What’s on the ballot in the first general election since Donald Trump became president

By ROBERT YOON Associated Press WASHINGTON AP One year after Donald Trump retook the White House and set into motion a dramatic expansion of executive power the Republican president figures prominently in state and local elections being held Tuesday The results of those contests the first general voting of Trump s second term will be heralded by the victors as either a major repudiation or resounding stamp of approval of his second-term agenda That s especially true in high-profile races for Virginia and New Jersey governor New York City mayor and a California proposition to redraw its congressional district boundaries More than half of the states will hold contests on Tuesday Here s a look at certain of the major statewide and local races on the ballot Governors New Jersey and Virginia In New Jersey Democrat Mikie Sherrill and Republican Jack Ciattarelli are the nominees to succeed term-limited Democratic Gov Phil Murphy Sherrill is a four-term U S representative and former Navy helicopter pilot Ciattarelli is a former state Assemblyman backed by Trump In Ciattarelli came within about percentage points of toppling Murphy In Virginia Republican Lt Gov Winsome Earle-Sears and Democratic former U S Rep Abigail Spanberger look to replace term-limited Republican Gov Glenn Youngkin While Spanberger has made certain efforts to focus on topics other than Trump in stump speeches the president remained a major topic of conversation throughout the campaign from comments Earle-Sears made about him in to various of his more polarizing policies such as the so-called One Big Beautiful Bill tax and spending cut measure and the widespread dismissal of federal workers plenty of of whom live in northern Virginia This combination photo of candidates for the Virginia governor s polling shows Democrat Abigail Spanberger in Henrico County Va Nov left and Republican Winsome Earle-Sears in Richmond Va Jan AP Photo Trump was scheduled to participate in telephone rallies for the candidates on Monday night As the only gubernatorial races held in the year following a presidential poll the contests have long served as the first major test of voter sentiment toward the party holding the White House In every race for governor since one or both states have elected a governor from a party different than that of the sitting president New York City Mayor The race to lead the nation s largest city features Democratic state legislator Zohran Mamdani independent candidate and former Democratic Gov Andrew Cuomo and Republican Curtis Sliwa From left Independent candidate former New York Gov Andrew Cuomo Republican candidate Curtis Sliwa and Democratic candidate Zohran Mamdani participate in a mayoral debate Thursday Oct in New York AP Photo Angelina Katsanis Pool Mamdani s assured preeminence over Cuomo in the June primary generated excitement from the party s more progressive wing and apprehension among the party establishment Party leaders like Gov Kathy Hochul and U S House Democratic leader Hakeem Jeffries eventually endorsed the self-described democratic socialist months after he won the nomination The winner will replace outgoing Mayor Eric Adams who initially sought renomination as a Democrat After losing the primary Adams opted to run as an independent but dropped out of the race in September and eventually endorsed Cuomo In February the Trump Justice Department inquired a court to drop corruption charges against Adams because the episode impeded Trump s immigration objectives Trump later stated he d like to see both Adams and Sliwa drop out of the race in an effort to defeat Mamdani California Proposition California voters will decide a statewide ballot measure that would enact a new congressional map that could flip as multiple as five Republican-held U S House seats to Democratic control Brenda Haynes places signs throughout a conference room before a No on Prop rally in Redding Calif Tuesday Oct AP Photo Godofredo A V squez Proposition championed by Democratic Gov Gavin Newsom is in response to a new Texas map that state Republicans enacted in August as part of Trump s efforts to keep the U S House under Republican control in the midterms The Texas plan which could help Republicans flip five Democratic-held U S House seats has sparked an escalating gerrymandering arms race among states to pass new maps outside of the regular once-a-decade schedule Pennsylvania Supreme Court Control of the Pennsylvania Supreme Court will be at stake when voters cast Yes or No votes on whether to retain three justices from the high court s - Democratic majority Partisan control of the court could have major implications for the presidential race since justices might be requested to rule on vote disputes as they did in Spending on Tuesday s contests is on track to exceed million as Republicans have campaigned to end the majority and Democrats have responded A campaign sign in favor of retaining three Democratic Pennsylvania Supreme Court Justices stands next to a road in Renfrew Pa Sunday Sept AP Photo Robert Yoon If all three justices are ousted a deadlock in the confirmation process to replace them could impact in a court tied at - An vote to fill any vacant seats for full -year terms would be held in Related Articles It is a predicament Mayors share how grappling with housing has shaped their jobs Massachusetts gun violence debate erupts at State House over bill to punish firearms makers Uncertainty over federal food aid deepens as the shutdown fight reaches a predicament point Battenfeld New York City poll a referendum on Michelle Wu Lucas Cowardly Dems abandon Joe Biden Other notable contests VIRGINIA ATTORNEY GENERAL Republican incumbent Jason Miyares seeks a second term against Democrat Jay Jones Much of the fall campaign has focused on text messages suggesting violence against political rivals that Jones sent in TEXAS- Sixteen candidates hope to fill a vacant congressional seat previously held by the late Democratic U S Rep Sylvester Turner STATE LEGISLATURES Control of the Minnesota Senate and Virginia House of Delegates is at stake while New Jersey Democrats defend their - General Assembly majority BALLOT MEASURES Maine voters will decide statewide questions on voting and a red flag law aimed at preventing gun violence Texas ballot measures include constitutional amendments on parental rights and limiting voting to U S citizens Colorado and Washington also have statewide measures on the ballot MAYORS Detroit Pittsburgh Jersey City and Buffalo will elect new mayors while incumbents in Atlanta Minneapolis and Cincinnati seek another term