Bolts published its annual cheat sheet on the Trump impact on Senate midterms GOP, putting more than 660 elections and ballot measures in one place before Nov. 3. The guide is meant to help readers track what matters across the country, from congressional races to local contests.
The guide spans at least one non-federal race in all 50 states and D.C., and Bolts says it will update the list with results after election night. It will also release a printable PDF version closer to Election Day.
Bolts and the 2026 General Elections
Bolts says the cheat sheet breaks down key state legislatures, the battle for Congress, governors, attorneys general, secretaries of state, state courts, utility commissions, prosecutors, sheriffs, city leaders and mayors, county leaders, school boards, and local judges. It also covers ballot measures on abortion, criminal justice and drug policy, election law and redistricting, labor, transit, housing, climate, education, LGBTQ rights, taxes, guns, and more.
For readers trying to follow only the highest-stakes contests, the guide gives a broad map rather than a narrow list. Congressional races will take center stage on Nov. 3, but the guide spreads across federal, state, and local contests so voters can sort what may appear on their own ballots.
Ballotpedia in Bolts
Bolts says the guide is not an exhaustive list of every office on the ballot this fall. For a full list of what they will be voting on in their backyard, it points readers to a sample ballot from their state or local election offices.
That makes the cheat sheet a starting point, not the final word. Bolts acknowledges the work of Ballotpedia in helping track ballot measures, while the sample ballot remains the tool that turns the broad guide into a specific ballot for each voter.
Which specific races in the battle for Congress matter most is not named in the guide text, so the practical next step is to compare Bolts’ broad list with the ballot your election office provides.
