Open seats in the 2010 state legislative elections

2010 Competitiveness Overview

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Incumbents with primary challenges in 2010
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List of candidates with no competition
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Impact of term limits on # of open seats
Long-serving senators • Long-serving reps
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• Party differences
Competitiveness Index
2010 State Legislative Elections
Competitiveness Studies from Other Years
2007 • 2009 • 2011 • 2012 • 2013 • 2014 • 2015 • 2016 • 2017 • 2018 • 2019 • 2020

By Geoff Pallay and Leslie Graves

There were 6,127 state legislative seats, in 46 states, up for election on November 2, 2010. We took a look at each of the 46 states to see how many state legislative incumbents chose to run for re-election in 2010.

Our main findings:

* In 1,143 (18.7%) of the 6,127 seats up for election on November 2, the incumbent did not run for re-election, either because he or she voluntarily chose not to run again, or because of term limits.
* In 4,984 (81.3%) of the 6,127 seats up for election on November 2, the incumbent ran for re-election.
* Adjusting for term limits, 86.6% of state legislative incumbents who were legally able to run again in 2010 chose to run again.

Comparing states:

* New Mexico, Texas, Kentucky, Delaware, and Kansas had the lowest ratio of open seats; that is, they had the highest ratio of incumbents running for re-election.
* The five states with the highest ratio of open seats were Michigan, Nevada, Arkansas, Arizona, and Missouri. All 5 have term limits. In fact, the 10 most competitive states in 2010 as defined by the ratio of open seats all have term limits.
* The most competitive states without terms limits were New Hampshire, North Dakota, Wyoming, Wisconsin, and Massachusetts.

The score that states received based on their ratio of open seats was one of 3 factors used in evaluating which states had the highest, and which had the lowest, overall competitiveness in the 2010 state legislative elections.

## States compared by open seats[edit]

Legend: States with state legislative term limits

The state that was least competitive as defined by the percentage of its seats where the incumbent did not run for re-election in 2010 is defined as #46, while the state that was most competitive as defined by the percentage of its seats where the incumbent did not run for re-election is defined as #1; that is, 1 = "most competitive", 46 = "least competitive".

Open state legislative seats, 2010

State | Senate | House | Total | Open seats rank | Overall competitiveness rank
At stake | Open | % | At stake | Open | % | At stake | Open | %
Nationwide | 1,169 | 274 | 23.4% | 4,958 | 869 | 17.5% | 6,127 | 1,143 | 18.7% |  |
Alabama | 35 | 8 | 22.9% | 105 | 11 | 10.5% | 140 | 19 | 13.6% | 22 | 30
Alaska | 10 | 1 | 10.0% | 40 | 4 | 10.0% | 50 | 5 | 10.0% | 33 | 36
Arizona | 30 | 15 | 50.0% | 60 | 24 | 40.0% | 90 | 39 | 43.3% | 4 | 3
Arkansas | 17 | 13 | 76.5% | 100 | 40 | 40.0% | 117 | 53 | 45.3% | 3 | 32
California | 20 | 10 | 50.0% | 80 | 28 | 35.0% | 100 | 38 | 38.0% | 7 | 7
Colorado | 19 | 6 | 31.6% | 65 | 14 | 21.5% | 84 | 20 | 23.8% | 12 | 16
Connecticut | 36 | 4 | 11.1% | 151 | 15 | 9.9% | 187 | 19 | 10.2% | 32 | 26
Delaware | 11 | 0 | 0.0% | 41 | 4 | 9.8% | 52 | 4 | 7.7% | 43 | 28
Florida | 23 | 12 | 52.2% | 120 | 34 | 28.3% | 143 | 46 | 32.2% | 9 | 21
Georgia | 56 | 11 | 19.6% | 180 | 27 | 15.0% | 236 | 38 | 16.1% | 20 | 44
Hawaii | 15 | 3 | 20.0% | 51 | 5 | 9.8% | 66 | 8 | 12.1% | 26 | 6
Idaho | 35 | 1 | 2.9% | 70 | 8 | 11.4% | 105 | 9 | 8.6% | 39 | 29
Illinois | 21 | 1 | 4.8% | 118 | 11 | 9.3% | 139 | 12 | 8.6% | 39 | 33
Indiana | 25 | 3 | 12.0% | 100 | 9 | 9.0% | 125 | 12 | 9.6% | 36 | 23
Iowa | 25 | 3 | 12.0% | 100 | 14 | 14.0% | 125 | 17 | 13.6% | 22 | 27
Kansas | No elections | 125 | 10 | 8.0% | 125 | 10 | 8.0% | 42 | 31
Kentucky | 19 | 2 | 10.5% | 100 | 5 | 5.0% | 119 | 7 | 5.9% | 44 | 35
Maine | 35 | 9 | 25.7% | 151 | 34 | 22.5% | 186 | 43 | 23.1% | 13 | 11
Maryland | 47 | 3 | 6.4% | 141 | 23 | 16.3% | 188 | 26 | 13.8% | 21 | 5
Massachusetts | 40 | 8 | 20.0% | 160 | 26 | 16.3% | 200 | 34 | 17.0% | 18 | 41
Michigan | 38 | 29 | 76.3% | 110 | 51 | 46.4% | 148 | 80 | 54.1% | 1 | 1
Minnesota | 67 | 9 | 13.4% | 134 | 15 | 11.2% | 201 | 24 | 11.9% | 28 | 12
Missouri | 17 | 10 | 58.8% | 163 | 65 | 39.9% | 180 | 75 | 41.7% | 5 | 14
Montana | 26 | 17 | 65.4% | 100 | 34 | 34.0% | 126 | 51 | 40.5% | 6 | 8
Nebraska | 24 | 3 | 12.5% | N/A[1] | 24 | 3 | 12.5% | 25 | 37
Nevada | 11 | 8 | 72.7% | 42 | 19 | 45.2% | 53 | 27 | 50.9% | 2 | 2
New Hampshire | 24 | 5 | 20.8% | 400 | 97 | 24.3% | 424 | 102 | 24.1% | 11 | 4
New Mexico | No elections | 70 | 3 | 4.3% | 70 | 3 | 4.3% | 46 | 43
New York | 62 | 6 | 9.7% | 150 | 19 | 12.7% | 212 | 25 | 11.8% | 29 | 17
North Carolina | 50 | 8 | 16.0% | 120 | 10 | 8.3% | 170 | 18 | 10.6% | 31 | 20
North Dakota | 24 | 4 | 16.7% | 48 | 11 | 22.9% | 72 | 15 | 20.8% | 14 | 25
Ohio | 17 | 8 | 47.1% | 99 | 21 | 21.2% | 116 | 29 | 25.0% | 10 | 10
Oklahoma | 24 | 8 | 33.3% | 101 | 14 | 13.9% | 125 | 22 | 17.6% | 17 | 42
Oregon | 16 | 2 | 12.5% | 60 | 5 | 8.3% | 76 | 7 | 9.2% | 37 | 13
Pennsylvania | 25 | 3 | 12.0% | 203 | 18 | 8.9% | 228 | 21 | 9.2% | 37 | 34
Rhode Island | 38 | 5 | 13.2% | 75 | 10 | 13.3% | 113 | 15 | 13.3% | 24 | 15
South Carolina | No elections | 124 | 12 | 9.7% | 124 | 12 | 9.7% | 35 | 45
South Dakota | 35 | 13 | 37.1% | 70 | 21 | 30.0% | 105 | 34 | 32.4% | 8 | 21
Tennessee | 17 | 2 | 11.8% | 99 | 8 | 8.1% | 116 | 10 | 8.6% | 39 | 39
Texas | 16 | 1 | 6.3% | 150 | 8 | 5.3% | 166 | 9 | 5.4% | 45 | 46
Utah | 15 | 1 | 6.7% | 75 | 8 | 10.7% | 90 | 9 | 10.0% | 33 | 24
Vermont | 30 | 5 | 16.7% | 150 | 16 | 10.7% | 180 | 21 | 11.7% | 30 | 40
Washington | 25 | 4 | 16.0% | 98 | 16 | 16.3% | 123 | 20 | 16.3% | 19 | 19
West Virginia | 17 | 3 | 17.6% | 100 | 11 | 11.0% | 117 | 14 | 12.0% | 27 | 8
Wisconsin | 17 | 3 | 17.6% | 99 | 20 | 20.2% | 116 | 23 | 19.8% | 16 | 18
Wyoming | 15 | 4 | 26.7% | 60 | 11 | 18.3% | 75 | 15 | 20.0% | 15 | 38

## Impact of term limits[edit]

See also: Impact of term limits on state legislative elections in 2010

There are 15 term-limited states. Of those, only Louisiana did not hold elections in 2010. Of the 14 term-limited states that held elections, 35.13% of all seats were open. In non-term-limited states, that number fell to 12.90%.

The discrepancy was largest in the Senate. In term limited states, 48.81% of seats were open. However, that number fell to only 13.24% for states without term limits. That means 721 of the 831 Senators ran for re-election in states without term limits.

## See also[edit]

* State legislative elections, 2010
* Impact of term limits on state legislative elections in 2010
* Ballotpedia:Competitiveness analysis and partisan impact
* 2010 state legislative elections analyzed using a Competitiveness Index
* Seats with unchallenged incumbents in the 2010 state legislative primaries
* Major party candidates with no major party challengers in the November 2010 state legislative elections

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Geoff Pallay, Director of Editorial Content and Editor-in-Chief • Ken Carbullido, Vice President of Election Product and Technology Strategy • Daniel Anderson, Managing Editor • Ryan Byrne, Managing Editor • Cory Eucalitto, Managing Editor • Mandy Gillip, Managing Editor • Doug Kronaizl, Local Elections Project Manager • Jaclyn Beran • Marielle Bricker • Joseph Brusgard • Emma Burlingame • Kelly Coyle • Thomas Ellis • Frank Festa • Nicole Fisher • Brianna Hosea • Joseph Greaney • Thomas Grobben • Jaime Healy-Plotkin • Tyler King • Glorie Martinez • Nathan Maxwell • Ellie Mikus • Jackie Mitchell • Ellen Morrissey • Mackenzie Murphy • Kaley Platek • Samantha Post • Adam Powell • Ethan Rice • Spencer Richardson • Victoria Rose • Briana Ryan • Myj Saintyl • Maddy Salucka • Maddie Sinclair Johnson • Abbey Smith • Ethan Sorell • Janie Valentine • Joel Williams • Samuel Wonacott • Trenton Woodcox • Mercedes Yanora

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Ballotpedia

About|

Overview • What people are saying • Support Ballotpedia • Contact • Contribute • Job opportunities

* * *

Executive: Leslie Graves, President • Gwen Beattie, Chief Operating Officer

Communications: Alison Graves • Carley Allensworth • Abigail Campbell • Sarah Groat • Nathaniel Harwood • Dillon Redmond • Erica Shumaker
External Relations: Andrew Heath • Hannah Nelson
Operations: Meghann Olshefski • Amanda Herbert • Mandy Morris • Caroline Presnell • Kelly Rindfleisch
Policy: Jimmy McAllister • Molly Byrne • Jon Dunn • Annelise Reinwald • Emma Soukup
Content Strategy: Josh Altic
Tech: Matt Latourelle • Ryan Burch • Kirsten Corrao • Beth Dellea • Travis Eden • Tate Kamish • Margaret Kearney • Eric Lotto • Joseph Sanchez • Mary Susmitha

Contributors: Scott Rasmussen

* * *

Editorial Content|

Geoff Pallay, Director of Editorial Content and Editor-in-Chief • Ken Carbullido, Vice President of Election Product and Technology Strategy • Daniel Anderson, Managing Editor • Ryan Byrne, Managing Editor • Cory Eucalitto, Managing Editor • Mandy Gillip, Managing Editor • Doug Kronaizl, Local Elections Project Manager • Jaclyn Beran • Marielle Bricker • Joseph Brusgard • Emma Burlingame • Kelly Coyle • Thomas Ellis • Frank Festa • Nicole Fisher • Brianna Hosea • Joseph Greaney • Thomas Grobben • Jaime Healy-Plotkin • Tyler King • Glorie Martinez • Nathan Maxwell • Ellie Mikus • Jackie Mitchell • Ellen Morrissey • Mackenzie Murphy • Kaley Platek • Samantha Post • Adam Powell • Ethan Rice • Spencer Richardson • Victoria Rose • Briana Ryan • Myj Saintyl • Maddy Salucka • Maddie Sinclair Johnson • Abbey Smith • Ethan Sorell • Janie Valentine • Joel Williams • Samuel Wonacott • Trenton Woodcox • Mercedes Yanora

1. ↑ Nebraska does not have a House.