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This November, voters in 41 states will consider 159 ballot measures. That's no more than usual. From 2010 to 2022, the average number in election years was 161.What is unusual is the number of abortion-related measures: 11, the most on record for a single year.Other consequential issues are up for consideration, too. Voters in multiple states will decide on non-citizen voting bans, electoral processes, and the minimum wage.We get an overview of ballot measures nationwide and the strategies opponents and supporters are using to sway the outcomes their way.Want to support 1A? Give to your local public radio station and subscribe to this podcast. Have questions? Connect with us. Listen to 1A sponsor-free by signing up for 1A+ at plus.npr.org/the1a.Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy

Some 67 million people tuned in to watch Vice President Kamala Harris and former President Donald Trump face off in their first and maybe only debate of this election season on Tuesday.On Wednesday, state and local officials across the country warned that issues with the U.S. postal service could result in disenfranchised voters this election. Meanwhile, an Israeli airstrike on a U.N. school complex sheltering 1,200 displaced Palestinians killed six U.N. staffers at a refugee camp in Central Gaza. At least 18 Palestinians were killed in the attack.The Department of Justice exposed Russian ties to right wing social media influencers. U.S. prosecutors say the Kremlin media company RT funneled nearly $10 million to a platform for content creators. We cover all these stories and more during this week's News Roundup. Want to support 1A? Give to your local public radio station and subscribe to this podcast. Have questions? Connect with us. Listen to 1A sponsor-free by signing up for 1A+ at plus.npr.org/the1a.Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy

You've likely heard the saying "all politics is local." But here's the hitch. For many local offices, there's often just one candidate running in a race. Sometimes, nobody's running at all. In 2022, 67 percent of races went uncontested. That's according to the nonpartisan research organization BallotReady.That not only leaves voters with a lack of choice, but also raises questions about how and where we choose to live and who influences local policies.We discuss uncontested races and why they matter. Want to support 1A? Give to your local public radio station and subscribe to this podcast. Have questions? Connect with us. Listen to 1A sponsor-free by signing up for 1A+ at plus.npr.org/the1a.Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy