Local district attorney races offer voters direct influence over criminal justice policy, though these elections typically appear near the bottom of ballots behind races for governor, Senate, and House.
The chief prosecutor, titled variously as district attorney, prosecuting attorney, state's attorney, or county attorney, controls where enforcement dollars go, which cases to file, how to negotiate guilty pleas, and what sentences to recommend to judges. No other official wields more power over court and prison resources.
Until the early 2010s, Republican and Democratic prosecutor candidates backed similar priorities, centered on prison as the primary tool. Both parties campaigned to be "tough on crime" by pressing for longer sentences and more incarceration. Incumbents ran largely unopposed and usually won reelection.
Over the past 10 to 15 years, prosecutor races have offered voters genuine choices between competing approaches. In King County, Washington, voters in 2022 elected a candidate emphasizing prevention and mental health services alongside criminal prosecution, rejecting an opponent who promised to file more cases. In Norfolk, Virginia, voters in 2025 rejected a challenger calling for heavier prison use and returned the incumbent who had worked to reduce incarceration over four years.
Reform-oriented prosecutors now offer alternatives to incarceration. The district attorney in Milwaukee uses treatment programs for a wider range of crimes, reserving prison for serious violent offenses. The county attorney in Minneapolis develops diversion programs sending some defendants to community service. Pima County in Arizona offers diversion to adults accused of less serious crimes. The district attorney in Lancaster, Pennsylvania designs and leads some programs directly. These approaches reduce prison use without increasing crime rates.
Prosecutor candidates also give voters choices on cash bail use, victim support services, and reentry programs. Some offices have reduced or eliminated cash bail without raising local crime. Candidates can commit to transparency, releasing operational data regularly. The commonwealth attorney elected in Arlington, Virginia campaigned on this pledge. Offices in Jacksonville, Florida and Boulder, Colorado publish data dashboards allowing public evaluation between elections.
Prosecutor elections are becoming more competitive, with more challengers facing incumbents. These races increasingly track national and state political trends, as voters elect prosecutor candidates from parties they prefer in other offices.