October 2026 election coverage spans nine contests in seven states
Ballotpedia is tracking nine elections in seven states during October 2026, including four special elections and three recall elections, with no statewide contests. In September it tracked 995 elections across 14 states. The October list includes a Montgomery, Alabama, City Council runoff and recalls in Wisconsin, Oregon, and Colorado.
In October 2026, Ballotpedia’s coverage includes no statewide races and no federal or state-level special contests. The nine tracked elections are municipal, with four special municipal races. One highlighted local contest is a runoff for Montgomery, Alabama’s City Council District 3 on Oct. 13.
Three recalls are also scheduled: Turtle, Wisconsin’s town board chairman on Oct. 6; an Oregon school board member in Lake County on Oct. 13; and a Colorado fire district board president in Loveland on Oct. 13. For comparison, Ballotpedia tracked 10 races in five states in October 2024 and seven in four states in October 2022.
The sparse October calendar may mean fewer voters see direct ballot decisions than in busier months, while those in the affected localities—Montgomery residents, Turtle voters, Lake County school district constituents, and Loveland fire district residents—could face choices about local representation and services. Because these are local and recall contests, turnout may be low, and outcomes may hinge on engaged community members. National political attention may remain limited, though the results could shape local governance until the next regular election.