Election results, 2024: State legislative seats that changed party control
As a result of the Nov. 5, 2024, elections, the partisan composition of all 7,386 state legislative seats changed by 0.7 percentage points. That is compared to a 0.4% shift following the 2022 elections.
- Democrats had a net loss of 54 seats, representing 0.7% of all state legislative seats.
- Republicans had a net gain of 55 seats, representing 0.7% of all state legislative seats.
- Independents and minor party officeholders had a net loss of one seat, representing 0.01% of all state legislative seats.
In 2022, the partisan composition changed 0.4% toward Republicans, with Democrats losing four seats, Republicans gaining 27 seats, and Independents and minor party officeholders losing 20 seats. Both 2024 and 2022 produced a smaller shift than the 2020 elections, when Republicans gained 141 seats, Democrats lost 133, and Independents and minor party officeholders lost eight.
Of the 44 states that held elections on Nov. 5, Democrats had net gains in 13 states, Republicans had net gains in 20 states, and independent or minor party candidates had net gains in two states.[1] Partisan compositions did not change in nine states. The table below shows the states with the largest gains for each party by percentage of the legislature gained:
Seats gained | % of legislature | |
---|---|---|
Largest Democratic gains | ||
Wisconsin | 14 | 10.6% |
Montana | 12 | 8.0% |
Ohio | 4 | 3.0% |
Connecticut | 5 | 2.7% |
Oregon | 2 | 2.2% |
Largest Republican gains | ||
Vermont | 24 | 13.3% |
Hawaii | 4 | 5.3% |
New Hampshire | 22 | 5.2% |
Maine | 8 | 4.3% |
Arizona | 3 | 3.3% |
Largest independent or minor party gains | ||
Nebraska | 1 | 2.0% |
Kentucky | 1 | 0.7% |
Map
The map below shows the 44 states that held elections on Nov. 5 based on whether Democrats, Republicans, or independent or minor party candidates gained seats in the legislature. Hover over each state for more information, including the number of seats, the percentage of the legislature, and before and after looks at partisan control.
In the U.S. Territories, seven legislative chambers held regularly scheduled elections for 169 seats in 2024. Elections were held for the American Samoa House of Representatives, the Guam Legislature, the Puerto Rico Senate and House of Representatives, the Northern Mariana Islands Senate and House of Representatives, and the U.S. Virgin Islands Legislature.
As of March 16th, 2025, Republicans controlled 55.69% of all state legislative seats nationally, while Democrats held 43.68%. Republicans held a majority in 58 chambers, and Democrats held the majority in 39 chambers. Two chambers (Alaska House and Alaska Senate) were organized under multipartisan, power-sharing coalitions.
Partisan balance of all 7,386 state legislative seats | ||||||||
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Legislative chamber | Vacant | |||||||
State senates | 836 | 1,127 | 3 | 7 | ||||
State houses | 2,390 | 2,986 | 19 | 18 | ||||
Total: | 3,226
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4,113
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Featured analysis
- State legislative seats that changed party control in 2024: As a result of the Nov. 5, 2024, elections, partisan composition of all 7,386 state legislative seats changed by 0.7 percentage points. Democrats had a net loss of 54 seats, representing 0.7% of all state legislative seats. Republicans had a net gain of 55 seats, representing 0.7% of all state legislative seats. Independents and minor party officeholders had a net loss of one seat, representing 0.01% of all state legislative seats.
- Annual State Legislative Competitiveness Report: Vol. 12, 2022: Competitiveness refers to the presence of choice throughout the election cycle. A greater level of competitiveness means voters have the ability to make more decisions. A lower level of competitiveness equals fewer choices. State legislative competitiveness in 2022 reached its highest level compared to all even-year election cycles since 2010. In 2022, the nationwide State Legislative Competitiveness Index is 36.2, beating out 2018 (36.1) and the 2012 post-redistricting cycle (35.2).
Tap the box below to show more analysis articles related to the 2024 state legislative elections.
- Annual Competitiveness Report
- State legislative special elections
- Primary election competitiveness in state and federal government, 2024
- Impact of term limits
- Open seats
- Contested primaries
- Incumbents in contested primaries
- Data on incumbents defeated in 2024
- Major party competition
- Unconstested incumbents
- Trifecta vulnerability in the 2024 elections
- Candidates with the same last names, 2024
- Rematches in 2024 general elections
- Ballotpedia's Top 15 Elections to Watch, 2024
- Trends in the margins of victory for incumbents of three or more terms, 2018-2024
- Election results, 2024: State legislative veto-proof majorities
- Wave election analysis
- Election results, 2024: Incumbent win rates by state
- Election results, 2024: Uncontested races by state
- Incumbents who won primaries by five percentage points or fewer or with a plurality, 2024
- Margin of victory analysis for the 2024 state legislative elections
- Election results, 2024: State legislative races decided by fewer than 100 votes
See also
- Ballotpedia's Election Analysis Hub, 2024
- Election results, 2024: State legislatures
- Incumbents defeated in state legislative elections, 2024
- Annual State Legislative Competitiveness Report: Vol. 14, 2024
Footnotes
- ↑ Alabama, Louisiana, Maryland, Mississippi, New Jersey, and Virginia did not hold regularly-scheduled elections in 2024.
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