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Analysis of uncontested elections, 2024
Throughout 2024, Ballotpedia covered 76,902 elections in 50 states, the District of Columbia, and five territories. Of that total, 53,485 (70%) were uncontested and 23,417 (30%) were contested.
An uncontested election is one where the number of candidates on the ballot is less than or equal to the number of seats up for election. Candidates running in uncontested elections are virtually guaranteed victory.
On average, between 2018 and 2023, 58% of elections covered by Ballotpedia have been uncontested.
The 70% uncontested election rate found in 2024 was the highest rate Ballotpedia has covered in a year since data collection began in 2018. The second highest rate was 65% in 2020. The lowest rate in a year was 50% in 2021.
This analysis includes offices at all levels of government, excluding the presidency. In 2024, 78% of the 2,845 law enforcement elections Ballotpedia covered were uncontested, one of the highest uncontested rates among any office type. School board races had the lowest uncontested rate, at 49% of the 6,995 covered.
On November 5, 2024, Ballotpedia covered 40,646 elections in 50 states, the District of Columbia, and four territories. Of those, 26,218 (64.5%) were uncontested and 14,428 (35.5%) were contested.
The figures shown on this page were limited to elections within Ballotpedia's coverage scope in 2024. Click here to learn more about the scope of coverage in this analysis. Click here to view the limitations of this analysis.
On this page you will find figures:
Overall
Throughout 2024, Ballotpedia covered 76,902 elections in 50 states, the District of Columbia, and five territories. Of that total, 53,485 (70%) were uncontested and 23,417 (30%) were contested.
See also
- Ballotpedia's Election Analysis Hub, 2024
- Elections by state and year
- Incumbents who won primaries by five percentage points or fewer or with a plurality, 2024
- Election results, 2024: Uncontested races by state
- ↑ This page displays uncontested election information related only to elections within Ballotpedia's regular coverage scope