Which states require special election dates to coincide with federal or general elections in 2025–2026?

1. What the evidence shows: discrete examples, not a universal rule

Reporting and official state pages document concrete cases where special elections were placed on the November 4, 2025 federal/general election date — notably California’s statewide special election (Secretary of State pages and county sites) and at least one Texas special congressional election called for Nov. 4, 2025 ^{[1] [2] [4]}. Ballotpedia’s aggregation of special elections for the 119th Congress and state legislative special elections shows multiple scheduled contests across 2025–2026, and it explains that states often use existing election dates when filling vacancies ^{[5] [7]}. These sources demonstrate practice by example rather than proving a single national requirement ^{[5] [7]}.

2. Why states consolidate special elections onto general-election dates

Officials and aggregators show two practical motives: cost savings and turnout. Holding a special election on the same date as a long-planned general election reduces extra administrative expense and typically raises voter participation compared with off-cycle special dates (Ballotpedia’s scheduling of many special elections and state web notices reflect this pattern) ^{[7] [6]}. The California materials emphasize logistics and statutory action (SB 280) to set the statewide special for Nov. 4, 2025, illustrating the legislative route states use to align calendars ^[2].

3. Legal mechanics vary by state — no single nationwide mandate

Federal law fixes the timing of regular federal elections in even-numbered years, but state legislatures set the mechanics for filling vacancies and can choose to schedule special elections either promptly or to coincide with the next regular election (2 U.S.C. §7 and constitutional background explained in federal analyses) ^{[8] [9]}. Ballotpedia and the state notices make clear that states exercise discretion: some call special elections quickly (e.g., certain governor calls), others wait and place contests on an already-scheduled date ^{[5] [7]}.

4. Examples beyond California and Texas — what sources report

Ballotpedia lists upcoming special congressional contests (including an April 16, 2026 special in New Jersey) and notes the varied timing rules across states; it also reports many state legislative special elections across 23 states in 2025 ^{[5] [7]}. Florida’s Division of Elections shows a March 24, 2026 special schedule for some contests, demonstrating that not all states synchronize with November federal dates ^[10]. The AP calendar likewise highlights isolated special contests and off-cycle dates in 2025 ^[11].

5. Limits of available reporting and what is not found

Available sources do not present a single, authoritative list of “which states require” special elections to coincide with federal/general elections in 2025–2026; instead, they document individual scheduled elections and explain state discretion ^{[5] [7]}. They do not enumerate every state statute on vacancy timing for this period in one place; to determine a statutory “requirement” for any particular state, consult that state’s election code or secretary of state notices (not found in current reporting) ^{[1] [12]}.

6. Competing perspectives and implications for voters and stakeholders

Proponents of consolidation stress cost-efficiency and higher turnout when special elections coincide with general elections, illustrated by the California scheduling decision ^{[2] [1]}. Opponents or neutral observers point out that delaying a special election until a general date can leave constituents unrepresented for longer and can change the partisan dynamics of the replacement contest; Ballotpedia’s detailed scheduling and outcome reporting highlights how timing can matter to control of legislative chambers ^{[7] [6]}.

7. Bottom line and next steps for a definitive list

Current reporting gives clear examples (California and Texas on Nov. 4, 2025) and shows the widespread practice of using regular election dates for special contests, but it does not provide a comprehensive statutory list of states that “require” alignment in 2025–2026 ^{[1] [4] [5] [7]}. For a definitive answer per state, review each state’s election code or the secretary of state’s special-election pages; Ballotpedia and individual state SOS pages are the best next-step sources to assemble a state-by-state catalogue ^{[5] [12]}.