California 2020 General Election Results and Analysis
California voters are eagerly awaiting the results of what can be characterized as one of the most consequential elections in modern history. In the midst of the global COVID-19 pandemic, California residents have continued to endure simultaneous crises including devastating wildfires, rising homelessness, lack of affordable housing, racial injustice and climate change impacts, to name a few—all of which were top of mind heading into the election.
The latest statistics from the California secretary of state show that more state voters registered to vote in the 2020 election than in the past 80 years—22 million registered voters (about 2.6 million more than in the 2016 presidential election). Additionally, according to statewide voter data, California is on course to set modern-day records for the number of votes cast and voter turnout.
California remains a blue state and President Trump’s potential reelection spurred hyper-partisanship and momentum to turn out the Democratic vote—providing more opportunity for voters to weigh in on the various congressional, state senate and assembly seats and on the major state and local measures on the ballot.
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Colorado 2020 General Election Results and Analysis
This has been an election year like no other. Colorado, like the rest of the nation, held its general election Tuesday, and Democrats saw gains and came out the winners. Tuesday’s results largely represent a continuation of the blue wave that began in 2018, in which Democrats gained control of all four statewide offices for the first time in decades and flipped control of the state Senate. Democrats earned one seat in the upper chamber to increase their majority to 20-15 and maintained their 41-24 supermajority in the state House, proving that there are only a few competitive districts remaining on the eve of state and federal redistricting.
Incredibly, Colorado surpassed its 2016 record-setting presidential election voter turnout rate of 86.7% with an astonishing 3,303,265 ballots cast. The most votes were cast by unaffiliated voters—now the largest voting group in Colorado—followed by Democrats, then Republicans. Of the ballots tallied so far, unaffiliated voters dominated by casting 1,555,687 ballots, with Democrats coming in at 1,139,084 and Republicans at 1,038,634.
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Nevada 2020 General Election Results and Analysis
What a journey this election season has been in Nevada. Election officials, primarily the Clark County Registrar of Voters, have faced criticism for the slow pace of vote counting. However, Nevada law permits mail-in ballots to be accepted and counted so long as they are postmarked by Nov. 3 and received by Nov. 10. Additionally, some races, such as Senate Districts 5 and 6, were extremely close until the provisional ballots were counted late last week after verification by the Secretary of State.
Nationwide we have seen record voter turnout this year, and Nevada is no different. Overall, voter turnout in Nevada was up by .5%; however, voter registration increased by over 350,000 since the 2016 election. Both Democrats and Republicans have benefitted from the increased voter engagement, but independents and nonpartisans have truly changed the narrative in Nevada this election cycle.
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New Mexico 2020 General Election Results and Analysis
New Mexico, like the rest of the nation, woke up Wednesday and Thursday, and then again on Friday, without knowing who the country’s next president will be. All of the state’s 112 legislative seats—42 in the Senate and 70 in the House of Representatives—were up for election. Democrats maintained control over both chambers, netting one seat in the state Senate but losing two in the House. Five appellate judgeships were up for election and one for retention, with Democrats winning all of them. In addition, all five statewide ballot measures passed with the three bond questions passing handily.
The real story of the election, however, happened during the primary when several moderate Democrats were beaten by more progressive challengers, moving the party decisively to the left. A progressive bloc in the New Mexico Legislature will almost certainly mean that issues ranging from gun control to abortion to marijuana legalization to minimum wage will be front and center during the 2021 session.
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Wyoming 2020 General Election Results and Analysis
Like the rest of the nation, the Wyoming general election was held Tuesday, November 3, 2020. While many other states anxiously waited for ballots to be counted, it was no surprise that President Trump prevailed in Wyoming. 15 of the 30 state Senate seats and all 60 of the state’s House of Representative seats were up for election. Republicans won across the board and maintained their control of both the Senate and the House, even though there were several surprising outcomes during the primaries earlier this year.
Nationwide we have seen record voter turnout this year, and Wyoming is no different. There was a 7.5% increase in voter turnout from the previous general election with 258,788 ballots cast in 2016 versus 278,314 in 2020. This year was particularly remarkable for female candidates.
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