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Election results, 2024: State government triplexes
As a results of the 2024 elections, five of 13 state triplexes on the ballot remained Democratic triplexes, and eight remained Republican triplexes. Two states retained their status as divided government triplexes. After the election, a total of 20 states had Democratic triplexes, 25 had Republican triplexes and five states had divided triplexes. No state triplex status changed as a result of the 2024 elections.
A state government triplex is a term to describe when one political party holds the following three positions in a state's government: governor, attorney general, and secretary of state.[1] In states where the attorney general or secretary of state is appointed by the governor, Ballotpedia considers the office to be held by the governor's party for the purposes of defining triplexes.[2] There were 13 state government triplexes with at least one of the three triplex offices on the ballot in 2024—five Democratic and eight Republican. Two states with divided governments where neither party held triplex control had at least one office on the ballot.
Heading into the November 2024 elections, there were 25 Republican triplexes, 20 Democratic triplexes, and five divided governments where neither party held triplex control. Following the November 2023 elections, Republicans gained one triplex, Democrats neither gained nor lost any triplexes, and there was one less divided government than in 2022. Before the 2023 elections, there were 24 Republican triplexes, 20 Democratic triplexes, and six divided governments.
After the 2024 elections, Delaware, North Carolina, Oregon, and Washington remained Democratic triplexes. Indiana, Missouri, Montana, North Dakota, Tennessee, Utah, and West Virginia remained Republican triplexes. Pennsylvania and Vermont remained divided governments. The triplexes in Maine and New Hampshire technically remained undetermined, since the legislatures in both states elect their respective attorneys general. The Maine legislature elects the secretary of state, and the New Hampshire governor appoints the secretary of state. Since Democrats retained control of the governorship and legislature in Maine, and Republicans retained control of the governorship and legislature in New Hampshire, this page counts Maine as a Democratic and New Hampshire as a Republican triplex.
Results summary
In 2024, there were 13 triplexes—five Democratic and eight Republican—on the Nov. 5 ballot. There two divided governments on the ballot on Nov. 5. The table below highlights the partisan balance of those triplexes before the election, and will be updated following the elections to reflect any changes in triplex status.
| Triplexes partisan breakdown (triplexes on the ballot) | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Party | As of the 2024 elections | Net change | After the 2024 elections | |||
 Democratic |
5 | 0 | 5 | |||
 Republican |
8 | 0 | 8 | |||
 Divided governments |
2 | 0 | 2 | |||
Heading into the November 2024 elections, there were 25 Republican triplexes, 20 Democratic triplexes, and five divided governments where neither party held triplex control. Following the November 2023 elections, Republicans gained one triplex, Democrats neither gained nor lost any triplexes, and there was one less divided government than in 2022. Before the 2023 elections, there were 24 Republican triplexes, 20 Democratic triplexes, and six divided governments.
| Triplexes partisan breakdown (all triplexes) | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Party | As of the 2024 elections | Net change | After the 2024 elections | |||
| Democratic |
20 | 0 | 20 | |||
| Republican |
25 | 0 | 25 | |||
| Divided governments |
5 | 0 | 5 | |||
Partisan balance of all triplexes
No states governments changed triplex status following the Nov. 5, 2024 elections. The map below highlights each state by triplex status before and after the 2024 elections. Click the blue links above the color key to switch the view between pre-election and post-election partisan control.
Triplexes on the ballot in 2024
The table below lists each triplex office on the ballot in 2024.
The map below highlights states holding elections for governor, attorney general, and secretary of state in 2024 by the party of the incumbent.
Historical changes in triplex status (2010-2022)
2022
Non-election changes in 2022
On January 10, 2022 David Scanlan (R) was sworn in as New Hampshire Secretary of State after William Gardner (D) retired. Scanlan's swearing-in created a Republican triplex in New Hampshire.
| Non-election triplex changes in 2022 | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| State | Old triplex control | New triplex control | |||
| New Hampshire | Divided control | Republican | |||
2021
The 2021 state executive elections led to the following results:
- The Republican Party gained a triplex in Virginia, which had previously been a Democratic triplex.
| Triplex changes as a result of the 2021 elections | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| State | Pre-election triplex status | Post-election triplex status | |||
| Virginia | Democratic | Republican | |||
Non-election changes in 2021
On November 22, 2021, Steve Hobbs (D) was sworn in as Washington Secretary of State after Kim Wyman (R) resigned to take a job in the Biden Administration. Hobbs' swearing-in created a Democratic triplex in Washington.
| Non-election triplex changes in 2021 | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| State | Old triplex control | New triplex control | |||
| Washington | Divided control | Democratic | |||
2020
The 2020 state executive elections led to the following results:
- The Republican Party gained a triplex in Montana.
- The Democratic Party gained a triplex in Oregon
| Triplex changes as a result of the 2020 elections | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| State | Pre-election triplex status | Post-election triplex status | |||
| Montana | Divided control | Republican | |||
| Oregon | Divided control | Democratic | |||
2019
The 2019 state executive elections led to the following results:
- The Republican Party gained a triplex in Mississippi.
| Triplex changes as a result of the 2019 elections | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| State | Pre-election triplex status | Post-election triplex status | |||
| Mississippi | Divided control | Republican | |||
2018
The 2018 state executive elections led to the following results:
- The Democratic Party gained a net six triplexes, while the Republican Party lost a net four triplexes.
- Five states (Colorado, Illinois, Maine, New Mexico, and Wisconsin) that had been under divided control gained Democratic triplexes.
- Four states (Arizona, Kansas, North Dakota, Nevada) that previously had Republican triplexes lost those triplexes.
- Alaska's independent triplex was replaced by a Republican triplex.
- Michigan's Republican triplex was replaced by a Democratic triplex.
| Triplex changes as a result of the 2018 elections | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| State | Pre-election triplex status | Post-election triplex status | |||
| Alaska | Independent | Republican | |||
| Arizona | Republican | Divided control | |||
| Colorado | Divided control | Democratic | |||
| Illinois | Divided control | Democratic | |||
| Kansas | Republican | Divided control | |||
| Maine | Divided control | Democratic | |||
| Michigan | Republican | Democratic | |||
| North Dakota | Republican | Divided control | |||
| Nevada | Republican | Divided control | |||
| New Mexico | Divided control | Democratic | |||
| Wisconsin | Divided control | Democratic | |||
2017
The 2017 state executive elections led to the following results:
- The Democratic Party gained a triplex in New Jersey, which had previously been a Republican triplex.
| Triplex changes as a result of the 2017 elections | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| State | Pre-election triplex status | Post-election triplex status | |||
| New Jersey | Republican | Democratic | |||
Non-election changes in 2017
On August 3, 2017, West Virginia Governor Jim Justice changed his party affiliation from Democratic to Republican, giving the Republican Party a triplex in the state.
| Non-election triplex changes in 2017 | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| State | Old triplex control | New triplex control | |||
| West Virginia | Divided control | Republican | |||
2016
The 2016 state executive elections led to the following results:
- The Republican Party gained one triplex, while the Democratic Party lost a net of two triplexes.
- Democratic triplexes were replaced with divided control in three states (New Hampshire, Oregon, and Vermont)
- Two states with divided control were replaced with triplexes (Missouri, which gained a Republican triplex, and North Carolina, which gained a Democratic triplex)
| Triplex changes as a result of the 2016 elections | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| State | Old triplex control | New triplex control | |||
| Missouri | Divided control | Republican | |||
| North Carolina | Divided control | Democratic | |||
| New Hampshire | Democratic | Divided control | |||
| Oregon | Democratic | Divided control | |||
| Vermont | Democratic | Divided control | |||
2015
The 2015 state executive elections led to the following results:
- The Democratic Party and the Republican Party each lost one triplex. No party gained a triplex.
- In Kentucky, a Democratic triplex was replaced with divided control.
- In Louisiana, a Republican triplex was replaced with divided control.
| Triplex changes as a result of the 2015 elections | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| State | Old triplex control | New triplex control | |||
| Kentucky | Democratic | Divided control | |||
| Louisiana | Republican | Divided control | |||
2014
The 2014 state executive elections led to the following results:
- The Republican Party gained a net one triplex, while the Democratic Party lost a net one triplex.
- In three states (Illinois, Massachusetts, and Maryland), Democratic triplexes were replaced with divided control.
- In two states (Arkansas, Nevada), divided control was replaced with Republican triplexes.
- In Alaska, the Republican triplex was replaced with an independent triplex.
| Triplex changes as a result of the 2014 elections | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| State | Old triplex control | New triplex control | |||
| Alaska | Republican | Democratic | |||
| Arkansas | Divided control | Republican | |||
| Illinois | Democratic | Divided control | |||
| Massachusetts | Democratic | Divided control | |||
| Maryland | Democratic | Divided control | |||
| Nevada | Divided control | Republican | |||
| Pennsylvania | Divided control | Democratic | |||
Non-election changes in 2014
The Tennessee Supreme Court appointed Herbert H. Slatery (R) to succeed Robert E. Cooper, Jr. (D) as Attorney General. Slatery was sworn in on October 1, 2014, giving Republicans a triplex.
| Non-election triplex changes in 2014 | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| State | Old triplex control | New triplex control | |||
| Tennessee | Divided control | Republican | |||
2013
The 2013 state executive elections led to the following results:
- In Virginia, a Republican trifecta was replaced with a Democratic trifecta.
| Triplex changes as a result of the 2013 elections | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| State | Old triplex control | New triplex control | |||
| Virginia | Republican | Democratic | |||
Non-election changes in 2013
On May 30, 2013, Rhode Island Gov. Lincoln Chafee, who had been elected as an independent, registered as a Democrat. The change gave Rhode Island a Democratic triplex.
| Non-election triplex changes in 2013 | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| State | Old triplex control | New triplex control | |||
| Rhode Island | Divided control | Democratic | |||
2012
The 2012 state executive elections led to the following results:
- The Democratic Party lost three triplexes and the Republican Party lost one.
- In Pennsylvania, the Republican triplex was replaced with divided control.
- In three states (Montana, North Carolina, and West Virginia), Democratic triplexes were replaced with divided control.
| Triplex changes as a result of the 2012 elections | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| State | Old triplex control | New triplex control | |||
| Montana | Democratic | Divided control | |||
| North Carolina | Democratic | Divided control | |||
| Pennsylvania | Divided control | Republican | |||
| West Virginia | Democratic | Divided control | |||
Non-election changes in 2012
On December 4, 2012, the Maine State Legislature appointed Janet T. Mills (D) as attorney general and Matthew Dunlap (D) as secretary of state, breaking the state's Republican triplex.
| Non-election triplex changes in 2012 | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| State | Old triplex control | New triplex control | |||
| Maine | Republican | Divided control | |||
2011
Non-election changes in 2011
On February 3, 2011, Louisiana Attorney General Buddy Caldwell, who was elected as a Democratic, registered as a Republican. The change gave Louisiana a Republican triplex.
On January 7, 2011, Kentucky Governor Steve Beshear (D) appointed Elaine Walker (D) to replace Trey Grayson (R) as Secretary of State. The change gave Kentucky a Democratic triplex.
| Non-election triplex changes in 2011 | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| State | Old triplex control | New triplex control | |||
| Louisiana | Divided control | Republican | |||
| Kentucky | Divided control | Democratic | |||
2010
The 2010 state executive elections led to the following results:
- The Democratic Party lost a net of two triplexes, while the Republican Party gained a net of seven triplexes.
- In four states (Arizona, Florida, Georgia, and Pennsylvania), divided control was replaced with Republican triplexes.
- In three states (Arkansas, Iowa, and New Mexico), Democratic triplexes were replaced with divided control.
- In four states (California, Connecticut, Minnesota, and Vermont), divided control was replaced with Democratic triplexes.
- In Hawaii, a Republican triplex was replaced with a Democratic triplex.
- In four states (Kansas, Maine, Ohio, and Oklahoma), Democratic triplexes were replaced with Republican triplexes.
| Triplex changes as a result of the 2010 elections | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| State | Old triplex control | New triplex control | |||
| Arkansas | Democratic | Divided control | |||
| Arizona | Divided control | Republican | |||
| California | Divided control | Democratic | |||
| Connecticut | Divided control | Democratic | |||
| Florida | Divided control | Republican | |||
| Georgia | Divided control | Republican | |||
| Hawaii | Republican | Democratic | |||
| Iowa | Democratic | Divided control | |||
| Kansas | Democratic | Republican | |||
| Maine | Democratic | Republican | |||
| Minnesota | Divided control | Democratic | |||
| New Mexico | Democratic | Divided control | |||
| Ohio | Democratic | Republican | |||
| Oklahoma | Democratic | Republican | |||
| Pennsylvania | Divided control | Republican | |||
| Vermont | Divided control | Democratic | |||
Analysis of state elections, 2024
State legislative elections
- See also: State legislative elections, 2024
In the 50 states, there are 99 state legislative chambers altogether. Across 44 states, 85 of those chambers held regular legislative elections in 2024. These elections were for 5,807 of the country's 7,386 state legislative seats (79%). The general election for state legislative races was held on November 5, 2024.
Two state legislative chambers, the Michigan and Minnesota state Houses, changed party control following the 2024 general election. Republicans won control of the Michigan House from Democrats, and won a tie in the Minnesota House.
To learn more about the state legislative races that were on your ballot, click here to use our Sample Ballot Lookup tool.
States are also holding special state legislative elections in 2024 to fill vacant seats. Click here for more.
In the U.S. Territories, seven legislative chambers held regularly scheduled elections for 169 seats in 2024. Elections were held for the American Samoa House of Representatives, the Guam Legislature, the Puerto Rico Senate and House of Representatives, the Northern Mariana Islands Senate and House of Representatives, and the U.S. Virgin Islands Legislature.
As of September 14th, 2025, Republicans controlled 55.51% of all state legislative seats nationally, while Democrats held 43.66%. Republicans held a majority in 57 chambers, and Democrats held the majority in 39 chambers. Two chambers (Alaska House and Alaska Senate) were organized under multipartisan, power-sharing coalitions. One chamber (Minnesota House of Representatives) was split evenly between both parties.
| Partisan balance of all 7,386 state legislative seats | ||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Legislative chamber |
|
|
 Other
|
Vacant | ||||
| State senates | 833 | 1,122 | 5 | 13 | ||||
| State houses | 2,392 | 2,978 | 20 | 23 | ||||
| Total: | 3,225
|
4,100
|
25
|
36 | ||||
Featured analysis
- State legislative seats that changed party control in 2024: As a result of the Nov. 5, 2024, elections, partisan composition of all 7,386 state legislative seats changed by 0.7 percentage points. Democrats had a net loss of 54 seats, representing 0.7% of all state legislative seats. Republicans had a net gain of 55 seats, representing 0.7% of all state legislative seats. Independents and minor party officeholders had a net loss of one seat, representing 0.01% of all state legislative seats.
- Annual State Legislative Competitiveness Report: Vol. 12, 2022: Competitiveness refers to the presence of choice throughout the election cycle. A greater level of competitiveness means voters have the ability to make more decisions. A lower level of competitiveness equals fewer choices. State legislative competitiveness in 2022 reached its highest level compared to all even-year election cycles since 2010. In 2022, the nationwide State Legislative Competitiveness Index is 36.2, beating out 2018 (36.1) and the 2012 post-redistricting cycle (35.2).
Tap the box below to show more analysis articles related to the 2024 state legislative elections.
- Annual Competitiveness Report
- State legislative special elections
- Primary election competitiveness in state and federal government, 2024
- Impact of term limits
- Open seats
- Contested primaries
- Incumbents in contested primaries
- Data on incumbents defeated in 2024
- Major party competition
- Unconstested incumbents
- Trifecta vulnerability in the 2024 elections
- Candidates with the same last names, 2024
- Rematches in 2024 general elections
- Ballotpedia's Top 15 Elections to Watch, 2024
- Trends in the margins of victory for incumbents of three or more terms, 2018-2024
- Election results, 2024: State legislative veto-proof majorities
- Wave election analysis
- Election results, 2024: Incumbent win rates by state
- Election results, 2024: Uncontested races by state
- Incumbents who won primaries by five percentage points or fewer or with a plurality, 2024
- Margin of victory analysis for the 2024 state legislative elections
- Election results, 2024: State legislative races decided by fewer than 100 votes
State executive elections
- See also: State executive official elections, 2024
State executive offices up for election in 2024 included 11 gubernatorial seats, nine lieutenant gubernatorial seats, 10 attorney general seats, and seven secretary of state seats. Including down-ballot races, there were 167 state executive seats up for election across 30 states in 2024.[3]
In 2022, 307 state executive offices were up for election across 44 states. Twenty offices changed party control, including two previously held Republican lieutenant governorships that changed parties because the governor and lieutenant governor ran on a joint ticket. Of the 18 offices which changed partisan control due to direct election, 10 switched from Democrat to Republican, seven switched from Republican to Democrat, and one nonpartisan official was succeeded by a Republican. A total of 26 incumbents seeking re-election to state executive offices were defeated, with 10 of those losing in the general election and 16 losing in their party's primary or nominating convention.
Featured analysis (from 2022)
- Trifecta vulnerability in the 2022 elections: Thirteen state government trifectas were vulnerable in the 2022 elections, according to Ballotpedia's annual trifecta vulnerability ratings. Democrats defended seven vulnerable trifectas and Republicans defended six. A state government trifecta occurs when one party holds the governorship and majorities in both chambers of the state legislature. At the time of the 2022 elections, there were 37 state government trifectas: 23 Republican trifectas and 14 Democratic trifectas. The remaining 13 states had a divided government where neither party had a trifecta.
- State government triplexes: Heading into the November 8 elections, there were 23 Republican triplexes, 18 Democratic triplexes, and 9 divided governments where neither party held triplex control. A state government triplex is a term to describe when one political party holds the following three positions in a state's government: governor, attorney general, and secretary of state.[4] In states where the attorney general or secretary of state are appointed by the governor, Ballotpedia considers the office to be held by the governor's party for the purposes of defining triplexes.[5]
- Annual State Executive Competitiveness Report: Ballotpedia's 2022 study of competitiveness in state executive official elections found that 37.1% of incumbents did not seek re-election, leaving those offices open. This was higher than in 2020 (35.6%) and 2014 (32.7%) but lower than in 2018 (38.6%) and 2016 (45.2%). The decade average for open offices was 37.8%.
Tap the box below to show more analysis articles related to the 2024 state executive elections.
- State executive official elections overview
- State executive officials election results
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- Split-ticket states in the 2024 presidential and gubernatorial elections
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- Attorney General elections
- Historical and potential changes in trifectas
- State government trifectas
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- Impact of term limits on state executive elections
- Rematches in 2024 general elections
- Veto-proof state legislatures and opposing party governors
- Trends in the margins of victory for incumbents of three or more terms, 2018-2024
- Ballotpedia's Top 15 Elections to Watch, 2024
- Wave election analysis
- Incumbents who won primaries by five percentage points or fewer or with a plurality, 2024
State judicial elections
- See also: State judicial elections, 2024
A total of 306 appellate court seats were up for election in 2024. The seats included:
- 83 supreme court seats.
- 223 intermediate appellate court seats.
Ballotpedia provided coverage of supreme court and intermediate appellate court elections, as well as local trial court elections for judges within the 100 largest cities in the United States as measured by population.
In addition, in the U.S. Territories, four judges were on the ballot in retention elections in 2024. One judge on the Guam Supreme Court, two on the Guam Superior Court, and one on the Northern Mariana Islands Superior Court stood for retention to remain on the bench.
Featured analysis
- Partisanship of state supreme court judges: In June 2020, Ballotpedia conducted a study into the partisanship of state supreme court justices. The study placed each justice into one of five categories indicating confidence in their affiliations with either the Democratic or Republican Parties. These categories were Strong Democratic, Mild Democratic, Indeterminate, Mild Republican, and Strong Republican.
Tap the box below to show more analysis articles related to the 2024 state judicial elections.
See also
- Election results, 2024
- Election results, 2024: Governors
- Election results, 2024: State executive officials
- State legislative elections, 2024
- State government triplexes
Footnotes
- ↑ Ballotpedia chose to highlight these offices because they are typically the most visible positions in states and serve important administrative functions.
- ↑ This is because it is very uncommon for an attorney general or secretary of state appointed by a governor to often be in direct conflict with that governor.
- ↑ Ballotpedia describes the offices of governor, lieutenant governor, attorney general, and secretary of state as top-ballot state executive offices. Down-ballot state executive offices that exist in all 50 states include superintendent of schools, insurance commissioner, agriculture commissioner, labor commissioner, and public service commissioner. Examples of other down-ballot state executive offices include treasurer, auditor, and comptroller.
- ↑ Ballotpedia chose to highlight these offices because they are typically the most visible positions in states and serve important administrative functions.
- ↑ This is because it is very uncommon for an attorney general or secretary of state appointed by a governor to often be in direct conflict with that governor.
