In today's world, 2023 United States elections occupies a central place in society. Whether due to its impact on popular culture, its relevance in the academic field, its influence in politics or its importance in history, 2023 United States elections is presented as a topic of interest that leaves no one indifferent. Over the years, 2023 United States elections has aroused the interest of researchers, journalists, writers and ordinary people, generating debates, reflections and discussions around its meaning, its evolution and its impact on different aspects of daily life. In this article, we will delve into the most relevant aspects of 2023 United States elections, exploring its origins, its development and its influence on today's society.
The election cycle was generally marked by a trend of strong Democratic overperformances in special elections. Daily Kos and FiveThirtyEight analyses of at least 38 races in September 2023 determined that the party outperformed the partisan lean by an average of 10 percent. In comparison, Democrats outperformed by an average of 4 percent in elections held between the 2018 and 2020 elections, and an average of 7.6 percent in elections held in 2020. The 2023 overperformances consisted of unusually larger margins of victory in races held in safely Democratic areas and unusually smaller margins of defeat in races held in safely Republican areas. The results indicate a suburban shift among affluent, college-educated voters that started as an underlying reaction to Donald Trump's election in 2016. While the results were generally in line with predictions, Democrats still outperformed expectations despite the low approval ratings of incumbent Democratic president Joe Biden and polls indicating his middling prospects in the 2024 presidential election.
Both Democratic and Republican operatives attributed the Democrats' overperformance streak to general support of broad abortion rights in the wake of the Supreme Court's Dobbs v. Jackson Women's Health Organization decision. This marked a continuing trend of bipartisan voter support for ballot initiative on abortion rights since the June 2022 decision. Many conservative political analysts and commentators called a continued Republican alliance with the anti-abortion movement "untenable" and an "electoral disaster", and urged the party to favor abortion rights. Young voters in particular gave overwhelming support for abortion rights. Among voters between 18 and 29 years old in increasingly Republican Ohio, an estimated 77% voted for Ohio Issue 1, including a majority of Republicans. Exit polling indicated Ohioans believed abortion should be "mostly legal" by a margin of 61–36%.
Rhode Island's 1st congressional district: Democrat Gabe Amo defeated Republican Gerry Leonard Jr. to succeed David Cicilline, who resigned on May 31, 2023, to become the president and CEO of the Rhode Island Foundation. The district has a partisan index of D+14.
Utah's 2nd congressional district: Republican Celeste Maloy defeated State Senator Kathleen Riebe, as well as five independent candidates, to succeed Republican Chris Stewart, who resigned on September 15, 2023, due to his wife's ongoing health issues. The district has a partisan index of R+11.
Louisiana: Republican attorney general Jeff Landry won outright with 51.6% of the vote, beating his closest competitor, Democrat Shawn Wilson, who earned 25.9%, in a 14-candidate jungle primary, succeeding term-limited Democratic governor John Bel Edwards.
Louisiana: Republican Liz Murrill defeated Democrat Lindsey Cheek in the November 18 runoff to succeed incumbent Jeff Landry, who retired to run for governor.
Mississippi: One-term Republican Lynn Fitch won re-election, defeating Democratic nominee Greta Kemp Martin by a margin of 58.7% to 41.3%.
Kentucky: Republican Mark Metcalf defeated Democrat Micheal Bowman by a margin of 57.2% to 42.8%, succeeding two-term Republican Allison Ball who was term-limited and therefore ran for state auditor.
Louisiana: Republican John Fleming defeated Democrat Dustin Granger in a runoff to succeed incumbent two-term Republican John Schroder, who retired to run for governor.
Mississippi: One-term Republican David McRae ran for re-election, defeating Democrat Addie Green by a margin of 59% to 41%.
Kentucky: Republican Jonathan Shell defeated Democrat Sierra Enlow by a margin of 59.3% to 40.7%, succeeding two-term Republican Ryan Quarles, who was term-limited and ran for governor.
Pennsylvania: Justice Max Baer died in September 2022. The election for a new justice was held on November 7, 2023. Democratic nominee Daniel McCaffery defeated GOP nominee Carolyn Carluccio by a margin of 6.02%.
In addition, other states held special elections to fill open legislative seats vacated for various reasons (death, retirement, resignation for personal reasons, expulsion, or election to a higher office).
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.
In an April special election, Wisconsin voters approved three measures all by landslides: Question 1 and Question 2, expanding judges' criteria for setting cash bail; and Question 3, a non-binding question regarding welfare benefits.
In an August special election, Ohio voters, with more than 57% voting No, 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.
In November, the following referendums were on the ballot in their respective states.
Maine voters rejected a ballot initiative to establish a public power company but approved a constitutional amendment to require Article X, Sections 1, 2, and 5, to be included in all official printings of the state constitution. 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, among other details of the separation of Maine from Massachusetts.
New York voters approved two proposals on the ballot, Proposal One, concerning small city school districts, and Proposal Two, which concerns sewer systems.
Ohio voters approved two measures, one that codified abortion rights in the state's constitution, and another, which legalized marijuana for recreational use. Both received more than 56% Yes votes, mirroring the August special election results.
Texas voters statewide voted on 14 proposed amendments to the Texas Constitution. All except one passed. In addition, some Texas counties, cities, and school and other special districts had other ballot issues, such as bond proposals.
Several Native American tribes held elections for tribal executive and other positions during 2023.
The Cherokee Nation held elections for principal chief, deputy chief, and eight of the seventeen Tribal Council seats on June 3. Principal chief Chuck Hoskin Jr. and deputy chief Bryan Warner were re-elected. Five councilors were elected on June 3 and three were elected on July 8 after a runoff. Also on June 3, the Iowa Tribe of Oklahoma held elections for chairman and treasurer of the tribe. Jacob Keyes was narrowly elected chairman, beating challenger Alexandria Harjo by six votes, and Judy Barnes was elected treasurer. On June 8, the Mississippi Band of Choctaw Indians reelected Tribal Chief Cyrus Ben to a second term with 61.6% of the vote. Eight tribal council members were also reelected.
On July 8, the Choctaw Nation of Oklahoma held a general election for Tribal Council, reelecting four incumbents. Two other incumbent councilors, along with Choctaw Nation Chief Gary Batton, were unopposed in seeking reelection. Tehassiʔtasi Hill was reelected on July 15 to a third term as chair of the Oneida Nation of Wisconsin. Vice Chairman Brandon Yellowbird–Stevens and Secretary Lisa Liggins were also reelected. Larry Barton was elected treasurer over the incumbent, Curtis Danforth. In a July 22 special election, Wena Supernaw was elected to succeed Joseph Tali Byrd who resigned as chairman of the Quapaw Nation in April 2023. In the Chickasaw Nation's July 25 election, Governor Bill Anoatubby and Lieutenant Governor Chris Anoatubby were unopposed in seeking reelection. Four tribal council members were also unopposed and thus reelected. A fifth tribal council seat was won by challenger Dusk Monetathchi in an August runoff.
In September, Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians former principal chief Michell Hicks defeated incumbent chief Richard Sneed. Hicks previously served three terms as chief from 2003 to 2015. Incumbent vice chief Alan "B" Ensley was reelected. On September 16, Muscogee Nation voters reelected Principal Chief David Hill and Second Chief Del Beaver.
In October, the Port Gamble S'Klallam Tribe elected Amber Caldera as tribal chair in a special election following the death of the previous PGST chairman, Jeromy Sullivan. Also, the Qawalangin Tribe of Unalaska elected Nick Tutiakoff as tribal president, replacing Dennis Robinson who remained on the tribal council. Vicki Williams was elected vice president.
^These races do not include the 2023 Wisconsin Supreme Court election, city elections, and ballot referendums, which have also seen a trend of Democratic overperformance.