California elects all 80 members of the Assembly this year, as well as 20 members of the State Senate. Filing has closed for the June primary. There are thirteen legislative races with only one person whose name will be on the primary ballot.

California permits write-ins in the primary, but not in the general election (for partisan office). Any write-in candidate who outpolls any other write-in candidate in those thirteen races will appear on the November ballot. Minor parties typically recruit candidates to file as write-ins in such races. The districts are two State Senate races, the 24th and 26th (both in Los Angeles County); and eleven assembly races: 8th and 9th in the San Joaquin Valley, 14th and 18th in Alameda County, 32nd in the San Joaquin Valley, 59th in Orange County, and these Los Angeles County districts: 41, 43, 48, 54, and 57.

Pennsylvania held a special election on April 5 to fill the vacancy in the State House, 116th district. The results: Republican 65.50%; Democratic 29.56%; Libertarian 4.94%.

When this district last elected someone, in November 2020, the results were: Republican 72.31%; Democratic 27.69%.

This newspaper story says that because Democratic Party registration in South Dakota is sinking, and is down to only 26%, it is getting more difficult for Democratic candidates to get on their own party’s primary ballot. In South Dakota, candidates running in primaries need a petition of 1% of the party’s registered voters.

Smaller qualified parties don’t have the same problem, because they are allowed to nominate for all office by convention.