1. Looking at the state executive races lacking a major-party candidate
2. Previewing the Republican primary for Maine’s 2nd Congressional District
3. Washington initiative signature deadline passes with no campaigns submitting signatures

Looking at the state executive races lacking a major-party candidate

So far, 26 of the 29 states with state executive elections this year have had filing deadlines pass for those offices. We took a look at which of those races are lacking a major-party candidate. Here’s a summary of the results.

Across the 26 states whose filing deadlines have passed for state executive positions, such as governor and public service commissioner, nine states are holding elections without a major-party candidate. Thirty elections—18%—of the 165 state executive elections this year lack a major-party candidate. Fourteen races (8%) lack a Democratic candidate, and 16 (10%) lack a Republican candidate.

In 2019, 11 state executive elections—31%—lacked a major-party candidate. Eight races (22%) lacked a Democratic candidate, and three (8%) lacked a Republican candidate.

This year, sixteen of the 30 races without a major-party candidate are state board of education or public education commission elections.

The 14 races lacking a Democratic candidate are concentrated in six states—Alabama, Kansas, New Mexico, Oklahoma, Texas, and Utah.

• Alabama: One state board of education seat

• Kansas: Two state board of education seats

• New Mexico: One public education commission seat

• Oklahoma: One corporation commissioner seat

• Texas: One state board of education seat

• Utah: State auditor, treasurer, and six state board of education seats

The 16 races lacking a Republican candidate are also concentrated in six states—Colorado, Kansas, Massachusetts, New Mexico, Utah, and Vermont.

• Colorado: One University of Colorado board of regents seat

• Kansas: One state board of education seat

• Massachusetts: All eight seats on the governor’s council

• New Mexico: Four public education commission seats

• Utah: One board of education seat

• Vermont: State auditor

Learn more

       

---

Previewing the Republican primary for Maine’s 2nd Congressional District

We’re continuing our battleground election previews ahead of tomorrow’s statewide elections in Alabama, Maine, and Texas. So far, we’ve looked at the Democratic primary runoff for the U.S. Senate seat from Texas and the Republican primary runoff for the U.S. Senate seat from Alabama. Today, we’re previewing the Republican primary for Maine’s 2nd Congressional District, in which Adrienne Bennett, Eric Brakey, and Dale Crafts are running.

This race is particularly interesting because it will be conducted via ranked-choice voting (RCV). The district held the first congressional election in U.S. history decided by RCV in 2018. Voters will rank the candidates from their first to third choices. If no candidate receives a majority of the vote after the first round of tallying, the third-place candidate will be eliminated from the running, and the votes of those who chose that candidate as their first choice will be redistributed to those voters' second-choice candidates. For a video further explaining the process, click here.

The three candidates are competing to face incumbent Jared Golden (D) in the general election. 

Golden was first elected in 2018, defeating incumbent Bruce Poliquin (R). Initial election results had Poliquin with 46.2% of the vote to Golden's 45.5%, but RCV in the state required a candidate receive over 50% of the vote. After votes were retabulated, Golden had defeated Poliquin by just over a percentage point. Poliquin filed a lawsuit in the U.S. District of Maine court seeking to end RCV tabulations for this race and to have the system declared unconstitutional. Judge Lance Walker denied his request, saying that Maine voters had cast their ballots relying on the RCV system.

Before Poliquin’s election in 2014, Democrats had held the seat since 1995. 

All three candidates express support for President Donald Trump (R). Bangor Daily News reported on policy differences between candidates, writing, "Brakey has differentiated himself as more of a libertarian, breaking with Bennett and Crafts on foreign policy and federal spending." Brakey did not support the $2 trillion coronavirus relief package Congress passed and Trump signed. Crafts and Bennett supported it, while Bennett opposed the part of the legislation providing for an additional $600 a week in unemployment benefits.

Former Gov. Paul LePage (R) endorsed Crafts. Sen. Rand Paul (R-Ky.) endorsed Brakey. Rep. Elise Stefanik (R-N.Y.) endorsed Bennett.

Two elections forecasters rate this election as Toss-up, while a third rates it as Tilt Democratic.

Washington initiative signature deadline passes with no campaigns submitting signatures

On July 2, the deadline for 2020 initiatives in Washington passed with no direct state statute campaigns submitting signatures to the Secretary of State’s Office. This year will be the first presidential election year since 1928 in which the Washington ballot will not feature a ballot initiative.

Citizens of Washington may initiate legislation as either:

• A direct state statute—called Initiative to the People (ITP) in Washington, or

• An indirect state statute—called Initiative to the Legislature (ITL). 

• Citizens also have the power to repeal legislation via veto referendum.

Two measures are certified to appear on the 2020 ballot in Washington. One is a veto referendum targeting the repeal of Senate Bill 5395, which was designed to require comprehensive sexual health education in public schools. 

The Washington Legislature referred the other measure to the ballot. It would allow the legislature to invest the Family and Medical Leave Insurance Account and the Long-Term Care Services and Supports Trust Account into stocks or other methods of investment.

Sixty measures appeared on the statewide ballot in Washington during even-numbered years from 2000 through 2018. Of the total, 58% (35) were approved and 42% (25) were defeated.

Ballotpedia depends on the support of our readers.

The Lucy Burns Institute, publisher of Ballotpedia, is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization. All donations are tax deductible to the extent of the law. Donations to the Lucy Burns Institute or Ballotpedia do not support any candidates or campaigns.