2021 elections in the United States
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| 2021 elections in the United States | |
|---|---|
| Name | 2021 elections in the United States |
| Country | United States |
| Type | Midterm off-year and special |
| Previous election | 2020 United States elections |
| Previous year | 2020 |
| Next election | 2022 United States elections |
| Next year | 2022 |
| Election date | Throughout 2021 |
2021 elections in the United States were a series of federal, state, and local contests held across the United States following the 2020 United States presidential election, featuring special elections to the United States House of Representatives, gubernatorial contests, state legislative races, mayoral campaigns, and numerous ballot measures. The cycle occurred amid ongoing responses to the COVID-19 pandemic, debates over election administration after the January 6 United States Capitol attack, and partisan disputes tied to the presidencies of Donald Trump and Joe Biden. Outcomes affected the balance of power in state capitals such as Virginia and New Jersey and influenced strategies for the 2022 United States elections and the 2024 cycle.
Overview and political context
The 2021 calendar included special elections to the United States House of Representatives, regularly scheduled gubernatorial elections in New Jersey and Virginia, state legislative special elections, and a slate of municipal contests in cities like New York City, Chicago, and San Francisco. Political discourse was dominated by controversies over the aftermath of the 2020 United States presidential election, the certification of the 2020 United States presidential election results, the fallout from the January 6 United States Capitol attack, and policy debates on the COVID-19 pandemic response, the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021, and voting legislation proposed by state legislatures such as the Georgia General Assembly and the Texas Legislature. Major national parties—the Democratic Party (United States) and the Republican Party (United States)—as well as third parties including the Libertarian Party (United States) and the Green Party (United States), engaged in candidate recruitment, fundraising, and messaging influenced by figures like Nancy Pelosi, Chuck Schumer, Kevin McCarthy, Mitch McConnell, Gavin Newsom, and Phil Murphy.
Federal and special elections
Numerous special elections filled vacancies in the United States House of Representatives created by resignations, deaths, and appointments, including high-profile contests in districts represented previously by members such as Don Young (after his death), Earl Blumenauer (not a vacancy but relevant for committee shifts), and others, while the United States Senate saw appointment processes and state-level considerations in places like Arizona and Georgia that shaped federal representation. Special congressional races in districts across Pennsylvania, Ohio, New York, California, and Texas featured candidates from the Democratic Party (United States), the Republican Party (United States), and local parties, attracted national attention from organizations such as the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee and the National Republican Congressional Committee, and prompted involvement from political action committees like Priorities USA Action and Club for Growth. Legal issues over ballot access prompted litigation in federal courts including the United States District Court for the District of Columbia and appeals in the United States Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit concerning counting procedures influenced by the Help America Vote Act of 2002 legacy.
Gubernatorial and state legislative elections
The 2021 gubernatorial contests in New Jersey and Virginia produced notable results shaping party control in statehouses, with incumbents and challengers like Phil Murphy and Terry McAuliffe contested against candidates such as Gurbir Grewal-era allies and Republican contenders aligned with Donald Trump-era messaging. State legislative special elections and off-year races in chambers such as the Virginia General Assembly, the New Jersey Legislature, the Minnesota Legislature, and the Wisconsin Legislature influenced redistricting preparations for the 2020 United States redistricting cycle implementation and affected the partisan maps drawn by entities like state legislative redistricting commissions and litigants before the Supreme Court of the United States. Control of governorships and legislatures intersected with policy priorities advanced by governors including Andrew Cuomo, Gretchen Whitmer, and Larry Hogan and with legal battles over state executive actions in courts including the New Jersey Supreme Court.
Local elections and ballot measures
Municipal elections in cities such as New York City, Los Angeles, Chicago, San Francisco, Seattle, and Philadelphia featured mayoral contests, city council races, and police oversight referenda involving candidates and activists associated with movements tied to figures like Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, Bill de Blasio, Eric Adams, Lori Lightfoot, and London Breed. County-level and municipal ballot measures addressed topics including tax policy, criminal justice reform, public health mandates, and infrastructure funding, drawing advocacy from organizations such as the AARP, the National Rifle Association of America, Planned Parenthood Federation of America, and labor unions like the American Federation of Labor and Congress of Industrial Organizations. Voter initiatives in states like California, Oregon, and Arizona engaged election-day procedures governed by secretaries of state, including the offices of the California Secretary of State and the Arizona Secretary of State.
Election administration and turnout
Administration of 2021 contests involved secretaries of state such as Brad Raffensperger and Kathy Hochul-era involvement in New York matters, county election boards in jurisdictions like Maricopa County and Wayne County, and federal oversight by the Federal Election Commission on campaign finance disclosures. Debates over mail-in voting, absentee ballots, voter ID laws, and early voting intersected with litigation in federal and state courts including cases before the Supreme Court of the United States and the United States Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit, and attracted attention from watchdogs such as the Brennan Center for Justice, the League of Women Voters, and partisan groups like Heritage Action for America. Turnout varied across jurisdictions, with analyses by the United States Census Bureau and media organizations such as The New York Times, The Washington Post, and CNN comparing participation to previous off-year cycles and assessing demographic shifts in voter behavior linked to issues emphasized by Black Lives Matter, Moms Demand Action, and youth advocacy groups.
Results, analysis, and aftermath
Post-election analysis by political scientists from institutions like Harvard University, Stanford University, and Princeton University and commentators at outlets such as The New York Times and The Wall Street Journal examined implications for the 2022 United States elections, party strategy related to the Republican Party (United States) and the Democratic Party (United States), and the influence of policy debates over the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 and infrastructure legislation championed by Joe Biden. Legal challenges and certification disputes reached state supreme courts and federal appellate courts, while governing coalitions in state capitols adjusted to outcomes that affected appointments to bodies like the Electoral College via future presidential contests and shaped activism by organizations including the State Policy Network and the Campaign Legal Center. The 2021 contests prompted reflections on electoral resilience, campaign finance trends involving groups like the Soros network and conservative donors such as the Koch network, and the evolving role of digital platforms including Twitter (now X), Facebook, and YouTube (Google) in mobilizing voters and disseminating political advertising.