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State legislative special elections, 2014

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2014 State Legislative
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Across the nation, special elections are frequently conducted to fill vacancies in state legislatures. 27 states use special elections to fill legislative vacancies. In two states, Illinois and Indiana, special elections are used in limited circumstances. In 2014, 40 state legislative seats were filled through special elections in 15 states.

See also: State legislative elections, 2014

Breakdown of 2014 special elections

The reasons for special elections were as follows:

  • 3 due to criminal prosecution/criminal issues
  • 6 due to a legislator's death
  • 5 due to the acceptance of another job
  • 6 due to the appointment to a new position
  • 6 due to retirement
  • 14 due to election to another position

The partisan breakdown for vacancies is as follows:

In 2014, Republicans claimed three seats in special elections that were previously held by Democratic incumbents.

Partisan Change from Special Elections
Party As of Vacancy After Special Election
     Democratic Party 22 19
     Republican Party 18 21
Total 40 40

Legend

These symbols denote the status of each special election:

☑ : This election has been decided.
RunoffArrow.jpg : This election has proceeded to a runoff.
☐ : This election has not yet occurred.
Circle question mark.png : This election is too close to call or contested.

Results

The following candidates won a special election in 2014:

  1. A. Benton Chafin (R) Virginia State Senate, District 38
  2. Anthony "Alann" Johnson (D) Alabama House of Representatives, District 53
  3. Ben McGorty (R) Connecticut House of Representatives, District 122
  4. Brandon Creighton (R) Texas State Senate, District 4
  5. Charles Perry (R) Texas State Senate, District 28
  6. Charles Younger (R) Mississippi State Senate, District 17
  7. Daniel J. Hunt (D) Massachusetts House of Representatives, Thirteenth Suffolk District
  8. Daniel Joseph Ryan (D) Massachusetts House of Representatives, Second Suffolk District
  9. Eric Eisnaugle (R) Florida House of Representatives, District 44
  10. Evandro C. Carvalho (D) Massachusetts House of Representatives, Fifth Suffolk District
  11. Gary Winfield (D) Connecticut State Senate, District 10
  12. Isadore Hall, III (D) California State Senate, District 35
  13. Jason Lewis (Massachusetts) (D) Massachusetts State Senate, Fifth Middlesex District
  14. Jennifer Wexton (D) Virginia State Senate, District 33
  15. Jesse Topper (R) Pennsylvania House of Representatives, District 78
  16. John C. Velis (D) Massachusetts House of Representatives, Fourth Hampden District
  17. John Cooper (Arkansas) (R) Arkansas State Senate, District 21
  18. Joseph Bouie (D) Louisiana House of Representatives, District 97
  19. Joseph Lindsey (D) Virginia House of Delegates, District 90
  20. Lois Kolkhorst (R) Texas State Senate, District 18
  21. Lynwood Lewis (D) Virginia State Senate, District 6
  22. Margie Wilcox (R) Alabama House of Representatives, District 104
  23. Mark Costello (Iowa) (R) Iowa State Senate, District 12
  24. Michael Morin (D) Rhode Island House of Representatives, District 49
  25. Mike Holmes (Alabama) (R) Alabama House of Representatives, District 31
  26. Mike Morrell (R) California State Senate, District 23
  27. R.C. Sullivan Jr. (D) Virginia House of Delegates, District 48
  28. Robert Bloxom Jr. (R) Virginia House of Delegates, District 100
  29. Robyn Porter (D) Connecticut House of Representatives, District 94
  30. Ronnie Sabb (D) South Carolina State Senate, District 32
  31. RoseLee Vincent (D) Massachusetts House of Representatives, Sixteenth Suffolk District
  32. Roz Dance (D) Virginia State Senate District 16
  33. Sam Moore (R) Georgia House of Representatives, District 22
  34. Sam Rasoul (D) Virginia House of Delegates, District 11
  35. Scott Wagner (Pennsylvania) (R) Pennsylvania State Senate, District 28
  36. Shawn C. Dooley (R) Massachusetts House of Representatives, Ninth Norfolk District
  37. Stan Gustafson (R) Iowa House of Representatives, District 25
  38. Steve Tarvin (R) Georgia House of Representatives, District 2
  39. Tami Zawistowski (R) Connecticut House of Representatives, District 61
  40. Todd Pillion (R) Virginia House of Delegates, District 4

Special elections by date

2014 state legislative special elections
Office Former incumbent Filing deadline Primary election date General election date
Georgia House of Representatives District 2 Jay Neal (R) November 20, 2013 N/A January 7, 2014
Georgia House of Representatives District 22 Calvin Hill (R) November 20, 2013 N/A January 7, 2014
Iowa House of Representatives District 25 Julian B. Garrett (R) N/A N/A January 7, 2014
Massachusetts House of Representatives Ninth Norfolk District Daniel Winslow (R) November 5, 2013 N/A January 7, 2014
Virginia House of Delegates District 11 Onzlee Ware (D) N/A N/A January 7, 2014
Virginia State Senate District 6 Ralph Northam (D) N/A N/A January 7, 2014
Arkansas State Senate District 21 Paul Bookout (D) September 6, 2013 October 8, 2013 January 14, 2014
Virginia State Senate District 33 Mark Herring (D) December 26, 2013 N/A January 21, 2014
Pennsylvania House of Representatives District 78 Dick Hess (R) N/A N/A January 28, 2014
Alabama House of Representatives District 104 Jim Barton (R) N/A October 15, 2013 February 4, 2014
Alabama House of Representatives District 31 Charles Barrett Mask (R) October 10, 2013 December 3, 2013 February 4, 2014
Connecticut State Senate District 10 Toni Harp (D) January 21, 2014 N/A February 25, 2014
Rhode Island House of Representatives District 49 Lisa Baldelli-Hunt (D) December 13, 2013 January 21, 2014 February 25, 2014
Virginia House of Delegates District 100 Lynwood Lewis (D) N/A N/A February 25, 2014
Pennsylvania State Senate District 28 Mike Waugh (R) N/A N/A March 18, 2014
California State Senate District 23 William Emmerson (R) January 31, 2014 N/A March 25, 2014
Alabama House of Representatives District 53 Demetrius Newton (D) October 10, 2013 December 3, 2013 April 1, 2014
Massachusetts House of Representatives Thirteenth Suffolk District Martin Walsh (D) January 28, 2014 March 4, 2014 April 1, 2014
Massachusetts House of Representatives Sixteenth Suffolk District Kathi-Anne Reinstein (D) January 28, 2014 March 4, 2014 April 1, 2014
Massachusetts House of Representatives Second Suffolk District Eugene O'Flaherty (D) January 28, 2014 March 4, 2014 April 1, 2014
Massachusetts House of Representatives Fourth Hampden District Donald F. Humason, Jr. (R) January 28, 2014 March 4, 2014 April 1, 2014
Massachusetts State Senate Fifth Middlesex District Katherine Clark (D) January 28, 2014 March 4, 2014 April 1, 2014
Florida House of Representatives District 44 Stephen Precourt (R) January 23, 2014 March 11, 2014 April 8, 2014
Connecticut House of Representatives District 61 Elaine O'Brien (D) N/A N/A April 11, 2014
Connecticut House of Representatives District 94 Gary Holder-Winfield (D) N/A N/A April 24, 2014
Massachusetts House of Representatives Fifth Suffolk District Carlos Henriquez (D) February 24, 2014 April 1, 2014 April 29, 2014
Texas State Senate District 4 Tommy Williams (R) March 10, 2014 N/A May 10, 2014
Connecticut House of Representatives District 122 Lawrence Miller (R) N/A N/A July 22, 2014
Virginia House of Delegates District 48 Bob Brink (D) July 7, 2014 N/A August 19, 2014
Virginia House of Delegates District 90 Algie Howell (D) July 7, 2014 N/A August 19, 2014
Virginia State Senate District 38 Phillip Puckett (D) June 20, 2014 N/A August 19, 2014
Texas State Senate District 28 Robert Duncan (R) August 1, 2014 N/A September 9, 2014
Louisiana House of Representatives District 97 Jared Brossett (D) August 22, 2014 N/A November 4, 2014
Mississippi State Senate District 17 Terry W. Brown (R) October 6, 2014 N/A November 4, 2014
South Carolina State Senate District 32 John McGill (D) July 14, 2014 September 2, 2014 November 4, 2014
Virginia State Senate District 16 Henry Marsh (D) N/A N/A November 4, 2014
Texas State Senate District 18 Glenn Hegar (R) November 19, 2014 N/A December 6, 2014
California State Senate District 35 Roderick Wright (D) October 17, 2014 N/A December 9, 2014
Virginia House of Delegates District 4 A. Benton Chafin (R) N/A N/A December 9, 2014
Iowa State Senate District 12 Joni Ernst (R) December 16, 2014 N/A December 30, 2014

Historical data

State breakdown by year

The table below details how many state legislative special elections were held in a state in a given year. From 2010 to 2024, Georgia held the most state legislative special elections with 82. Pennsylvania held the second-most special elections with 69.

Partisan breakdown by year

The average number of special elections per even year between 2011 and 2024 (2012, 2014, 2016, 2018, 2020, 2022, and 2024) was 59, while the average per odd year was 80. The most special elections in a single year during that same time frame was 99, which happened in 2018.

The table below details how many state legislative seats changed parties as the result of a special election between 2011 and 2024. The numbers on the left side of the table reflect how many vacant seats were originally held by each party, while the numbers on the right side of the table show how many vacant seats each party won in special elections.

State legislative special election vacancies and results, 2011-2024
Year Total elections held Vacancies before elections Seats held after elections Net change
Democratic Party Democrats Republican Party Republicans Minor party Democratic Party Democrats Republican Party Republicans Minor party
2024 52 26 26 0 29 23 0 +3 D, -3 R
2023 53 33 20 0 33 20 0 -
2022 54 36 18 0 36 18 0 -
2021 66 33 33 0 33 33 0 -
2020 59 21 38 0 27 32 0 +6 D, -6 R
2019 77 39 38 0 36 40 1 -3 D, +2 R, +1 I
2018 99 42 57 0 50 49 0 +8 D, -8 R
2017 98 45 53 0 56 42 0 +11 D, -11 R
2016* 65 37 28 0 39 24 2 +2 D, -4 R
2015* 89 42 46 1 38 50 1 -4 D, +4 R
2014 40 22 18 0 19 21 0 -3 D, +3 R
2013 84 51 33 0 48 36 0 -3 D, +3 R
2012 46 23 23 0 25 21 0 +2 D, -2 R
2011* 95 49 45 1 46 48 1 -3 D, +3 R
Averages 70 36 34 N/A 37 33 N/A N/A
*Please see the year-specific pages for information regarding minor-party candidates.

Seats that changed partisan control by year

See also: State legislative special election changes in party control since 2010

Current as of January 17, 2025 (updated annually)
Since 2010, 121 state legislative seats have switched partisan control, or flipped, in special elections. The chart below shows the number of special elections that resulted in partisan changes in each year:

Flipped seats in state legislative special elections
Year Total special elections Total flips Democratic flips Republican flips Other flips
2024 52 5 4 1 0
2023 53 4 2 2 0
2022 54 2 1 1 0
2021 66 6 3 3 0
2020 59 8 7 1 0
2019 77 8 2 5 1
2018 99 16 12 4 0
2017 98 17 14 3 0
2016 65 9 5 2 2
2015 89 16 5 9 2
2014 40 5 1 4 0
2013 84 7 1 6 0
2012 46 7 5 2 0
2011 95 11 4 6 1
2010 30 0 0 0 0
Total 1,007 121 66 49 6


Days between vacancies and elections by year

The following table tracks the gap between when state legislative vacancies occurred and special elections were held from 2012 through October 16, 2025:

See also

Footnotes

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