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Pennsylvania State Senate elections
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State legislative elections, 2025 Poll opening and closing times |
This page displays election information for the Pennsylvania State Senate.
Elections
Pennsylvania state senators serve staggered, four-year terms and half of the Senate is up for election every two years. Pennsylvania holds elections for its legislature in even years.
2026
Elections for the Pennsylvania State Senate will take place in 2026. The general election is on November 3, 2026.
2024
Elections for the Pennsylvania State Senate took place in 2024. The general election was on November 5, 2024. The primary was April 23, 2024. The filing deadline was February 13, 2024.
In the 2024 elections, Republicans maintained their 28-22 majority.
| Pennsylvania State Senate | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Party | As of November 5, 2024 | After November 6, 2024 | |
| Democratic Party | 22 | 22 | |
| Republican Party | 28 | 27 | |
| Vacancy | 0 | 1 | |
| Total | 50 | 50 | |
2022
Elections for the Pennsylvania State Senate took place in 2022. The general election was on November 8, 2022. A primary was scheduled for May 17, 2022. The filing deadline was March 28, 2022.
In the 2022 elections, Republicans maintained their majority in the chamber with 28 seats. Democrats gained a net one seat from independents, expanding their minority to 22 seats.
| Pennsylvania State Senate | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Party | As of November 8, 2022 | After November 9, 2022 | |
| Democratic Party | 21 | 22 | |
| Republican Party | 28 | 28 | |
| Independent | 1 | 0 | |
| Total | 50 | 50 | |
2020
Elections for the office of Pennsylvania State Senate took place in 2020. The general election was held on November 3, 2020. A primary was scheduled for June 2, 2020. The filing deadline was February 18, 2020.
In the 2020 elections, Republicans maintained their majority of 28-20 with one independent in the Pennsylvania State Senate. One seat was temporarily vacant when James Brewster (D) was not seated due to pending litigation contesting the November election results. Brewster took office on January 13, 2021.
| Pennsylvania State Senate | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Party | As of November 3, 2020 | After November 4, 2020 | |
| Democratic Party | 21 | 21 | |
| Republican Party | 28 | 28 | |
| Independent | 1 | 1 | |
| Total | 50 | 50 | |
2018
Elections for the Pennsylvania State Senate took place in 2018. A closed primary election took place on May 15, 2018, and the general election was held on November 6, 2018. The candidate filing deadline was March 6, 2018.
In the 2018 elections, the Republican majority in the Pennsylvania State Senate was reduced from 33-16 to 29-21.
| Pennsylvania State Senate | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Party | As of November 6, 2018 | After November 7, 2018 | |
| Democratic Party | 16 | 21 | |
| Republican Party | 33 | 29 | |
| Vacancy | 1 | 0 | |
| Total | 50 | 50 | |
2016
Elections for the Pennsylvania State Senate took place in 2016. The primary election was held on April 26, 2016, and the general election was held on November 8, 2016. The candidate filing deadline was February 16, 2016. A total of 25 seats out of the 50 seats in the Pennsylvania State Senate were up for election in 2016.
Heading into the election, Republicans held a 31-19 majority. Republicans gained three seats in the election, giving them a 34-16 majority.
| Pennsylvania State Senate | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Party | As of November 7, 2016 | After November 8, 2016 | |
| Democratic Party | 19 | 16 | |
| Republican Party | 31 | 34 | |
| Total | 50 | 50 | |
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2014Elections for the Pennsylvania State Senate took place in 2014. A primary election took place on May 20, 2014. The general election was held on November 4, 2014. The signature filing deadline for candidates wishing to run in that election was March 11, 2014. Heading into the election, Republicans held a 27-22 majority with one vacancy. Republicans gained three seats in the election, giving them a 30-20 majority.
2012Elections for the office of Pennsylvania State Senate took place in 2012. The primary election was held on April 24, 2012, and the general election was held on November 6, 2012. The candidate filing deadline was February 14, 2012. A total of 25 seats were up for election. Heading into the election, Republicans held a 29-20 majority with one vacancy. Republicans lost two seats in the election, giving them a 27-23 majority.
During the 2012 election, the total value of contributions to the 55 Senate candidates was $26,589,797. The top 10 contributors were:[1]
The following table details the 10 districts with the smallest margin of victory in the November 6 general election.
2010Elections for the office of Pennsylvania State Senate took place in 2010. The primary election was held on May 18, 2010, and the general election was held on November 2, 2010. The candidate filing deadline was March 9, 2010. A total of 25 seats were up for election. Heading into the election, Republicans held a 30-20 majority. No partisan change occurred in the election.
During the 2010 election, the total value of contributions to the 53 Senate candidates was $20,772,005. The top 10 contributors were:[2]
2008Elections for the office of Pennsylvania State Senate consisted of a primary election date on April 22, 2008, and a general election on November 4, 2008. A total of 25 seats were up for election. During the 2008 election, the total contributions to Senate candidates amounted to $30,928,634. The top 10 contributors were:[3]
2006Elections for the office of Pennsylvania State Senate consisted of a primary election date on May 16, 2006, and a general election on November 7, 2006. A total of 25 seats were up for election. During the 2006 election, the total value of contributions to the 63 Senate candidates was $22,233,800. The top 10 contributors were:[4]
2004Elections for the office of Pennsylvania State Senate consisted of a primary election date on April 27, 2004, and a general election on November 2, 2004. A total of 25 seats were up for election. During the 2004 election, the total value of contributions to the 52 Senate candidates was $18,023,643. The top 10 contributors were:[5]
2002Elections for the office of Pennsylvania State Senate consisted of a primary election date on May 21, 2002, and a general election on November 5, 2002. A total of 25 seats were up for election. During the 2002 election, the total value of contributions to the 53 Senate candidates was $19,135,990. The top 10 contributors were:[6]
2000Elections for the office of Pennsylvania State Senate consisted of a primary election date on April 4, 2000, and a general election on November 7, 2000. A total of 25 seats were up for election. During the 2000 election, the total value of contributions to the 49 Senate candidates was $10,724,732. The top 10 contributors were:[7]
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Historical party control
Republicans won control of the Pennsylvania State Senate in 1994. In 2024, they won a 28-22 majority.
The table below shows the partisan history of the Pennsylvania Senate following every general election from 1992 to 2024. All data from 2006 or earlier comes from Michael Dubin's Party Affiliations in the State Legislatures (McFarland Press, 2007). Data after 2006 was compiled by Ballotpedia staff.
Pennsylvania State Senate election results: 1992-2024
| Year | '92 | '94 | '96 | '98 | '00 | '02 | '04 | '06 | '08 | '10 | '12 | '14 | '16 | '18 | '20 | '22 | '24 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Democrats | 25 | 21 | 20 | 20 | 20 | 21 | 20 | 21 | 20 | 20 | 23 | 20 | 16 | 21 | 21 | 22 | 22 |
| Republicans | 25 | 29 | 30 | 30 | 30 | 29 | 30 | 29 | 29 | 30 | 27 | 30 | 34 | 29 | 29 | 28 | 28 |
Trifecta history
A state government trifecta is a term that describes single party government, when one political party holds the governor's office and has majorities in both chambers of the legislature in a state government. Between 1992 and 2023, Pennsylvania was under the following types of trifecta control:
- Democratic trifecta: 1993
- Republican trifecta: 1995-2002, 2011-2014
- Divided government: 1992, 1994, 2003-2010, 2015-2023
Pennsylvania Party Control: 1992-2025
One year of a Democratic trifecta • Twelve years of Republican trifectas
Scroll left and right on the table below to view more years.
| Year | 92 | 93 | 94 | 95 | 96 | 97 | 98 | 99 | 00 | 01 | 02 | 03 | 04 | 05 | 06 | 07 | 08 | 09 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 20 | 21 | 22 | 23 | 24 | 25 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Governor | D | D | D | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | R | R | R | R | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D |
| Senate | R | D | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R |
| House | D | D | D | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | D | D | D | D | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | D | D | _ |
Footnotes
- ↑ Follow the Money, "Pennsylvania State Senate 2012 Campaign Contributions," accessed May 2, 2014
- ↑ Follow the Money, "Pennsylvania State Senate 2010 Campaign Contributions," accessed May 2, 2014
- ↑ Follow the Money, "Pennsylvania State Senate 2008 Campaign Contributions"
- ↑ Follow the Money, "Pennsylvania State Senate 2006 Campaign Contributions," accessed May 2, 2014
- ↑ Follow the Money, "Pennsylvania State Senate 2004 Campaign Contributions," accessed May 2, 2014
- ↑ Follow the Money, "Pennsylvania State Senate 2002 Campaign Contributions," accessed May 2, 2014
- ↑ Follow the Money, "Pennsylvania State Senate 2000 Campaign Contributions," accessed May 2, 2014
