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    State legislative elections, 2026

    From Ballotpedia - Reading time: 37 min

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    In the 50 states, there are 99 state legislative chambers altogether. Across 46 states, 88 of those chambers are holding regular legislative elections in 2026. The general election for state legislative races is on November 3, 2026.

    States are also holding special state legislative elections in 2026 to fill vacant seats. Click here for more.

    In the U.S. Territories, five legislative chambers are holding regularly scheduled elections in 2026. Elections will be held for the American Samoa House of Representatives, the Guam Legislature, the Northern Mariana Islands Senate and House of Representatives, and the U.S. Virgin Islands Legislature.

    Two state legislative chambers, the Michigan and Minnesota state Houses, changed party control following the 2024 general election. Republicans won control of the Michigan House from Democrats, and secured a tie in the Minnesota House.

    There were elections for the members of 85 of the nation's 99 legislative chambers in 2024, representing 5,807 of the country's 7,386 state legislative seats (79%).

    Explore Ballotpedia's coverage of these elections:
    • Partisan balance
      The partisan balance of state legislatures
      Read more
    • Battlegrounds
      Information on battleground elections
      Read more
    • On the ballot
      A list of elections on the ballot
      Read more
    • Pre-election analysis
      Analysis published before the election
      Read more
    • Important dates and deadlines
      A list of important dates and deadlines for the 2026 election cycle
      Read more


    Partisan balance[edit]

    As of January 26th, 2026, Republicans controlled 55.12% of all state legislative seats nationally, while Democrats held 43.83%. 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 836 1,119 6 12
    State houses 2,401 2,952 20 40
    Total: 3,237

    		4,071

    		26

    		52


    Battlegrounds[edit]

    Click the tabs below to view detailed information regarding battleground districts in the 2026 state legislative elections. In this section, you will find:

    • A list of districts targeted by each political party

    DLCC targets

    The Democratic Legislative Campaign Committee announced they would target the following chambers in the 2026 elections:[1]


    In addition to those battleground chambers, the DLCC also announced plans to help Democrats:[2]

    RSLC targets

    The Republican State Leadership Committee announced they would target the following chambers in the 2026 elections:[3]

    On the ballot[edit]

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

    • A list of states holding elections
    • Information about special 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, 2026
    StateChamberRepublicanDemocraticOtherVacanciesTotal
    AlabamaHouse752901105
    AlabamaSenate2780035
    AlaskaHouse21145040
    AlaskaSenate640010
    ArizonaHouse33270060
    ArizonaSenate17130030
    ArkansasHouse801901100
    ArkansasSenate1340017
    CaliforniaHouse20600080
    CaliforniaSenate6140020
    ColoradoHouse22430065
    ColoradoSenate7110018
    ConnecticutHouse4910101151
    ConnecticutSenate11250036
    DelawareHouse14270041
    DelawareSenate380011
    FloridaHouse843303120
    FloridaSenate1360120
    GeorgiaHouse997902180
    GeorgiaSenate32230156
    HawaiiHouse9420051
    HawaiiSenate1120013
    IdahoHouse6190070
    IdahoSenate2960035
    IllinoisHouse407800118
    IllinoisSenate16230039
    IndianaHouse703000100
    IndianaSenate2130125
    IowaHouse673300100
    IowaSenate14110025
    KansasHouse883700125
    KentuckyHouse802000100
    KentuckySenate1810019
    MaineHouse727432151
    MaineSenate14201035
    MarylandHouse3910200141
    MarylandSenate13340047
    MassachusettsHouse2513212160
    MassachusettsSenate5340140
    MichiganHouse585200110
    MichiganSenate18190138
    MinnesotaHouse676502134
    MinnesotaSenate33340067
    MissouriHouse1065205163
    MissouriSenate1430017
    MontanaHouse584200100
    MontanaSenate1690025
    NebraskaSenate1761024
    NevadaHouse15270042
    NevadaSenate470011
    New HampshireHouse21717715400
    New HampshireSenate1680024
    New MexicoHouse26440070
    New YorkHouse4710102150
    New YorkSenate22390263
    North CarolinaHouse714900120
    North CarolinaSenate30200050
    North DakotaHouse4060046
    North DakotaSenate2130024
    OhioHouse65340099
    OhioSenate1160017
    OklahomaHouse801902101
    OklahomaSenate1860024
    OregonHouse23370060
    OregonSenate4110015
    PennsylvaniaHouse9910004203
    PennsylvaniaSenate12130025
    Rhode IslandHouse10641075
    Rhode IslandSenate4340038
    South CarolinaHouse883600124
    South DakotaHouse6550070
    South DakotaSenate3230035
    TennesseeHouse75240099
    TennesseeSenate1340017
    TexasHouse886200150
    TexasSenate1040216
    UtahHouse61140075
    UtahSenate1041015
    VermontHouse558771150
    VermontSenate13161030
    WashingtonHouse39590098
    WashingtonSenate7170024
    West VirginiaHouse90901100
    West VirginiaSenate3120134
    WisconsinHouse54450099
    WisconsinSenate1250017
    WyomingHouse5660062
    WyomingSenate1420016

    Pre-election analysis[edit]

    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 2025
    • Trifecta status from 2010 to 2025


    See also: Annual State Legislative Competitiveness Report: Vol. 15, 2025

    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 2025. Odd-year elections are shown grouped together first followed by even-year elections.

    Competitiveness in state legislative elections (2010-2024)
    Year Total seats Open seats No major party competition Incs. running Incs. in contested primaries
    # % # % # %
    Even-year elections
    2024 5,807 962 16.6% 2,224 38.3% 4,853 1,039 21.4%
    2022 6,278 1,492 23.8% 2,559 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 6,067 1,194 19.7% 2,046 33.7% 4,876 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%
    Odd-year elections
    2025 180 8 4.4% 22 12.2% 171 38 22.2%
    2023 578 138 23.9% 319 55.2% 443 115 26.0%
    2021 220 17 7.7% 16 7.3% 203 40 19.7%
    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%

    Election coverage by office[edit]

    Click the tiles below to navigate to 2026 election coverage:
    • U.S. Senate
      U.S. Senate
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    • U.S. House
      U.S. House
      Read more
    • Governors
      Governors
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    • Secretary of state
      Secretary of state
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    • Attorney general
      Attorney general
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    • Other state executives
      Other state executives
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    • State legislatures
      State legislatures
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    • State ballot measures
      State ballot measures
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    • 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[edit]

    Footnotes[edit]

    1. ↑ NBC News, "Democrats unveil state legislative map for the next election cycle, with eyes on opposing Trump's agenda and redistricting," February 11, 2025
    2. ↑ Democratic Legislative Campaign Committee, "The DLCC Target Map 2026," accessed December 22, 2025
    3. ↑ RSLC, "MEMO: The New Redistricting Arms Race: How Winning Down-Ballot Elections in 2026 Are Essential for Republicans in 2029," October 31, 2025
    4. ↑ The Washington Post, "Virginia Republicans snatched control of the state Senate, ended budget-Medicaid impasse," June 9, 2014
    5. ↑ 2025, 2015, and 2013 are not included because no chambers changed those years.
    6. ↑ Chamber went from a Democratic majority to a 67-67 tie.
    7. ↑ Chamber went from a Republican majority to a bipartisan governing coalition.
    8. ↑ Democrats won a majority of seats, but did not have a majority when the legislative session began due to vacancies created during the interim.
    9. ↑ Chamber went from being controlled by a Democratic-led bipartisan coalition to being led by a coalition with power split between the parties.
    10. ↑ In this election, the Oregon House changed from a 30-30 tie to a 34-26 Democratic advantage.
    11. ↑ 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.
    12. ↑ 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.
    13. ↑ 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.
    14. ↑ 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.
    15. ↑ This chamber went from a 50-50 tie to a 68-32 Republican advantage in the 2010 elections.
    16. ↑ This chamber went from a 36-24 Democratic advantage to a 30-30 tie in the 2010 elections.
    Licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0 | Original source: https://ballotpedia.org/State_legislative_elections,_2026
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