Elections in Virginia, New Jersey, and New York City will likely garner the most attention next year, but there will also be a number of lesser-known but interesting races in 2025.
From judicial races in battleground state Pennsylvania to several high-profile mayoral races, political observers are watching to see how these elections indicate which direction the political winds are blowing. I am doing it.
Here are five lesser-known races to watch in 2025.
New York 21st District Special Election
A special election to fill Rep. Elise Stefanik's (R) seat in New York's 21st Congressional District has not actually been scheduled yet, but will likely take place within the first few months of this year. . Stefanik will vacate the seat ahead of President-elect Trump's expected confirmation as U.N. ambassador.
The election is one of at least three to be held early next year for open seats in the House of Representatives, but the only one expected to be somewhat competitive is the race to replace Stefanik.
The district, which includes much of the state's northernmost tip, remains conservative and has had no trouble electing Stefanik to the House for the past decade. However, elections the year after a presidential election often show opposition to the incumbent president's political party, giving the Democratic Party an opportunity to turn the party around.
Democrats have performed well in recent election cycles because special elections also tend to have lower turnout, with the most enthusiastic voters turning out to vote.
Prominent figures have expressed interest in both parties, including 2024 Democratic candidate Paula Collins and state Rep. Billy Jones (D). On the Republican side, 2022 Senate candidate Joe Pinion is likely to enter the race, with retiring U.S. Rep. Mark Molinaro (RN.Y.) rumored as potential candidates.
The 15 county chairmen of each party in the district will decide on their party's candidates, who will face off in the general election.
Auckland special mayoral election
Voters in Oakland, California, voted 60% in favor of recalling Shengtao as mayor in the November election, making it the first successful mayoral recall in the city's history. The vote set up a special election for someone else to fill the remaining two years of Tao's term.
The recall vote was the culmination of several factors that caused Tao to lose support. A former City Council member, she narrowly won a nonpartisan election in 2022 to become the first Hmong American woman to serve as mayor of a major U.S. city.
Mr Thao has come under fire for a significant increase in the number of robberies in the city, a deteriorating relationship with the police union and for missing a deadline on a grant that would have provided millions of dollars to fight retail theft in Oakland. It had been. But she also faced a personal controversy after an incident FBI raid on her home However, the FBI has not commented on the purpose or accused her of wrongdoing.
Tao has repeatedly said he committed no crime.
Several candidates have announced their names in the race to succeed Tao, including former City Council member Lauren Taylor, who was the runner-up in 2022. Several others could jump in, including outgoing Rep. Barbara Lee (D-Calif.). who said it She is considering it and plans to announce her decision in January.
pittsburgh mayoral election
Mayor Ed Gainey (D) ousted second-term incumbent Bill Peduto (D) in 2021 and won the Democratic nomination before handily winning the general election, but now faces the same fate as his predecessor. I'm trying to avoid it.
Gainey, the first African-American mayor of Pittsburgh, is seeking re-election for a second term, but he is seeking a first term from Allegheny County Commissioner Corey O'Connor, the son of former Pittsburgh Mayor Bob O'Connor (D). facing challenges.
o'connor slammed Gainey Administration In its announcement, Gainey's administration claimed that it had not presented a “vision” for the city to grow. He said neighborhoods need more funding and criticized a “lack of leadership” in the city's public safety department.
In his re-election announcement, Mr. Gainey pointed to reductions in murders and shootings, traffic calming measures, and traffic safety measures. rebuilding what was destroyed Fern Hollow Bridge as a success.
at least A public opinion poll revealed As of July, Mr. Gainey and Mr. O'Connor were tied at 37%, with 25% undecided, so competition could become fiercer.
Whoever wins the nomination will be the frontrunner to win in the Democratic-leaning city.
atlantic city mayoral election
Marty Small Sr. (D) became mayor of Atlantic City, New Jersey, in 2019 after his predecessor, Frank Gilliam (D), resigned amid wire fraud charges. But Small, who is seeking to run for a second term next year after winning his first full term in 2021, is currently facing criminal charges of his own.
Mr. Small and his wife, Atlantic City School District Superintendent La Quetta Small, both Billed in April He is accused of physically and emotionally abusing his teenage daughter between December of the previous year and January of this year. Additional charges for witness tampering officially added This month, following allegations that Small directed his daughter to change her story to law enforcement about the alleged abuse.
Both men denied wrongdoing and pleaded not guilty to the original charges.
No other candidates have yet entered the race against Small, but several possibilities have been rumored. Among those named is Bob McDevitt, the longtime head of the casino workers union.
Pennsylvania Supreme Court Retention Election
The most-watched state supreme court election of 2025 will be held in Wisconsin in April, but several races in Pennsylvania could draw attention next year.
Three sitting Democratic judges are running for retention: Christine Donahue, Kevin Dougherty, and David Wecht.
Pennsylvania court judges have a 10-year term, and must run for election at the end of their term in order to serve another term.
The question on the ballot is a “yes” or “no” question about whether the judge should serve another term.
Judges scheduled for retention almost always win elections and remain in office for an additional 10 years. Why did you report it? Since the state's constitution was last updated in 1968, Pennsylvania voters have rejected only one appellate judge's request to remain in office.
But some observers said they believed this year's election could be a major partisan battle. both sides are expecting They get national attention.
Attention and spending on state Supreme Court justices has increased in recent years, with three justices contributing to Pennsylvania's 5-2 Democratic majority.
