State legislative special elections, 2016

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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 2016, there were 65 state legislative seats filled through special elections. A special election runoff for a 2016 special election was held in 2017.


See also: State legislative elections, 2016

Breakdown of 2016 special elections

Across the country in 2016, special elections for state legislative positions were held for a variety of reasons:

  • 23 were due to appointment, election, or the seeking of election to another position
  • 11 were due to a retirement
  • 11 were due to the incumbent accepting another job
  • 12 were due to a death
  • 4 were due to a conviction
  • 3 were due to filling a remaining term
  • 1 was due to an expulsion

The partisan breakdown for vacancies were as follows:

Partisan Change from Special Elections
Party As of Vacancy After Special Election
     Democratic Party 37 39
     Republican Party 28 24
     Independent 0 2
Total 65 65

Note: The table above reflected information for elections that were held—not total vacant seats.

Special elections by date

2016 state legislative special elections
Office Former incumbent Filing deadline Primary election date General election date
Rhode Island State Senate District 11 Christopher Ottiano (R) October 23, 2015 December 1, 2015 January 5, 2016
Oklahoma State Senate District 34 Rick Brinkley (R) September 2, 2015 November 10, 2015 January 12, 2016
Georgia House of Representatives District 58 Simone Bell (D) N/A N/A January 19, 2016
Connecticut House of Representatives District 121 Terry Backer (D) December 28, 2015 N/A February 2, 2016
Minnesota State Senate District 35 Branden Petersen (R) December 14, 2015 January 12, 2016 February 9, 2016
Minnesota House of Representatives District 50B Ann Lenczewski (D) December 14, 2015 N/A February 9, 2016
Alabama House of Representatives District 5 Dan Williams (R) July 27, 2015 (major party)
September 29, 2015 (minor party) 		September 29, 2015 February 16, 2016
Massachusetts House of Representatives Twelfth Essex District Leah Cole (R) December 29, 2015 February 2, 2016 March 1, 2016
Massachusetts House of Representatives Ninth Plymouth District Michael Brady (D) December 29, 2015 February 2, 2016 March 1, 2016
Massachusetts House of Representatives Third Worcester District Stephen DiNatale (D) December 29, 2015 February 2, 2016 March 1, 2016
Michigan House of Representatives District 75 Brandon Dillon (D) August 21, 2015
December 9, 2015 (independent) 		November 3, 2015 March 8, 2016
Michigan House of Representatives District 80 Cindy Gamrat (R) September 18, 2015 November 3, 2015 March 8, 2016
Michigan House of Representatives District 82 Todd Courser (R) September 18, 2015 November 3, 2015 March 8, 2016
Kentucky House of Representatives District 8 John Tilley (D) January 19, 2016 N/A March 8, 2016
Kentucky House of Representatives District 54 Mike Harmon (R) January 19, 2016 N/A March 8, 2016
Kentucky House of Representatives District 62 Ryan Quarles (R) January 19, 2016 N/A March 8, 2016
Kentucky House of Representatives District 98 Tanya Pullin (D) January 19, 2016 N/A March 8, 2016
Mississippi State Senate District 25 Will Longwitz (R) February 8, 2016 N/A March 8, 2016
New Hampshire House of Representatives District Rockingham 21 David Wood (R) N/A N/A March 8, 2016
Pennsylvania House of Representatives District 57 Tim Krieger (R) N/A N/A March 15, 2016
Pennsylvania House of Representatives District 192 Louise Williams Bishop (D) N/A N/A March 15, 2016
Pennsylvania House of Representatives District 200 Cherelle Parker (D) N/A N/A March 15, 2016
Maine State Senate District 32 David Dutremble (D) February 16, 2016 N/A March 29, 2016
Georgia House of Representatives District 162 Bob Bryant (D) March 4, 2016 N/A March 29, 2016
California State Assembly District 31 Henry T. Perea (D) February 11, 2016 April 5, 2016 N/A
Alabama House of Representatives District 80 Lesley Vance (R) November 17, 2015 (major party)
January 19, 2016 (minor party) 		January 19, 2016 April 12, 2016
New York State Assembly District 59 Roxanne Persaud (D) N/A N/A April 19, 2016
New York State Assembly District 62 Joseph Borelli (R) N/A N/A April 19, 2016
New York State Assembly District 65 Sheldon Silver (D) N/A N/A April 19, 2016
New York State Senate District 9 Dean Skelos (R) N/A N/A April 19, 2016
Pennsylvania State Senate District 9 Dominic Pileggi (R) N/A N/A April 26, 2016
Connecticut House of Representatives District 75 Victor Cuevas (D) N/A N/A April 26, 2016
Texas House of Representatives District 120 Ruth Jones McClendon (D) March 7, 2016 N/A May 7, 2016
Texas House of Representatives District 139 Sylvester Turner (D) March 7, 2016 N/A May 7, 2016
Massachusetts State Senate Plymouth & Norfolk District Robert Hedlund (R) March 8, 2016 April 12, 2016 May 10, 2016
Massachusetts State Senate First Suffolk & Middlesex District Anthony Petruccelli (D) March 8, 2016 April 12, 2016 May 10, 2016
Massachusetts House of Representatives Tenth Essex District Robert Fennell (D) March 8, 2016 April 12, 2016 May 10, 2016
Louisiana House of Representatives District 29 Ronnie Edwards (D) March 9, 2016 April 9, 2016 N/A
South Carolina State Senate District 4 William O'Dell (R) February 1, 2016 March 22, 2016 May 17, 2016
Mississippi House of Representatives District 29 Linda Coleman (D) May 9, 2016 N/A June 7, 2016
Pennsylvania House of Representatives District 168 Thomas Killion (R) N/A N/A July 12, 2016
Louisiana House of Representatives District 85 Bryan Adams (R) July 1, 2016 August 6, 2016 N/A
Mississippi House of Representatives District 72 Kimberly Campbell Buck (D) July 25, 2016 N/A August 23, 2016
South Carolina House of Representatives District 100 Edward Southard (R) May 23, 2016 N/A August 30, 2016
Arkansas House of Representatives District 9 Sheilla Lampkin (D) August 8, 2016 N/A November 8, 2016
Arkansas House of Representatives District 99 Kelley Linck (R) N/A N/A November 8, 2016
Connecticut House of Representatives District 90 Mary Fritz (D) N/A N/A November 8, 2016
Louisiana House of Representatives District 80 Joseph Lopinto (R) July 22, 2016 November 8, 2016 N/A
Michigan House of Representatives District 11 Julie Plawecki (D) July 12, 2016 August 30, 2016 November 8, 2016
Michigan House of Representatives District 28 Derek Miller (D) July 21, 2016 August 2, 2016 November 8, 2016
Michigan State Senate District 4 Virgil Smith (D) May 10, 2016 August 2, 2016 November 8, 2016
Mississippi House of Representatives District 89 Bobby Shows (R) October 10, 2016 N/A November 8, 2016
Mississippi House of Representatives District 106 Herb Frierson (R) October 10, 2016 N/A November 8, 2016
Missouri State Senate District 4 Joseph Keaveny (D) September 7, 2016 N/A November 8, 2016
New Jersey General Assembly District 18 Patrick Diegnan, Jr. (D) N/A N/A November 8, 2016
New Jersey General Assembly District 29 L. Grace Spencer (D) N/A N/A November 8, 2016
New Jersey State Senate District 18 Peter Barnes, III (D) N/A N/A November 8, 2016
North Dakota House of Representatives District 15 Curt Hofstad (R) N/A N/A November 8, 2016
Virginia State Senate District 1 John Miller (D) June 21, 2016 N/A November 8, 2016
Virginia State Senate District 5 Kenny Alexander (D) N/A N/A November 8, 2016
Virginia House of Delegates District 77 Lionell Spruill (D) N/A N/A November 8, 2016
Virginia House of Delegates District 93 T. Monty Mason (D) N/A N/A November 8, 2016
Alabama House of Representatives District 79 Mike Hubbard (R) July 14, 2016 (major party)
September 13, 2016 (minor party) 		September 13, 2016 November 29, 2016
Georgia State Senate District 54 Charlie Bethel (R) November 17, 2016 N/A December 13, 2016
Iowa State Senate District 45 Joe Seng (D) N/A N/A December 27, 2016

Historical data

State breakdown by year

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.

See also

Footnotes

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