November 11, 2016
By The State Desk
- See also: State legislative elections, 2016
The 2016 legislative elections were unique in that momentum was not harnessed by a single party. Rather, both Democrats and Republicans made gains in different areas of the country. Overall, the GOP gained came out ahead. With some race results still coming in, Republicans flipped 123 seats while Democrats flipped 96 seats. The Republican Party's share of seats in state legislatures has increased by 36 seats across the country.[1] Republicans controlled 4,161 (56.4 percent) of the 7,383 legislative seats heading into the election. A total of 5,923 (80.2 percent) state legislative seats were up for election across 86 of America's 99 state legislative chambers.[2]
Six chambers flipped control after the November 2016 elections. Republicans gained majorities in the Iowa State Senate, Kentucky House of Representatives, and Minnesota State Senate. The GOP gained two additional trifectas as a result of Iowa and Kentucky. Democrats were able to flip the Nevada State Senate, Nevada State Assembly, and New Mexico House of Representatives. As a result, a Republican trifecta was broken in Nevada. Those changes brought the Republican Party's control of all three aspects of state government to 25 states. Democrats' share of trifectas dropped to six states.[3]
Heading into the 2016 elections, Republicans held a majority of state legislative chambers. Sixty-eight chambers are under GOP control, while Democrats hold majorities in 30 chambers. Although technically nonpartisan, the Nebraska State Senate is controlled by a Republican majority.[4] In 43 of the 50 state senates, 1,212 seats were up for election. In 43 of the 49 state houses, 4,711 of the country's 5,411 state house seats (a total of 87.0 percent of seats) were up for election.
Two chambers moved to a split balance following the election:
- Republicans in the Connecticut State Senate picked up three seats, moving the balance of the chamber to 18-18.
- The Delaware State Senate resulted in a temporary split after state Sen. Bethany Hall-Long (D) won election in the lieutenant governor's race. A special election will decide the balance of the chamber. The most recent election for Hall-Long's District 10 seat was competitive, with a 2.2 percent margin of victory.
Two states have unique governing situations in their state legislative chambers:
- Democrats gained a numerical majority in the Washington State Senate. However, Republicans maintained control of the chamber due to a Democratic senator who caucuses with the Republicans.
- Republicans held on to their numerical majority in the Alaska House of Representatives. However, Bryce Edgmon (D) was selected as speaker of the state House, handing Democrats effective control of the chamber.
The following table details partisan balance in all 99 chambers.
| Partisan Control of All 99 State Legislatures
|
|
|
Pre-election
|
Post-election
|
| Legislative Chamber
|
|
|
|
|
| State senates
|
14
|
36
|
13
|
37
|
| State houses
|
16
|
33
|
18
|
31
|
| Total:
|
30
|
69
|
31
|
68
|
The following table details partisan balance of all 7,383 state legislative seats.[5]
| Partisan Balance of All 7,383 State Legislative Seats
|
|
|
Pre-election
|
Post-election
|
| Legislative Chamber
|
|
|
[6]
|
|
|
[6]
|
| State senates
|
839
|
1,125
|
8
|
804
|
1,158
|
10
|
| State houses
|
2,347
|
3,036
|
28
|
2,339
|
3,047
|
25
|
| Total:
|
3,186
|
4,161
|
36
|
3,143
|
4,205
|
35
|
Election results by state
Alaska
- See also: Alaska State Senate elections, 2016 and Alaska House of Representatives elections, 2016
Arizona
- See also: Arizona State Senate elections, 2016 and Arizona House of Representatives elections, 2016
Arkansas
- See also: Arkansas State Senate elections, 2016 and Arkansas House of Representatives elections, 2016
| Arkansas House of Representatives
|
| Party
|
As of November 7, 2016
|
After November 8, 2016
|
|
|
Democratic Party
|
34
|
27
|
|
|
Republican Party
|
64
|
73
|
|
|
Independent
|
1
|
0
|
|
|
Vacancy
|
1
|
0
|
| Total
|
100
|
100
|
California
- See also: California State Senate elections, 2016 and California State Assembly elections, 2016
Colorado
- See also: Colorado State Senate elections, 2016 and Colorado House of Representatives elections, 2016
Connecticut
- See also: Connecticut State Senate elections, 2016 and Connecticut House of Representatives elections, 2016
| Connecticut House of Representatives
|
| Party
|
As of November 7, 2016
|
After November 8, 2016
|
|
|
Democratic Party
|
86
|
79
|
|
|
Republican Party
|
64
|
72
|
|
|
Vacancy
|
1
|
0
|
| Total
|
151
|
151
|
Delaware
- See also: Delaware State Senate elections, 2016 and Delaware House of Representatives elections, 2016
Florida
- See also: Florida State Senate elections, 2016 and Florida House of Representatives elections, 2016
Georgia
- See also: Georgia State Senate elections, 2016 and Georgia House of Representatives elections, 2016
| Georgia House of Representatives
|
| Party
|
As of November 7, 2016
|
After November 8, 2016
|
|
|
Democratic Party
|
61
|
62
|
|
|
Republican Party
|
116
|
118
|
|
|
Independent
|
1
|
0
|
|
|
Vacancy
|
2
|
0
|
| Total
|
180
|
180
|
Hawaii
- See also: Hawaii State Senate elections, 2016 and Hawaii House of Representatives elections, 2016
Idaho
- See also: Idaho State Senate elections, 2016 and Idaho House of Representatives elections, 2016
Illinois
- See also: Illinois State Senate elections, 2016 and Illinois House of Representatives elections, 2016
Indiana
- See also: Indiana State Senate elections, 2016 and Indiana House of Representatives elections, 2016
Iowa
- See also: Iowa State Senate elections, 2016 and Iowa House of Representatives elections, 2016
Kansas
- See also: Kansas State Senate elections, 2016 and Kansas House of Representatives elections, 2016
Kentucky
- See also: Kentucky State Senate elections, 2016 and Kentucky House of Representatives elections, 2016
Maine
- See also: Maine State Senate elections, 2016 and Maine House of Representatives elections, 2016
| Maine House of Representatives
|
| Party
|
As of November 7, 2016
|
After November 8, 2016
|
|
|
Democratic Party
|
78
|
77
|
|
|
Republican Party
|
69
|
72
|
|
|
Independent
|
3
|
2
|
|
|
Unenrolled
|
1
|
0
|
| Total
|
151
|
151
|
Massachusetts
- See also: Massachusetts State Senate elections, 2016 and Massachusetts House of Representatives elections, 2016
| Massachusetts House of Representatives
|
| Party
|
As of November 7, 2016
|
After November 8, 2016
|
|
|
Democratic Party
|
125
|
125
|
|
|
Republican Party
|
34
|
35
|
|
|
Vacancy
|
1
|
0
|
| Total
|
160
|
160
|
Michigan
- See also: Michigan House of Representatives elections, 2016
Minnesota
- See also: Minnesota State Senate elections, 2016 and Minnesota House of Representatives elections, 2016
Missouri
- See also: Missouri State Senate elections, 2016 and Missouri House of Representatives elections, 2016
| Missouri House of Representatives
|
| Party
|
As of November 7, 2016
|
After November 8, 2016
|
|
|
Democratic Party
|
45
|
46
|
|
|
Republican Party
|
115
|
117
|
|
|
Independent
|
1
|
0
|
|
|
Vacancy
|
2
|
0
|
| Total
|
163
|
163
|
Montana
- See also: Montana State Senate elections, 2016 and Montana House of Representatives elections, 2016
Nebraska
- See also: Nebraska State Senate elections, 2016
There are no formal party alignments or groups within the Nebraska State Senate. Coalitions tend to form issue-by-issue based on a member's philosophy of government, geographic background, and constituency. However, almost all of the members of the legislature are affiliated with the state affiliate of either the Democratic or the Republican Party, and both parties explicitly endorse candidates for legislative seats. Senators and candidates are listed as officially nonpartisan, but in most cases the individual has a direct party affiliation. As an example, in most cases if a sitting senator runs for Congress, the individual runs on either the Democratic or Republican line on the ballot.
For more information on how Ballotpedia determined the partisan affiliation for Nebraska senators, please click here.
Nevada
- See also: Nevada State Senate elections, 2016 and Nevada State Assembly elections, 2016
New Hampshire
- See also: New Hampshire State Senate elections, 2016 and New Hampshire House of Representatives elections, 2016
New Mexico
- See also: New Mexico State Senate elections, 2016 and New Mexico House of Representatives elections, 2016
New York
- See also: New York State Senate elections, 2016 and New York State Assembly elections, 2016
North Carolina
- See also: North Carolina State Senate elections, 2016 and North Carolina House of Representatives elections, 2016
| North Carolina House of Representatives
|
| Party
|
As of November 7, 2016
|
After November 8, 2016
|
|
|
Democratic Party
|
45
|
46
|
|
|
Republican Party
|
74
|
74
|
|
|
Unaffiliated
|
1
|
0
|
| Total
|
120
|
120
|
North Dakota
- See also: North Dakota State Senate elections, 2016 and North Dakota House of Representatives elections, 2016
Ohio
- See also: Ohio State Senate elections, 2016 and Ohio House of Representatives elections, 2016
Oklahoma
- See also: Oklahoma State Senate elections, 2016 and Oklahoma House of Representatives elections, 2016
Oregon
- See also: Oregon State Senate elections, 2016 and Oregon House of Representatives elections, 2016
Pennsylvania
- See also: Pennsylvania State Senate elections, 2016 and Pennsylvania House of Representatives elections, 2016
Rhode Island
- See also: Rhode Island State Senate elections, 2016 and Rhode Island House of Representatives elections, 2016
| Rhode Island House of Representatives
|
| Party
|
As of November 7, 2016
|
After November 8, 2016
|
|
|
Democratic Party
|
61
|
64
|
|
|
Republican Party
|
12
|
10
|
|
|
Independent
|
1
|
1
|
|
|
Vacancy
|
1
|
0
|
| Total
|
75
|
75
|
South Carolina
- See also: South Carolina State Senate elections, 2016 and South Carolina House of Representatives elections, 2016
| South Carolina House of Representatives
|
| Party
|
As of November 7, 2016
|
After November 8, 2016
|
|
|
Democratic Party
|
46
|
44
|
|
|
Republican Party
|
77
|
80
|
|
|
Vacancy
|
1
|
0
|
| Total
|
124
|
124
|
South Dakota
- See also: South Dakota State Senate elections, 2016 and South Dakota House of Representatives elections, 2016
Tennessee
- See also: Tennessee State Senate elections, 2016 and Tennessee House of Representatives elections, 2016
Texas
- See also: Texas State Senate elections, 2016 and Texas House of Representatives elections, 2016
Utah
- See also: Utah State Senate elections, 2016 and Utah House of Representatives elections, 2016
Vermont
- See also: Vermont State Senate elections, 2016 and Vermont House of Representatives elections, 2016
Washington
- See also: Washington State Senate elections, 2016 and Washington House of Representatives elections, 2016
West Virginia
- See also: West Virginia State Senate elections, 2016 and West Virginia House of Delegates elections, 2016
Wisconsin
- See also: Wisconsin State Senate elections, 2016 and Wisconsin State Assembly elections, 2016
Wyoming
- See also: Wyoming State Senate elections, 2016 and Wyoming House of Representatives elections, 2016
See also
- ↑ This figure is lower due to some seats being previously held by third party or independent incumbents.
- ↑ This includes special elections held on November 8 where there were regularly scheduled elections in the state.
- ↑ Includes Connecticut and Delaware, which have senates controlled by Democrats only through tie-breaking votes.
- ↑ Although the Nebraska State Senate elects its members in nonpartisan elections, members of the chamber generally function along party lines when it comes to voting and caucusing. Please see Nebraska State Senate partisan affiliation for more information.
- ↑ Some races remain uncalled.
- ↑ 6.0 6.1 Third party incumbents and vacancies.
- ↑ A coalition between House Democrats, three Republican representatives, and two independent representatives gave effective control of the chamber to Democrats.
- ↑ Tie-breaking votes are cast by the lieutenant governor.
- ↑ In the November 2016 elections, Sen. Bethany Hall-Long (D) won election for lieutenant governor of Delaware. She remained in office until shortly before being sworn in on January 17, 2017. The Delaware State Senate began its 2017 legislative session on January 10, 2017.
- ↑ Independence member caucuses with Democrats and was included in the count.
- ↑ Independence member caucuses with Democrats and was included in the count.
- ↑ A power-sharing agreement gave Republicans effective control of the chamber.