On the Ballot

On this episode: Ballotpedia founder and CEO Leslie Graves joins host Norman Leahy to look back at how the country has celebrated — and processed — its milestone birthdays. From the muted 50th anniversary in 1826, when both John Adams and Thomas Jefferson died on the same July 4th, to Philadelphia's sprawling 1876 centennial (where the refrigerator debuted and the Statue of Liberty's torch...

On this episode: The U.S. Constitution has been amended just 27 times in over 230 years. State constitutions, collectively, have been amended more than 7,000 times — and rewritten from scratch over 140 times. Ballotpedia founder and CEO Leslie Graves joins host Norman Leahy to explore why that gap exists, what gets embedded in state constitutions and why, and how states have effectively become the...

On this episode: Running an election is harder than it looks — and it's always been that way. Ballotpedia founder and CEO Leslie Graves joins host Norman Leahy to walk through how elections actually get administered, from the surprisingly murky process of figuring out which district you live in to the chaotic, largely improvised vote that determined whether Kansas would enter the Union as a fr...

On this episode: Redistricting happens every decade — but lately it's been making news on a much shorter cycle. Ballotpedia's redistricting expert Nathan Maxwell joins host Norman Leahy to walk through how the process actually works, from reapportionment basics to the three main methods states use to draw their maps. Then they get into why redistricting keeps landing in court, what recent...

On this episode: Leslie Graves attended her first village board meeting in Spring Green, Wisconsin — and came away surprised by what she found. Norman and Leslie talk through what local government actually looks like up close, from the AI note-taker logging minutes for the local weekly paper to the five residents watching on Zoom from home. They also get into voter turnout — using Virginia's r...

On this episode: Ballotpedia CEO and Founder Leslie Graves joins host Norm Leahy to dig into a concept that doesn't get nearly enough attention: self-governance at the local level. Leslie wonders whether one of the biggest threats to American democracy isn't what dominates national headlines, but rather decades of declining civic participation in school boards, city councils, and town meet...

On this episode: Ballotpedia CEO and co-founder Leslie Graves joins host Norm Leahy to talk redistricting — what's driving the wave of mid-decade map changes ahead of the 2026 midterms, and why the same line-drawing logic that shapes congressional races also determines which school your kids attend. They also get into the history of the gerrymander, the debate over independent redistricting co...

On this episode: Primary season is officially underway in America, and Ballotpedia founder and CEO Leslie Graves joins host Norman Leahy to break down what the early 2026 results actually tell us. They dig into how primaries vary widely from state to state — open, closed, jungle, caucus, convention — and why that complexity can leave voters confused when they cross state lines. They also explore h...

On this episode: As the nation approaches its 250th anniversary, Leslie Graves announces Ballotpedia’s new American 250 initiative and Substack, Civic Blueprints , a year-long project focused on the often-overlooked mechanics — the “plumbing” — that make American democracy function. https://news.ballotpedia.org/2026/02/20/introducing-a-new-ballotpedia-project-for-americas-250th-anniversary-the-blu...

On this episode: Supreme Court scholar Adam Feldman joins the show to preview the current Supreme Court term and break down the major cases still to be argued, along with decisions expected in the months ahead. Feldman discusses cases touching on voting rights, executive authority, redistricting, and civil liberties, as well as how presidential power is shaping the court’s docket. Plus – internal...

On this episode: Google Jigsaw CEO Yasmin Green and pollster Scott Rasmussen join the show to discuss their ‘We the People’ project, an effort to gather public input for the United States’ 250th anniversary – which is this year! Yasmin and Scott set out to hear from every single congressional district in the country, exploring how Americans really feel about core democratic values and how the coun...

On this episode: To open the new year, Almanac of American Politics writers Lou Jacobson and Rich Cohen join the show to break down how the 2026 midterm cycle is already taking shape. They explain which states have early filing deadlines on the calendar, where primaries are coming into focus, and how redistricting is reshaping the House map. Stay tuned in the second half of the show for a behind t...

On this episode: Texas Tribune reporter Gabby Birenbaum explains the Supreme Court’s decision allowing Texas to use its new congressional map for the 2026 elections and how that ruling has scrambled the state’s delegation. She walks through reshuffled primaries, retiring incumbents, and where Republicans and Democrats see new opportunities. Birenbaum also breaks down redistricting battles still un...

On this episode: The latest edition of our Historical Ballot Measures series – our 10th episode — How Connecticut’s ballot measure system works and why nearly all proposed amendments pass once they reach voters. Ryan Byrne and Brandon McCauley from Ballotpedia’s Ballot Measure team explain the state’s high legislative referral threshold, key periods of constitutional change, and the next automatic...

On this episode: Ballotpedia founder and CEO Leslie Graves joins Office Hours to outline how the organization is preparing for the 2026 elections — a cycle that begins earlier than most people realize. We cover expanding comprehensive candidate coverage, growing our volunteer program, and celebrating the 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence. Read Leslie’s Column: htt...

On this episode: In this two-part episode, we examine what the November 4th elections tell us about voter turnout, shifts within key states, and how voters are engaging ahead of 2026. In the first half, AP data reporter Maya Sweedler walks through notable patterns in New Jersey, Virginia, and New York City — including precinct-level movement, demographic trends, and how the Associated Press visual...

On this episode: The Supreme Court is considering a major separation-of-powers case that could redefine the limits of presidential authority during national emergencies, and help define what exactly constitutes a national emergency. Learning Resources v. Trump challenges President Trump’s use of the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA) to impose tariffs on nearly every U.S. trading...

On this episode: Axios reporter Hans Nichols joins the show to unpack how the Senate advanced a plan to end the government shutdown over the weekend and where things go from here, as several hurdles remain between now and the government actually reopening. Nichols discusses what happens next with SNAP benefits and Affordable Care Act tax credits, how both parties are looking at where things stand,...

On this episode: Political analyst Miles Coleman from the University of Virginia’s Center for Politics and Sabato’s Crystal Ball breaks down the results of this November’s elections, from Virginia and New Jersey to major ballot measures across the country. He explains why polling missed the mark in some races, what surprised him most about the results, and how redistricting in California and Virgi...

On this episode: Ballotpedia founder and CEO Leslie Graves joins the show to reflect on the November elections and what the results could reveal about voter engagement across the country. She discusses Ballotpedia’s coverage of major races and ballot measures in Virginia, New Jersey, California, and Texas, and how the team is preparing for a busy 2026 cycle. From local contests to national trends,...

On this episode: From governor’s mansions to city halls, the 2025 elections feature races of all kinds with local and national implications – both for their states and trends heading into the 2026 Midterms. Ballotpedia’s Ellen Morrissey, Doug Kronizel, and Joel Williams join Host Norm Leahy to break down ten key contests that will shape the political landscape heading into 2026. Explore our full t...

On this episode : Voters in five states will decide on 24 statewide ballot measures this November, shaping major debates over redistricting, voting laws, taxes and more. Ballotpedia’s ballot measures team boils down the slate of measures each year to come up with a list of the ten most significant and consider a broad range of factors: From fundraising records or measures that challenge an existin...

On this episode: Voters in Virginia are heading into one of the most eventful election years in recent memory. The state will choose a new governor, attorney general, and lieutenant governor while all 100 seats in the House of Delegates are on the ballot. But the races are unfolding alongside an unexpected twist – a rapidly developing Democratic proposal to redraw Virginia’s congressional district...

On this episode: Voters in the Garden State head to the polls this Fall to decide some of the tightest and most interesting races in the country, choosing a new governor, all 80 members of the General Assembly, special elections, and more. NJ.com’s Brent Johnson joins the show first to break down the gubernatorial race between Rep. Mikie Sherrill and former Assemblyman Jack Ciattarelli, exploring...

On this episode: Since becoming a state in 1907, Oklahoma has placed more than 450 ballot measures before voters — a mix of constitutional amendments, citizen initiatives, and veto referendums that reflect over a century of evolving politics. Geoff Pallay returns to host the most recent episode of our Historical Ballot Measure Series with the help of Victoria Rose from Ballotpedia’s ballot measure...