Primary competitiveness in 2012 state legislative elections
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Last updated in 2012
Once a state releases official primary candidate lists, Ballotpedia staff analyzes the data to determine primary competitiveness. All 44 states holding 2012 state legislative elections have been analyzed by Ballotpedia.
Our main findings:
- In the 44 states with elections in 2012, there were 6,015 seats up for election in 2012.
- There were 250 nonpartisan primaries -- California and Washington hold blanket primaries and Nebraska is a nonpartisan legislature.
- There was a possibility of 11,212 primary elections in 2012.
- Of those 11,212 possible primaries, 2,185 (19.5%) were contested.
| State | Senate seats at stake | Possible primaries | Total contested senate primaries | % contested | House seats at stake | Possible primaries | Total contested house primaries | % contested |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alaska | 19 | 38 | 10 | 26.3% | 40 | 80 | 23 | 28.8% |
| Arizona | 30 | 60 | 9 | 15.0% | 60 | 120 | 21 | 17.5% |
| Arkansas | 35 | 70 | 12 | 17.1% | 100 | 200 | 22 | 11.0% |
| California | 20 | 20 | 8 | 40.0% | 80 | 80 | 50 | 62.5% |
| Colorado | 20 | 40 | 6 | 15.0% | 65 | 130 | 14 | 10.8% |
| Connecticut | 36 | 72 | 3 | 4.2% | 151 | 302 | 11 | 3.6% |
| Delaware | 21 | 42 | 7 | 16.7% | 41 | 82 | 13 | 15.9% |
| Florida | 40 | 80 | 14 | 17.5% | 120 | 240 | 65 | 27.1% |
| Georgia | 56 | 112 | 16 | 14.3% | 180 | 360 | 62 | 17.2% |
| Hawaii | 25 | 50 | 11 | 55.0% | 51 | 102 | 28 | 27.5% |
| Idaho | 35 | 70 | 21 | 30.0% | 70 | 140 | 49 | 35.0% |
| Illinois | 59 | 118 | 28 | 23.7% | 118 | 236 | 38 | 16.1% |
| Indiana | 25 | 50 | 8 | 16.0% | 100 | 200 | 43 | 21.5% |
| Iowa | 26 | 52 | 14 | 26.9% | 100 | 200 | 32 | 16.0% |
| Kansas | 40 | 80 | 32 | 40.0% | 125 | 250 | 67 | 26.8% |
| Kentucky | 19 | 38 | 8 | 21.1% | 100 | 200 | 31 | 15.5% |
| Maine | 35 | 70 | 11 | 15.7% | 151 | 302 | 31 | 10.3% |
| Massachusetts | 40 | 80 | 11 | 13.8% | 160 | 320 | 28 | 8.8% |
| Michigan | -- | -- | -- | -- | 110 | 220 | 87 | 39.5% |
| Minnesota | 67 | 134 | 19 | 14.2% | 134 | 268 | 24 | 9.0% |
| Missouri | 17 | 34 | 10 | 29.4% | 163 | 326 | 79 | 24.2% |
| Montana | 26 | 52 | 11 | 21.2% | 100 | 200 | 34 | 17% |
| Nebraska | 26 | 26 | 10 | 38.5% | -- | -- | -- | -- |
| Nevada | 12 | 24 | 9 | 37.5% | 42 | 84 | 30 | 35.7% |
| New Hampshire | 24 | 48 | 9 | 18.8% | 400 | 408 | 78 | 19.5% |
| New Mexico | 42 | 84 | 22 | 26.2% | 70 | 140 | 30 | 21.4% |
| New York | 63 | 126 | 21 | 16.7% | 150 | 300 | 42 | 14.0% |
| North Carolina | 50 | 100 | 28 | 28.0% | 120 | 240 | 63 | 26.3% |
| North Dakota | 25 | 50 | 3 | 6.0% | 50 | 50 | 4 | 8.0% |
| Ohio | 17 | 34 | 3 | 8.8% | 99 | 198 | 32 | 16.2% |
| Oklahoma | 24 | 48 | 13 | 27.1% | 101 | 202 | 35 | 17.3% |
| Oregon | 16 | 32 | 3 | 9.4% | 60 | 120 | 13 | 10.8% |
| Pennsylvania | 25 | 50 | 8 | 16.0% | 203 | 406 | 59 | 14.5% |
| Rhode Island | 38 | 76 | 15 | 19.7% | 75 | 150 | 33 | 22.0% |
| South Carolina | 46 | 92 | 25 | 27.2% | 124 | 248 | 42 | 16.9% |
| South Dakota | 35 | 70 | 12 | 17.1% | 70 | 140 | 18 | 12.9% |
| Tennessee | 16 | 32 | 14 | 43.8% | 99 | 198 | 50 | 25.3% |
| Texas | 31 | 62 | 9 | 14.5% | 150 | 300 | 79 | 26.3% |
| Utah | 16 | 32 | 12 | 37.5% | 75 | 150 | 54 | 36.0% |
| Vermont | 30 | 26 | 5 | 19.2% | 150 | 208 | 7 | 3.4% |
| Washington | 26 | 26 | 6 | 23.1% | 98 | 98 | 23 | 23.4% |
| West Virginia | 17 | 34 | 6 | 17.6% | 100 | 200 | 42 | 21.0% |
| Wisconsin | 16 | 32 | 8 | 25.0% | 99 | 198 | 56 | 28.3% |
| Wyoming | 15 | 30 | 7 | 23.3% | 60 | 120 | 26 | 21.7% |
| Totals: | 1,301 | 2,496 | 517 | 20.7% | 4,714 | 8,716 | 1,668 | 19.1% |
See also
- State legislative elections, 2012
- Open seats in the 2012 state legislative elections
- Incumbents with no primary or general election challengers in the 2012 state legislative elections
- Incumbents with no primary challenger in the 2012 state legislative elections
