6,015 state legislative seats were up for election on November 6, 2012.
1,301 (65.97%) of the country's 1,972 state senate seats were up for re-election in November 2012, and 4,714 (87.12%) of the country's 5,411 state house seats were up for re-election. Altogether, 6,015 (81.47%) of the country's 7,383 state legislative seats were up for re-election during the presidential election year.
The 6,015 seats up for election was 110 fewer than the 6,125 that were contested in 2010.
Click the election links in each state section for details on the number of seats up for a vote in 2012.
| Partisan Balance of Chambers with 2012 Elections
|
|
|
Pre-election
|
Post-election
|
| Legislative chamber
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| State senates
|
17
|
24
|
1
|
1
|
18
|
24
|
0
|
1
|
| State houses
|
15
|
27
|
1
|
0
|
19
|
24
|
0
|
0
|
| Totals:
|
32
|
51
|
2
|
1
|
37
|
48
|
0
|
1
|
| Partisan Balance of All 99 Chambers Before and After 2012 Elections
|
|
|
Pre-election
|
Post-election
|
| Legislative chamber
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| State senates
|
19
|
28
|
2
|
1
|
20
|
28
|
1
|
1
|
| State houses
|
17
|
31
|
1
|
0
|
21
|
28
|
0
|
0
|
| Totals:
|
36
|
59
|
3
|
1
|
41
|
56
|
1
|
1
|
Election results by state
Note: Some partisan counts may change after official results are released in each state.
Alaska
- See also: Alaska State Senate elections, 2012 and Alaska House of Representatives elections, 2012
Arizona
- See also: Arizona State Senate elections, 2012 and Arizona House of Representatives elections, 2012
Arkansas
- See also: Arkansas State Senate elections, 2012 and Arkansas House of Representatives elections, 2012
California
- See also: California State Senate elections, 2012 and California State Assembly elections, 2012
Colorado
- See also: Colorado State Senate elections, 2012 and Colorado House of Representatives elections, 2012
Connecticut
- See also: Connecticut State Senate elections, 2012 and Connecticut House of Representatives elections, 2012
Delaware
- See also: Delaware State Senate elections, 2012 and Delaware House of Representatives elections, 2012
Florida
- See also: Florida State Senate elections, 2012 and Florida House of Representatives elections, 2012
Georgia
- See also: Georgia State Senate elections, 2012 and Georgia House of Representatives elections, 2012
|
|
| Georgia House of Representatives
|
| Party
|
As of November 5, 2012
|
After the 2012 Election
|
|
|
Democratic Party
|
63
|
60
|
|
|
Republican Party
|
114
|
119
|
|
|
Independent
|
1
|
1
|
|
|
Vacancy
|
2
|
0
|
| Total
|
180
|
180
|
|
Hawaii
- See also: Hawaii State Senate elections, 2012 and Hawaii House of Representatives elections, 2012
Idaho
- See also: Idaho State Senate elections, 2012 and Idaho House of Representatives elections, 2012
Illinois
- See also: Illinois State Senate elections, 2012 and Illinois House of Representatives elections, 2012
Indiana
- See also: Indiana State Senate elections, 2012 and Indiana House of Representatives elections, 2012
Iowa
- See also: Iowa State Senate elections, 2012 and Iowa House of Representatives elections, 2012
Kansas
- See also: Kansas House of Representatives elections, 2012
Kentucky
- See also: Kentucky State Senate elections, 2012 and Kentucky House of Representatives elections, 2012
| Kentucky State Senate
|
| Party
|
As of November 5, 2012
|
After the 2012 Election
|
|
|
Democratic Party
|
14
|
14
|
|
|
Republican Party
|
21
|
22
|
|
|
Independent
|
1
|
1
|
|
|
Vacancy
|
2
|
1
|
| Total
|
38
|
38
|
|
|
Maine
- See also: Maine State Senate elections, 2012 and Maine House of Representatives elections, 2012
|
|
| Maine House of Representatives
|
| Party
|
As of November 5, 2012
|
After the 2012 Election
|
|
|
Democratic Party
|
71
|
86
|
|
|
Republican Party
|
77
|
61
|
|
|
Independent
|
1
|
4
|
|
|
Non-voting
|
2
|
2
|
|
|
Vacancy
|
2
|
0
|
| Total
|
153
|
153
|
|
Massachusetts
- See also: Massachusetts State Senate elections, 2012 and Massachusetts House of Representatives elections, 2012
Michigan
- See also: Michigan House of Representatives elections, 2012
Minnesota
- See also: Minnesota State Senate elections, 2012 and Minnesota House of Representatives elections, 2012
Missouri
- See also: Missouri State Senate elections, 2012 and Missouri House of Representatives elections, 2012
|
|
| Missouri House of Representatives
|
| Party
|
As of November 5, 2012
|
After the 2012 Election
|
|
|
Democratic Party
|
54
|
53
|
|
|
Republican Party
|
105
|
110
|
|
|
Vacancy
|
4
|
0
|
| Total
|
163
|
163
|
|
Montana
- See also: Montana State Senate elections, 2012 and Montana House of Representatives elections, 2012
Nebraska
- See also: Nebraska State Senate elections, 2012
Nevada
- See also: Nevada State Senate elections, 2012 and Nevada State Assembly elections, 2012
New Hampshire
- See also: New Hampshire State Senate elections, 2012 and New Hampshire House of Representatives elections, 2012
|
|
| New Hampshire House of Representatives
|
| Party
|
As of November 5, 2012
|
After the 2012 Election
|
|
|
Democratic Party
|
103
|
221
|
|
|
Republican Party
|
288
|
179
|
|
|
Independent
|
2
|
0
|
|
|
Vacancy
|
7
|
0
|
| Total
|
400
|
400
|
|
New Mexico
- New Mexico House of Representatives elections, 2012
|
|
| New Mexico House of Representatives
|
| Party
|
As of November 5, 2012
|
After the 2012 Election
|
|
|
Democratic Party
|
36
|
38
|
|
|
Republican Party
|
33
|
32
|
|
|
Independent
|
1
|
0
|
| Total
|
70
|
70
|
|
New York
- See also: New York State Senate elections, 2012 and New York State Assembly elections, 2012
North Carolina
- See also: North Carolina State Senate elections, 2012 and North Carolina House of Representatives elections, 2012
|
|
| North Carolina House of Representatives
|
| Party
|
As of November 5, 2012
|
After the 2012 Election
|
|
|
Democratic Party
|
52
|
43
|
|
|
Republican Party
|
67
|
77
|
|
|
Vacancy
|
1
|
0
|
| Total
|
120
|
120
|
|
North Dakota
- See also: North Dakota State Senate elections, 2012 and North Dakota House of Representatives elections, 2012
Ohio
- See also: Ohio State Senate elections, 2012 and Ohio House of Representatives elections, 2012
Oklahoma
- See also: Oklahoma State Senate elections, 2012 and Oklahoma House of Representatives elections, 2012
Oregon
- See also: Oregon State Senate elections, 2012 and Oregon House of Representatives elections, 2012
Pennsylvania
- See also: Pennsylvania State Senate elections, 2012 and Pennsylvania House of Representatives elections, 2012
|
|
| Pennsylvania House of Representatives
|
| Party
|
As of November 5, 2012
|
After the 2012 Election
|
|
|
Democratic Party
|
91
|
93
|
|
|
Republican Party
|
110
|
110
|
|
|
Vacancy
|
2
|
0
|
| Total
|
203
|
203
|
|
Rhode Island
- See also: Rhode Island State Senate elections, 2012 and Rhode Island House of Representatives elections, 2012
South Carolina
- See also: South Carolina House of Representatives elections, 2012
South Dakota
- See also: South Dakota State Senate elections, 2012 and South Dakota House of Representatives elections, 2012
|
|
| South Dakota House of Representatives
|
| Party
|
As of November 5, 2012
|
After the 2012 Election
|
|
|
Democratic Party
|
19
|
17
|
|
|
Republican Party
|
50
|
53
|
|
|
Vacancy
|
1
|
0
|
| Total
|
70
|
70
|
|
Tennessee
- See also: Tennessee State Senate elections, 2012 and Tennessee House of Representatives elections, 2012
|
|
| Tennessee House of Representatives
|
| Party
|
As of November 5, 2012
|
After the 2012 Election
|
|
|
Democratic Party
|
34
|
27
|
|
|
Republican Party
|
64
|
71
|
|
|
Independent
|
0
|
1
|
|
|
Vacancy
|
1
|
0
|
| Total
|
99
|
99
|
|
Texas
- See also: Texas State Senate elections, 2012 and Texas House of Representatives elections, 2012
Utah
- See also: Utah State Senate elections, 2012 and Utah House of Representatives elections, 2012
Vermont
- See also: Vermont State Senate elections, 2012 and Vermont House of Representatives elections, 2012
Washington
- See also: Washington State Senate elections, 2012 and Washington House of Representatives elections, 2012
West Virginia
- See also: West Virginia State Senate elections, 2012 and West Virginia House of Delegates elections, 2012
Wisconsin
- See also: Wisconsin State Senate elections, 2012 and Wisconsin State Assembly elections, 2012
|
|
| Wisconsin State Assembly
|
| Party
|
As of November 5, 2012
|
After the 2012 Election
|
|
|
Democratic Party
|
39
|
39
|
|
|
Republican Party
|
58
|
60
|
|
|
Independent
|
1
|
0
|
|
|
Vacancy
|
1
|
0
|
| Total
|
99
|
99
|
|
Wyoming
- See also: Wyoming State Senate elections, 2012 and Wyoming House of Representatives elections, 2012
Before and After Maps
| State Senate Chamber Control
|
State Senate map of partisan control prior to the 2012 legislative elections
State Senate map of partisan control after the 2012 legislative elections
|
| State House Chamber Control
|
State House map of partisan control prior to the 2012 legislative elections
State House map of partisan control after the 2012 legislative elections
|
Election analysis
Incumbents who were defeated in the general election
In the 44 states with elections, there were 4,534 incumbents who ran in the general election. The following is a breakdown of incumbents defeated in the 2012 general election:
| Incumbents defeated in 2012 legislative general election
|
| Party
|
Senate
|
House
|
Total
|
| Democratic
|
21
|
49
|
70
|
| Republican
|
37
|
182
|
219
|
| Third Party
|
2
|
3
|
5
|
| TOTALS
|
60
|
234
|
294
|
Total new legislators elected
In total, 1,707 (28.4%) new legislators were elected in 2012. Of these 1,707, 849 (50.0%) were Republicans and 854 (50.0%) were Democrats.
The following is the breakdown of new legislators.
| New Legislators after the 2012 legislative elections
|
| Party
|
Senate
|
House
|
Total
|
| Democratic
|
165
|
684
|
849
|
| Republican
|
202
|
652
|
854
|
| Independent
|
0
|
4
|
4
|
| TOTALS
|
367
|
1,340
|
1,707
|
Winners of Open Seats
Open seats contests made up 705 (11.7%) of the 6,015 seats in 2012. Of these 705 open seats, Republicans won 401 (56.9%) while Democrats won 304 (43.1%). Going into the election, the number of open seats formerly held by each party was quite similar. Estimates prior to the election suggested that approximately 52% of the open seats were previously held by Republicans and 48% were held by Democrats.
The following is the breakdown of open seat winners.
| Open Seat Winners in 2012 legislative elections
|
| Party
|
Senate
|
House
|
Total
|
| Democratic
|
82
|
220
|
302
|
| Republican
|
105
|
296
|
401
|
| Third Party
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
| TOTALS
|
187
|
516
|
703
|
Impact on legislative majorities
- See also: Partisan balance of state legislatures
| Partisan Balance of Chambers with 2012 Elections
|
|
|
Pre-election
|
Post-election
|
| Legislative chamber
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| State senates
|
17
|
24
|
1
|
1
|
18
|
24
|
0
|
1
|
| State houses
|
15
|
27
|
1
|
0
|
19
|
24
|
0
|
0
|
| Totals:
|
32
|
51
|
2
|
1
|
37
|
48
|
0
|
1
|
| Partisan Balance of All 99 Chambers Before and After 2012 Elections
|
|
|
Pre-election
|
Post-election
|
| Legislative chamber
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| State senates
|
19
|
28
|
2
|
1
|
20
|
28
|
1
|
1
|
| State houses
|
17
|
31
|
1
|
0
|
21
|
28
|
0
|
0
|
| Totals:
|
36
|
59
|
3
|
1
|
41
|
56
|
1
|
1
|
See also
| State legislatures |
|---|
|
| Legislatures | Alabama (H, S) · Alaska (H, S) · Arizona (H, S) · Arkansas (H, S) · California (A, S) · Colorado (H, S) · Connecticut (H, S) · Delaware (H, S) · Florida (H, S) · Georgia (H, S) · Hawaii (H, S) · Idaho (H, S) · Illinois (H, S) · Indiana (H, S) · Iowa (H, S) · Kansas (H, S) · Kentucky (H, S) · Louisiana (H, S) · Maine (H, S) · Maryland (H, S) · Massachusetts (H, S) · Michigan (H, S) · Minnesota (H, S) · Mississippi (H, S) · Missouri (H, S) · Montana (H, S) · Nebraska · Nevada (A, S) · New Hampshire (H, S) · New Jersey (GA, S) · New Mexico (H, S) · New York (A, S) · North Carolina (H, S) · North Dakota (H, S) · Ohio (H, S) · Oklahoma (H, S) · Oregon (H, S) · Pennsylvania (H, S) · Rhode Island (H, S) · South Carolina (H, S) · South Dakota (H, S) · Tennessee (H, S) · Texas (H, S) · Utah (H, S) · Vermont (H, S) · Virginia (H, S) · Washington (H, S) · West Virginia (H, S) · Wisconsin (A, S) · Wyoming (H, S)
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