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.
With more than six months still to go before voters cast their ballots in November, California’s top 15 ballot-initiative contributors have already poured nearly $200 million into the state’s initiative process....
Trump Won This Latino California District; Now Independents Will Decide Who Holds It
Donald Trump carried the district by 1.3% in 2024, winning 49.5% to Kamala Harris's 48.2%, a striking outcome in a district where Democrats still held a registration advantage exceeding 13 points....
07 Apr, 2026
-
19 min read
Trump EO Pushes Citizenship Verification and Mail Ballot Tracking Further Than SAVE Act Debate
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. ...
31 Mar, 2026
-
2 min read
Paige Against the Machine: Scranton Mayor Runs Against Congressional Corruption and Old Party Rules
In the fall of 2019, Scranton, Pennsylvania, was in crisis. Its mayor, Bill Courtright, had resigned and pleaded guilty to federal charges of bribery, extortion, and conspiracy. ...
30 Mar, 2026
-
8 min read
10 U.S. House Members Who Quit Their Party While in Office
Impeachments. Wave elections. Gerrymandered maps. A stolen election that never was. Frustration with leadership. The reasons House members abandon their parties mid-term are as varied as the members themselves....
26 Mar, 2026
-
6 min read
Kevin Kiley Leaves GOP, Bets on Independent Voters in California’s 6th District
On March 9, 2026, US Rep. Kevin Kiley held a press conference and announced he was breaking up with the GOP. With that, Kiley became the only capital "I" Independent in the House...
24 Mar, 2026
-
12 min read
Chad Bianco’s 650,000-Ballot Seizure Puts California Governor Race in National Spotlight
Riverside County sheriff and California gubernatorial candidate Chad Bianco has bolstered his national name ID after he seized over 650,000 ballots cast in the 2025 special election for Proposition 50....
23 Mar, 2026
-
4 min read
Will Independent Voters Deliver Dawn Addis a Third Assembly Term in California’s Central Coast?
Dawn Addis, born July 12, 1972, is a former teacher and Morro Bay city councilmember who was first elected to the Assembly in 2022 and re-elected in 2024...
19 Mar, 2026
-
13 min read
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
-
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
-
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
-
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.
...
28 Jan, 2026
-
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
-
10 min read