Fewer state legislative incumbents are uncontested in the 2025 elections than in any odd year since 2011. Of the 169 incumbents running for re-election, nine are uncontested in November. That means 5.3% of the state legislative incumbents running this year in New Jersey and Virginia are guaranteed re-election.
Ballotpedia uses the number and percentage of incumbents in uncontested general elections to help determine the overall competitiveness of an election cycle. A larger number of uncontested general elections indicates less competitiveness because there are fewer opportunities for voters to elect a non-incumbent to office. A smaller number indicates more of those opportunities.
Three percent of Democratic incumbents are uncontested in 2025, which ties 2021 for the lowest share of uncontested Democratic incumbents since 2011. For Republicans, eight percent are uncontested this year, a record low since 2011.
Three of the nine uncontested incumbents are Democrats, a 25% decrease from 2021. Six are Republicans, a 14% decrease from 2021. The total number of incumbents in uncontested general elections—nine—is two fewer and an 18% decrease from 2021.
The three uncontested Democratic incumbents are from New Jersey, where no Republican incumbents are uncontested this year. The six uncontested Republican incumbents are from Virginia, where no Democratic incumbents are uncontested this year.
State legislative elections will be held in New Jersey and Virginia on Nov. 4, 2025.