Ballotpedia's Weekly Brew recaps top election and recall stories from early October

Ballotpedia’s Weekly Brew for Oct. 5-9, 2026, gathers the most-clicked Daily Brew items and other site content. It notes that 35 officials have been removed through recall efforts so far this year, outlines absentee/mail-in voting rules ahead of the Nov. 3 election, and reports that a UC staff homebuyer loan initiative qualified for California’s 2028 ballot.

EXPANDED:

Ballotpedia's Oct. 9, 2026 Weekly Brew collected items from Oct. 5-9. It reported that, through Oct. 2, 35 officials had been removed in recalls, 8% of 437 officials targeted, below the 16% average from 2010-2025. Michigan led recall targets since 2010 with 1,180, followed by California (1,115) and Colorado (413). City council members faced the most petitions (201), then mayors (67) and school board members (65). The newsletter also summarized state absentee/mail-in voting rules before the Nov. 3 election.

A University of California staff homebuyer loan initiative became California's first citizen initiative certified for the 2028 ballot, joining two legislative measures; six statewide measures are certified nationwide for 2028. Sponsored by AFSCME 3299, it would offer first-time buyers employed by UC at least five years loans worth 20% of a home's value. Officials validated 947,631 signatures; withdrawal deadline is June 29, 2028. Separately, Republican state legislative incumbents lost primaries at twice the Democratic rate: 4.6% versus 2.3%.

Count? First paragraph: Ballotpedia's(1) Oct.(2) 9,(3) 2026(4) Weekly(5) Brew(6) collected(7) items(8) from(9) Oct.(10) 5-9.(11) It(12) reported(13) that,(14) through(15) Oct.(16) 2,(17) 35(18) officials(19) had(20) been(21) removed(22) in(23) recalls,(24) 8%(25) of(26) 437(27) officials(28) targeted,(29) below(30) the(31) 16%(32) average(33) from(34) 2010-2025.(35) Michigan(36) led(37) recall(38) targets(39) since(40) 2010