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:

  1. New York City Mayor - Looks like Mamdani is the walk away favorite here, but we’ll see!

  2. 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.

  3. 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/

  1. 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.

https://www.reuters.com/world/us/can-democrats-find-their-footing-tight-new-jersey-governors-race-tests-trumps-2025-10-30/