Everything you need to know about ranked-choice voting in one spot. Click to learn more!

State legislative elections, 2027: Difference between revisions

From Ballotpedia
Jump to: navigation, search
No edit summary
 
Line 155: Line 155:
|-
|-
|2024||39||57||3
|2024||39||57||3
|-
|2025||40||56||3
</datatable>
</datatable>
<br>
<br>
<html><iframe title="Party control of state legislative chambers (2010-2021)" aria-label="Interactive line chart" id="datawrapper-chart-bi09V" src="https://datawrapper.dwcdn.net/bi09V/3/" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" style="width: 0; min-width: 100% !important; border: none;" height="486"></iframe><script type="text/javascript">!function(){"use strict";window.addEventListener("message",(function(e){if(void 0!==e.data["datawrapper-height"]){var t=document.querySelectorAll("iframe");for(var a in e.data["datawrapper-height"])for(var r=0;r<t.length;r++){if(t[r].contentWindow===e.source)t[r].style.height=e.data["datawrapper-height"][a]+"px"}}}))}();
<html><iframe title="Party control of state legislative chambers (2010-2025)" aria-label="Line chart" id="datawrapper-chart-ElZpE" src="https://datawrapper.dwcdn.net/ElZpE/1/" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" style="width: 0; min-width: 100% !important; border: none;" height="490" data-external="1"></iframe><script type="text/javascript">window.addEventListener("message",function(a){if(void 0!==a.data["datawrapper-height"]){var e=document.querySelectorAll("iframe");for(var t in a.data["datawrapper-height"])for(var r,i=0;r=e[i];i++)if(r.contentWindow===a.source){var d=a.data["datawrapper-height"][t]+"px";r.style.height=d}}});</script></html>
</script></html>


The chart below shows the number of state legislative chambers that changed party control in each election from 1992 to 2024.
The chart below shows the number of state legislative chambers that changed party control in each election from 1992 to 2024.


<html><iframe title="State legislative chambers that changed partisan control, 1992-2024" aria-label="Grouped Columns" id="datawrapper-chart-5quEO" src="https://datawrapper.dwcdn.net/5quEO/1/" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" style="width: 0; min-width: 100% !important; border: none;" height="456" data-external="1"></iframe><script type="text/javascript">!function(){"use strict";window.addEventListener("message",(function(a){if(void 0!==a.data["datawrapper-height"]){var e=document.querySelectorAll("iframe");for(var t in a.data["datawrapper-height"])for(var r=0;r<e.length;r++)if(e[r].contentWindow===a.source){var i=a.data["datawrapper-height"][t]+"px";e[r].style.height=i}}}))}();
<html><iframe title="State legislative chambers that changed partisan control, 1992-2025" aria-label="Grouped column chart" id="datawrapper-chart-olIfd" src="https://datawrapper.dwcdn.net/olIfd/1/" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" style="width: 0; min-width: 100% !important; border: none;" height="456" data-external="1"></iframe><script type="text/javascript">window.addEventListener("message",function(a){if(void 0!==a.data["datawrapper-height"]){var e=document.querySelectorAll("iframe");for(var t in a.data["datawrapper-height"])for(var r,i=0;r=e[i];i++)if(r.contentWindow===a.source){var d=a.data["datawrapper-height"][t]+"px";r.style.height=d}}});</script></html>
</script></html>


The chart below shows the number of state legislative chambers where at least one legislative seat changed party control in each election from 1992 to 2024.
The chart below shows the number of state legislative chambers where at least one legislative seat changed party control in each election from 1992 to 2024.


<html><iframe title="State legislative chambers where at least one seat changed party hands, 1992-2024" aria-label="Grouped Columns" id="datawrapper-chart-YjNfi" src="https://datawrapper.dwcdn.net/YjNfi/1/" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" style="width: 0; min-width: 100% !important; border: none;" height="478" data-external="1"></iframe><script type="text/javascript">!function(){"use strict";window.addEventListener("message",(function(a){if(void 0!==a.data["datawrapper-height"]){var e=document.querySelectorAll("iframe");for(var t in a.data["datawrapper-height"])for(var r=0;r<e.length;r++)if(e[r].contentWindow===a.source){var i=a.data["datawrapper-height"][t]+"px";e[r].style.height=i}}}))}();
<html><iframe title="State legislative chambers where at least one seat changed party hands, 1992-2025" aria-label="Grouped column chart" id="datawrapper-chart-acKFD" src="https://datawrapper.dwcdn.net/acKFD/1/" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" style="width: 0; min-width: 100% !important; border: none;" height="483" data-external="1"></iframe><script type="text/javascript">window.addEventListener("message",function(a){if(void 0!==a.data["datawrapper-height"]){var e=document.querySelectorAll("iframe");for(var t in a.data["datawrapper-height"])for(var r,i=0;r=e[i];i++)if(r.contentWindow===a.source){var d=a.data["datawrapper-height"][t]+"px";r.style.height=d}}});</script></html>
</script></html>


'''For the tables below, a red box indicates that the chamber changed from Democratic to Republican control, and a blue box indicates that the chamber changed from Republican to Democratic control.'''<ref>2015 and 2013 are not included because no chambers changed those years.</ref>
'''For the tables below, a red box indicates that the chamber changed from Democratic to Republican control, and a blue box indicates that the chamber changed from Republican to Democratic control.'''<ref>2015 and 2013 are not included because no chambers changed those years.</ref>


{{BPAccordion
{{BPAccordion
|panel_count=13
|panel_count=14
|expand_button=true
|expand_button=true


|panel1_title=2024
|panel1_title=2025
|panel1_content=
|panel1_content=
No chambers changed party control in 2025.
|panel2_title=2024
|panel2_content=
<datatable caption="Party changes in 2024" sortable="yes" width="50%">
<datatable caption="Party changes in 2024" sortable="yes" width="50%">
! Chamber !! align="right"|Control after election
! Chamber !! align="right"|Control after election
Line 186: Line 189:
</datatable>
</datatable>


|panel2_title=2023
|panel3_title=2023
|panel2_content=
|panel3_content=
<datatable caption="Party changes in 2023" sortable="yes" width="50%">
<datatable caption="Party changes in 2023" sortable="yes" width="50%">
! Chamber !! align="right"|Control after election
! Chamber !! align="right"|Control after election
Line 194: Line 197:
</datatable>
</datatable>


|panel3_title=2022
|panel4_title=2022
|panel3_content=
|panel4_content=
<datatable caption="Party changes in 2022" sortable="yes" width="50%">
<datatable caption="Party changes in 2022" sortable="yes" width="50%">
! Chamber !! align="right"|Control after election
! Chamber !! align="right"|Control after election
Line 210: Line 213:
</datatable>
</datatable>


|panel4_title=2021
|panel5_title=2021
|panel4_content=
|panel5_content=
<datatable caption="Party changes in 2021" sortable="yes" width="50%">
<datatable caption="Party changes in 2021" sortable="yes" width="50%">
! Chamber !! align="right"|Control after election
! Chamber !! align="right"|Control after election
Line 218: Line 221:
</datatable>
</datatable>


|panel5_title=2020
|panel6_title=2020
|panel5_content=
|panel6_content=
<datatable caption="Party changes in 2020" sortable="yes" width="50%">
<datatable caption="Party changes in 2020" sortable="yes" width="50%">
! Chamber !! align="right"|Control after election
! Chamber !! align="right"|Control after election
Line 228: Line 231:
</datatable>
</datatable>


|panel6_title=2019
|panel7_title=2019
|panel6_content=
|panel7_content=
<datatable caption="Party changes in 2019" sortable="yes" width="50%">
<datatable caption="Party changes in 2019" sortable="yes" width="50%">
! Chamber !! align="right"|Control after election
! Chamber !! align="right"|Control after election
Line 238: Line 241:
</datatable>
</datatable>


|panel7_title=2018
|panel8_title=2018
|panel7_content=
|panel8_content=
<datatable caption="Party changes in 2018" sortable="yes" width="50%">
<datatable caption="Party changes in 2018" sortable="yes" width="50%">
! Chamber !! align="right"|Control after election
! Chamber !! align="right"|Control after election
Line 258: Line 261:
</datatable>
</datatable>


|panel8_title=2017
|panel9_title=2017
|panel8_content=
|panel9_content=
<datatable caption="Party changes in 2017" sortable="yes" width="50%">
<datatable caption="Party changes in 2017" sortable="yes" width="50%">
! Chamber !! align="right"|Control after election
! Chamber !! align="right"|Control after election
Line 266: Line 269:
</datatable>
</datatable>


|panel9_title=2016
|panel10_title=2016
|panel9_content=
|panel10_content=
<datatable caption="Party changes in 2016" sortable="yes" width="50%">
<datatable caption="Party changes in 2016" sortable="yes" width="50%">
! Chamber !! align="right"|Control after election
! Chamber !! align="right"|Control after election
Line 286: Line 289:
</datatable>
</datatable>


|panel10_title=2014
|panel11_title=2014
|panel10_content=
|panel11_content=
<datatable caption="Party changes in 2014" sortable="yes" width="50%">
<datatable caption="Party changes in 2014" sortable="yes" width="50%">
! Chamber !! align="right"|Control after election
! Chamber !! align="right"|Control after election
Line 310: Line 313:
</datatable>
</datatable>


|panel11_title=2012
|panel12_title=2012
|panel11_content=
|panel12_content=
<datatable caption="Party changes in 2012" sortable="yes" width="50%">
<datatable caption="Party changes in 2012" sortable="yes" width="50%">
! Chamber !! align="right"|Control after election
! Chamber !! align="right"|Control after election
Line 338: Line 341:
</datatable>
</datatable>


|panel12_title=2011
|panel13_title=2011
|panel12_content=
|panel13_content=
<datatable caption="Party changes in 2011" sortable="yes" width="50%">
<datatable caption="Party changes in 2011" sortable="yes" width="50%">
! Chamber !! align="right"|Control after election
! Chamber !! align="right"|Control after election
Line 352: Line 355:
</datatable>
</datatable>


|panel13_title=2010
|panel14_title=2010
|panel13_content=
|panel14_content=
<datatable caption="Party changes in 2010" sortable="yes" width="50%">
<datatable caption="Party changes in 2010" sortable="yes" width="50%">
! Chamber !! align="right"|Control after election
! Chamber !! align="right"|Control after election
Line 398: Line 401:
</datatable>
</datatable>
}}
}}
|tab-4-label=Trifectas from 2010 to 2024
|tab-4-label=Trifectas from 2010 to 2025
|tab-panel-4-content=
|tab-panel-4-content=
::''See also: [[State government trifectas]]''
::''See also: [[State government trifectas]]''


A state government trifecta occurs when one political party controls the primary levers of power in a state: the governor's office, the state Senate, and the state House. From 2010 to 2018, the Republican Party increased its number of trifectas and the Democratic Party saw a decline in its trifectas. Democrats picked up six trifectas in the 2018 elections, and Republicans lost four trifectas. Following the 2021 elections, the Democratic trifecta in Virginia became a split government after Republicans gained control of the [[Virginia House of Delegates|state House]] and [[Governor of Virginia|governorship]]. After the 2023 elections, the divided government in Louisiana became a Republican trifecta when [[Jeff Landry]] (R) won election as governor. After the 2024 elections, Republicans maintained their trifectas, and two Democratic trifectas became divided governments.
A state government trifecta occurs when one political party controls the primary levers of power in a state: the governor's office, the state Senate, and the state House. From 2010 to 2018, the Republican Party increased its number of trifectas and the Democratic Party saw a decline in its trifectas. Democrats picked up six trifectas in the 2018 elections, and Republicans lost four trifectas. Following the 2021 elections, the Democratic trifecta in Virginia became a split government after Republicans gained control of the [[Virginia House of Delegates|state House]] and [[Governor of Virginia|governorship]]. After the 2023 elections, the divided government in Louisiana became a Republican trifecta when [[Jeff Landry]] (R) won election as governor. After the 2024 elections, Republicans maintained their trifectas, and two Democratic trifectas became divided governments. After the 2025 elections, Democrats gained a trifecta in Virginia.


This chart shows the number of trifectas each party held heading into elections from 2010 to 2024, and the number of trifectas following the 2024 elections.
This chart shows the number of trifectas each party held heading into elections from 2010 to 2024, and the number of trifectas following the 2024 elections.


<datatable caption="Trifectas by year: 2010-2024">
<datatable caption="Trifectas by year: 2010-2025">
! align="center" | Election
! align="center" | Election
! align="center" | Democratic trifectas
! align="center" | Democratic trifectas
Line 437: Line 440:
|-
|-
|Post-2024 elections || 15 || 23 || 12
|Post-2024 elections || 15 || 23 || 12
|-
| Pre-2025 elections || 15 || 23 || 12
|-
|Post-2025 elections || 16 || 23 || 11
</datatable>
</datatable>
<br>
<br>
<html><iframe title="Post-2024 state government trifectas" aria-label="Map" id="datawrapper-chart-T2heJ" src="https://datawrapper.dwcdn.net/T2heJ/1/" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" style="width: 0; min-width: 100% !important; border: none;" height="481" data-external="1"></iframe><script type="text/javascript">!function(){"use strict";window.addEventListener("message",(function(a){if(void 0!==a.data["datawrapper-height"]){var e=document.querySelectorAll("iframe");for(var t in a.data["datawrapper-height"])for(var r=0;r<e.length;r++)if(e[r].contentWindow===a.source){var i=a.data["datawrapper-height"][t]+"px";e[r].style.height=i}}}))}();
<html><iframe title="Post-election trifectas, 2025" aria-label="Choropleth map" id="datawrapper-chart-tvy8X" src="https://datawrapper.dwcdn.net/tvy8X/2/" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" style="width: 0; min-width: 100% !important; border: none;" height="472" data-external="1"></iframe><script type="text/javascript">window.addEventListener("message",function(a){if(void 0!==a.data["datawrapper-height"]){var e=document.querySelectorAll("iframe");for(var t in a.data["datawrapper-height"])for(var r,i=0;r=e[i];i++)if(r.contentWindow===a.source){var d=a.data["datawrapper-height"][t]+"px";r.style.height=d}}});</script></html>
</script></html></center><section end=SLPCONTEXT27/>
}}
}}
==Election coverage by office==
==Election coverage by office==
{{SeeAlso2027}}
{{SeeAlso2027}}

Latest revision as of 22:12, 1 December 2025

Elections Navigation
2027 Election Results
Federal elections
  • U.S. Congress specials
State elections
Local elections
Recalls
2027 State
Legislative Elections
2028 »
« 2026
Ballotpedia Election Coverage Badge.png
2027 elections
Choose a state below:

Eight of the country's 99 state legislative chambers are holding regularly-scheduled elections in 2027. Elections in those eight chambers represent 578 of the country's 7,386 state legislative seats (7.8%).

General elections in Mississippi, New Jersey, and Virginia will take place on November 2, 2027. General elections in Louisiana will take place on November 20, 2027.

States will also hold special state legislative elections in 2027 to fill vacant seats.

Explore Ballotpedia's coverage of these elections:
  • Partisan balance
    The partisan balance of state legislatures
    Read more
  • On the ballot
    A list of elections on the ballot
    Read more
  • Pre-election analysis
    Analysis published before the election
    Read more


Partisan balance

As of February 16th, 2026, Republicans controlled 55.12% of all state legislative seats nationally, while Democrats held 43.89%. 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 Democratic Party Republican Party Grey.png Other Vacant
State senates 837 1,120 6 10
State houses 2,405 2,951 20 37
Total: 3,242

4,071

26

47


On the ballot

Click the tabs below to view information about the elections this year. In this section, you will find:

  • A list of states holding elections
  • Ballotpedia's Sample Ballot Lookup Tool

The table below highlights each state holding legislative elections in 2026. To learn more about elections in a particular chamber, click the link in the chamber column.

State legislative elections, 2027
StateChamberRepublicanDemocraticOtherVacanciesTotal
LouisianaHouse712905105
LouisianaSenate28100139
MississippiHouse784220122
MississippiSenate34180052
New JerseyHouse23570080
New JerseySenate15250040
VirginiaHouse366400100
VirginiaSenate19210040

Pre-election analysis

Click the tabs below to view detailed analysis from before the election. In this section, you will find:

  • Historical data related to competitiveness
  • Information about state government trifectas
  • Chambers that changed partisan control from 2010 to 2024
  • Trifecta status from 2010 to 2024


See also: Annual State Legislative Competitiveness Report: Vol. 14, 2024

Ballotpedia began examining the competitiveness of every state legislative race in the country in 2010. Three factors are used in this analysis: seats where the incumbent did not run for re-election, incumbents who ran in contested primaries, and seats contested by both major parties.

The following table details competitiveness data collected from regularly scheduled state legislative elections between 2010 and 2023. Odd-year elections are shown grouped together first followed by even-year elections.

Competitiveness in state legislative elections (2010-2023)
Year Total seats Open seats No major party competition Incs. running Incs. in contested primaries
# % # % # %
Odd-year elections
2023 578 138 23.9% 319 55.2% 443 115 26.0%
2021 220 13 5.9% 9 4.1% 137 24 17.5%
2019 538 105 19.5% 301 55.9% 433 125 28.9%
2017 220 20 9.1% 45 20.5% 200 32 16.0%
2015 538 79 14.7% 332 61.7% 460 107 23.3%
2013 220 15 6.8% 61 27.7% 205 24 11.7%
2011 578 98 17.0% 312 54.0% 485 104 21.4%
Even-year elections
2022 6,278 1,492 23.8% 2,560 40.8% 4,852 1,299 26.8%
2020 5,875 876 14.9% 2,044 34.8% 4,999 1,006 20.1%
2018 6,065 1,194 19.7% 2,045 33.7% 4,874 1,082 22.2%
2016 5,916 1,032 17.4% 2,508 42.4% 4,887 985 20.2%
2014 6,051 1,019 16.8% 2,663 44.0% 5,041 983 19.5%
2012 6,013 1,314 21.9% 2,384 39.6% 4,790 1,117 23.3%
2010 6,127 1,143 18.7% 2,142 35.0% 4,984 995 20.0%

Election coverage by office

Click the tiles below to navigate to 2027 election coverage:
  • Congressional special elections
    Congressional special elections
    Read more
  • Governors
    Governors
    Read more
  • Attorney general
    Attorney general
    Read more
  • Other state executives
    Other state executives
    Read more
  • State legislatures
    State legislatures
    Read more
  • State ballot measures
    State ballot measures
    Read more
  • Local ballot measures
    Local ballot measures
    Read more
  • State judges
    State judges
    Read more
  • Local judges
    Local judges
    Read more
  • Municipal government
    Municipal government
    Read more
  • School boards
    School boards
    Read more
  • Recalls
    Recalls
    Read more

See also

Footnotes

  1. ↑ The Washington Post, "Virginia Republicans snatched control of the state Senate, ended budget-Medicaid impasse," June 9, 2014
  2. ↑ 2015 and 2013 are not included because no chambers changed those years.
  3. ↑ Chamber went from a Democratic majority to a 67-67 tie.
  4. ↑ Chamber went from a Republican majority to a bipartisan governing coalition.
  5. ↑ Democrats won a majority of seats, but did not have a majority when the legislative session began due to vacancies created during the interim.
  6. ↑ Chamber went from being controlled by a Democratic-led bipartisan coalition to being led by a coalition with power split between the parties.
  7. ↑ In this election, the Oregon House changed from a 30-30 tie to a 34-26 Democratic advantage.
  8. ↑ The chamber first changed from Democratic to Republican control in a February 2011 special election. Republicans increased their majority to 24-15 in the 2011 elections.
  9. ↑ The chamber changed partisan control prior to the 2011 elections due to Democrats switching to the Republican Party and special election wins by Republicans. Republicans increased their majority in the 2011 elections to 31-21.
  10. ↑ In the 2011 elections, the chamber changed from a 22-18 Democratic advantage to a 20-20 tie. Republicans effectively controlled the chamber because Lieutenant Gov. Bill Bolling (R) could cast tie-breaking votes.
  11. ↑ This chamber did not hold elections in 2010. It switched partisan control in December 2010 when Democrat Noble Ellington changed his party affiliation to Republican. In the regularly-scheduled 2011 elections, Republicans increased their majority to 58-45.
  12. ↑ This chamber went from a 50-50 tie to a 68-32 Republican advantage in the 2010 elections.
  13. ↑ This chamber went from a 36-24 Democratic advantage to a 30-30 tie in the 2010 elections.
Retrieved from "https://ballotpedia.org/wiki/index.php?title=State_legislative_elections,_2027&oldid=10697622"