Ballotpedia's Competitiveness Analysis of state legislative elections

Competitiveness Studies by Year
2007 • 2009 • 2010 • 2011 • 2012 • 2013 • 2014 • 2015 • 2016 • 2017 • 2018 • 2019 • 2020 • 2021 • 2022 • 2023 • 2024 • 2025

This page contains links to pages that analyze the competitiveness of state legislative elections. This Ballotpedia project began in 2010.

Reports by year

2026

See also: Annual State Legislative Competitiveness Report: Vol. 16, 2026

The following is a list of competitiveness analysis report pages:

• Competitiveness Analysis Main Page
  • Open seats
  • Impact of term limits
  • Contested primaries
  • Incumbents in contested primaries
  • Races without major party competition

2025

See also: Annual State Legislative Competitiveness Report: Vol. 15, 2025

The following is a list of competitiveness analysis report pages:

• Competitiveness Analysis Main Page
  • Open seats
  • Impact of term limits
  • Contested primaries
  • Incumbents in contested primaries
  • Races without major party competition

2024

See also: Annual State Legislative Competitiveness Report: Vol. 14, 2024

The following is a list of competitiveness analysis report pages:

• Competitiveness Analysis Main Page
  • Open seats
  • Impact of term limits
  • Contested primaries
  • Incumbents in contested primaries
  • Races without major party competition

2023

See also: Annual State Legislative Competitiveness Report: Vol. 13, 2023

The following is a list of competitiveness analysis report pages:

• Competitiveness Analysis Main Page
  • Open seats
  • Impact of term limits
  • Contested primaries
  • Incumbents in contested primaries
  • Races without major party competition

2022

See also: Annual State Legislative Competitiveness Report: Vol. 12, 2022

The following is a list of competitiveness analysis report pages:

• Competitiveness Analysis Main Page
  • Open seats
  • Impact of term limits
  • Contested primaries
  • Incumbents in contested primaries
  • Races without major party competition

2021

See also: Annual State Legislative Competitiveness Report: Vol. 11, 2021

The following is a list of competitiveness analysis report pages:

• Competitiveness Analysis Main Page
  • Races without major party competition
  • Open seats
  • Incumbents in contested primaries
  • Impact of term limits

2020

See also: Annual State Legislative Competitiveness Report: Vol. 10, 2020

The following is a list of competitiveness analysis report pages:

• Competitiveness Analysis Main Page
  • Races without major party competition
  • Incumbents not seeking re-election
  • Impact of term limits

2019

See also: Annual State Legislative Competitiveness Report: Vol. 9, 2019

The following is a list of competitiveness analysis report pages:

• Competitiveness Analysis Main Page
  • Races without major party competition
  • Incumbents not seeking re-election
  • Impact of term limits

2018

See also: Annual State Legislative Competitiveness Report: Vol. 8, 2018

The following is a list of competitiveness analysis report pages:

• Competitiveness Analysis Main Page
  • Races without major party competition
  • Incumbents not seeking re-election
  • Aftermath of the 2016 presidential election
  • Impact of term limits

2017

See also: 2017 state legislative elections analyzed using a Competitiveness Index

The following is a list of competitiveness analysis report pages:

• Competitiveness Analysis Main Page
  • Primary competitiveness
  • Open seats
  • Incumbents with primary challengers
  • Races with major party competition

2016

See also: 2016 state legislative elections analyzed using a Competitiveness Index

The following is a list of competitiveness analysis report pages:

• Competitiveness Analysis Main Page
  • Open Seats
  • Incumbents with no primary challenger
  • Major party candidates with major party opposition
  • States Compared by Competitiveness
    • Defeated incumbents

2015

See also: 2015 state legislative elections analyzed using a Competitiveness Index

The following is a list of competitiveness analysis report pages:

• Competitiveness Analysis Main Page
  • Open Seats
  • Incumbents with no primary challenger
  • Major party candidates with major party opposition
  • States Compared by Competitiveness
    • Defeated incumbents
    • Victorious challengers
    • List of candidates with no primary or general election opposition

2014

See also: 2014 state legislative elections analyzed using a Competitiveness Index

The following is a list of competitiveness analysis report pages:

• Competitiveness Analysis Main Page
  • Open Seats
  • Incumbents with no primary challenger
  • Major party candidates with major party opposition
  • States Compared by Competitiveness
    • Defeated incumbents
    • Victorious challengers
    • List of candidates with no primary or general election opposition

2013

See also: 2013 state legislative elections analyzed using a Competitiveness Index

The following is a list of competitiveness analysis report pages:

• Competitiveness Analysis Main Page
  • Open Seats
  • Incumbents with no primary challenger
  • Major party candidates with major party opposition
  • States Compared by Competitiveness
    • Incumbents with no primary or general election opposition
    • Defeated incumbents
    • Victorious challengers
    • List of candidates with no major party opposition

2012

See also: 2012 state legislative elections analyzed using a Competitiveness Index

The following is a list of competitiveness analysis report pages:

• Competitiveness Analysis Main Page
  • Open Seats
  • Incumbents with no primary challenger
  • Major party candidates with major party opposition
  • States Compared by Competitiveness
    • Incumbents with no primary or general election opposition
    • Defeated incumbents
    • Victorious challengers
    • List of candidates with no major party opposition
    • Impact of term limits

2011

See also: 2011 state legislative elections analyzed using a Competitiveness Index

The 2011 legislative elections had a competitiveness index of 32.9

The following is a list of competitiveness analysis report pages:

• Competitiveness Analysis Main Page
  • Open Seats
  • Incumbents with no primary challenger
  • Major party candidates with major party opposition
  • States Compared by Competitiveness
    • Incumbents with no primary or general election opposition
    • Defeated incumbents
    • Victorious challengers
    • List of candidates with no major party opposition
    • Impact of term limits

2010

See also: 2010 state legislative elections analyzed using a Competitiveness Index

The 2010 legislative elections had a competitiveness index of 36.2

The following is a list of competitiveness analysis report pages:

• Competitiveness Analysis Main Page
  • Open Seats
  • Incumbents with no primary challenger
  • Major party candidates with major party opposition
  • States Compared by Competitiveness
    • Incumbents with no primary or general election opposition
    • Defeated incumbents
    • Victorious challengers
    • List of candidates with no major party opposition
    • Impact of term limits

2009

See also: 2009 state legislative elections analyzed using a Competitiveness Index

2007

See also: 2007 state legislative elections analyzed using a Competitiveness Index

The following is a list of competitiveness analysis report pages:

• Competitiveness Analysis Main Page
  • Open Seats
  • Incumbents with no primary challenger
  • Major party candidates with major party opposition

State legislatures

Legislatures

Alabama (H, S) · Alaska (H, S) · Arizona (H, S) · Arkansas (H, S) · California (A, S) · Colorado (H, S) · Connecticut (H, S) · Delaware (H, S) · Florida (H, S) · Georgia (H, S) · Hawaii (H, S) · Idaho (H, S) · Illinois (H, S) · Indiana (H, S) · Iowa (H, S) · Kansas (H, S) · Kentucky (H, S) · Louisiana (H, S) · Maine (H, S) · Maryland (H, S) · Massachusetts (H, S) · Michigan (H, S) · Minnesota (H, S) · Mississippi (H, S) · Missouri (H, S) · Montana (H, S) · Nebraska · Nevada (A, S) · New Hampshire (H, S) · New Jersey (GA, S) · New Mexico (H, S) · New York (A, S) · North Carolina (H, S) · North Dakota (H, S) · Ohio (H, S) · Oklahoma (H, S) · Oregon (H, S) · Pennsylvania (H, S) · Rhode Island (H, S) · South Carolina (H, S) · South Dakota (H, S) · Tennessee (H, S) · Texas (H, S) · Utah (H, S) · Vermont (H, S) · Virginia (H, S) · Washington (H, S) · West Virginia (H, S) · Wisconsin (A, S) · Wyoming (H, S)

2026

State legislative elections (2026) • State legislative special elections (2026) • Primary dates and filing requirements • 2026 Session Dates

2025

State legislative elections (2025) • State legislative special elections (2025) • Primary dates and filing requirements • 2025 Session Dates

Historical elections

2024 • 2023 • 2022 • 2021 • 2020 • 2019 • 2018 • 2017 • 2016 • 2015 • 2014 • 2013 • 2012 • 2011 • 2010 • 2009 • 2008 • 2007 • 2006 • 2005 • 2004 • 2003 • 2002 • 2001 • 2000

Features of state legislatures

How vacancies are filled in state legislatures • States with a full-time legislature • State legislatures with term limits • Comparison of state legislative salaries • When state legislators assume office after a general election • Population represented by state legislators • State constitutional articles governing state legislatures • State legislative sessions • Resign-to-run law • State legislature candidate requirements by state • Official names of state legislatures • State legislative chambers that use multi-member districts • Factors Affecting Competitiveness in State Legislative Elections

State senates

Length of terms of state senators • State senators • Partisan composition of state senates • State senators sorted by year first elected

State houses

Length of terms of state representatives • State representatives • Partisan composition of state houses • State representatives sorted by year first elected

Leadership positions

President of the Senate • President Pro Tempore • Senate Majority Leader • Senate Minority Leader • House Majority Leader • House Minority Leader • State Speaker of the House

Ballotpedia

About

Overview • What people are saying • Support Ballotpedia • Contact • Contribute • Job opportunities

---

Executive: Leslie Graves, Founder and CEO • Gwen Beattie, Chief Operating Officer

Communications: Alison Graves, Director of Communications • Carley Allensworth • Abigail Campbell • Frank Festa • Sarah Groat • Nathaniel Harwood • Dillon Redmond
External Relations: Geoff Pallay, Director of External Relations • Ken Carbullido, Vice President of Election Product and Technology Strategy • Ashley Fleming • Thomas Mardik • Hannah Nelson
Operations: Meghann Olshefski, Director of Operations • Amanda Herbert • Mandy Morris • Caroline Presnell • Kelly Rindfleisch
Tech: Matt Latourelle, Director of Technology Operations • Ryan Burch • Kirsten Corrao • Beth Dellea • Travis Eden • Tate Kamish • Margaret Kearney • Eric Lotto • Joseph Sanchez • Mary Susmitha

Contributors: Scott Rasmussen

---

Editorial Content

Josh Altic, Director of Content • Daniel Anderson, Associate Director of Elections & Data • Cory Eucalitto, Associate Director of Features • Ryan Byrne, Managing Editor of Ballot Measures • Mandy McConnell, Managing Editor of News • Doug Kronaizl, Managing Editor of Local Expansion • Abbey Smith, Managing Editor of Elections • Janie Valentine, Managing Editor of Law • Joel Williams, Managing Editor of Events • Joseph Greaney, Managing Editor of Policy • Andrew Bahl • Jaclyn Beran • Marielle Bricker • Joseph Brusgard • Emma Burlingame • Kelly Coyle • Jon Dunn • Victoria Edwards • Thomas Ellis • Nicole Fisher • Thomas Grobben • Brianna Hosea • Molly Kehoe • Tyler King • Glorie Martinez • Norm Leahy, Senior Editor • Nathan Maxwell • Jimmy McAllister • Brandon McCauley • Ellie Mikus • Ellen Morrissey • Mackenzie Murphy • Kaley Platek • Samantha Post • Adam Powell • Annelise Reinwald • Spencer Richardson • Victoria Rose • Briana Ryan • Myj Saintyl • Maddy Salucka • Emma Soukup • Alexis Thacker • Mina Vogel • Samuel Wonacott • Trenton Woodcox