2023 United States elections

At least three special elections will be or have been held in 2023 to fill vacancies during the 118th U.S. Congress.

• Virginia's 4th congressional district: Democrat Jennifer McClellan defeated Republican Leon Benjamin to succeed Donald McEachin, who died on November 28, 2022, of colorectal cancer.[5] The district has a partisan index of D+16.[6]
• Rhode Island's 1st congressional district: Democrat David Cicilline resigned on May 31, 2023, to become the president and CEO of the Rhode Island Foundation.[7] The district has a partisan index of D+14.[6] Democratic nominee Gabe Amo will face Republican Gerry Leonard Jr. on November 7. Most publications consider this to be a safe seat for the Democratic Party.[8]
• Utah's 2nd congressional district: Republican Chris Stewart resigned on September 15, 2023, due to his wife's ongoing health issues.[9] The district has a partisan index of R+11.[6] Republican nominee Celeste Maloy will face Democratic State Senator Kathleen Reibe, as well as five independent candidates. This seat is expected to be safe for the Republican Party.[10]

Three states will hold gubernatorial elections in 2023:

• Kentucky: One-term Democrat Andy Beshear is running for re-election.[11]
• Louisiana: Attorney General Jeff Landry won outright with 51.6% of the vote, beating his closest competitor, Democrat Shawn Wilson, by over 25% in a 14-candidate jungle primary, flipping the seat from Democratic to Republican control.[12]
• Mississippi: One-term Republican Tate Reeves is running for re-election.[13]

Three states will hold attorney general elections in 2023:

• Kentucky: One-term Republican Daniel Cameron is retiring to run for governor.[14]
• Louisiana: Two-term Republican Jeff Landry is retiring to run for governor.[15]
• Mississippi: One-term Republican Lynn Fitch is running for re-election.[16]

Three states will hold secretary of state elections in 2023:

• Kentucky: One-term Republican Michael Adams is running for re-election.[17]
• Louisiana: Two-term Republican Kyle Ardoin is retiring.[18]
• Mississippi: One-term Republican Michael Watson is running for re-election.[19]

Three states will hold state treasurer elections in 2023:

• Kentucky: Two-term Republican Allison Ball is term-limited and therefore ineligible to seek re-election. She is running for state auditor.[20]
• Louisiana: Two-term Republican John Schroder is retiring to run for governor.[21][22]
• Mississippi: One-term Republican David McRae is running for re-election.[23]

Three states will hold agriculture commissioner elections in 2023:

• Kentucky: Two-term Republican Ryan Quarles is term-limited and therefore ineligible to seek re-election. He ran for governor.[24]
• Louisiana: Four-term Republican Michael G. Strain won re-election unopposed.[25]
• Mississippi: Two-term Republican Andy Gipson is running for re-election.[26]

Two states, Wisconsin and Pennsylvania, will hold state Supreme Court elections in 2023:

• Wisconsin: Incumbent Justice Patience Roggensack retired. The election for a new justice was held on April 4, 2023. Janet Protasiewicz defeated Daniel Kelly by a margin of 11.02%.
• Pennsylvania: Justice Max Baer died in September 2022. The election for a new justice will be held on November 7, 2023. Daniel McCaffery received the Democratic nomination, while Carolyn Carluccio received the Republican nomination.

Legislative elections will be held for both houses of the Louisiana State Legislature, the Mississippi Legislature, the New Jersey Legislature, and the Virginia General Assembly. Kentucky, which holds gubernatorial elections in off-years, holds state legislative elections concurrent with presidential and midterm elections.

In addition, other states will hold special elections to fill open legislative seats vacated for various reasons (death, retirement, resignation for personal reasons, or election to higher office, and in the case of Texas due to the expulsion of Bryan Slaton from his seat due to inappropriate behavior with an intern).

Five states held or will hold a statewide referendum: Oklahoma, Wisconsin, Ohio, Texas, and Maine.

• In a March special election, Oklahoma voters rejected State Question 820, a ballot initiative that would have legalized the recreational use of marijuana by people 21 and older.[27]
• In an April special election, Wisconsin voters approved Question 1, Question 2, and Question 3, all by landslides.[28]
• In an August special election, Ohio voters rejected a measure that would have required future amendments to the Ohio Constitution to be approved by 60% of the electorate in a referendum rather than a simple majority.[29]
• In November, Ohio voters will also vote on two measures, one that would codify abortion rights in the state's constitution, [30] and another, which would legalize marijuana for recreational use. [31]
• In November, Texas voters statewide will vote on 14 proposed amendments to the Texas Constitution. In addition, Texas counties, cities, and school and other special districts may have other ballot issues, such as bond proposals.
• In November, Maine voters will vote on a ballot initiative to establish a public power company[32] and to require Article X, Sections 1, 2, and 5, to be included in all official printings of the state constitution.[33] The three sections have not been included since 1876, but were never formally repealed. Sections 1 and 2 deal with the convening of the first Maine Legislature; Section 5 deals with the state's obligations to indigenous tribes.[33]

A number of the 50 largest U.S. cities have held or will hold mayoral elections in 2023.

• Tampa, Florida: On March 7, one-term incumbent Jane Castor won re-election unopposed.[34]
• Chicago, Illinois: On April 4, Brandon Johnson defeated Paul Vallas in a runoff election, succeeding one-term incumbent Lori Lightfoot, who lost re-election in the primary.[35]
• Green Bay, Wisconsin: On April 4, one-term incumbent Eric Genrich won re-election against Chad Weininger.[36]
• Madison, Wisconsin: On April 4, one-term incumbent Satya Rhodes-Conway won re-election against Gloria Reyes.[37]
• Springfield, Illinois: On April 4, Misty Buscher narrowly defeated two-term incumbent Jim Langfelder in his bid for re-election.[38]
• Lincoln, Nebraska: On May 2, one-term incumbent Leirion Gaylor Baird won re-election against Suzanne Geist.[39]
• Arlington, Texas: On May 6, one-term incumbent Jim Ross narrowly won re-election against Amy Cearnal.[40]
• Dallas, Texas: On May 6, one-term incumbent Eric Johnson won re-election unopposed.[41]
• Fort Worth, Texas: On May 6, one-term incumbent Mattie Parker won re-election against Jennifer Castillo, Kenneth Bowens Jr., and Alyson Kennedy.[42]
• San Antonio, Texas: On May 6, three-term incumbent Ron Nirenberg won re-election against Christopher Schuchardt.[43]
• Colorado Springs, Colorado: On May 16, Yemi Mobolade defeated Wayne W. Williams in a runoff election, succeeding two-term incumbent John Suthers, who was term-limited.[44]
• Jacksonville, Florida: On May 16, Donna Deegan defeated Daniel Davis in a runoff election, succeeding two-term incumbent Lenny Curry, who was term-limited.[45]
• Denver, Colorado: On June 6, Mike Johnston defeated Kelly Brough in a runoff election, succeeding three-term incumbent Michael Hancock, who was term-limited.[46]
• Montgomery, Alabama: On August 22, one-term incumbent Steven Reed won re-election against Barrett Gilbreath.[47]
• Nashville, Tennessee: On September 14, Freddie O'Connell defeated Alice Rolli in a runoff election, succeeding one-term incumbent John Cooper, who chose to retire.[48]
• Memphis, Tennessee: On October 5, Paul Young defeated Floyd Bonner, W. W. Herenton, and Van Turner, succeeding two-term incumbent Jim Strickland, who was term-limited.[49]

• Aurora, Colorado: One-term incumbent Mike Coffman is running for re-election.[50]
• Boise, Idaho: One-term incumbent Lauren McLean is running for re-election.[51]
• Charleston, South Carolina: Two-term incumbent John Tecklenburg is running for re-election.[52]
• 2023 Charlotte mayoral election: Three-term incumbent Vi Lyles is running for re-election. She will face Misun Kim in the general election.[53]
• Columbus, Ohio: Two-term incumbent Andrew Ginther is running for re-election.[54]
• Fort Wayne, Indiana: Four-term incumbent Tom Henry is running for re-election.[55] He will face Tom Didier in the general election.[56]
• Indianapolis, Indiana: Two-term incumbent Joe Hogsett is running for re-election.[57] He will face Jefferson Shreve in the general election.[58]
• Knoxville, Tennessee: One-term incumbent Indya Kincannon is running for re-election.[59]
• Orlando, Florida: Five-term incumbent Buddy Dyer is running for re-election.[60]
• Pueblo, Colorado: One-term incumbent Nick Gradisar is running for re-election.[61]
• Salt Lake City, Utah: One-term incumbent Erin Mendenhall is running for re-election.[62]
• Savannah, Georgia: One-term incumbent Van R. Johnson is running for re-election.[63]
• South Bend, Indiana: One-term incumbent James Mueller is running for re-election.[64]
• Spokane, Washington: One-term incumbent Nadine Woodward is running for re-election.[65] She will face Lisa Brown in the general election.[66]
• Springfield, Massachusetts: Five-term incumbent Domenic Sarno is running for re-election.[67]
• Tucson, Arizona: One-term incumbent Regina Romero is running for re-election.[68] She will face Janet Wittenbraker in the general election.
• Wichita, Kansas: One-term incumbent Brandon Whipple is running for re-election.[69] He will face Lily Wu in the general election.[70]

• Akron, Ohio: Two-term incumbent Dan Horrigan is retiring.[71] Shammas Malik is running unopposed in the general election.[72]
• Carmel, Indiana: Seven-term incumbent James Brainard is retiring. Current City Councilors Sue Finkam and Miles Nelson won their primaries to advance to the general election.[73]
• Des Moines, Iowa: Five-term incumbent Frank Cownie is retiring.[74]
• Durham, North Carolina: One-term incumbent Elaine O'Neal is retiring.
• Evansville, Indiana: Three-term incumbent Lloyd Winnecke is retiring.[75]
• Gary, Indiana: One-term incumbent Jerome Prince lost renomination to Eddie Melton in the partisan primary. Melton will face Andrew Delano in the general election.[76]
• Hartford, Connecticut: Two-term incumbent Luke Bronin is retiring.[77] Arunan Arulampalam is the Democratic nominee. [78] Four petitioning candidates and Republican Mike McGarry will be on the general election ballot.[79]
• Houston, Texas: Two-term incumbent Sylvester Turner is ineligible to run for re-election due to term limits.
• Manchester, New Hampshire: Three-term incumbent Joyce Craig is retiring.[80]
• Philadelphia, Pennsylvania: Two-term incumbent Jim Kenney is ineligible to run for re-election due to term limits. Cherelle Parker and David Oh are the nominees for the general election.[81]
• Portland, Maine: One-term incumbent Kate Snyder is retiring.[82]

• Allegheny County, Pennsylvania: County Executive, District Attorney, Board of Legislators

• Chicago, Illinois: City Council, City Clerk, City Treasurer, Police District Councils
• Los Angeles, California: City Council (special election)
• Multnomah County, Oregon: Board of Commissioners (special election)[83]
• New York, New York: City Council
• Philadelphia, Pennsylvania: City Council
• Seattle, Washington: City Council
• St. Louis, Missouri: Board of Aldermen
• Tucker, Georgia: City Council
• West Linn, Oregon: City Council (rescheduled election after ballot error in November 2022)[84]

• The Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians passed by a wide margin an advisory referendum approving adult use of recreational cannabis use on tribal land with 70% of voters approving the measure.[103][104] A second referendum on the ballot allowing the sale of by-the-glass mixed drinks was also approved.[105]