Odd-Year Elections Are Still Interesting at the State Level

This article appeared in our Morning MultiState newsletter on November 14, 2023. Click here to read past issues and sign up.

We covered the major election headlines in the states in a special edition of Morning MultisState Wednesday. And while we didn't see major policy shifts resulting from this year's state legislative and gubernatorial elections, keeping the status quo was a relative win for Democrats. Additionally, there were some notable down-ballot results of interest. Even in an odd-year election cycle, there’s always something to watch out for in state and local elections.

Late Session Shifts in State Legislatures

Special elections and state lawmakers running for different offices have shifted legislative control in several state legislatures after the election. Michigan Democrats have temporarily lost their majority in the House after two members successfully ran for mayorships last week. A similar situation occurred in Pennsylvania after a Democratic lawmaker was elected to a local judgeship, shifting the House back into an even split. Finally, the always volatile 400-seat New Hampshire House inched closer to a tied chamber as Democrats were victorious in a special election on Tuesday, diminishing the Republican majority to 198 seats to Democrats’ 197 seats, with 3 Independents and 2 seats vacant. The practical impact of these seat shifts this late in the legislative session is negligible because most of the legislature’s work has already been accomplished by this time of the year. 

Ballot Measures Outside of Ohio

The abortion protection and marijuana legalization ballot measures in Ohio were the headlines last week, but voters decided on 26 other statewide ballot measures. Voters in Maine rejected an effort to create a publicly-owned utility but Mainers did approve a “right to repair” measure for automobiles. Governor Polis (D) and Democratic leaders spent a lot of time, money, and political capital on Proposition HH, a complicated measure to limit property taxes, but voters still rejected it with a clear majority, sending Democrats back to the drawing board on property tax relief.

Familiar Candidates Face Off Again

Last year, we wrote about how states break electoral ties after David Walker (R) and Chuck Grassie (D) deadlocked at 970 votes each in a race for a state house seat in New Hampshire. Last week, the same exact candidates, Walker and Grassie, faced each other again in an election for a city council seat. And, would you believe it, that race also ended in a tie, with both candidates earning 409 votes. Luckily the two candidates remain close friends. “I walk in, David looks at me, and he throws his hands up, and I say, ‘Are you kidding me?’ And he says, ‘No, it’s a tie!’ And I say, 'Oh my God,’” Grassie told reporters. Last year, lawmakers decided to break the tie with a special election, which Grassie won, but this year’s city council seat will be decided with the random draw of a ping-pong ball. 

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