Campaigns
Campaigns cover the initiatives, races, and ballot questions where independent-minded voters could decide the outcome. IVN.us reports on contests at every level, from local measures to statewide elections, with nonpartisan coverage and information so independent-minded voters can make informed choices.
President Donald Trump signed an executive order on March 31 directing federal agencies to build a new citizenship-verification system for federal elections and requiring the U.S. Postal Service to begin rulemaking on new standards for mailed ballots. ...
Race to Watch: With Moderate Esmeralda Soria Out, Who Will Appeal to Independents in the Central Valley?
This 2026 race snapped into focus in May 2025 when Soria announced she would seek the SD14 State Senate seat being vacated by Anna Caballero due to term limits. The announcement transformed an already competitive district into one of the top Republican targets in California....
12 Mar, 2026
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14 min read
Texas Primary Shock: Democratic Voter Turnout Surpasses Republicans
The 2026 primary elections in Texas had their fair share of excitement and controversy Tuesday night. But one thing that stood out more than anything else was the turnout. Specifically, in the Democratic primaries, which soared above the Republicans....
04 Mar, 2026
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4 min read
Why Congress Can't (Won't) Ever Quit Trading Stocks
Imagine a lawmaker on the House Armed Services Committee who owns stock in a major defense contractor voting on military spending or weapons systems tied to that company. ...
10 Feb, 2026
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6 min read
Mayor Matt Mahan Could Turn the California Governor Race Upside Down
Rumors are circulating that San Jose Mayor Matt Mahan may enter the race for California governor. If the recently elected Democratic mayor makes the move, he could jolt a contest that, to date, has been remarkably sleepy.
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28 Jan, 2026
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5 min read
Neither Party Owns This Seat: Independent Voters Control California’s Desert Battleground
California’s Assembly District 47 stretches across Riverside and San Bernardino Counties, encompassing the cities of Banning, Beaumont, Calimesa, Cathedral City, Desert Hot Springs, Indian Wells, La Quinta, Yucaipa, Palm Springs, Palm Desert, Rancho Mirage, and the town of Yucca Valley, along with p...
28 Jan, 2026
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10 min read
Aisha Wahab Exits – Independent Voters Now Decide Silicon Valley Senate Seat
Stretching across portions of Alameda and Santa Clara Counties, California’s Senate District 10 is one of the state’s economic powerhouses. It includes the cities of Fremont, Hayward, Milpitas, Newark, Sunnyvale, Santa Clara, and Union City, as well as portions of San Jose. The district’s economy is...
26 Jan, 2026
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17 min read
Leticia Castillo Doesn’t Fit California’s Political Boxes, and Neither Does Her District
The new 58th Assembly District, previously AD60 before California’s 2021 redistricting, is considered the birthplace of California’s citrus industry.
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19 Jan, 2026
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10 min read
Mary Peltola Announces Run for US Senate in Top 4 Alaska Primary
Calling for “systemic change,” former Alaska Congresswoman Mary Peltola announced on January 12 that she will run for the U.S. Senate in 2026, setting up one of the most closely watched races in the country. Peltola will challenge incumbent Dan Sullivan in a contest likely to be shaped as much by Al...
14 Jan, 2026
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3 min read
NEW POLL: California Governor’s Race Sees “None of the Above” Beat the Entire Democratic Field
A new statewide poll conducted by the Independent Voter Project finds California’s independent voters overwhelmingly support the state’s nonpartisan primary system and express broad dissatisfaction with the direction of state politics....
12 Jan, 2026
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4 min read
Why Did Walz Drop Out? Daycare Fraud & Chaos in Minnesota
Wondering how a major political figure walks away from power, and what that says about the system behind the scenes? This episode unpacks Tim Walz’s decision to step aside in Minnesota and how allegations around daycare funding brought to light by YouTuber Nick Shirley have cracked open a wide-open ...
08 Jan, 2026
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1 min read
Josh Hoover’s Test as a Moderate Republican: Can He Win Independent Voters Again?
The American River connects the cities of Folsom, Rancho Cordova, and Citrus Heights, forming the core of California’s 7th Assembly District, which also includes the unincorporated communities of McClellan Park, North Highlands, Foothill Farms, Fair Oaks, Orangevale, Gold River, Rosemont, Mather, an...
06 Jan, 2026
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9 min read
With Tim Walz Out, Is Minnesota Ripe for The Next Jesse Ventura?
Minnesota Governor Tim Walz, a Democrat and Kamala Harris’s running mate in the 2024 presidential election that Donald J. Trump ultimately won, announced January 5 that he will not seek a third term in 2026.
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05 Jan, 2026
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2 min read