Ballotpedia's top 10 races, 2017

October 30, 2017
By the Ballotpedia Team
See also: Sample Ballot Lookup and Election results, 2017

Over half a million officials hold elected office in the United States. Thousands of elections are held each year, so it's difficult to know which ones to watch—and why. Ballotpedia has identified the top 10 state and local races to watch in the general election on November 7, 2017.

#10: Embattled mayor in Minneapolis fights for second term

Mayor Betsy Hodges (DFL)

Mayoral election in Minneapolis, Minnesota (2017):
Members of the Democratic-Farmer-Labor Party (DFL) have held the mayor's office in Minneapolis since 1978, including current Mayor Betsy Hodges. However, Mayor Hodges' attempt to secure a DFL endorsement for her re-election bid fell short after she failed to win the 60 percent support needed at the party's convention. She came in third with 24 percent support, which trailed state Rep. Raymond Dehn (32 percent) and City Councilman Jacob Frey (28 percent). The incumbent received criticism in the years leading up to the election regarding the city's handling of police-involved shootings of Jamar Clark, Philando Castile, and Justine Damond. Following the Damond shooting, Mayor Hodges requested the resignation of Minneapolis Police Chief Janeé Harteau. Low-income housing policy has also been a regular subject of contention between the 16 candidates competing in the city's ranked choice voting system.

#9: New Yorkers to vote on 13th constitutional convention question

New York Proposal 1, Constitutional Convention Question (2017):
New York voters will decide on a proposal to hold a constitutional convention. The proposal is automatically referred to the ballot every 20 years by the New York Constitution, with the most recent vote coming in 1997. A constitutional convention is a meeting of elected delegates who rewrite or propose amendments to the state constitution. Proposals developed at a convention are put on the ballot for voter consideration. Of the 12 times this question appeared on the ballot before 2017, seven resulted in constitutional conventions being held and four of those conventions led to new state constitutions.

New York Article XIX Constitutional Convention Process, 2017 - 2020

#8: Billion dollar package of local bonds on the Dallas ballot

Dallas, Texas, Bond Propositions (November 2017):
Dallas residents will vote on a set of 10 local bond propositions totaling $1.05 billion in new revenue this November. These bonds would raise money for streets (A), parks and recreation facilities (B), Fair Park facilities (C), flood protection, storm drain facilities, and erosion control (D), libraries (E), cultural and performing arts facilities (F), police and fire facilities (G), City Hall and other city facilities (H), economic development and housing (I), and homeless assistance facilities (J). Certain projects for Proposition A and Proposition B are contingent upon the city receiving matching funding from private grants or donations. The city council voted 14-1 to put the bond package on the ballot in August 2017. The bonds would have to be repaid within 20 years, and the total estimated repayment cost—principal and interest—for the entire bond package is $1,424,875,500.

#7: Virginia Democrats aiming for first house majority in 17 years

Majority Leader Kirk Cox (R)

Virginia House of Delegates elections, 2017:
All 100 seats in the Virginia House of Delegates are up for grabs. Republicans currently hold a 66-34 majority in the chamber, meaning Democrats would need to win 17 seats to break the majority. For their part, Republicans need to win one seat in order to have a veto-proof supermajority in the chamber. Ballotpedia identified 13 races to watch this year that have the greatest chance of changing partisan hands. Republicans have held a majority in this chamber since 2000. If Democrats claim a majority in the general election, they will ensure the state remains under divided government for at least two years regardless of what happens in the gubernatorial election.

#6: Teacher merit pay and school voucher policies at stake in Colorado's Douglas County

Douglas County School District elections (2017):
After eight years in power, the Douglas County School District's governing majority is in jeopardy of changing hands with four seats on the ballot this November. The school board is split 4-3 entering the election, and the four members who constitute the board majority announced that they would not run for re-election. Since taking power, the board majority voted to implement a pay-for-performance system for teachers and a voucher program for private schools, but its membership decreased from seven to four board members in the 2015 election. Two candidate slates have formed, Elevate Douglas County (which is not linked to the board's current majority but is supportive of some of its policies) and Community Matters (which opposes the current board's policies), and all four of the open seats have a candidate from each slate on the ballot. If any of the Elevate Douglas County slate candidates lose, the board majority will change. The winners of the election will also be tasked with appointing the district's next superintendent.

#5: Majority up for grabs in Washington State Senate

Washington state legislative special elections, 2017:
Partisan control of the Washington State Senate and, ultimately, the state's trifecta status, will be decided in the November election. While five seats are up for election in the chamber (in addition to three state House seats), only one, District 45, has a high probability of changing hands. Manka Dhingra (D) and Jinyoung Lee Englund (R) will compete for the former seat of Andy Hill (R), who died of lung cancer. Republicans won four of the last five regular elections for this seat, but Hillary Clinton (D) won the district 65-28 in 2016. Fundraising figures are close, with Englund raising $1.3 million to Dhingra's $1.2 million. A victory for Dhingra means Democratic control of the chamber and restoration of a Democratic trifecta in the state that was broken in 2013.

Washington Party Control: 1992-2017
11 years of Democratic trifectas  •  No Republican trifectas
Note: You may need to scroll horizontally in order to see the full table depending on your screen resolution.

Year	92	93	94	95	96	97	98	99	00	01	02	03	04	05	06	07	08	09	10	11	12	13	14	15	16	17
Governor	D	D	D	D	D	D	D	D	D	D	D	D	D	D	D	D	D	D	D	D	D	D	D	D	D	D
Senate	R	D	D	D	D	R	R	D	D	D	D	R	R	D	D	D	D	D	D	D	D	R	R	R	R	R
House	D	D	D	R	R	R	R	S	S	S	D	D	D	D	D	D	D	D	D	D	D	D	D	D	D	D

#4: Charlotte mayor race tightens between Democrat and Republican after mayor loses primary

Mayoral election in Charlotte, North Carolina (2017):
Democratic City Councilwoman Vi Lyles and Republican City Councilman Kenny Smith are neck and neck in the race to replace Charlotte Mayor Jennifer Roberts (D), according to a poll conducted by Spectrum News and SurveyUSA from October 18 to October 21. Lyles received 41 percent support, Smith received 40 percent support, and 19 percent of voters were undecided. This puts Smith within the poll's 4.4 percent margin of error, and if he wins, Charlotte would become the third-largest city in the U.S. with a Republican mayor after San Diego (Kevin Faulconer) and Jacksonville (Lenny Curry). Lyles upset Mayor Roberts in the Democratic primary on September 12 with a nearly 10 percentage point margin of victory, despite the incumbent holding a significant lead in June polling. Lyles and Smith debated the city's non-discrimination ordinance, public transportation, housing, and taxation at candidate forums in the lead-up to the general election.

#3: Democratic intraparty battle for Seattle mayor

Mayoral election in Seattle, Washington (2017):
After former Seattle Mayor Ed Murray (D) announced that he would not seek re-election on May 9, 2017, the competition to replace him swelled to a 21-candidate field. The primary winnowed that down to the two frontrunners, former U.S. Attorney Jenny Durkan and community activist Cary Moon, who both identify as Democrats although the election and office are both nonpartisan. Durkan received notable endorsements from Murray, The Seattle Times, and the Washington State Council of County and City Employees, while Moon's notable endorsements included Democracy for America, King County Democrats, and the Seattle Education Association. Moon trailed her opponent in fundraising through October 16 with $278,608 in contributions compared to Durkan's $822,094. At a series of public forums, the candidates sparred over housing costs, homelessness, government budgeting, and an income tax ordinance. The winner of the general election will be the first female mayor of Seattle since Bertha Knight Landes served from 1926 to 1928.

#2: Ohio's most expensive measure on the ballot

Ohio Issue 2, Drug Price Standards Initiative (2017):
Ohio voters will decide on the issue that produced the state's most expensive ballot measure campaign ever. The question at hand is whether the state and state agencies should be required to pay the same or lower prices for prescriptions drugs as the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs. As of October 26, the support campaign had raised $16.72 million, with 99.99 percent of that coming from the AIDS Healthcare Foundation. Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers of America (PhRMA) and a PhRMA subsidiary have provided 100 percent of the $58.26 million in opposition funds. The two sides previously fought over California Proposition 61 in 2016, which was the most expensive ballot measure conflict of 2016 and was nearly identical to Ohio Issue 2. California voters rejected Proposition 61 by a vote of 53-47.

#1: Republicans seeking trifecta in Virginia governor's race

Virginia gubernatorial election, 2017:
Control of Virginia's governor's mansion is on the line in a race that could also decide Virginia's trifecta status for at least the next two years. Current Lt. Gov. Ralph Northam (D), former RNC chair Ed Gillespie (R), and patent attorney Cliff Hyra (L) will compete to be the state's next governor. Prior to Gov. Terry McAuliffe's (D) victory during the presidency of Barack Obama (D) in 2013, the last time the winning gubernatorial candidate shared the sitting president's party was Mills Godwin (R) in 1973. Three of the state's last five governors have been Democratic, and Democratic presidential candidates have won the state during the last three cycles after George W. Bush (R) won during both of his presidential campaigns. If Gillespie wins and Republicans hold the state House, Virginia will become a Republican trifecta. Democrats cannot claim trifecta control with a win in this race since the Republican-held state Senate is not holding elections this year.

Virginia Party Control: 1992-2017
Two years of Democratic trifectas  •  Four years of Republican trifectas
Note: You may need to scroll horizontally in order to see the full table depending on your screen resolution.

Year	92	93	94	95	96	97	98	99	00	01	02	03	04	05	06	07	08	09	10	11	12	13	14	15	16	17
Governor	D	D	R	R	R	R	R	R	R	R	D	D	D	D	D	D	D	D	R	R	R	R	D	D	D	D
Senate	D	D	D	D	S	S	R	R	R	R	R	R	R	R	R	R	D	D	D	D	R	R	D	R	R	R
House	D	D	D	D	D	D	S	S	R	R	R	R	R	R	R	R	R	R	R	R	R	R	R	R	R	R

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