Length of terms of state senators

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The length of terms in state senates in the 50 American state senates is either two years or four years.

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Senators in 31 states have a four-year term. Senators in 12 states have a two-year term. Senators in seven states (Arkansas, Delaware, Florida, Illinois, Minnesota, New Jersey and Texas) have terms that are sometimes two years and sometimes four years, depending on the proximity of the election to the legislative re-apportionments that occur every 10 years after a federal census. A system with senators who serve one two-year term and two four-year terms every ten years is considered a 2-4-4 term system.

  • In the 12 states where the length of the term is two years, all state senate seats are up for re-election every two years.
  • Arizona, Connecticut, Georgia, Idaho, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New York, North Carolina, Rhode Island, South Dakota, Vermont
  • In the 38 states with either a four-year term or a 2-4-4 term, 27 states have staggered elections so that approximately half of state senate seats are up for re-election during the state's general elections that take place every two years.
  • Alaska, Arkansas, California, Colorado, Delaware, Florida, Hawaii, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kentucky, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, Nevada, North Dakota, Ohio, Oklahoma, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Washington, West Virginia, Wisconsin, Wyoming
  • In the 11 other states where the term is either four years or a 2-4-4, all seats come up for re-election during the same year. In those states, there are general election years where no state senate seats are at stake.
  • Alabama, Kansas, Louisiana, Maryland, Michigan, Minnesota, Mississippi, New Jersey, New Mexico, South Carolina, Virginia
State senate # of senators Length of term Conduct of elections
Alabama State Senate 35 4 All seats are up for re-election in 2010, 2014, 2018, etc.
Alaska State Senate 20 4 Staggered
Arizona State Senate 30 2 All seats up for re-election every 2 years
Arkansas State Senate 35 2-4-4 Staggered
California State Senate 40 4 Staggered
Colorado State Senate 35 4 Staggered
Connecticut State Senate 36 2 All seats up for re-election every 2 years
Delaware State Senate 21 2-4-4 Staggered
Florida State Senate 40 2-4-4 Staggered
Georgia State Senate 56 2 All seats up for re-election every 2 years
Hawaii State Senate 25 2-4-4 Staggered
Idaho State Senate 35 2 All seats up for re-election every 2 years
Illinois State Senate 59 2-4-4[1] Staggered
Indiana State Senate 50 4 Staggered
Iowa State Senate 50 4 Staggered
Kansas State Senate 40 4 All seats are up for election in 2008, 2012, 2016...
Kentucky State Senate 38 4 Staggered
Louisiana State Senate 39 4 All seats are up for election in 2011, 2015, 2019...
Maine State Senate 35 2 All seats up for re-election every 2 years
Maryland State Senate 47 4 All seats are up for election in 2010, 2014, 2018, etc.
Massachusetts State Senate 40 2 All seats up for re-election every 2 years
Michigan State Senate 38 4 All seats are up for election in 2010, 2014, 2018, etc.
Minnesota State Senate 67 2-4-4 All seats are up for election in 2010, 2012, 2016...
Mississippi State Senate 52 4 All seats are up for election in 2007, 2011, 2015...
Missouri State Senate 34 4 Staggered
Montana State Senate 50 4 Staggered
Nebraska State Senate 49 4 Staggered
Nevada State Senate 21 4 Staggered
New Hampshire State Senate 24 2 All seats up for re-election every 2 years
New Jersey State Senate 40 2-4-4 All seats are up for election in 2011, 2013, 2017, 2021...
New Mexico State Senate 42 4 All seats are up for election in 2008, 2012, 2016...
New York State Senate 63 2 All seats up for re-election every 2 years
North Carolina State Senate 50 2 All seats up for re-election every 2 years
North Dakota State Senate 47 4 Staggered
Ohio State Senate 33 4 Staggered
Oklahoma State Senate 48 4 Staggered
Oregon State Senate 30 4 Staggered
Pennsylvania State Senate 50 4 Staggered
Rhode Island State Senate 38 2 All seats up for re-election every 2 years
South Carolina State Senate 46 4 All seats are up for election in 2008, 2012, 2016...
South Dakota State Senate 35 2 All seats up for re-election every 2 years
Tennessee State Senate 33 4 Staggered
Texas State Senate 31 2-4-4 Staggered
Utah State Senate 29 4 Staggered
Vermont State Senate 30 2 All seats up for re-election every 2 years
Virginia State Senate 40 4 All seats are up for re-election in 2007, 2011, 2015...
Washington State Senate 49 4 Staggered
West Virginia State Senate 34 4 Staggered
Wisconsin State Senate 33 4 Staggered
Wyoming State Senate 30 4 Staggered

See also

External links

Footnotes

  1. ↑ Under the Illinois Constitution of 1970, senators are divided into three groups, each group having a two-year term at a different part of the decade between censuses, with the rest of the decade being taken up by two four-year terms. Depending on the election year, roughly ⅓, ⅔, or all of the senate seats may have terms ending.
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