While odd-year elections are not as prominent as those that fall on even years, there were still some big races on November 2, 2021. Voters elected governors and state lawmakers in Virginia and New Jersey and weighed in on two dozen ballot measures in six states.
2021 Gubernatorial Elections
Virginia
In Virginia, Glenn Youngkin (R) defeated former governor Terry McAuliffe (D) as the replacement for term-limited incumbent Governor Northam (D). Polls showed a tightening race up through election day. While Virginia has voted reliably Democratic in the last few cycles, Republicans won every statewide office up for election on Nov. 2.
New Jersey
In New Jersey, incumbent Governor Phil Murphy (D) squeezed out a victory over challenger Jack Ciattarelli (R). The race was much closer than expected. Governor Murphy becomes the first Democratic governor to win reelection in New Jersey since 1977.
2021 State Legislative Elections
Virginia
Republicans flipped the Virginia House of Delegates back into their control by gaining seven seats in the Nov. 2 elections. After gaining control of the chamber in 2019 for the first time in 20 years, the Democratic majority was short-lived. The Virginia Senate was not up for elections in 2021.
New Jersey
Democrats will hold on to majorities in both chambers of the New Jersey General Assembly in 2022. But there number will be diminished in both chambers. All 40 state senate seats and all 80 assembly seats were up for election on Nov. 2. It appears that Republicans gained six seats in the house and at least one seat in the senate. This includes the defeat of the current Senate President.
2021 Ballot Measures
Voters approved 14 out of 24 statewide ballot measures in six states on Nov. 2. Below is a chart of all 24 ballot measures with links to the full text of the proposed measure.
| State | Type | Title | Result |
| Colorado | Combined Initiated Constitutional Amendment and State Statute | Amendment 78, Custodial Fund Appropriations Initiative | Failed |
| Colorado | Initiated State Statute | Proposition 119, Creation of Out-of-School Education Program and Marijuana Sales Tax Increase Initiative | Failed |
| Colorado | Initiated State Statute | Proposition 120, Reduce Property Tax Rates and Retain $25 Million in TABOR Surplus Revenue Initiative | Failed |
| Maine | Indirect Initiated State Statute | Question 1, Electric Transmission Line Restrictions and Legislative Approval Initiative | Approved |
| Maine | Bond Issue | Question 2, Transportation Infrastructure Bond Issue | Approved |
| Maine | Legislatively Referred Constitutional Amendment | Question 3, Right to Produce, Harvest, and Consume Food Amendment | Approved |
| New Jersey | Legislatively Referred Constitutional Amendment | Public Question 1, Sports Betting on State College Athletics Amendment | Failed |
| New Jersey | Legislatively Referred Constitutional Amendment | Public Question 2, Raffle Money for Organizations Amendment | Approved |
| New York | Legislatively Referred Constitutional Amendment | Proposal 1, Redistricting Changes Amendment | Failed |
| New York | Legislatively Referred Constitutional Amendment | Proposal 2, Environmental Rights Amendment | Approved |
| New York | Legislatively Referred Constitutional Amendment | Proposal 3, Remove 10-Day-Advance Voter Registration Requirement Amendment | Failed |
| New York | Legislatively Referred Constitutional Amendment | Proposal 4, Allow for No-Excuse Absentee Voting Amendment | Failed |
| New York | Legislatively Referred Constitutional Amendment | Proposal 5, NYC Civil Court Jurisdiction Amendment | Approved |
| Texas | Legislatively Referred Constitutional Amendment | Proposition 1, Authorize Charitable Raffles at Rodeo Venues Amendment | Approved |
| Texas | Legislatively Referred Constitutional Amendment | Proposition 2, Authorize Counties to Issue Infrastructure Bonds in Blighted Areas Amendment | Approved |
| Texas | Legislatively Referred Constitutional Amendment | Proposition 3, Prohibition on Limiting Religious Services or Organizations Amendment | Approved |
| Texas | Legislatively Referred Constitutional Amendment | Proposition 4, Changes to Eligibility for Certain Judicial Offices Amendment | Approved |
| Texas | Legislatively Referred Constitutional Amendment | Proposition 5, State Commission on Judicial Conduct Authority Over Candidates for Judicial Office Amendment | Approved |
| Texas | Legislatively Referred Constitutional Amendment | Proposition 6, Right to Designated Essential Caregiver Amendment | Approved |
| Texas | Legislatively Referred Constitutional Amendment | Proposition 7, Homestead Tax Limit for Surviving Spouses of Disabled Individuals Amendment | Approved |
| Texas | Legislatively Referred Constitutional Amendment | Proposition 8, Homestead Tax Exemption for Surviving Spouses of Military Fatally Injured in the Line of Duty Amendment | Approved |
| Washington | Advisory Question | Advisory Vote 36, Nonbinding Question on Telephone Tax to Fund Behavioral Health Crisis Response and Suicide Prevention | Failed |
| Washington | Advisory Question | Advisory Vote 37, Nonbinding Question on Capital Gains Tax to Fund Education and Child Care | Failed |
| Washington | Advisory Question | Advisory Vote 38, Nonbinding Question on Captive Insurers Tax | Failed |
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