Tag: State Legislature
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Fewest open state legislative seats since 2011
There are eight open seats in this year’s state legislative elections, four percent of all 180 seats up for election. That is the lowest by percentage of any odd-year cycle since 2011. An open seat is where no incumbent filed to run, meaning it is guaranteed to be won by a newcomer. Ballotpedia uses the…
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Vermont, Ohio, North Carolina, Oregon enact K-12 cellphone bans
What’s the story? Vermont, Ohio, North Carolina, and Oregon have all enacted statewide bans on cellphone use in K-12 schools since June 27. What’s the background? 25 states have enacted cellphone bans or limits in K-12 schools, and at least 17 states have adopted cellphone bans or limits so far in 2025. Three states require…
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At least one incumbent defeated in New Jersey’s state legislative primaries
New Jersey held state legislative primaries on Tuesday, June 10, the first of two states doing so this year. Virginia will hold state legislative primaries on June 17. At least one Democratic incumbent—Garnet Hall—lost, representing 1.3% of the 76 incumbents running for re-election and 2.9% of the 35 contested incumbents. With 35 incumbents (46%) in…
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Montana passes legislative oversight bills
The Montana legislature passed two bills which would modify the rulemaking process for state administrative agencies. Both were supported by bipartisan majorities. House Bill 126 was passed by a vote of 100-0 in the House on January 29, 2025; the Senate voted 48-0 on April 9, 2025. Gov. Greg Gianforte (R) signed it on May…
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Idaho legislature adjourns, two referred constitutional amendments on the ballot in 2026
The Idaho State Legislature adjourned sine die on April 10, 2025, with the next legislative session scheduled to begin on January 12, 2026. Two constitutional amendments were referred by the legislature during the 2025 session and will appear on the ballot in November 2026: HJR 4 and HJR 6. HJR 4 would provide that “only…
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Two Pennsylvania legislative districts swing toward Democrats, continuing 2025 trend
In two Pennsylvania state legislative special elections on March 25, Democrats continued a trend of winning a larger share of the vote than compared to the 2024 presidential election in several districts. The party has improved in 12 of the 14 contested partisan special elections for state legislature nationwide this year. Democrats won Pennsylvania State…
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Majority control at stake in special election for Minnesota Senate District 60
Doron Clark (D) and Abigail Wolters (R) are running in a special election for District 60 in the Minnesota Senate on Jan. 28, 2025. The district is vacant due to the death of state Sen. Kari Dziedzic (D) on Dec. 27, 2024. Her death left a vacancy that turned Democrats’ 34-33 majority in the Senate…
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55% of state legislators are Republican, 44% Democratic
At the end of November 2024, 55% of all state legislators in the United States are Republican while 44% are Democratic. There are 7,386 state legislative seats in the country. Republicans control 56 chambers, while Democrats hold 41. Two chambers (Alaska House and Alaska Senate) were organized under multipartisan, power-sharing coalitions. Democrats hold 836 state…
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54.85% of state legislators are Republican, 44.22% Democratic
At the end of October 2024, 54.85% of all state legislators in the United States are Republican while 44.22% are Democratic. There are 7,386 state legislative seats in the country. Republicans control 56 chambers, while Democrats hold 41. Two chambers (Alaska House and Alaska Senate) were organized under multipartisan, power-sharing coalitions. Democrats hold 841 state…
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Kansas Senate’s veto-proof majority at stake in 2024 elections under new legislative maps
All forty seats in the Kansas State Senate are up for election on Nov. 5, 2024. Republicans hold a 29-11 majority in the chamber, and members will be elected to four-year terms. This is the first year since redistricting Kansas is holding state Senate elections, since new maps went into effect in August 2022. The…