Editor's Note: 2005 Elections Review; 2006 Preview

As off-year elections go, the Nov. 8, 2005, election was pretty quiet across the country if you weren't running for mayor in one of 300-plus municipalities up for grabs or governor of New Jersey or Virginia. Issues of importance for the technology-based economic development (TBED) community, however, were on the agenda of the nation's only two gubernatorial elections, several of the few bond issues up, and a dozen or so referenda or constitutional amendments on the ballot. This week's Digest is dedicated to looking at the implications for local and statewide TBED efforts in those states that had significant issues before the electorate.

We also want to focus some attention toward November 2006, which promises to be a much more hectic election cycle at the national and state levels of government. In addition to next year's biennial election of the entire U.S. House of Representatives, the seats of 33 senators will be contested, providing the potential for one or both chambers of Congress to shift political majorities.

Leadership of 36 of the 50 states also be decided next fall. At least eight states - Arkansas, Colorado, Florida, Idaho, Iowa, Nevada, New York and Ohio - are guaranteed new governors because of term limits or decisions not to run for reelection.

Whether or not TBED plays a significant role in your state's election next year will depend greatly on the leadership, input and direction the candidates receive from their business, academic and TBED constituencies, beginning today.