State legislative special elections, 2020
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In 2020, 55 state legislative special elections were held in 26 states. Four special elections were canceled in New York due to the coronavirus pandemic. Between 2011 and 2019, an average of 77 special elections took place each year.
See the sections below for additional information on state legislative special elections in 2020.
- Causes and partisan control data: This section provides information on why special elections are held and the impact of special elections on the partisan composition of state legislatures.
- Noteworthy special elections: This section provides information on special elections covered in additional detail by Ballotpedia because they had the potential to impact a chamber's partisan control or they received attention from outside groups.
- Special elections by date: This section lists all special elections held in 2020 in the order they were held.
- Vacancies: This section provides information about vacancies across state legislatures in 2020.
- Seats that changed party control: This section lists the seats where a candidate of a party other than the previous incumbent's party won the special election.
- Historical data: This section contains data on special elections going back to 2010.
- See also: State legislative elections, 2020
Causes and partisan control data
In 2020, special elections for state legislative positions were held for the following reasons:
- 23 due to appointment, election, or the seeking of election to another position
- 5 due to a resignation related to criminal charges[1]
- 18 due to retirement
- 13 due to the death of the incumbent
Impact of special elections on partisan composition
The partisan breakdown for the special elections was as follows:
- 21 Democratic seats
- 38 Republican seats
As of October 6th, 2025, Republicans controlled 55.42% of all state legislative seats nationally, while Democrats held 43.68%. 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 | ![]() |
![]() |
![]() |
Vacant | ||||
State senates | 833 | 1,120 | 5 | 15 | ||||
State houses | 2,393 | 2,973 | 20 | 27 | ||||
Total: | 3,226
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4,093
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25
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42 |
Noteworthy special elections
Texas House of Representatives District 28
Gary Gates (R) defeated Elizabeth Markowitz (D) 58-42 in a special runoff election on January 28, 2020, for the District 28 seat in the Texas House of Representatives. The seat became vacant after Rep. John Zerwas (R) resigned on September 30, 2019, to take an executive position with the University of Texas System.[2]
The two candidates advanced from a field of seven in a November 5, 2019, general election. Markowitz, the lone Democrat in the race, received 39.1 percent of the vote. Gates received 28.4 percent of the vote, while three other Republican candidates split another 30 percent of the vote. The Hayride, a conservative political commentary site, described the race as "a test case to see if [Republicans] can hold turf in the 'urban suburbs' of Houston."[3] ABC 13 said that Democrats could use this race to "create a domino effect that alters more seats, which shifts control in Austin."[4] In the 2018 general election, Zerwas defeated Meghan Scoggins (D) 54-46.
Heading into the election, Republicans held an 82-64 majority in the House with three seats vacant. All 150 seats in the chamber were up for election in November 2020. Houston Public Media wrote that Democrats were targeting this race to pick up the seat ahead of a bigger push to gain control of the chamber in the 2020 elections.[5]
General runoff election
Special general runoff election for Texas House of Representatives District 28
Gary Gates defeated Elizabeth Markowitz in the special general runoff election for Texas House of Representatives District 28 on January 28, 2020.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
✔ | ![]() | Gary Gates (R) | 58.1 | 17,484 |
![]() | Elizabeth Markowitz (D) ![]() | 41.9 | 12,629 |
Total votes: 30,113 | ||||
![]() | ||||
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General election
Special general election for Texas House of Representatives District 28
The following candidates ran in the special general election for Texas House of Representatives District 28 on November 5, 2019.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
✔ | ![]() | Elizabeth Markowitz (D) ![]() | 39.1 | 11,356 |
✔ | ![]() | Gary Gates (R) | 28.5 | 8,275 |
![]() | Tricia Krenek (R) | 18.1 | 5,272 | |
![]() | Anna Allred (R) | 9.3 | 2,705 | |
![]() | Gary Hale (R) ![]() | 2.4 | 712 | |
Sarah Laningham (R) | 1.7 | 503 | ||
Clinton Purnell (R) | 0.9 | 256 |
Total votes: 29,079 | ||||
![]() | ||||
If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey. | ||||
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Texas State Senate District 30
A special general election runoff was held on December 19, 2020, for District 30 of the Texas State Senate. Drew Springer (R) earned 56.5% of the vote in the general runoff, defeating Shelley Luther (R).
The general election took place on September 29, 2020. As no candidate earned more than 50% of the vote in the general election, the top two finishers advanced to a general runoff. Luther and Springer each received 32% of the vote. Jacob Minter (D) followed with 21%. No other candidate received over 10% of the vote. [6]
The candidates highlighted property tax cuts, health care, and other issues in their platforms. To view candidate responses to a Denton Record-Chronicle questionnaire, click here.
Springer replaced Pat Fallon (R) for the remainder of his term, expiring in 2023. Fallon submitted his letter of resignation on August 22, 2020, effective January 4, 2021, after he was nominated to run in the general election for Texas' 4th Congressional District.[7]
General runoff election
Special general runoff election for Texas State Senate District 30
Drew Springer defeated Shelley Luther in the special general runoff election for Texas State Senate District 30 on December 19, 2020.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
✔ | ![]() | Drew Springer (R) | 56.5 | 32,761 |
![]() | Shelley Luther (R) | 43.5 | 25,235 |
Total votes: 57,996 | ||||
![]() | ||||
If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey. | ||||
Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team. |
General election
Special general election for Texas State Senate District 30
The following candidates ran in the special general election for Texas State Senate District 30 on September 29, 2020.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
✔ | ![]() | Shelley Luther (R) | 32.0 | 22,242 |
✔ | ![]() | Drew Springer (R) | 31.9 | 22,127 |
Jacob Minter (D) | 21.4 | 14,825 | ||
Christopher Watts (R) | 6.2 | 4,321 | ||
![]() | Craig Carter (R) ![]() | 5.0 | 3,448 | |
![]() | Andy Hopper (R) ![]() | 3.5 | 2,456 |
Total votes: 69,419 | ||||
![]() | ||||
If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey. | ||||
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Special elections by date
Vacancies
Partisan breakdown of vacancies
- See also: State legislative vacancies, 2020
In 2020, there were 146 state legislative vacancies in 42 states.
The process for filling vacancies varies among the state legislatures. Twenty-five states fill vacancies in the state legislature through special elections. Twenty-one states fill vacancies through appointments, and four states fill vacancies through a hybrid system that uses both appointments and special elections. The most common reasons for a state legislative vacancy include officeholders resigning, dying, leaving for a new job, being elected or appointed to a different office, or receiving a legal conviction.
The table below details the partisan breakdown for state legislative vacancies in 2020. The number on the left reflects how many vacant seats were originally held by each party, while the number on the right shows how many vacant seats each party held after the special elections and appointments took place.
Partisan breakdown of the vacancies (2020) | |||
---|---|---|---|
Party | As of vacancy | After vacancy | |
Democratic Party | |||
Republican Party | |||
Independent | |||
Total | 146 | 146 |
Seats that changed party control
The table below details how many seats changed parties as the result of a special election in 2020. The number on the left reflects how many vacant seats were originally held by each party, while the number on the right shows how many vacant seats each party won in the special elections. In elections between 2011 and 2019, either the Democratic Party or Republican Party saw an average net gain of four seats across the country. Between 2018 and 2019, Democrats had a net gain of six seats.
Note: This table reflects information for elections that were held and not the total number of vacant seats.
Partisan Change from Special Elections (2020) | |||
---|---|---|---|
Party | As of Special Election | After Special Election | |
Democratic Party | 21 | 27 | |
Republican Party | 38 | 32 | |
Independent | 0 | 0 | |
Total | 59 | 59 |
Flipped seats
In 2020, eight seats flipped as a result of state legislative special elections.
Seats flipped from D to R
- Kentucky House of Representatives District 99 (February 25)
Seats flipped from R to D
- New Hampshire House of Representatives Merrimack 24 District (March 10)
- Massachusetts State Senate Second Hampden & Hampshire District (May 19)
- Massachusetts State Senate Plymouth & Barnstable District (May 19)
- Massachusetts House of Representatives Third Bristol District (June 2)
- Kentucky State Senate District 26 (June 23)
- South Carolina House of Representatives District 115 (August 11)
- Oregon State Senate District 10 (November 3)
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 | ||||
![]() |
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Minor party | ![]() |
![]() |
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
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 |
Click here to see a list of all state legislative seats that have changed partisan control in special elections since 2010 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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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 September 12, 2025:
Analysis of state elections
In November 2020, regular elections were held for 86 of 99 state legislative chambers, plus 11 gubernatorial offices, nine lieutenant gubernatorial offices, 10 attorney general offices, and seven secretary of state offices.
Election analysis
All state elections
- Ballotpedia's 2020 Candidate Connection report
- Noteworthy recounts in the United States
- Incumbent win rates by state
- Results of state elected officials seeking other offices, 2020
- Analysis of rejected ballots in the 2020 general election
- Analysis of ballot curing in the 2020 general election
- Analysis of voter turnout in the 2020 general election
- Ballotpedia's Top 15 elections to watch, 2020
- Split-ticket voting in statewide elections in 2018 and 2020
- Trends in the margins of victory for incumbents of three or more terms, 2018-2024
Trifectas
- State government trifectas in the 2020 elections
- Historical and potential changes in trifectas
- Trifecta vulnerability in the 2020 elections
- Presidential election results by trifecta status
- Gubernatorial and presidential split-ticket states
State executive elections
- Partisan balance of governors
- State government triplexes
- Annual State Executive Competitiveness Report, 2020
- States with both gubernatorial and U.S. Senate elections in 2020
State legislative elections
- Number of state legislators by party
- Annual State Legislative Competitiveness Report: Vol. 10, 2020
- Effect of the 2020 elections on redistricting
- Rematches in 2020 general elections
- State legislative veto-proof majorities
- State legislative battleground chambers, 2020
- Veto-proof state legislatures and opposing party governors in the 2020 elections
- Races decided by fewer than 100 votes
- Margin of victory analysis for the 2020 state legislative elections
- State legislative seats flipped
- State legislative special election changes in party control since 2010
- State legislative chambers that changed party control
- State legislative seats that changed party control
- Comparison of state legislative election and session dates, 2020
State ballot measures
- Ballot Measure Scorecard, 2020
- Ballotpedia's Tuesday Count for 2020
- Ballotpedia's top 15 ballot measures to watch on Nov. 3
See also
- State legislative elections, 2020
- State legislative elections, 2019
- State legislative elections, 2018
- State legislative elections, 2017
- State legislative elections, 2016
- State legislative elections, 2015
- State legislative special elections, 2019
- State legislative special elections, 2018
- State legislative special elections, 2017
- State legislative special elections, 2016
- State legislative special elections, 2015
- State legislative special elections, 2014
- State legislative special elections, 2013
- State legislative special elections, 2012
- State legislative special elections, 2011
- State legislative special elections, 2010
Footnotes
- ↑ Arkansas State Rep. Mickey Gates (R) was expelled by a vote of the House membership.
- ↑ The Texas Tribune, "State Rep. John Zerwas to join UT System as executive vice chancellor," August 1, 2019
- ↑ The Hayride, "3 Texas House Runoffs Set For January: Here’s What To Expect," November 22, 2019
- ↑ ABC 13, "How a local election in Ft. Bend Co. could impact political balance in DC," January 22, 2020
- ↑ Cite error: Invalid
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- ↑ The Eagle, "Gov. Greg Abbott sets Sept. 29 special election to replace state Sen. Pat Fallon," August 23, 2020
- ↑ The Texas Tribune, "Texas State Sen. Pat Fallon wins GOP nomination to replace John Ratcliffe on November ballot, becoming Ratcliffe's likely successor," August 8, 2020
- ↑ 8.0 8.1 8.2 Candidates running for special elections in Connecticut are nominated through party conventions.
- ↑ 9.0 9.1 9.2 9.3 9.4 Candidates running for special elections in Pennsylvania are selected by their respective political parties.
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