State legislature (United States)

DFL incumbent Steve Simon, seeking a fourth term as Minnesota secretary of state, debated Republican challenger Tad Jude at Minnesota Public Radio's St. Paul studio. Jude called for tighter voter requirements, including provisional ballots for same-day registrants, saying "an illegal vote is a stolen vote." Simon cited studies ranking Minnesota first nationally on election performance and showing only three illegal votes among 13.4 million cast from 2015 to 2024. Simon pressed Jude on Trump's unsubstantiated claims of winning Minnesota; Jude acknowledged certified results but stopped short of refuting Trump. Both addressed a DOJ lawsuit over Alaska's Senate certification and debated the state's redesigned flag. Election Day is November 3.

Ohio voters choose a new secretary of state on Nov. 3, with Republican state Treasurer Robert Sprague, Democratic state Rep. Allison Russo, and Libertarian Tom Pruss on the ballot. The race has turned on two election-policy flashpoints: a proposed constitutional amendment (Issue 3) locking in photo ID requirements, which Sprague backs and Russo and Pruss oppose, and absentee ballot drop boxes, which Sprague wants eliminated while Russo and Pruss favor expanding. Sprague, the best-funded candidate, emphasizes election security and points to fraud cases in other states; Russo argues Ohio's drop boxes are already secure and accuses Republicans of suppressing access. A planned debate between Sprague and Russo never materialized.

A ConsumerAffairs analysis of U.S. Census Bureau data ranks the Jacksonville metro area No. 2 among the 100 largest U.S. metros for property taxes rising faster than home values from 2022 to 2024. The typical homeowner's tax bill rose 21.7% while median home values increased 8.1%, a gap second only to Lakeland-Winter Haven, Florida. Nationally, home values rose faster than taxes over the same period, though a five-year view shows Jacksonville home values up 63.1% since 2019, outpacing a 44.9% rise in taxes.

Florida's Amendment 3, needing 60% approval, would raise the non-school homestead exemption to $150,000 in 2027 and $250,000 in 2028 while cutting the non-homestead assessment-growth cap from 10% to 5%. Backed by Gov. Ron DeSantis, it has split Republicans and drawn opposition from police, firefighter, and county groups warning of billions in lost local revenue; proponents argue local governments can absorb cuts after years of rapid tax collection growth.

A new Detroit News/WDIV poll of likely Michigan voters finds President Trump's job approval largely unchanged since late summer, with about 59% disapproving versus 39% approving—among the weakest pre-midterm numbers for a president in recent history, comparable to George W. Bush in 2006. Disapproval is even steeper on Trump's handling of the Iran War and U.S.-Canada relations. Pollster Richard Czuba says Trump's approval has become the central dividing line in Michigan's 2026 races, including the competitive U.S. Senate contest between Republican Mike Rogers and Democrat Abdul El-Sayed, where Rogers currently trails. Analysts say the dynamic echoes the 2022 midterms, when abortion politics drove Democratic wins statewide.

Rep. Chris Pappas, D-N.H., is running to succeed retiring Sen. Jeanne Shaheen against former Republican Sen. John E. Sununu. A win would make Pappas the first openly gay man elected to the U.S. Senate; only one openly gay senator, Tammy Baldwin, currently serves. Pappas, first elected to the House in 2018, says he isn't campaigning on the milestone, and his sexuality has barely surfaced in the race. The contest is pivotal to Democrats' hopes of flipping the Senate, with national Republican groups spending heavily to flip a seat in a state Democrats carried narrowly in 2024.

LGBTQ+ advocates say a Pappas victory would offer representation gains nationally, while researchers note identifying as gay can still carry an electoral penalty in some races.

Kansas House District 19, covering parts of Overland Park, Prairie Village and Leawood in Johnson County, will see a rematch of its 2024 race. Democratic incumbent Stephanie Sawyer Clayton, who has held the seat since 2012 and switched parties from Republican to Democrat in 2018, faces Republican challenger Mark Hermes again after defeating him previously. A win would give Clayton a seventh term. Clayton's platform emphasizes government transparency, education funding, tax relief and reproductive access, while Hermes centers his campaign on judicial accountability, court reform and child welfare policy, including support for electing rather than appointing Kansas judges.

General elections are set for Nov. 3, with most polling locations open 7 a.m. to 7 p.m.

Onondaga County Executive Ryan McMahon, speaking for county executives statewide, has pressed Gov. Kathy Hochul to follow through on repealing New York's 2000-era sales tax exemption for internet data centers, calling it outdated for today's hyperscale facilities. McMahon, who heads the New York State County Executives' Association, wants the repeal included in Hochul's upcoming state budget proposal, arguing developers should negotiate incentives locally rather than claim exemptions automatically. Niagara County officials have said a major local data center claims the exemption, costing the county millions. Separately, Onondaga County has hired consultant CPL to study data centers' local impacts, with results expected by mid-2027, as officials weigh a proposed project in Lysander.