State legislative incumbents without general election challengers, 2023

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Last updated on May 22, 2025

There were 578 state legislative seats up for election on Nov. 7, 2023, in four states. Overall, 425 incumbents ran in the general election. Of that total, 229 incumbents were uncontested, representing 54% of all incumbents who ran in the general election. That was below the average of 251 uncontested incumbents who ran in 2011, 2015, and 2019 — the three previous odd-year elections before presidential election years.

A general election is uncontested when there are no candidates other than the incumbent running. Learn more about the terms and methodologies used in this analysis.

Ballotpedia uses the number and percentage of incumbents in uncontested general elections to help determine the overall competitiveness of an election cycle. A larger number of uncontested general elections indicates less competitiveness because there are fewer opportunities for voters to elect a non-incumbent to office. A smaller number indicates more of those opportunities.

In 2023:

There were 85 Democratic incumbents in uncontested general elections, representing 48% of all Democratic incumbents who ran in the general election, a 20% decrease from 2019.

There were 143 Republican incumbents in uncontested general elections, representing 59% of all Republican incumbents who ran in the general election, a 22% increase from 2019.

There was one minor party or independent incumbent in an uncontested general election, representing 25% of all minor party or independent incumbents who ran in the general election.

The total number of incumbents in uncontested general elections — 229 — was five more or a 2% increase from 2019.

State legislative incumbents without general election challengers, 2023
Chamber	Seats
		Democratic			Republican			Total
		Filed	Cont.	%	Filed	Cont.	%	Filed	Cont.	%
House	407	123	63	51.2%	170	101	59.4%	296	165	55.7%
Senate	171	55	22	40.0%	73	42	57.5%	129	64	49.6%
Total	578	178	85	47.8%	243	143	58.8%	425	229	53.9%

Click [show] on the table below to view incumbents without general election challengers statistics by state in 2023. Hover over column headings to learn more about their contents.

State legislative incumbents without general election challengers, 2023
State	Seats
		Democratic			Republican			Total
		Filed	Cont.	%	Filed	Cont.	%	Filed	Cont.	%
Nationwide	578	178	85	47.8%	243	143	58.8%	425	229	53.9%
Louisiana	144	37	34	91.9%	63	60	95.2%	100	94	94.0%
Mississippi	174	47	35	74.5%	93	70	75.3%	143	106	74.1%
New Jersey	120	50	3	6.0%	39	0	0.0%	89	3	3.4%
Virginia	140	44	13	29.5%	48	13	27.1%	93	26	28.0%

Historical comparison

The chart below shows a breakdown of incumbents in contested primaries from 2011 to 2023.

Click [show] on the table below to view overall incumbents in contested primaries statistics by state from 2011 to 2023. Hover over column headings to learn more about their contents.

State legislative incumbents without general election challengers, 2011-2023
State
	2011			2013			2015			2017			2019			2021			2023
	Dem.	Rep.	Total	Dem.	Rep.	Total	Dem.	Rep.	Total	Dem.	Rep.	Total	Dem.	Rep.	Total	Dem.	Rep.	Total	Dem.	Rep.	Total
Nationwide	46%	63%	55%	18%	27%	22%	58%	62%	61%	24%	10%	17%	54%	54%	54%	3%	9%	6%	48%	59%	54%
Louisiana	91%	90%	91%	-	-	-	95%	94%	94%	-	-	-	97%	90%	91%	-	-	-	92%	95%	94%
Mississippi	61%	61%	61%	-	-	-	78%	58%	66%	-	-	-	87%	75%	78%	-	-	-	74%	75%	74%
New Jersey	2%	2%	2%	1%	0%	1%	0%	3%	1%	3%	0%	2%	0%	0%	0%	4%	0%	3%	6%	0%	3%
Virginia	41%	76%	60%	53%	48%	50%	57%	62%	60%	70%	17%	35%	53%	13%	34%	2%	18%	9%	30%	27%	28%

Louisiana

There were 144 seats up for election in Louisiana. A total of 100 incumbents advanced to the general election: 37 Democrats and 63 Republicans. Of that total, 94 incumbents—34 Democrats and 60 Republicans—had no general election challengers, representing 94.0% of incumbents on the general election ballot.

In 2023

Statistics from 2023 are shown below. Hover over column headings to learn more about their contents.

State legislative incumbents with no general election challengers in Louisiana, 2023
Chamber	Seats
		Democratic			Republican			Total
		Incs.	Uncont.	%	Incs.	Uncont.	%	Incs.	Uncont.	%
House	105	27	24	88.9%	46	43	93.5%	73	67	91.8%
Senate	39	10	10	100.0%	17	17	100.0%	27	27	100.0%
Total	144	37	34	91.9%	63	60	95.2%	100	94	94.0%

2011-2023

Historical statistics are shown below. Hover over column headings to learn more about their contents.

State legislative incumbents in contested primaries in Louisiana, 2011-2023
Year	Seats
		Democratic			Republican			Total
		Incs.	Uncont.	%	Incs.	Uncont.	%	Incs.	Uncont.	%
2011	144	45	41	91.1%	63	57	90.5%	109	99	90.8%
2013	Did not hold elections.
2015	144	37	35	94.6%	68	64	94.1%	107	101	94.4%
2017	Did not hold elections.
2019	144	29	28	96.6%	51	46	90.2%	82	75	91.5%
2021	Did not hold elections.
2023	144	37	34	91.9%	63	60	95.2%	100	94	94.0%

See also:

• Louisiana House of Representatives elections, 2023
• Louisiana State Senate elections, 2023

Mississippi

There were 174 seats up for election in Mississippi. A total of 143 incumbents advanced to the general election: 47 Democrats, 93 Republicans, and three minor party or independent incumbents. Of that total, 106 incumbents—35 Democrats, 70 Republicans, and one minor party or independent incumbent—had no general election challengers, representing 74.1% of incumbents on the general election ballot.

In 2023

Statistics from 2023 are shown below. Hover over column headings to learn more about their contents.

State legislative incumbents with no general election challengers in Mississippi, 2023
Chamber	Seats
		Democratic			Republican			Total
		Incs.	Uncont.	%	Incs.	Uncont.	%	Incs.	Uncont.	%
House	122	34	26	76.5%	61	47	77.0%	97	74	76.3%
Senate	52	13	9	69.2%	32	23	71.9%	46	32	69.6%
Total	174	47	35	74.5%	93	70	75.3%	143	106	74.1%

2011-2023

Historical statistics are shown below. Hover over column headings to learn more about their contents.

State legislative incumbents in contested primaries in Mississippi, 2011-2023
Year	Seats
		Democratic			Republican			Total
		Incs.	Uncont.	%	Incs.	Uncont.	%	Incs.	Uncont.	%
2011	174	76	46	60.5%	62	38	61.3%	138	84	60.9%
2013	Did not hold elections.
2015	174	59	46	78.0%	83	48	57.8%	142	94	66.2%
2017	Did not hold elections.
2019	174	52	45	86.5%	84	63	75.0%	138	108	78.3%
2021	Did not hold elections.
2023	174	47	35	74.5%	93	70	75.3%	143	106	74.1%

See also:

• Mississippi House of Representatives elections, 2023
• Mississippi State Senate elections, 2023

New Jersey

There were 120 seats up for election in New Jersey. A total of 89 incumbents advanced to the general election: 50 Democrats and 39 Republicans. Of that total, 3 incumbents—3 Democrats and no Republicans—had no general election challengers, representing 3.4% of incumbents on the general election ballot.

In 2023

Statistics from 2023 are shown below. Hover over column headings to learn more about their contents.

State legislative incumbents with no general election challengers in New Jersey, 2023
Chamber	Seats
		Democratic			Republican			Total
		Incs.	Uncont.	%	Incs.	Uncont.	%	Incs.	Uncont.	%
House	80	31	2	6.5%	27	0	0.0%	58	2	3.4%
Senate	40	19	1	5.3%	12	0	0.0%	31	1	3.2%
Total	120	50	3	6.0%	39	0	0.0%	89	3	3.4%

2011-2023

Historical statistics are shown below. Hover over column headings to learn more about their contents.

State legislative incumbents in contested primaries in New Jersey, 2011-2023
Year	Seats
		Democratic			Republican			Total
		Incs.	Uncont.	%	Incs.	Uncont.	%	Incs.	Uncont.	%
2011	120	64	1	1.6%	41	1	2.4%	105	2	1.9%
2013	120	67	1	1.5%	46	0	0.0%	113	1	0.9%
2015	80	42	0	0.0%	30	1	3.3%	72	1	1.4%
2017	120	72	2	2.8%	36	0	0.0%	108	2	1.9%
2019	80	53	0	0.0%	22	0	0.0%	75	0	0.0%
2021	120	70	3	4.3%	35	0	0.0%	105	3	2.9%
2023	120	50	3	6.0%	39	0	0.0%	89	3	3.4%

See also:

• New Jersey General Assembly elections, 2023
• New Jersey State Senate elections, 2023

Virginia

There were 140 seats up for election in Virginia. A total of 93 incumbents advanced to the general election: 44 Democrats, 48 Republicans, and one minor party or independent incumbent. Of that total, 26 incumbents—13 Democrats and 13 Republicans—had no general election challengers, representing 28.0% of incumbents on the general election ballot.

In 2023

Statistics from 2023 are shown below. Hover over column headings to learn more about their contents.

State legislative incumbents with no general election challengers in Virginia, 2023
Chamber	Seats
		Democratic			Republican			Total
		Incs.	Uncont.	%	Incs.	Uncont.	%	Incs.	Uncont.	%
House	100	31	11	35.5%	36	11	30.6%	68	22	32.4%
Senate	40	13	2	15.4%	12	2	16.7%	25	4	16.0%
Total	140	44	13	29.5%	48	13	27.1%	93	26	28.0%

2011-2023

Historical statistics are shown below. Hover over column headings to learn more about their contents.

State legislative incumbents in contested primaries in Virginia, 2011-2023
Year	Seats
		Democratic			Republican			Total
		Incs.	Uncont.	%	Incs.	Uncont.	%	Incs.	Uncont.	%
2011	140	54	22	40.7%	68	52	76.5%	123	74	60.2%
2013	100	30	16	53.3%	58	28	48.3%	88	44	50.0%
2015	140	44	25	56.8%	78	48	61.5%	122	73	59.8%
2017	100	33	23	69.7%	60	10	16.7%	93	33	35.5%
2019	140	62	33	53.2%	60	8	13.3%	122	41	33.6%
2021	100	50	1	2.0%	40	7	17.5%	90	8	8.9%
2023	140	44	13	29.5%	48	13	27.1%	93	26	28.0%

See also:

• Virginia House of Delegates elections, 2023
• Virginia State Senate elections, 2023

Incumbents defeated in state legislative general elections

See also: Incumbents defeated in state legislative elections, 2023

The chart below shows a partisan breakdown of incumbents defeated in general elections from 2011 to 2023.

Terms and definitions

Incumbent

See also: Incumbent

Ballotpedia defines incumbency by chamber. Under this definition, if an incumbent in House District 1 filed for re-election in House District 2, they would still be counted as an incumbent due to their remaining in the same chamber even though they ran for a different seat. If an incumbent in House District 1 filed to run in Senate District 2, they would not be counted as an incumbent in the Senate race since they are coming from a different chamber.

Ballotpedia uses the term re-elect to refer to any incumbent who is running in an election to retain their office, including incumbents who were originally appointed to their position.

Uncontested general election

See also: General election

An uncontested general election is one where there is one candidate running, meaning the candidate will automatically win the election.

Methodology

Candidacy withdrawals

See also: Signature requirements and deadlines for 2023 state government elections

In order to have their names printed on election ballots, candidates must submit information prior to a filing deadline. Filing deadlines are the dates by which candidates must submit required paperwork to state election administrators.

For major party candidates, filing deadlines always precede primaries. However, candidates may choose to withdraw before the primary or general takes place. Withdrawals include decisions to leave the race, disqualifications, and deaths. These withdrawals are either official or unofficial.

An official withdrawal means the candidate withdrew before a specific date set in state law and their name was removed from the primary or general ballot. If an incumbent officially withdrew before the general election, they are not included in any of the totals of this analysis, unless they later re-entered the race as a minor party or independent candidate.

An unofficial withdrawal means the candidate withdrew after a specific date set in state law, typically after ballots have been printed, meaning their name remains on the ballot even though they are not actively campaigning. If an incumbent unofficially withdrew, they are included in the totals of this analysis.

See also

• Election results, 2023: State legislatures
• State legislative elections, 2023
  • Impact of term limits on state legislative elections in 2023
  • Open seats in state legislative elections, 2023
  • Contested state legislative primaries, 2023
  • Major party competition in state legislative elections, 2023
  • State legislative incumbents in contested primaries, 2023
  • Incumbents defeated in state legislative elections, 2023
• Primary election competitiveness in state government, 2023

Footnotes

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2026

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

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