State Legislative Special Election Changes In Party Control Since 2010

State Legislative Special Elections
Special Elections analysis
State legislative special election changes in party control since 2010
State legislative special elections by year
2021 • 2020 • 2019 • 2018 • 2017 • 2016 • 2015 • 2014 • 2013 • 2012 • 2011 • 2010
State legislative elections by year
2021 • 2020 • 2019 • 2018 • 2017 • 2016 • 2015 • 2014 • 2013 • 2012 • 2011 • 2010

Current as of Jan. 13, 2021 (updated annually)

In special elections from 2010 to 2020, 104 state legislative seats changed partisan control, or flipped. Democrats flipped 56 seats, Republicans flipped 42 seats, and independent and third-party candidates flipped six seats. See the full list of seats here.

Seventeen seats flipped in 2017, the highest number in any year since 2010. Democrats flipped 14 and Republicans flipped three. The second-highest number of flips was in 2018, where the parties combined for 16 flips (12 Democratic and four Republican). The third-highest was 2015, where Democrats flipped five, Republicans flipped nine, and third-party candidates flipped two for a total of 16. The years with the highest percentage of flipped seats out of all special elections held were, similarly, 2015 (18.0%), 2017 (17.3%), and 2018 (16.2%).

As of 2020, 25 states used special elections to fill vacancies and four other states (Kansas, New Jersey, Tennessee, and Washington) used special elections in some circumstances. To see the procedures for filling vacancies in each state, click here.

The state with the highest number of flips is New Hampshire (11 flips—10 Democratic and one Republican). Massachusetts and Connecticut follow with nine flips each.

On this page, you will find:

• Seats flipped in special elections by year
• Seats flipped in special elections by party
• Seats flipped in special elections by state
• List of seats flipped in special elections

Visit this page to learn more about state legislative special elections in 2021. We will update this page with 2021 data at the end of the year.

Seats flipped in special elections by year[edit]

The table below presents the annual figures for state legislative seats that flipped in special elections since 2010. It includes total special elections, total seats flipped, and the percentage of seats flipped out of all special elections.

Seats flipped in special elections by party[edit]

The table below presents the partisan figures for state legislative seats that flipped in special elections since 2010. It includes total seats flipped by Democrats, total seats flipped by Republicans, total seats flipped by independent and third-party candidates, and the partisan net change each year.

Seats flipped in special elections by state[edit]

The table below presents the number of state legislative seats flipped in special elections by state since 2010. It includes the total number of flipped seats and the number of seats flipped by Democrats, Republicans, and independents and third-party candidates.

As of 2020, 25 states used special elections to fill vacancies and four other states (Kansas, New Jersey, Tennessee, and Washington) used special elections in some circumstances. To see the procedures for filling vacancies in each state, click here.

List of seats flipped in special elections[edit]

The table below lists all state legislative seats that flipped in a special election since 2010 as well as the results of recent elections for the seat prior to the special election.^[1]

See also[edit]

• State legislative special elections, 2021
• State legislative special elections, 2020
• 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[edit]

v • e State legislatures Legislatures Alabama (H, S) · Alaska (H, S) · Arizona (H, S) · Arkansas (H, S) · California (A, S) · Colorado (H, S) · Connecticut (H, S) · Delaware (H, S) · Florida (H, S) · Georgia (H, S) · Hawaii (H, S) · Idaho (H, S) · Illinois (H, S) · Indiana (H, S) · Iowa (H, S) · Kansas (H, S) · Kentucky (H, S) · Louisiana (H, S) · Maine (H, S) · Maryland (H, S) · Massachusetts (H, S) · Michigan (H, S) · Minnesota (H, S) · Mississippi (H, S) · Missouri (H, S) · Montana (H, S) · Nebraska · Nevada (A, S) · New Hampshire (H, S) · New Jersey (GA, S) · New Mexico (H, S) · New York (A, S) · North Carolina (H, S) · North Dakota (H, S) · Ohio (H, S) · Oklahoma (H, S) · Oregon (H, S) · Pennsylvania (H, S) · Rhode Island (H, S) · South Carolina (H, S) · South Dakota (H, S) · Tennessee (H, S) · Texas (H, S) · Utah (H, S) · Vermont (H, S) · Virginia (H, S) · Washington (H, S) · West Virginia (H, S) · Wisconsin (A, S) · Wyoming (H, S) 2022 State legislative elections (2022) • State legislative special elections (2022) • Primary dates and filing requirements • 2022 Session Dates 2021 State legislative elections (2021) • State legislative special elections (2021) • Primary dates and filing requirements • 2021 Session Dates Historical elections 2020 • 2019 • 2018 • 2017 • 2016 • 2015 • 2014 • 2013 • 2012 • 2011 • 2010 • 2009 • 2008 • 2007 • 2006 • 2005 • 2004 • 2003 • 2002 • 2001 • 2000 Features of state legislatures How vacancies are filled in state legislatures • States with a full-time legislature • State legislatures with term limits • Comparison of state legislative salaries • When state legislators assume office after a general election • Population represented by state legislators • State constitutional articles governing state legislatures • State legislative sessions • Resign-to-run law • State legislature candidate requirements by state • Official names of state legislatures • State legislative chambers that use multi-member districts • Factors Affecting Competitiveness in State Legislative Elections State senates Length of terms of state senators • State senators • Partisan composition of state senates • State senators sorted by year first elected State houses Length of terms of state representatives • State representatives • Partisan composition of state houses • State representatives sorted by year first elected Leadership positions President of the Senate • President Pro Tempore • Senate Majority Leader • Senate Minority Leader • House Majority Leader • House Minority Leader • State Speaker of the House