Ballot to Talk About

In this episode, Sam and Chern break down the results from aseismic set of midterm elections in the US. As the Democrats retake control of both chambers of Congress, they unpack the key races. How did they amass the largest majorities since 1990? Why did the Republicans do so badly in Trump-won areas? What were the most striking results? And as the 2028 presidential contest begins, which candidate...

In this pocket-sized special episode, Sam and Chern provide their snap reactions to the overnight US midterm results and unpack their biggest shocks of the night. Where did the Democrats make the biggest gains to contribute to retaking both chambers of Congress? And what are some of the races to watch for the rest of the week?

In this week’s episode, Sam and Chern dissect results from the bumper presidential election in Brazil and provincial elections in Quebec and BC, Canada. How did Lula hang on in Brazil? What’s next for the Bolsonaros? And can Lula govern with a divided Congress? And in Canada, why did incumbents lose in Quebec and British Columbia? Why did the CAQ lose all their seats from a majority position? And...

In this week’s episode, Sam and Chern break down results from recent parliamentary elections in Sweden and Latvia. In Sweden’s nailbiter, government formation is proving challenging for Magdalena Andersson. Can the Red Bloc pull together and form a stable Government? And why did the Swedish Democrats fall backwards for the first time? In Latvia, how did Andris Kulbergs win his United List the bigg...

In this week’s episode, Sam and Chern break down results from five 2026 elections in German Landtags: Baden Württemberg, Rheinland-Pfalz, Saxony-Anhalt, Berlin and Mecklenburg-Vorpommern. With the AfD on the rise and looking set to form a state Government for the first time, can they translate this into federal success? Why did the CDU do so badly towards the end of the year? Are voters behaving m...

In this week’s episode, Sam and Chern look ahead to the upcoming 2026 US midterms, and assess some of the most interesting stories across the state primaries. What are the most interesting Senate, House and Governor races coming up in November? Is there a realistic path to congressional control for the Democrats? What are the major factors driving the national environment? And what is driving the...

In this week’s episode, Sam and Chern dissect recent political events in the UK and France, focussing on Andy Burnham’s first week as the UK’s 59th Prime Minister. In France, how is the field shaping up ahead of a 2027 Presidential Election? Is Marine Le Pen now back as the frontrunner? And how will the left of French politics approach the election? In the UK, who were the most interesting appoint...

In this week’s episode, Sam and Chern break down results for a pair of South American presidential elections in Colombia and Peru. In Colombia, how did Abelardo de la Espriella win the presidency and take Colombia back to the right? What is Gustavo Petro’s legacy? And why was the result so close? And in the knife-edge Peruvian poll, how was it fourth time lucky for Keiko Fujimori? Was the recent p...

In this week’s episode, Sam and Chern dissect results from the snap General Election in Malta, and unpack the recent UK by-elections and subsequent resignation of Keir Starmer as Prime Minister. In Malta, how did Robert Abela win an unprecedented fourth consecutive term for his Labour Party? And what is next for the Nationalists after a modest increase in their support? And in the UK, how did Andy...

In this week’s episode, Sam and Chern dissect results fromthe recent Spanish regional elections in four autonomous communities: Aragon, Extremadura, Castille and Leon, and Andalusia. As the PP prepare for negotiations with Vox across the country, the episode asks why they performed well but fell short of an overall majority? Can they work well with Vox in Government? And what do these results say...

In this week’s extended episode, Sam and Chern breakdown the results and fallout from the local and regional elections across England, Scotland and Wales. As the UK experiences three nationalist leaders of the sub-national assemblies for the first time, how did the SNP win a fifth term in Scotland, and Plaid Cymru top the Welsh polls for the first time? How did Labour lose so badly in Wales? Where...

In this week’s episode, Sam and Chern dissect results from the 2026 set of Indian State Assemblies in five areas: Assam, Tamil Nadu, Puducherry, Kerala and the big BJP win in West Bengal. In Kerala, why was the last-standing Communist State Government ousted? How did the BJP and NDA retain power in Assam and Puducherry? Can film star Vijay form a stable majority in Tamil Nadu? And how did the BJP...

In this week’s episode, Sam and Chern dissect election results from two seismic elections in both Hungary and Bulgaria. In Hungary, Peter Magyar brought Viktor Orban’s 16-year premiership to an end, but how did he manage such a landslide victory? What will be the geopolitical impact of this transfer of power? And in Bulgaria, how did Rumen Radev win the first majority Government after eight electi...

In this week’s episode, Sam and Chern look ahead to theupcoming UK local and regional elections across England, Scotland and Wales. As the UK braces for a major party political shakeup, this podcast previews the races to look out for and state of the parties three weeks out. In Scotland, can the SNP claim only their second ever Holyrood majority? In Wales, are Labour poised to lose Government for...

In this week’s episode, Sam and Chern dissect election results from two tight contests in the European nations of Denmark and Slovenia. In Denmark, can Mette Frederiksen put together a Government for a third term? Why did her favourability decline and did the Greenland dispute save her? Why did the centre-right Venstre also suffer big losses? And in Slovenia, how did Robert Golob finish first in t...

In this week’s episode, Sam and Chern dive into results from the recent state election in South Australia. As Peter Malinauskas begins his second term as Premier, they ask how his Labor Party was able to win such a significant landslide? Why did the Liberals perform so badly? Have they been supplanted by One Nation as the primary opposition party? And as the federal Liberal Party begin their next...

In this week’s episode, Sam and Chern dive into election results from Barbados and discuss developments since the 2025 Dutch election. In Barbados, how did Mia Mottley win a third consecutive full house? Were the opposition caught off-guard by this snap election announcement? And as the Netherlands finally gets a new Prime Minister in Rob Jetten, how did D66 triumph in the election? Why did Jetten...

In this week’s episode, Sam and Chern dissect results fromrecent elections in Thailand and Bangladesh. In Thailand, Bhumjaithai have won a plurality of seats and enter Government with Pheu Thai, but why did the Peoples Party underperform relative to 2023? And what will the next term look like? And in Bangladesh, the BNP are back in power, but what will the country look like in the wake of Sheikh H...

In this week’s episode, Sam and Chern break down results from elections in both Japan and Costa Rica – two statement victories from female leaders. In Japan, Sanae Takaichi led her LDP to a landslide victory in the Diet. How did Takaichi win so decisively? What is next for Japan? In Costa Rica, how did Laura Fernandez become their second female President? What has motivated their rightward turn? A...

In this week’s episode, Sam and Chern look ahead to the 2026electoral calendar. Taking it region by region, they unpack scheduled elections across the Americas, Europe and the Asia-Pacific. What are the most anticipated and consequential electoral contests taking place this year? And what might some of the prevailing themes be? All these questions and more answered in this week’s episode.

In this week’s episode, Sam and Chern dissect results from a pair of Presidential Elections in Honduras and Chile. In Honduras, Nasry Asfura has been declared the winner of the presidential contest following some count delays. Why did Honduras turn to the right after a term of a left-wing presidency? And did the Trump endorsement help Asfura win? In Chile, why was it third-time lucky for Jose Anto...

In this week’s episode, Sam and Chern break down the year that was 2025 in global politics. They discuss some of the key electoral and political moments of the year and distribute their annual political awards. What were the most consequential and surprising election results of the year? Who was the worst politician of the year and what was the dumbest moment? And who were Sam and Chern’s politici...

In this week’s episode, Sam and Chern break down the year that was 2025 in UK politics. They discuss the state of the parties heading into 2026 and what have been some of the most significant events of the year. After almost 18 months in office, is Starmer’s leadership already in doubt? Have the Conservatives done anything to turn around their declining fortunes? And how have Reform UK and the Gre...

In this week’s episode, Sam and Chern dive into results from the legislative midterms in Argentina, and the state election in Bihar India. In Argentina, how did Javier Milei’s LLA top the polls after a bleak Autumn? Did Donald Trump’s financial intervention make a difference? And what will the next 2 years look like before Milei defends the presidency? And in India, how did the NDA pull off an imp...

In this week’s episode, Sam and Chern break down results from the off-cycle elections in the United States, and provincial elections in both Newfoundland and Labrador and Yukon. In the US, after a Democratic sweep of off-cycle polls, what does this mean for the 2026 midterms? Why did Spanberger and Sherrill perform so well in Virginia and New Jersey respectively? And what were some other notable l...