2000 United States state legislative elections
← 1999 November 7, 2000 2001 →
86 legislative chambers in 44 states
  Majority party Minority party Third party
 
Party Republican Democratic Coalition
Chambers before 49[b][c] 48[b] 0
Chambers after 51 45[d] 1 [a]
Overall change Increase 2 Decrease 3 Increase 1
Map of upper house elections:
     Democrats gained control      Democrats retained control
     Republicans gained control      Republicans retained control
     Coalition gained control
     Split body formed
     Non-partisan legislature
     No regularly-scheduled elections
Map of lower house elections:
     Democrats retained control
     Republicans gained control      Republicans retained control
     Split body maintained
     Non-partisan legislature
     No regularly-scheduled elections

Elections to state legislatures were held on November 7, 2000, simultaneously with the 2000 United States presidential election. Elections were held for 86 legislative chambers in 44 states, simultaneous to those states' gubernatorial elections.[1] Election occurred in both chambers of each state's legislature, except for Alabama, Louisiana, Maryland, Mississippi, New Jersey, and Virginia. Michigan held elections for the lower house. Six territorial chambers in four territories and the District of Columbia were up as well. These elections determined the redistricting process after the 2000 census.

Democrats won control of the Colorado Senate for the first time since 1963. Republicans won control of the Missouri Senate for the first time since 1949, the New Hampshire Senate (which was previously tied), the South Carolina Senate for the first time since 1879, and the Vermont House of Representatives. Additionally, a coalition government replaced the Republican-controlled Arizona Senate, and the Democratic-controlled Maine Senate became tied.[2]

Republicans won a trifecta in South Carolina for the first time since 1876.

Summary table

Regularly-scheduled elections were held in 86 of the 99 state legislative chambers in the United States. Nationwide, regularly-scheduled elections were held for 6,015 of the 7,383 legislative seats. Many legislative chambers held elections for all seats, but some legislative chambers that use staggered elections held elections for only a portion of the total seats in the chamber.[3] The chambers not up for election either hold regularly-scheduled elections in odd-numbered years, or have four-year terms and hold all regularly-scheduled elections in presidential midterm election years.

Note that this table only covers regularly-scheduled elections; additional special elections took place concurrently with these regularly-scheduled elections.

State Upper House[3] Lower House[3]
Seats up Total % up Term Seats up Total % up Term
Alaska 19 20 95 4 40 40 100 2
Arizona 30 30 100 2 60 60 100 2
Arkansas 35 35 100 2/4[e] 100 100 100 2
California 20 40 50 4 80 80 100 2
Colorado 18 35 51 4 65 65 100 2
Connecticut 36 36 100 2 151 151 100 2
Delaware 21 21 100 2/4[e] 41 41 100 2
Florida 40 40 100 2/4[e] 120 120 100 2
Georgia 56 56 100 2 180 180 100 2
Hawaii 25 25 100 2/4[e] 51 51 100 2
Idaho 35 35 100 2 70 70 100 2
Illinois 59 59 100 2/4[e] 118 118 100 2
Indiana 25 50 50 4 100 100 100 2
Iowa 25 50 50 4 100 100 100 2
Kansas 40 40 100 4 125 125 100 2
Kentucky 19 38 50 4 100 100 100 2
Louisiana 0 39 0 4 0 105 0 4
Maine 35 35 100 2 151 151 100 2
Maryland 0 47 0 4 0 141 0 4
Massachusetts 40 40 100 2 160 160 100 2
Michigan 0 38 0 4 110 110 100 2
Minnesota 67 67 100 2/4[e] 134 134 100 2
Mississippi 0 52 0 4 0 122 0 4
Missouri 17 34 50 4 163 163 100 2
Montana 25 50 50 4 100 100 100 2
Nebraska 25[f] 49[f] 51[f] 4 N/A (unicameral)
Nevada 10 21 48 4 42 42 100 2
New Hampshire 24 24 100 2 400 400 100 2
New Jersey 0 40 0 2/4[e] 0 80 0 2
New Mexico 42 42 100 4 70 70 100 2
New York 63 63 100 2 150 150 100 2
North Carolina 50 50 100 2 120 120 100 2
North Dakota 23 47 49 4 47 94 50 4
Ohio 16 33 48 4 99 99 100 2
Oklahoma 24 48 50 4 101 101 100 2
Oregon 15 30 50 4 60 60 100 2
Pennsylvania 25 50 50 4 203 203 100 2
Rhode Island 38 38 100 2 75 75 100 2
South Carolina 46 46 100 4 124 124 100 2
South Dakota 35 35 100 2 70 70 100 2
Tennessee 16 33 48 4 99 99 100 2
Texas 16 31 52 2/4[e] 150 150 100 2
Utah 15 29 52 4 75 75 100 2
Vermont 30 30 100 2 150 150 100 2
Virginia 0 40 0 4 0 100 0 2
Washington 25 49 51 4 98 98 100 2
West Virginia 17 34 50 4 100 100 100 2
Wisconsin 16 33 48 4 99 99 100 2
Wyoming 15 30 50 4 60 60 100 2
Total 1281 1972 65 N/A 4595 5411 85 N/A

State summaries

Upper houses

State Previous UH Result Party control
Alaska R 15-5 R 14-6 Republican Hold
Arizona R 16-14 Coal. 18-12 Coalition Takeover
Arkansas D 30-5 D 27-8 Democratic hold
California D 25-15 D 26-14 Democratic hold
Colorado R 21-14 D 18-17 Democratic Takeover
Connecticut D 19-17 D 21-15 Democratic hold
Delaware D 13-8 D 13-8 Democratic hold
Florida R 25-15 R 25-15 Republican hold
Georgia D 34-22 R 32-24 Democratic Hold
Hawaii D 23-2 D 22-3 Democratic hold
Idaho R 31-4 R 32-3 Republican hold
Illinois R 32-27 R 32-27 Republican hold
Indiana R 31-19 R 32-18 Republican hold
Iowa R 30-20 R 30-20 Republican hold
Kansas R 27-13 R 30-10 Republican hold
Kentucky R 20-18 R 20-18 Republican hold
Maine D 20-14-1 17-17-1 Split Takeover
Massachusetts D 33-7 D 34-6 Democratic hold
Minnesota D 41-25-1 D 39-27-1 Democratic Hold
Missouri D 18-16 R 18-16 Republican Takeover
Montana R 32-18 R 31-19 Republican hold
Nebraska Unicameral and non–partisan Senate with 49 members
Nevada R 12-9 R 12-9 Republican hold
New Hampshire 12-12 R 13-11 Republican Takeover
New Mexico D 25-17 D 24-18 Democratic hold
New York R 35-26 R 36-25 Republican Hold
North Carolina D 35-15 D 35-15 Democratic Hold
North Dakota R 31-18 R 32-17 Republican hold
Ohio R 21-12 R 21-12 Republican hold
Oklahoma D 33-15 D 30-18 Democratic hold
Oregon R 17-13 R 16-14 Republican Hold
Pennsylvania R 30-20 R 30-20 Republican hold
Rhode Island D 42-8 D 44-6 Democratic hold
South Carolina D 25-21 R 25-21 Republican Takeover
South Dakota R 22-13 R 24-11 Republican hold
Tennessee D 18-15 D 18-15 Democratic hold
Texas R 16-15 R 16-15 Republican hold
Utah R 18-11 R 20-9 Republican hold
Vermont D 17-13 D 16-14 Democratic hold
Washington D 27-23 D 25-24 Democratic hold
West Virginia D 29-5 D 28-6 Democratic hold
Wisconsin D 17-16 D 18-15 Democratic Hold
Wyoming R 21-9 R 20-10 Republican hold


Lower houses

State Previous LH Result Party control
Alaska R 26-14 R 27-13 Republican hold
Arizona R 40-20 R 36-24 Republican hold
Arkansas D 76-24 D 72-28 Democratic hold
California D 47-32-1 D 50-30 Democratic hold
Colorado R 39-26 R 38-27 Republican Hold
Connecticut D 96-55 D 100-51 Democratic hold
Delaware R 26-15 R 26-15 Republican hold
Florida R 75-45 R 77-43 Republican hold
Georgia D 102-78 D 105-74-1 Democratic hold
Hawaii D 39-12 D 32-19 Democratic hold
Idaho R 58-12 R 61-9 Republican hold
Illinois D 62-56 D 62-56 Democratic hold
Indiana D 53-47 D 53-47 Democratic Hold
Iowa R 56-44 R 56-44 Republican Hold
Kansas R 77-48 R 79-46 Republican hold
Kentucky D 66-34 D 64-36 Democratic hold
Maine D 79-71-1 D 88-62-1 Democratic Hold
Massachusetts D 131-28-1 D 137-23 Democratic hold
Michigan R 58-52 R 69-51 Republican Hold
Minnesota R 70-63-1 R 69-65 Republican Hold
Missouri D 85-78 D 87-76 Democratic Hold
Montana R 59-41 R 58-42 Republican Hold
Nebraska Unicameral and non–partisan Senate with 49 members
Nevada D 28-14 D 27-15 Democratic hold
New Hampshire R 245-155 R 256-144 Republican Hold
New Mexico D 40-30 D 42-28 Democratic hold
New York D 98-52 D 98-52 Democratic hold
North Carolina D 66-54 D 62-58 Democratic hold
North Dakota R 64-34 R 69-29 Republican hold
Ohio R 59-40 R 60-39 Republican Hold
Oklahoma D 61-40 D 53-48 Democratic hold
Oregon R 34-25-1 R 32-27 Republican Hold
Pennsylvania R 103-100 R 104-99 Republican Hold
Rhode Island D 86-13-1 D 85-15 Democratic hold
South Carolina R 67-57 R 71-53 Republican hold
South Dakota R 52-18 R 50-20 Republican hold
Tennessee D 59-40 D 58-41 Democratic hold
Texas D 78-72 D 78-72 Democratic Hold
Utah R 54-21 R 51-24 Republican hold
Vermont D 77-66-4-2-1 R 83-62-4-1 Republican Takeover
Washington 49-49 49-49 Split body maintained[4]
West Virginia D 75-25 D 75-25 Democratic hold
Wisconsin R 55-44 R 56-43 Republican Hold
Wyoming R 43-17 R 46-14 Republican hold

Territorial and federal district summaries

Upper houses

Territory Previous UH Result Party control
American Samoa Non–partisan Senate with 18 members
Puerto Rico PNP 19-8-1 PPD 19-8-1 Popular Democratic Takeover

Lower houses

Territory Previous LH Result Party control
American Samoa Non–partisan House of Representatives with 21 members
Puerto Rico PNP 37-16-1 PPD 29-21-1 Popular Democratic Takeover

Unicameral

Territory Previous Result Party control
Guam R 10-5 R 8-7 Republican Hold
Washington D.C. D 11-2 D 11-2 Democratic Hold

Notes

  1. ^ The Arizona Senate was controlled by a coalition of Democrats and Republicans. The minority caucus consists of Republicans who were not part of the majority coalition.
  2. ^ a b The Washington House of Representatives was controlled by a power-sharing agreement between Democrats and Republicans. Thus, it is not counted in this total.
  3. ^ The New Hampshire Senate became evenly-split due to a special election. Thus, it is not included in the prior total.
  4. ^ The Maine Senate became evenly split and controlled by a power-sharing agreement between Democrats and Republicans.
  5. ^ a b c d e f g h The upper houses of Arkansas, Delaware, Florida, Hawaii, Illinois, Minnesota, New Jersey, and Texas use a 2-4-4 term length system.
  6. ^ a b c These figures represent the seats of Nebraska's unicameral legislature.

References

  1. ^ "State legislative elections, 2000". Ballotpedia.
  2. ^ "In Case of a Tie..." National Conference of State Legislatures.
  3. ^ a b c "2020 Legislative Races by State and Legislative Chamber". National Conference of State Legislatures.
  4. ^ "Washington House of Representatives". Ballotpedia.
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