State legislative special elections, 2010

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2011
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2010 State Legislative Elections

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Other 2010 Election information
Primary electionsStatewide elections, 2010State Senate electionsState House elections


Across the nation, special elections are frequently conducted to fill vacancies in state legislatures. Twenty-seven states use special elections to fill legislative vacancies. In two states, Illinois and Indiana, special elections are used in limited circumstances. In 2010, 30 state legislative seats were filled through special elections in 10 states.

Breakdown of 2010 special elections[edit]

The reasons for special elections were as follows:

  • 3 due to death
  • 2 due to conflict of interest controversy
  • 2 due to criminal prosecution
  • 2 due to personal reasons
  • 1 due to sexual scandal
  • 7 due to appointment to another office/position
  • 9 due to election to or candidacy for another office
  • 4 due to taking a non-government job

The partisan breakdown for vacancies was as follows:

One Democratic seat and one Republican seat were filled through the cancellation of special elections due to unopposed candidates.

No seat switched party control in the 2010 special elections.

Results[edit]

The following candidates won a special election in 2010:

  1. Adam Ravenstahl (D) Pennsylvania House of Representatives, District 20
  2. Alan Seabaugh (R) Louisiana House of Representatives, District 5
  3. Brian Birdwell (R) Texas State Senate, District 22
  4. Butch Miller (R) Georgia State Senate, District 49
  5. Chris Norby (R) California State Assembly District 72
  6. Cynthia Willard-Lewis (D) Louisiana State Senate District 2
  7. Dalton Honore (D) Louisiana House of Representatives District 63
  8. Eric Johnson (Texas) (D) Texas House of Representatives, District 100
  9. Hardie Davis (D) Georgia State Senate District 22
  10. Helena Moreno (D) Louisiana House of Representatives District 93
  11. James Brewster (D) Pennsylvania State Senate District 45
  12. Jason Carter (D) Georgia State Senate District 42
  13. John Frullo (R) Texas House of Representatives, District 84
  14. John Kuempel (R) Texas House of Representatives, District 44
  15. Karen Peterson (Louisiana) (D) Louisiana State Senate, District 5
  16. Marcos Devers (D) Massachusetts House of Representatives, Sixteenth Essex District
  17. Marcia Hahn (R) Pennsylvania House of Representatives, District 138
  18. Marcy Toepel (R) Pennsylvania House of Representatives, District 147
  19. Mark White (R) Tennessee House of Representatives District 83
  20. Matt Gaetz (R) U.S. House, Florida, District 1
  21. Mike Gatto (D) California State Assembly District 43
  22. Phyllis Henderson (R) South Carolina House of Representatives, District 21
  23. Richard Ross (Massachusetts) (R) Massachusetts State Senate, Norfolk, Bristol, and Middlesex District
  24. Rick Jasperse (R) Georgia House of Representatives, District 11
  25. Roxann Robinson (R) Virginia House of Delegates District 27
  26. Sal DiDomenico (D) Massachusetts State Senate, Middlesex and Suffolk District
  27. Sam Blakeslee (R) California State Senate District 15
  28. Tony Wilt (R) Virginia House of Delegates District 26
  29. Van Taylor (R) Texas State Senate, District 8
  30. William Emmerson (R) California State Senate District 23

January 5, 2010[edit]

Georgia[edit]

Georgia State Senate District 22

Candidates:[1]

Democratic Party Hardie Davis: 4,456 Approveda
Democratic Party Harold Jones II: 3,681 Approveda
Libertarian Party Taylor Bryant: 842
Democratic Party Sandra Scott: 223

The seat was vacant after incumbent Ed Tarver (D) resigned after being appointed as a U.S. Attorney.[2]

Davis and Jones competed in a runoff election on February 2, 2010.

Runoff election results:[3]

Democratic Party Hardie Davis: 5,802 Green check mark transparent.png
Democratic Party Harold Jones II: 4,656

January 12, 2010[edit]

California[edit]

California State Assembly District 72

See also: January 12, 2010 elections in California

Candidates:[4]

Democratic Party John MacMurray: 10,622
Republican Party Chris Norby: 21,406 Green check mark transparent.png
Green Party Jane Rands: 2,100

The seat was vacant after incumbent Michael Duvall (R) resigned following a microphone gaffe in which his descriptions of extramarital affairs to a colleague went public.[5] Orange County Supervisor Chris Norby won in the January 12 runoff.[6]

Tennessee[edit]

Tennessee House of Representatives District 83

Candidates:[7]

Democratic Party Guthrie Castle: 1,452
Republican Party Mark White: 3,236 Green check mark transparent.png
Grey.png John Andreuccetti: 110

The seat was vacant after incumbent Brian Kelsey (R) resigned to run for Tennessee State Senate District 31 in a race scheduled for December 1, 2009. Mark White won in the January 12 general election.[8]

February 6, 2010[edit]

Louisiana[edit]

Louisiana State Senate District 5

Candidates:[9]

Democratic Party Karen Carter Peterson: 13,509 Green check mark transparent.png
Democratic Party Irma Muse Dixon: 3,734

The seat was vacant after incumbent Cheryl Gray (D) resigned in order to relocate to Connecticut.[10]

April 13, 2010[edit]

California[edit]

California State Assembly District 43

Candidates:[11]

Democratic Party Mike Gatto: 11,954 Approveda
Democratic Party Chahe Keuroghelian: 5,462
Democratic Party Nayiri Nahabedian: 8,358
Republican Party Sunder Ramani: 11,634 Approveda

Incumbent Paul Krekorian (D) resigned after being elected to the Los Angeles City Council.

Gatto and Ramani competed in a runoff election on June 8.

Runoff election results:[12]

Democratic Party Mike Gatto: 23,733 Green check mark transparent.png
Republican Party Sunder Ramani: 16,778

California State Senate District 37

Candidates:[13]

Republican Party Bill Emmerson: 39,875 Approveda
Republican Party Russ Bogh: 20,957
Republican Party David W. Peters: 2,267
Democratic Party Justin Blake: 13,289 Approveda
Democratic Party Arthur Bravo Guerrero: 6,826
Democratic Party Anna Nevenic: 8,076
American Independent Matt Monica (American Independent Party): 4,195 Approveda

Incumbent John J. Benoit (R) resigned after being appointed to the Riverside County Board of Supervisors.

Emmerson, Blake and Monica faced off in a runoff election on June 8.[14]

Runoff election results:[15]

Republican Party Bill Emmerson: 81,655 Green check mark transparent.png
Democratic Party Justin Blake: 41,243
American Independent Matt Monica: 13,965

Florida[edit]

Florida House of Representatives District 4

The primary election was held on March 23.

Candidates:[16]

Republican Party Craig Barker: 5,678
Republican Party Matt Gaetz: 6,313 Approveda
Republican Party Bill Garvie: 607
Republican Party Jerry Melvin: 728
Republican Party Kabe Woods: 1,529
Democratic Party Jan Fernald Approveda

Gaetz and Fernald faced off in the special election on April 13, 2010.

Runoff election results:[17]

Republican Party Matt Gaetz: 10,131 Green check mark transparent.png
Democratic Party Jan Fernald: 5,218

Incumbent Ray Sansom (R), who had been serving as House speaker, resigned prior to a House trial after he was charged with directing tax money towards the construction of a donor's jet hangar.[18]

May 1, 2010[edit]

Louisiana[edit]

Louisiana House of Representatives District 63

Candidates:[19]

Democratic Party Ulysses Addison: 1,293 Approveda
Democratic Party Dalton Honore: 1,706 Approveda
Democratic Party Mark Milligan: 1,073
Democratic Party James Slaughter: 141
Independent Dadrius Lanus: 144

Incumbent Avon Honey (D) died on February 12, 2010.[20]

Honore and Addison faced off in a runoff election on May 29, 2010.[21]

Democratic Party Ulysses Addison: 816
Democratic Party Dalton Honore: 1,631 Green check mark transparent.png

Louisiana House of Representatives District 93

Candidates:[22]

Democratic Party Louis Charbonnet: 498
Democratic Party Rhodesia Jackson Douglas: 41
Democratic Party Thomas Robichaux: 269
Democratic Party Helena Moreno: 643 Approveda
Democratic Party Carlos Hornbrook: 28
Democratic Party James Perry: 890 Approveda

Incumbent Karen Peterson (D) resigned after being elected to Louisiana State Senate District 5.

Moreno and Perry faced off in a runoff election on May 29, 2010.[23]

Democratic Party Helena Moreno: 1,274 Green check mark transparent.png
Democratic Party James Perry: 1,011

May 8, 2010[edit]

Texas[edit]

Candidates:[24]

Republican Party David Sibley: 13,423
Republican Party Brian Birdwell: 10,900
Democratic Party Gayle Avant: 3,968
Republican Party Darren Yancy: 1,560

Incumbent Kip Averitt (R) resigned on March 17, 2010, due to health concerns.[25]

Sibley and Birdwell faced off in a runoff election on June 22.[26]

June 22, 2010 runoff[27]
Republican Party Brian Birdwell: 14,218 Green check mark transparent.png
Republican Party David Sibley: 10,339

CANCELLED[28]

Incumbent Brian McCall (R) resigned to become the chancellor of the Texas State University system.[29] The special election was canceled when Mabrie Jackson withdrew her name before the election, and Taylor won the seat by default. However, the ballot was already printed, and Jackson received more votes in the election.[30]

CANCELLED

Incumbent Terri Hodge (D) resigned her position as part of a plea deal to admit guilt to fraud and falsifying her income tax return.[31]

The special election was cancelled when Eric Johnson (D) was the only candidate to file for the seat.[32]

May 11, 2010[edit]

Georgia[edit]

Candidates:[33]

Democratic Party Jerry Nally: 244
Republican Party Rick Jasperse: 3,358 Green check mark transparent.png
Republican Party Truett Moss: 1,118

Incumbent Tom Graves (R) resigned in order to mount a successful run for Georgia's 14th Congressional District.

Candidates:[33]

Democratic Party Jason Carter: 5,574 Green check mark transparent.png
Democratic Party Tom Stubbs: 1,953
Libertarian Party David Montane: 635
Independent Steve Patrick: 329

Incumbent David Adelman (D) resigned after being appointed as the U.S. ambassador to Singapore.[34]

Candidates:[33]

Republican Party Butch Miller: 10,771 Green check mark transparent.png
Republican Party Jimmy Norman: 1,983
Libertarian Party Brandon Givens: 1,130

Incumbent Lee Hawkins (R) resigned in order to mount an unsuccessful run for Georgia's 14th Congressional District.[35][36]

Massachusetts[edit]

Candidates:[37]

Republican Party Richard Ross: 15,902 Green check mark transparent.png
Democratic Party Peter Smulowitz: 9,823

Incumbent Scott Brown (R) resigned in order to mount a successful run for the U.S. Senate.

Candidates:[38]

Democratic Party Sal DiDomenico: 3,803 Green check mark transparent.png
Independent John Cesan: 515
Independent Timothy Flaherty (write-in): 20
Independent E. Denise Simmons (write-in): 6

Incumbent Anthony Galluccio (D) resigned after being sentenced to time in prison for violating his probation.[39]

May 18, 2010[edit]

Pennsylvania[edit]

Democratic Party Adam Ravenstahl Green check mark transparent.png
Democratic Party Dan Keller
Democratic Party Tim Tuinstra
Democratic Party Mark A. Purcell

Incumbent Don Walko (D) resigned to take a position on a common pleas court.[40]

Republican Party Marcia Hahn Green check mark transparent.png
Democratic Party Cory Miller

Incumbent Craig Dally (R) resigned his seat to be sworn in as a Northhampton county judge. Marcia Hahn defeated Cory Miller in a special election on May 18, 2010.[41]

Republican Party Marcy Toepel Green check mark transparent.png
Democratic Party Bob Dodge

Incumbent Bob Mensch (R) resigned after winning election to Pennsylvania State Senate District 24.

June 15, 2010[edit]

Massachusetts[edit]

Candidates:[42]

Democratic Party Marcos Devers: 1,374 Green check mark transparent.png
Independent Rafael Gadea: 171

Incumbent William Lantigua (D), who briefly served simultaneously as the mayor of Lawrence, resigned after a controversy in which he sponsored a bill that would have given the city a $35 million bailout.[43][44]

Virginia[edit]

Candidates:[45]

Republican Party Tony Wilt: 6,239 Green check mark transparent.png
Democratic Party Kai Degner: 2,840
Independent Carolyn Frank: 392

Incumbent Matt Lohr (R) resigned after being appointed as the Virginia commissioner of agriculture.

Candidates:[46]

Republican Party Roxann Robinson: 3,429 Green check mark transparent.png
Democratic Party Kai Degner: 1,295

Incumbent Sam Nixon (R) resigned in order to become the state's Chief Information Officer.[47]

June 22, 2010[edit]

California[edit]

Candidates:[48]

Republican Party Sam Blakeslee: 72,248
Democratic Party John Laird: 61,150
Libertarian Party Mark Hinkle: 4,241
Independent Jim Fitzgerald: 8,620

Incumbent Abel Maldonado (R) resigned after being appointed lieutenant governor of California.

Since none of the candidates received 50 percent of the vote, all four faced off in a runoff election held August 17.[49]

August 17, 2010 runoff results:[50]
Republican Party Sam Blakeslee: 86,873 Green check mark transparent.png
Democratic Party John Laird: 79,835
Independent Jim Fitzgerald: 8,937
Libertarian Party Mike Hinkle: 3,592

October 2, 2010[edit]

Louisiana[edit]

Candidates:[51]

Democratic Party Mike Darnell: 1,888
Democratic Party Ira Thomas: 1,137
Democratic Party Edward Washington III: 236
Democratic Party Cynthia Willard-Lewis: 5,613 Green check mark transparent.png

The seat became vacant when incumbent Ann Duplessis resigned to take a position in the administration of New Orleans Mayor Mitch Landrieu (D).[52]

Candidates:[53]

Republican Party Alan Seabaugh: 5,085 Green check mark transparent.png
Republican Party Harold Turner: 3,778

The seat became vacant when incumbent Wayne Waddell (R) resigned to become director of the Louisiana State Exhibit Museum.[54]

November 2, 2010[edit]

Pennsylvania[edit]

Candidates:[55]

Democratic Party James Brewster: 35,943 Green check mark transparent.png
Republican Party Paul Olijar: 26,569
Libertarian Party Leonard N. Young: 3,104

The seat became vacant when incumbent Sean Logan (D) resigned in July of 2010 to serve as Vice President of the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center.[56]

Texas[edit]

Candidates:[57]

Democratic Party Carol Morgan: 7,095
Republican Party John Frullo: 15,162 Green check mark transparent.png

The seat became vacant when incumbent Carl Isett (R) resigned on May 31, 2010. He has previously announced he would not seek re-election in 2010. The special election was held on the same day as the regular election; it appeared twice on the ballot.[58]

December 14, 2010[edit]

South Carolina[edit]

A special election was held to replace William Wylie (R), who died of a heart attack in September 2010.[59]

Candidates:[60]

Democratic Party Susan Scarborough Smith: 639
Republican Party Phyllis Henderson: 1,990 Green check mark transparent.png

Texas[edit]

A special election was held to replace Edmund Kuempel (R), who died of a heart attack two days before the general election.[61]

Candidates:[62]

Democratic Party Daniel Rodriguez Andrade: 119
Democratic Party Cheryl Dees Patterson: 690
Republican Party Ron Avery: 79
Republican Party Chris Burchell: 73
Republican Party Gary Inmon: 1,123
Republican Party John Kuempel: 7,245 Green check mark transparent.png
Republican Party Myrna McLeroy: 1,022
Republican Party Robin R. Walker: 544
Libertarian Party Tony Gergely: 62
Republican Party Jim Fish: 73 - withdrew November 29[63]

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 2023, Georgia held the most state legislative special elections with 79. Pennsylvania held the second-most special elections with 65.

Seats that changed partisan control by year[edit]

See also: State legislative special election changes in party control since 2010

Current as of January 10, 2024 (updated annually)
Since 2010, 116 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:

Flipped seats in state legislative special elections
Year Total special elections Total flips Democratic flips Republican flips Other flips
2023 53 4 2 2 0
2022 54 2 1 1 0
2021 66 6 3 3 0
2020 59 8 7 1 0
2019 77 8 2 5 1
2018 99 16 12 4 0
2017 98 17 14 3 0
2016 65 9 5 2 2
2015 89 16 5 9 2
2014 40 5 1 4 0
2013 84 7 1 6 0
2012 46 7 5 2 0
2011 95 11 4 6 1
2010 30 0 0 0 0
Total 955 116 62 48 6


See also[edit]

External links[edit]

Footnotes[edit]

  1. Georgia Secretary of State, "Official Results of the Tuesday, January 05, 2010 Special Election," January 26, 2010
  2. Morris News Service, "Edward Tarver promises to do 'absolutely the best job,'" December 17, 2009
  3. Georgia Secretary of State, "Official Results of the Tuesday, February 02, 2010 Special Election Runoff," July 12, 2010
  4. California Secretary of State, "Official Canvass," January 12, 2010
  5. Talking Points Memo, "GOP Lawmaker's Graphic Sex-Bragging Caught On Tape," September 9, 2009
  6. Los Angeles Times, "Chris Norby outlines goals as Orange County's new state assemblyman," January 14, 2010
  7. [http://sharetngov.tnsosfiles.com.s3.amazonaws.com/sos/election/results/2010-01/TNHouse83General.pdf "Tennessee Department of State, "Tennessee House District 83 Special Election General - January 12, 2010
  8. Memphis Flyer, "Republican Mark White Easily Wins Special Election Race for State House District 83," January 13, 2010
  9. Louisiana Secretary of State, "Official Results," accessed November 29, 2015
  10. The Times-Picayune, "Cheryl Gray Evans resigns from state Senate; Karen Carter Peterson to run," December 16, 2009
  11. California Secretary of State, "Official Canvass," accessed November 14, 2015
  12. California Secretary of State, "Official Canvass," accessed November 14, 2015
  13. California Secretary of State, "Official Canvass," accessed November 14, 2015
  14. Los Angeles Times, "Runoffs to be held June 8 for 2 California legislative seats," April 14, 2010
  15. California Secretary of State, "Official Canvass," accessed November 14, 2015
  16. Florida Department of State, "Official Results," accessed November 14, 2015
  17. Florida Department of State, "Official Results," accessed November 14, 2015
  18. Palm Beach Post, "Florida House Speaker Ray Sansom resigns," February 22, 2010
  19. Louisiana Secretary of State, "Official Results," accessed November 14, 2015
  20. Times-Picayune, "State Representative Avon Honey dead at 62," February 12, 2010
  21. Louisiana Secretary of State, "Official Results," accessed November 29, 2015
  22. Louisiana Secretary of State, "Official Results," accessed November 14, 2015
  23. Louisiana Secretary of State, "Official Results," accessed November 29, 2015
  24. Texas Secretary of State, "2010 May Special Election," accessed November 21, 2015
  25. The Statesman, "Averitt to leave state Senate," March 8, 2010
  26. KXXV, "Runoff election necessary in District 22 State Senate seat," May 8, 2010
  27. Texas Secretary of State, "Special Runoff Election State Senate District 22," accessed November 21, 2015
  28. Texas Tribune, "HD-66 Special Election Set," April 5, 2010
  29. News 8 Austin, "On the Agenda: Brian McCall resigns from Texas House," April 5, 2010
  30. CBS 11, "Taylor Gets Fewer Votes, Wins Election Anyway," May 10, 2010
  31. Star-Telegram, "Dallas state legislator pleads guilty, agrees to resign seat," February 3, 2010
  32. Dallas Voice, "How to lose an election and still win it," May 11, 2010
  33. 33.0 33.1 33.2 Georgia Secretary of State, "Official Results of the Tuesday, May 11, 2010 Special Election," May 18, 2010
  34. Atlanta Journal-Constitution, "Ambassador Adelman officially resigns, Senate Dems to elect new Whip," March 22, 2010
  35. Access North GA, "Hawkins resigns from state senate to run for Congress," March 23, 2010
  36. The Boston Globe, "Ga. Rep. Graves wins GOP nod in bid for full term," August 10, 2010
  37. Massachusetts Secretary of the Commonwealth, "Search Elections," accessed November 21, 2015
  38. Massachusetts Secretary of the Commonwealth, "Search Elections," accessed November 21, 2015
  39. My FOX Boston, "Senator Anthony Galluccio resigns," January 6, 2010
  40. PA House Democratic Caucus, "Walko arranging for constituent service during transition," December 9, 2010
  41. Pennsylvania Department of State, "2010 Special Election 138th Legislative District," accessed July 17, 2019
  42. Massachusetts Secretary of the Commonwealth, "Search Election," accessed November 21, 2015
  43. WBZ TV, "Lawrence Mayor Under Fire As Lawmakers Eye Bailout," February 8, 2010
  44. Boston Globe, "Lawrence mayor to step down from state rep seat," February 12, 2010
  45. Virginia State Board of Elections, "2010 June Special - HOD 26 Official Results," accessed November 21, 2015
  46. Virginia State Board of Elections, "2010 June Special - HOD 27 Official Results," accessed November 21, 2015
  47. Government Technology, "Virginia Rep. Samuel A. Nixon Named State CIO, Replacing George Coulter," March 24, 2010
  48. California Secretary of State, "Official Canvass," accessed November 21, 2015
  49. Santa Maria Times, "It's official: 15th District runoff will took place in August," June 25, 2010
  50. California Secretary of State, "Official Canvass," accessed November 21, 2015
  51. Louisiana Secretary of State, "Official Results," accessed November 29, 2015
  52. The Times-Picayune, "Cynthia Willard-Lewis elected to Louisiana Senate, and other New Orleans election results," October 2, 2010
  53. Louisiana Secretary of State, "Official Results," accessed November 29, 2015
  54. Friends of Louisiana State Exhibit Museum
  55. Pennsylvania Department of State, "2010 Special Election 45th Senatorial District," accessed July 17, 2019
  56. Pittsburgh Tribune-Review, "State Sen. Logan quitting position to join UPMC as VP," July 30, 2010
  57. Texas Secretary of State, "Special Election State Representative District 84 - 11/2/2010," accessed July 17, 2019
  58. KCBD, "State Representative Carl Isett resigns early," June 20, 2010
  59. Greenville Online, "Filing for Rep. Bill Wylie's seat begins Sept. 21," September 15, 2010
  60. South Carolina State Election Commission, "State House District 21 Special Election," accessed November 29, 2015
  61. AP Texas News, "Perry calls special election to fill House seat," November 9, 2010
  62. Texas Secretary of State, "Special Election State Representative, District 44," December 14, 2010
  63. Seguin Gazette, "Fish bows out of running for District 44 seat," November 30, 2010

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