Americans will head to the polls on Tuesday in one of the most widely reported on and poorly participated events in our democracy: the mid-term election. Relatively few people bother to vote in years like this when the presidency isn’t at stake.
There is, though plenty of intrigue and interest if you’re in the business world. A number of former CEOs are running for election or reelection in both governor and senate races. There are also several ballot initiatives relating to labor and business. Here’s a simple guide so you can keep up with all that’s going on across the country.
Arizona Governors Race
Doug Ducey, a Republican, is currently treasurer in the Grand Canyon State. But his background is in business, having co-founded and served as CEO of Coldstone Creamery before selling the ice cream chain in 2007. Ducey has also done time at Proctor & Gamble. Ducey seems likely to take the governorship, with Real Clear Politics having him up in the polls by an average of 7.5%.
Florida Governors Race
Rick Scott may hate fans, but the Republican sitting governor loves business. He co-founded and was CEO of Columbia Hospital Corporation, which later merged with the Hospital Corporation of America. RCP has Scott in a tight race, with his challenger (and former Governor) Charlie Crist currently holding a lead of just less than 2%.
Georgia Senate Race
Remember the dollar stores drama from earlier this year? When rival dollar store chains were bidding on a third? Well, Republican David Perdue is running for Senate in Georgia, and he used to be part of it — he was CEO of Dollar General (DG) from 2003 to 2007. He is also engaged in a very tight race, currently down by just half a point according to RCP‘s average.
Virginia Senate Race
Sitting Senator Mark Warner has been in politics for a long time. The Democrat served as governor of Virginia from 2002 to 2006, and has been in the Senate since 2009. Prior to that, though, he co-founded Capital Cellular Corporation and invested in Nextel in the telecom company’s early days. Warner should win easily, according to RCP.
Wisconsin Governors Race
Mary Burke, the Democratic challenger to Wisconsin Governor Scott Walker, was an executive at Trek Bicycle Corporation, founded by her father. Her business experience hasn’t been a great talking point on the campaign trail, though, as allegations have come out that she was fired by her own family. This is another tight race, with Burke currently trailing by 2% according to RCP.
Ballot Initiatives
In addition to the Senate and governor races, many states have ballot initiatives up for a vote this year that impact business. Voters in Alaska, Oregon, and Washington, DC will decide whether to legalize marijuana. If the vote is a yes, a new (legal) business sector will open in those states. Florida will also have a vote on marijuana legalization, but only for medicinal purposes.
Another big issue for ballot initiatives? Minimum wage. Alaska, Arkansas, Nebraska and South Dakota will vote on whether to raise the minimum wage while Illinois will vote on whether to advise the legislature to do so. Massachusetts is voting on another labor-related question — whether or not to guarantee paid sick days to workers in the Bay State. More information on all ballot initiatives can be found at Ballotpedia.
Happy voting!