Partisan composition of state legislatures

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Partisan composition of state legislatures
Legislatures
Alabama • Alaska • Arizona • Arkansas • California • Colorado • Connecticut • Delaware • Florida • Georgia • Hawaii • Idaho • Illinois • Indiana • Iowa • Kansas • Kentucky • Louisiana • Maine • Maryland • Massachusetts • Michigan • Minnesota • Mississippi • Missouri • Montana • Nebraska • Nevada • New Hampshire • New Jersey • New Mexico • New York • North Carolina • North Dakota • Ohio • Oklahoma • Oregon • Pennsylvania • Rhode Island • South Carolina • South Dakota • Tennessee • Texas • Utah • Vermont • Virginia • Washington • West Virginia • Wisconsin • Wyoming
See also
Historical partisan composition of state legislatures • Partisan composition of state senates • Historical partisan composition of state senates • Partisan composition of state houses • Historical partisan composition of state houses
See also: Partisan composition of state houses and Partisan composition of state senates

The partisan composition of state legislatures refers to which political party holds the majority of seats in each state Senate and state House. Altogether, there are 1,973 state senators and 5,413 state representatives.

Sixty-one state legislative chambers around the country have an even number of members, raising the possibility of a tie between the two major parties. In some instances, a bipartisan coalition of legislators is formed to act as leadership.[1] This tactic has not been the universal approach, however; some legislative bodies have used a coin toss, gubernatorial choice, shared time, choosing co-leaders, or dividing chairperson positions between the parties.[2]

A state government trifecta is a term to describe single party government, when one political party holds the position of governor and majorities in both of the state's legislative chambers.

As of January 4, 2024, there are 22 Republican trifectas, 17 Democratic trifectas, and 11 divided governments where neither party holds trifecta control.

Cumulative numbers

As of December 5, 2023, Republicans controlled 54.75% of all state legislative seats nationally, while Democrats held 44.35%. Republicans held a majority in 57 chambers, and Democrats held the majority in 39 chambers. Two chambers (Alaska House and Alaska Senate) were organized under multipartisan, power-sharing coalitions. Control of the Michigan House of Representatives is split.

Partisan balance of all 7,386 state legislative seats
Legislative chamber Democratic Party Republican Party Grey.png Other Vacant
State senates 853 1,108 4 8
State houses 2,415 2,940 21 37
Total: 3,268

4,048

25

45


State Senates

See also: Partisan composition of state senates

The partisan composition of state senates refers to which political party holds the majority of seats in the state senate. Altogether, in the 50 state senates, there are 1,973 state senators.

Cumulative numbers

As of December 5, 2023, 1,964 state senators were affiliated with either the Democratic or Republican parties. This total is updated monthly.

Partisan balance of all 7,386 state legislative seats
Legislative chamber Democratic Party Republican Party Grey.png Other Vacant
State senates 853 1,108 4 8
State houses 2,415 2,940 21 37
Total: 3,268

4,048

25

45


Vacancies

As of December 5, 2023, there were eight state senate vacancies in eight states. This total is updated monthly.

State Vacancies
Alabama 1
Nevada 1
New Mexicco 1
Oklahoma 1
Rhode Island 1
South Carolina 1
South Dakota 1
Virginia 1

Minor party

As of December 5, 2023, there were five state senators in five states identifying as independents or parties other than Democratic and Republican. This total is updated monthly.

State Independents/Minor party
Mississippi 1 (Independent)
Nebraska 1 (nonpartisan)
Oregon 1 (Independent)
South Carolina 1 (Independent)
Vermont 1 (Vermont Progressive Party)

State Houses

See also: Partisan composition of state houses

The partisan composition of state houses refers to which party holds the majority of seats in the state house or the lower level of each state legislature. Altogether, in the 49 state houses, there are 5,413 state representatives.

Cumulative numbers

As of December 5, 2023, 5,355 state representatives were affiliated with either the Democratic or Republican parties. This total is updated monthly.

Partisan balance of all 7,386 state legislative seats
Legislative chamber Democratic Party Republican Party Grey.png Other Vacant
State senates 853 1,108 4 8
State houses 2,415 2,940 21 37
Total: 3,268

4,048

25

45


Vacancies

As of December 5, 2023, there were 26 state house vacancies in 18 different states. This total is updated monthly.

State Vacancies
Alabama 2
Delaware 1
Florida 2
Hawaii 1
Louisisana 1
Maine 1
Massachusetts 1
Minnesota 1
Mississippi 3
Missouri 1
Nevada 1
New Hampshire 3
Ohio 1
Oklahoma 1
South Carolina 1
South Dakota 1
Texas 1
Utah 1
Virginia 7

Minor party

As of December 5, 2023, there were 22 state representatives in seven states identifying as independents or parties other than Democratic and Republican. This total is updated monthly.

State Independents/Minor party
Alaska 4 (Independent), 1 (Nonpartisan)
Maine 1 (Independent), 1 (Independent for Maine Party)
Massachusetts 1 (Independent)
Mississippi 3 (Independent)
New Hampshire 2 (Independent), 1 (No affiliation)
Rhode Island 1 (Independent)
Vermont 3 (Vermont Progressive Party), 3 (Independent), 1 (Libertarian)

Changes in the number of seats

2022

See also: Redistricting

As a result of redistricting conducted after the 2020 census, the number of state legislative seats in the country changed. Wyoming's new state legislative maps created one new Senate seat and two new House seats, resulting in 31 state Senators and 62 state Representatives. This increased the number nationally to 7,386 legislators—1,973 state senators and 5,413 state representatives.

It is relatively uncommon for states to change their numbers of legislators during redistricting. New York increased its number of state Senators by one after both the 2010 and 2000 censuses. After the 2000 census, two states—North Dakota and Rhode Island—reduced their number of legislators in both chambers.

Trifectas

See also: State government trifectas

The following table shows the status of state government—divided control, Democratic trifecta, or Republican trifecta—in each state. It also includes the year of the last change to each state's trifecta status.

Trifecta status by state
State Trifecta status Year of last status change
Alabama Republican trifecta 2011
Alaska Divided government 2015
Arizona Divided government 2023
Arkansas Republican trifecta 2015
California Democratic trifecta 2011
Colorado Democratic trifecta 2019
Connecticut Democratic trifecta 2011
Delaware Democratic trifecta 2009
Florida Republican trifecta 2011
Georgia Republican trifecta 2005
Hawaii Democratic trifecta 2011
Idaho Republican trifecta 1995
Illinois Democratic trifecta 2019
Indiana Republican trifecta 2011
Iowa Republican trifecta 2017
Kansas Divided government 2019
Kentucky Divided government 2019
Louisiana Divided government 2016
Maine Democratic trifecta 2019
Maryland Democratic trifecta 2023
Massachusetts Democratic trifecta 2023
Michigan Democratic trifecta 2023
Minnesota Democratic trifecta 2023
Mississippi Republican trifecta 2012
Missouri Republican trifecta 2017
Montana Republican trifecta 2021
Nebraska Republican trifecta 1999
Nevada Divided government 2023
New Hampshire Republican trifecta 2020
New Jersey Democratic trifecta 2018
New Mexico Democratic trifecta 2019
New York Democratic trifecta 2019
North Carolina Divided government 2017
North Dakota Republican trifecta 1995
Ohio Republican trifecta 2011
Oklahoma Republican trifecta 2011
Oregon Democratic trifecta 2013
Pennsylvania Divided government 2015
Rhode Island Democratic trifecta 2013
South Carolina Republican trifecta 2003
South Dakota Republican trifecta 1995
Tennessee Republican trifecta 2011
Texas Republican trifecta 2003
Utah Republican trifecta 1985
Vermont Divided government 2017
Virginia Divided government 2022
Washington Democratic trifecta 2017
West Virginia Republican trifecta 2017
Wisconsin Divided government 2019
Wyoming Republican trifecta 2011

Percentage of Americans living under trifecta government

The chart below shows the percentage of the population living under Democratic trifectas, Republican trifectas, and divided governments. Population figures are taken from the U.S. Census Bureau's July 2020 estimates.[3]

Percent of Americans living under trifectas as of January 2023
Total Democratic trifectas Republican trifectas Divided governments
Population 328,771,307[4] 136,955,272 130,058,201 61,757,834
Proportion (%) 100% 41.7% 39.6% 18.8%
Source: U.S. Census Bureau

Election breakdowns

See also: Historical partisan composition of state legislatures

Click here for more on changes to partisan control of state legislative chambers over time.

See also

External links

Footnotes

  1. ↑ Alaska State Senate, "Senate Bipartisan Working Group," accessed June 14, 2012
  2. ↑ Governing, "How Tied Chambers Affect States," June 9, 2011
  3. ↑ U.S. Census Bureau, "State Population Totals: 2010-2020," accessed January 3, 2023
  4. ↑ Excludes the 712,816 inhabitants of Washington, D.C.
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