RARE PHOTOS: 19 | Vintage Vibes

Second Trump administration has seen historically high ambassador vacancies and political appointments

Seventeen months into President Donald Trump's (R) second administration, a historically high number of ambassador posts remain vacant. According to the American Foreign Service Association (AFSA), an unprecedentedly high percentage of ambassadors appointed during Trump's second term have been political appointees.

Ballotpedia · Jul 7

Ohio governor vetoes bill requiring photo ID for absentee voting

On June 24, Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine (R) vetoed legislation that would have required most voters to provide photo identification when either requesting or returning an absentee ballot.

Ballotpedia · Jul 7

Vermont enacts bill to limit how scholarships under Education Freedom Tax Credit can be used

On June 18, 2026, Vermont Gov. Phil Scott (R) signed H.933, limiting the use of scholarship funds under the Education Freedom Tax Credit (EFTC) so they may benefit only public school students or students attending independent (or nonpublic) schools eligible to receive public funds, among other EFTC and unrelated tax…

Ballotpedia · Jul 7

State legislative session updates: sessions ending

According to Multistate, as of July 2, nine states are still in legislative session, with two in special session. Massachusetts’s session is expected to end on July 31. California and North Carolina’s sessions will end on Aug. 31. Pennsylvania’s session will end on Nov. 30. Three states, Michigan, New Jersey,…

Ballotpedia · Jul 6

Tracker: Article III federal judicial nominations by president by days in office since 2001

This report is limited to Article III courts, where appointees are confirmed to lifetime judgeships. In the past month:

Ballotpedia · Jul 6

President Donald Trump issued six executive orders in June, the fourth-lowest monthly total in his second term

President Donald Trump (R) issued six executive orders in June, the fourth-fewest of any month in his second term. As of July 1, Trump has signed 269 executive orders in his second term.

Ballotpedia · Jul 6

Campaign behind two online sports betting initiatives submitted signatures in Nebraska

Tax Relief Nebraska, the committee behind two ballot initiatives that would legalize online sports betting in the state, filed signatures with the secretary of state on June 26. One initiative is an amendment that would authorize laws governing online sports betting. The second is an initiated state statute that would…

Ballotpedia · Jul 6

Since 2016, nine former U.S. representatives have run in Florida — four of them are running this year

Welcome to the Monday, July 6, 2026, Brew.

Ballotpedia · Jul 6

Weekly Brew: July 3, 2026

On June 29, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled 5-4 in Watson v. Republican National Committee that federal law does not preempt a Mississippi law allowing absentee ballots to be received up to five days after the election.

Ballotpedia · Jul 3

Celebrate America all year long with Ballotpedia’s Blueprints of Democracy

In a July 3 letter to his wife, Abigail, John Adams wrote that the day the Continental Congress voted to approve America’s Declaration of Independence (July 2) would be “the most memorable Epocha, in the History of America.”

Ballotpedia · Jul 3