The real vote is the one you're skipping.
Most congressional elections are decided in the primary, not November. Party bosses count on low turnout, a reliable base of party loyalists and heavily gerrymandered districts to control the outcomes. Find your state’s rules, your deadline to switch parties if it makes sense, and make your vote count!
What Color is Your Primary?
Our country has a confusing mosaic of state-determined primary rules that either encourage or discourage voting. Find your state to view your primary type, and select the colors below to see what states share those rules.
BallotWatch
See the full archive →A daily scan of voting-law news, court rulings, and redistricting fights across all 50 states.
USPS: Postal carriers working extended hours in a time of 'extraordinary measures'
The Postal Service described expanded collection, delivery, pickup, and sorting measures intended to move election mail more quickly. County election officials nevertheless recommended that voters near deadlines use election offices or official drop boxes.
Missed the mail deadline? How to still cast your early ballot in Maricopa County
Maricopa County voters can return completed early ballots through secure drop boxes or use a newer vote-center option that allows them to show identification and have the ballot processed on site. The procedures reflect Arizona’s changed process for handling certain in-person early-ballot returns.
Three Bob Fergusons and two JFKs: A brief history of same-name ballot shenanigans
The article discusses ballot-access disputes involving candidates with identical or similar names. It also explains how Alaska’s top-four primary and ranked-choice voting system shape the effects of candidate confusion and spoiler campaigns.
Democrats seek to weaken the Republican lead in state legislatures
The coverage analyzes the Democratic effort to reduce the Republican advantage in state legislatures. It also notes that the election results could influence future redistricting processes in state legislative chambers.
DOJ seeks to wipe out bids to dismiss Alaska election case after amending lawsuit
The Justice Department asked a federal judge to dismiss pending motions challenging its lawsuit concerning Alaska’s U.S. Senate election. DOJ argued that its amended complaint made those dismissal requests moot.
27% of NC voters have already cast ballots — with 2 early-voting days left
North Carolina’s relatively recent election-law changes include elimination of the post-election grace period for absentee ballots. The article explains that ballots arriving after polls close must now be rejected regardless of their postmark, while voters may still return absentee ballots at designated election offices or early-voting sites before applicable deadlines.
Featured links
Why the primary is the real election
In most U.S. House districts, the outcome is settled months before November.
Open Primaries: what they do state by state
An outside look at the reform movement — from our friends at openprimaries.org.
The party-switch playbook
A step-by-step for voters who want to vote where their voice actually counts.
Primaries are where party machines win or lose. VotePrimaries.org exists to raise turnout in primary elections, support open primaries in every state, and help voters understand when — and how — switching party registration puts more power in their hands.
Read our full mission →