments, air purges, and fans, before suspending operations. The Board of Commissioners had approved the roofing project in April at a cost of over $500,000.

Jack E. Kirksey, who served 16 years as mayor of Livonia, Michigan, died Oct. 13 at an assisted living facility in Northville. He was 97. No cause of death was given.

Born in Atlanta in 1928 and raised in Detroit, Kirksey was a 25-year U.S. Air Force veteran, including active duty in the Korean War, retiring as a lieutenant colonel. He spent 27 years in the Livonia Public Schools system as a teacher and principal, and worked as the 16th District Court's first probation director. He was elected a Republican state representative in 1977, serving four terms, and later served as a Schoolcraft Community College trustee. Kirksey was first elected Livonia mayor in 1995, serving from 1996-2003 and 2008-2015. His tenure included building the city's recreation center, later named for him, the Fallen Heroes Memorial, a new district court building, and economic growth along the Haggerty Road corridor, though he also faced lawsuits over personnel and contracting decisions. He is survived by three children, three grandchildren and four great-grandchildren.

Early voting opens Oct. 15 and runs through Oct. 31 in North Carolina, a key battleground in the 2025 midterms. The marquee race is the open U.S. Senate seat left by retiring Republican Thom Tillis, pitting Democrat and former Gov. Roy Cooper against Republican Michael Whatley, the Trump-backed former RNC chair, with Green and Libertarian candidates also on the ballot. Democrats are targeting the seat as part of a broader push to flip the four seats needed for Senate control.

The ballot also includes competitive U.S. House races, including Charlotte-area districts held by Reps. Alma Adams, Tim Moore and Mark Harris, plus down-ballot contests for the N.C. Supreme Court, Court of Appeals, state legislature, and Mecklenburg County offices. Voters will also weigh in on constitutional amendments covering voter ID, income tax caps and property tax limits, along with Charlotte bond measures for transportation, housing and neighborhood improvements. Election Day is Nov. 3, with North Carolina's results seen as a bellwether for national party control in Washington.

Louisiana's open primary election takes place Tuesday, Nov. 3, with early voting held Oct. 20-27. The ballot features a crowded U.S. Senate race to replace Rep. Julia Letlow, who is stepping down after President Trump's endorsement, pitting her against Democrat Jamie Davis. Several U.S. House races are also at stake, including incumbents Steve Scalise, Troy Carter, and Clay Higgins, plus a wide-open contest for Letlow's 5th District seat and the newly redrawn, majority-white 6th District vacated by Cleo Fields.

Down-ballot contests include the influential Public Service Commissioner District 1 seat, St. Tammany Parish sheriff (following ex-Sheriff Randy Smith's guilty plea in an assault case), Plaquemines Parish president, and Bogalusa mayor, where incumbent Tyrin Truong faces criminal charges. Races without a majority winner will proceed to a December runoff, a likely outcome in several multi-candidate congressional and local contests.

U.S. Rep. Shomari Figures told the Alabama Democratic Conference that his reelection bid in Alabama's 2nd Congressional District hinges on turnout in Montgomery County and surrounding Black Belt counties. A U.S. Supreme Court ruling in April weakened part of the Voting Rights Act, allowing Alabama to revert to a 2023 legislative map that removed Figures' hometown of Mobile from the district and extended it into the heavily Republican Wiregrass region. The district's Black voting age population dropped from about 49 percent to just under 40 percent, and the seat would have favored Donald Trump by 14 points in 2024.

Figures, who won the seat in 2024 with 54.6 percent of the vote, faces Republican state Rep. Rhett Marques. He said Montgomery County, roughly 31 percent of registered voters, could make up 40 percent of turnout with strong mobilization. National Democrats have launched a six-figure ad buy, while Trump and Senate candidate Barry Moore have urged Republicans to turn out for Marques, calling the seat critical to the House majority.

Chicago's Labor Day Parade returned to the city's East Side neighborhood on Saturday for the first time since 2022, drawing union members, retirees, and labor advocates for a march down Ewing Avenue. Dozens of unions took part, including representatives from Chicago firefighters and paramedics, the Chicago Teachers Union, and the Amalgamated Transit Union. Following the parade, participants gathered at Steelworkers Park for Eddie Fest, a celebration honoring workers and the city's labor history.

Mayor Brandon Johnson attended and reaffirmed his support for organized labor and workers' right to unionize without intimidation. The event took place during a week of heightened labor activity in Chicago, including strikes by hotel workers and nurses. Attendees emphasized themes of workplace safety, collective bargaining, and solidarity among working families, expressing hope that the revived tradition will encourage future generations to engage in labor advocacy.

Chicago's Labor Day Parade returned to the city's East Side neighborhood on Saturday for the first time since 2022, drawing union members, retirees, and labor advocates who marched along Ewing Avenue. Dozens of unions took part, including the Chicago Teachers Union, Amalgamated Transit Union Local 308, and Chicago firefighters and paramedics represented by Local 2. Following the parade, participants gathered at Steelworkers Park for Eddie Fest, honoring Edward Sadlowski and celebrating the city's labor movement.

Mayor Brandon Johnson attended and reaffirmed his support for organized labor and workers' right to unionize. The event took place during a week of heightened labor activity in Chicago, including strikes by hotel workers and nurses. Separately, city officials said they are boosting safety measures for the holiday weekend, with the Coast Guard and police increasing patrols on waterways and additional public safety resources deployed citywide.