Tuesday is election day in the US so I’m putting up the sticky a couple of days early so folks can get ready for the big ones to watch.
The US has a couple of different kinds of elections:
The Presidential election - Every 4 years, last one was 2024, next one is 2028. Also generally has a primary earlier in the year followed by the general election in November.
Mid-Term elections - Even numbered years that aren’t Presedential are Mid-Terms, State and Local issues, along with every congressperson and 1/3rd of the Senate. Next one is 2026.
Off-Year elections - You are here. State and local elections, Governors, Mayors, things like that.
There are the odd “Special Elections” too for when someone dies or is replaced, but that doesn’t apply here.
So what are we all watching this week? Feel free to namedrop your favorites in the comments, but here are some big ones:
- New York City Mayor - Looks like Mamdani is the walk away favorite here, but we’ll see!
Live Results:
https://www.pbs.org/newshour/politics/live-results-new-york-city-2025-mayoral-election
Edit 40% of the vote is in, Mamdani up by 10, winning every borough except Staten Island. #3 in Staten Island.
MSNBC now calling it for Mamdani!
Zohran Mamdani - Dem - 782,403 - 50.0%
Andrew Cuomo - I - 646,951 - 41.4%
Curtis Sliwa - GOP - 120,476 - 7.7%
Total Write-ins - 4,720 - 0.3%
Eric Adams* - I - 4,310 - 0.3%
Irene Estrada - Con - 1,891 - 0.1%
Jim Walden - I - 1,680 - 0.1%
Joseph Hernandez - I - 914 - 0.06%
- California Prop 50 - This is the one that would re-district California to eliminate Republican House seats, a response to Texas and other states doing the same to eliminate Democratic seats.
Edit Polls JUST closed, like 2 minutes ago, races is already called in favor of Prop 50.
“The race was called before any votes were reported, which often means the call was based on polls and other data.”
64% counted, not even close:
Yes - 64.6% - 4,444,629
No - 35.4% - 2,433,216
Live Results:
https://www.pbs.org/newshour/politics/live-results-california-2025-election-on-proposition-50
- Virginia Governor election - Democratic candidate Spanberger is the favorite, State Attorney General is much tighter. Thought to be one of the races that will be a referendum on Trump.
https://emersoncollegepolling.com/virginia-2025-spanberger-leads/
Live Results:
https://www.pbs.org/newshour/politics/live-results-virginia-2025-gubernatorial-election
Edit Spanberger won!
Abigail Spanberger - Dem - 1,227,888 - 55.3%
Winsome Earle-Sears - GOP - 987,939 - 44.5%
Total Write-ins - 4,566 - 0.2%
Lt. Governor also went to the Democrat, Attorney General too close to call.
- New Jersey Governor election - Much tighter than Virginia. Like Virginia, this is thought to be a referendum on Trump, Republican Jack Ciattarelli has the Trump endorsement. Neither side seems to be walking away with it at this point.
Live Results:
https://www.pbs.org/newshour/politics/live-results-new-jersey-2025-gubernatorial-election
Edit With 60% of the vote in, race called for Sherrill, up 14 points over Ciattarelli.
- Pennsylvania Supreme Court election.
Edit Voters look to be keeping all 3 Democratic candidates by an 80/20 margin, but only 16% of the vote is counted.
- Texas 18 Congressional District
Live Results:
https://www.pbs.org/newshour/politics/live-updates-election-day-2025
52% of the vote counted and three separate Democrats are polling ahead of the Republican? In TEXAS?
Oh… HOUSTON… that tracks.
Christian Menefee - Dem - 12,688 - 32.5%
Amanda Edwards - Dem - 9,836 - 25.2%
Jolanda Jones - Dem - 7,375 - 18.9%
Carmen Montiel - GOP - 2,534 - 6.5%
Isaiah Martin - Dem - 1,837 - 4.7%


Same, when the rachet effect going on has been so effective on the other side it no longer behooves us to “be better” than to flip the direction and do the same by the same methods. Righteousness is all well and good until it becomes part of your opponents strategy to take advantage of you.