State Legislative Special Elections, 2015

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2015 State Legislative Special Elections
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Across the nation, special elections are frequently conducted to fill vacancies in state legislatures. A total of 25 states use special elections to fill legislative vacancies. In two states, Illinois and Indiana, special elections are used in limited circumstances. In 2015, 89 state legislative seats were filled through special elections in 27 states.

See also: State legislative elections, 2015 and State legislative special elections, 2016

Breakdown of 2015 special elections[edit]

In 2015, the reasons prompting state legislative special elections were as follows:

• 38 due to appointment, election or seeking election to another position
• 14 due to a retirement
• 15 due to the incumbent accepting another job
• 1 due to an invalidated 2014 election result
• 1 due to a disqualification in the 2014 elections
• 9 due to a death
• 6 due to legal issues
• 3 due to moving
• 2 due to filling a remaining term

The partisan breakdown for vacancies were as follows:

• 42 Democratic seats
• 46 Republican seats
• 1 Independent seat

Note: This table reflects information for elections that were held and not total vacant seats.

*In 2015, Democrats lost nine seats in special elections, but gained six seats. Republicans lost five seats in special elections, but gained eight seats.
*Although Edwin Gomes won election to the Connecticut State Senate as a Working Families Party candidate, after swearing in he was listed as a Democratic senator.
*Although Diane Richardson won election to the New York State Assembly as a Working Families Party candidate, after swearing in she was listed as a Democratic representative.
*Although Jay Mathis won election to the Mississippi House of Representatives as a Nonpartisan candidate, after swearing in he was listed as a Republican representative.

Special elections by date[edit]

Historical data[edit]

State breakdown by year[edit]

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[edit]

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
		Democrats	Republicans	Minor party	Democrats	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[edit]

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:

Days between vacancies and elections by year[edit]

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[edit]

Suggest a link

• State legislative elections, 2015
• State legislative special elections, 2016
• 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[edit]

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