State legislative special elections, 2024

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As of January 2024, 23 state legislative special elections have been scheduled for 2024 in 13 states. Between 2011 and 2021, an average of 74 special elections took place each year. See the sections below for additional information on state legislative special elections in 2024.

  1. Causes: This section provides information on why special elections are held.
  2. Partisan control: This section provides information on the impact of special elections on the partisan composition of state legislatures.
  3. Special elections by date: This section lists all special elections held in 2024 in the order they were held.
  4. Historical data: This section contains data on special elections going back to 2010.


See also: State legislative elections, 2024

Causes

In 2024, special elections for state legislative positions are being held for the following reasons:

  • 14 due to resignation
  • 6 due to appointment, election, or the seeking of election to another position
  • 3 due to the death of the incumbent


Partisan control

The partisan breakdown for the special elections is as follows:

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


Special elections by date

2024 state legislative special elections
Office Former incumbent Filing deadline Primary election date General election date
South Carolina Senate 19 John Scott (D) September 9, 2023 October 24, 2023 January 2, 2024
Alabama House 16 Kyle South (R) July 25, 2023 (major party)
September 26, 2023 (minor party and independent) 		September 26, 2023 January 9, 2024
Virginia House 48 Les Adams (R) December 17, 2023 N/A January 9, 2024
Virginia State Senate 9 Frank Ruff (R) December 20, 2023 N/A January 9, 2024
Florida House 35 Fred Hawkins (R) TBD November 7, 2023 January 16, 2024
Connecticut House District 115 Dorinda Keenan Borer (D) December 18, 2023 (party nominations)[1] N/A January 23, 2024
New Hampshire House Coos District 1 Troy Merner (R) October 13, 2023 December 5, 2023 January 23, 2024
New Hampshire House Coos District 6 William Hatch (D) October 13, 2023 December 5, 2023 January 23, 2024
Oklahoma House 39 Ryan Martinez (R) September 20, 2023 December 12, 2023 February 13, 2024
Pennsylvania House 140 John Galloway (D) December 26, 2023 N/A February 13, 2024
Maine House 122 Lois Reckitt (D) December 29, 2023
January 3, 2024 (write-in) 		March 5, 2024 March 5, 2024
Massachusetts Sixth Worcester District Peter Durant (R) December 26, 2023 February 6, 2024 March 5, 2024
New Hampshire House Strafford District 11 Hoy Menear (D) December 8, 2023 January 23, 2024 March 12, 2024
New Hampshire House Rockingham District 21 Robin Vogt (D) December 29, 2023 January 23, 2024 March 12, 2024
Alabama House 10 David Cole (R) October 10, 2023 (major party)
December 12, 2023 (minor party and independent) 		December 12, 2023 March 26, 2024
South Carolina House 109 Deon Tedder (D) December 16, 2023 January 30, 2024 April 2, 2024
Michigan House 13 Lori M. Stone (D) November 27, 2023 January 30, 2024 April 16, 2024
Michigan House 25 Kevin Coleman (D) November 27, 2023 January 30, 2024 April 16, 2024
Alabama State Senate 9 Clay Scofield (R) November 7, 2023 (major party)
January 9, 2024 (minor party and independent) 		January 9, 2024 April 23, 2024
Hawaii State Senate 5 Gilbert Keith-Agaran (D) June 6, 2024 August 10, 2024 November 5, 2024
Illinois State Senate 5 Patricia Van Pelt (D) December 4, 2023 (major party)
June 24, 2024 (minor party and independent) 		March 19, 2024 November 5, 2024
Illinois State Senate 20 Cristina Pacione-Zayas (D) December 4, 2023 (major party)
June 24, 2024 (minor party and independent) 		March 19, 2024 November 5, 2024
Illinois State Senate 53 Jason Barickman (R) December 4, 2023 (major party)
June 24, 2024 (minor party and independent) 		March 19, 2024 November 5, 2024


Historical data

State breakdown by year

The table below details how many state legislative special elections were held in a state in a given year. From 2010 to 2022, Georgia held the most state legislative special elections with 73. Pennsylvania held the second-most special elections with 58.

Partisan breakdown by year

The average number of special elections per even year between 2011 and 2022 (2012, 2014, 2016, 2018, 2020, and 2022) was 61, while the average per odd year was 85. The most special elections in a single year during that same time frame was 99, which happened in 2018.

The table below details how many state legislative seats changed parties as the result of a special election between 2011 and 2022. The numbers on the left side of the table reflect how many vacant seats were originally held by each party, while the numbers on the right side of the table show how many vacant seats each party won in special elections.

State legislative special election vacancies and results, 2011-2022
Year Total elections held Vacancies before elections Seats held after elections Net change
Democratic Party Democrats Republican Party Republicans Minor party Democratic Party Democrats Republican Party Republicans Minor party
2022 54 36 18 0 36 18 0 -
2021 66 33 33 0 33 33 0 -
2020 59 21 38 0 27 32 0 +6 D, -6 R
2019 77 39 38 0 36 40 1 -3 D, +2 R, +1 I
2018 99 42 57 0 50 49 0 +8 D, -8 R
2017 98 45 53 0 56 42 0 +11 D, -11 R
2016* 65 37 28 0 39 24 2 +2 D, -4 R
2015* 89 42 46 1 38 50 1 -4 D, +4 R
2014 40 22 18 0 19 21 0 -3 D, +3 R
2013 84 51 33 0 48 36 0 -3 D, +3 R
2012 46 23 23 0 25 21 0 +2 D, -2 R
2011* 95 49 45 1 46 48 1 -3 D, +3 R
Averages 73 37 36 N/A 38 35 N/A N/A
*Please see the year-specific pages for information regarding minor-party candidates.

Seats that changed partisan control by year

See also: State legislative special election changes in party control since 2010

Current as of January 19, 2023 (updated annually)
Since 2010, 112 state legislative seats have switched partisan control, or flipped, in special elections. The chart below shows the number of special elections that resulted in partisan changes in each year:

Flipped seats in state legislative special elections
Year Total special elections Total flips Democratic flips Republican flips Other flips
2022 54 2 1 1 0
2021 66 6 3 3 0
2020 59 8 7 1 0
2019 77 8 2 5 1
2018 99 16 12 4 0
2017 98 17 14 3 0
2016 65 9 5 2 2
2015 89 16 5 9 2
2014 40 5 1 4 0
2013 84 7 1 6 0
2012 46 7 5 2 0
2011 95 11 4 6 1
2010 30 0 0 0 0
Total 902 112 60 46 6


Days between vacancies and elections by year

The following table tracks the gap between when state legislative vacancies occurred and special elections were held from 2012 through December 15, 2023:

See also

Footnotes

  1. ↑ Candidates running for special elections in Connecticut are nominated through party conventions.
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