Hundreds of 2026 contests feature candidates with matching surnames
Ballotpedia counted 331 contests on Nov. 3 in 28 states where 668 candidates have a surname in common with another contender in the same race. Nebraska accounts for 61 of those contests, the most of any state, while Smith and Johnson are the most frequently shared surnames. The report also highlights examples such as Alaska’s U.S. Senate race and Nevada’s gubernatorial contest.
Ballotpedia found 331 Nov. 3 races in 28 states where 668 candidates share a surname with a rival. The group includes one congressional, 13 state, and 317 local contests; 256 are nonpartisan and 75 partisan. Nebraska leads with 61, ahead of Kentucky (54), Indiana (47), Michigan (40), Minnesota (27), and California (24). Seven states have one such race, including Ohio, which had 100 in 2025.
Smith and Johnson each appear in nine shared-surname races; Williams in six. Alaska’s Senate race includes Dan S. Sullivan and Dan J. Sullivan after a court ruling, and Nevada’s governor contest includes Aaron Ford and Danielle Ford. Detroit’s school board has 31 candidates and four same-surname pairs.
Shared surnames could make some down-ballot races harder for voters to navigate, especially in local contests with limited candidate information. Candidates may need extra effort to distinguish themselves, and election officials may face questions about ballot clarity and name confusion. The effect may be most noticeable in places with many such races, such as Nebraska, and in high-profile contests where similar names could shape voter understanding. These are possibilities, not certain outcomes.