Uncontested Elections Are at an All-Time High

By Jia Molinari

When we think of elections, we think big. Whether our minds go to president, governor, or member of Congress first, we tend to first primarily on the federal level, and then move down to more local positions. There’s nothing wrong with associating elections with big, blockbuster positions like president or mayor, but in doing so, we tend to ignore the hundreds of lesser-known–and often uncontested–positions that are up for election every year. Using data from Ballot Pedia and Ballot Ready, we have compiled the states, and positions that most frequently have uncontested races –one of them could be right for you!

In the United States, the number of uncontested elections has been steadily climbing, and in 2024, it reached an all-time high with a staggering 70% of races going uncontested. Let’s break it down: 91% of regional, 82% of county, and 74% of local elections went uncontested across the country in the 2024 election. That means that positions like school board member, deputy commissioner, and town clerk were all foregone conclusions. Now, imagine what could have happened if you had decided to enter the race! 

If we take a closer look into uncontested races at the state level in 2024, there is an astounding number of states with ballots that had a disproportionate number of uncontested races. When voting, you may have noticed that there were less options for positions than previous years on your own ballot. Iowa had the highest rate of uncontested races, with an incredible 85%.Michigan, Georgia, Arkansas, and Alabama all trailed close behind, and in general, southern states had a higher volume of uncontested races.  In total, 21 states saw more than 50% of their races go uncontested. While these statistics may seem shocking, it’s important to have this information if you’re interested in running for office! In fact, we can use this data to see which positions are consistently filled with unchallenged elections.

In parsing through data from the 2024 elections, we’ve compiled a list of frequently uncontested positions across the country. 

Positions and Percentage of Uncontested Races, 2024:

Mine Inspector: 100%

Solicitor: 97%

National Resource Commissioner: 90% 

District Attorney: 88% 

Treasurer: 92% 

City Council Member: 65% 

Board of Elections: 57% 

Board of Education: 45%

In 2025, more than 90,000 positions are available for election. In total, elections held in April, May, and November have the most positions open, giving you time to prepare yourself if you’re interested in launching a campaign. Elections held in those three months combined will see more than 117,000 seats up for election! Thinking about running? Local and city elections have the most seats open from school board and city council seats, but these elections are also the most contested. Check out which positions will be open in your area to see which might be a perfect fit for you. Serving in public office is key to making a difference in your community, and you don’t have to take on a major, federally-visible position to do it! If you’re curious about learning which position might be the most interesting to you, check out our Public Office Profile Quiz to see where your skills are needed!

The first step in filling these positions is not sending in a form or creating a campaign slogan, it is genuinely believing that you have what it takes. If you don’t believe this, you’re doing yourself–and your community–a disservice! Change takes time, so running for office, no matter the scale and visibility of the position, can make a huge difference. Take a moment to ground yourself and remember that if you care, you’re qualified!