2008 United States state legislative elections
← 2007 November 4, 2008 2009 →
85 legislative chambers in 44 states
  Majority party Minority party Third party
 
Party Democratic Republican Coalition
Chambers before 58 39[b] 1[a]
Chambers after 61 37 1[a]
Overall change Increase 3 Decrease 2 Steady
Map of upper house elections:
     Democrats gained control      Democrats retained control
     Republicans gained control      Republicans retained control
     Coalition retained control
     Non-partisan legislature
     No regularly-scheduled elections
Map of lower house elections:
     Democrats gained control      Democrats retained control
     Republicans gained control      Republicans retained control
     Non-partisan legislature
     No regularly-scheduled elections

Elections to state legislatures were held on November 4, 2008, alongside other elections, in which Democrats scored significant gains in a blue wave election. Elections were held for 85 legislative chambers, with all states but Louisiana, Mississippi, New Jersey, Alabama, Maryland, and Virginia holding elections in at least one house. Michigan and Minnesota held elections for their lower, but not upper houses.[1] Seven territorial chambers in four territories and the District of Columbia were up.

The New Hampshire Senate saw the election of the first-ever female majority. This is the first time this has occurred in any chamber of any state legislature in United States history.[2] In New York, the Democrats obtained a trifecta for the first time since 1935, and in Delaware for the first time since 1977.[3]

The Democrats took control of six legislative bodies to the Republicans' four. Democrats took control of the Delaware House of Representatives, for the first time since 1985, the Montana House of Representatives, the Nevada Senate, and the New York State Senate, for the first time since 1966, the Ohio House of Representatives, and the Wisconsin State Assembly. Republicans took control of the Montana Senate; both houses of the Tennessee General Assembly,[4] for the first time since 1870; and the Oklahoma Senate, for the first time in state history. With the Montana Senate and the Montana House of Representatives flipping, this election cycle marked the last time in U.S. history as of 2024 where the upper house and lower house held by different political parties in a state legislature both flipped in the same cycle.

Summary table

Regularly-scheduled elections were held in 85 of the 99 state legislative chambers in the United States. Nationwide, regularly-scheduled elections were held for 5,948 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.[5] 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[5] Lower House[5]
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[c] 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[c] 41 41 100 2
Florida 40 40 100 2/4[c] 120 120 100 2
Georgia 56 56 100 2 180 180 100 2
Hawaii 25 25 100 2/4[c] 51 51 100 2
Idaho 35 35 100 2 70 70 100 2
Illinois 59 59 100 2/4[c] 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 0 0 100 2/4[c] 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[d] 49[d] 51[d] 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[c] 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[c] 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
Partisan control of state governments after the 2008 elections:
  Democrats maintained trifecta
  Democrats gained trifecta
  Republicans maintained trifecta
  Divided government maintained
  Divided government established
  Officially non-partisan legislature

State summaries

Upper houses

State Previous UH Result Party control
Alaska Coal. 15-5 Coal. 16-4 Coalition Hold
Arizona R 17-13 R 18-12 Republican hold
Arkansas D 27-8 D 27-8 Democratic hold
California D 25-15 D 25-15 Democratic hold
Colorado D 20-15 D 21-14 Democratic hold
Connecticut D 23-13 D 24-12 Democratic hold
Delaware D 13-8 D 16-5 Democratic hold
Florida R 26-14 R 26-14 Republican hold
Georgia R 34-22 R 34-22 Republican hold
Hawaii D 20-5 D 23-2 Democratic hold
Idaho R 28-7 R 28-7 Republican hold
Illinois D 37-22 D 37-22 Democratic hold
Indiana R 33-17 R 33-17 Republican hold
Iowa D 30-20 D 32-18 Democratic hold
Kansas R 30-10 R 31-9 Republican hold
Kentucky R 22-15-1 R 21-16-1 Republican hold
Maine D 28-17 D 20–15 Democratic Hold
Massachusetts D 35-5 D 35-5 Democratic hold
Missouri R 21-13 R 23-11 Republican hold
Montana D 26-24 R 27-23 Republican Takeover
Nebraska Unicameral and non–partisan Senate with 49 members
Nevada R 11-10 D 12-9 Democratic Takeover
New Hampshire D 14-10 D 14-10 Democratic Hold
New Mexico D 24-18 D 27-15 Democratic hold
New York R 32-30 D 32-30 Democratic takeover
North Carolina D 31-19 D 30-20 Democratic Hold
North Dakota R 26-21 R 26-21 Republican hold
Ohio R 21-12 R 21-12 Republican hold
Oklahoma D 24-24[e] R 26-22 Republican Takeover
Oregon D 19-11 D 18-12 Democratic hold
Pennsylvania R 29-21 R 30-20 Republican hold
Rhode Island D 33–5. D 33-4-1 Democratic hold
South Carolina R 27-19 R 27-19 Republican hold
South Dakota R 20-15 R 21-14 Republican hold
Tennessee 16-16-1[b] R 19-14 Republican Takeover
Texas R 20-11 R 19-12 Republican hold
Utah R 21-8 R 21-8 Republican hold
Vermont D 23-7 D 23-7 Democratic hold
Washington D 31-18 D 31-18 Democratic hold
West Virginia D 23-11 D 26-8 Democratic hold
Wisconsin D 18-15 D 18-15 Democratic Hold
Wyoming R 23-7 R 23-7 Republican hold

Lower houses

State Previous LH Result Party control
Alaska R 23-17 R 22-18 Republican hold
Arizona R 33-27 R 36-24 Republican hold
Arkansas D 72-28 D 71-27-1 Democratic hold
California D 48-32 D 50-29-1 Democratic hold
Colorado D 39-26 D 38-27 Democratic Hold
Connecticut D 107-44 D 114-37 Democratic hold
Delaware R 23-18 D 24-17 Democratic Takeover
Florida R 77-43 R 76-44 Republican hold
Georgia R 106-74 R 105-74-1 Republican hold
Hawaii D 43-8 D 45-6 Democratic hold
Idaho R 51-19 R 52-18 Republican hold
Illinois D 67-51 D 70-48 Democratic hold
Indiana D 51-49 D 52-48 Democratic Hold
Iowa D 54-46 D 57-43 Democratic Hold
Kansas R 78-47 R 77-48 Republican hold
Kentucky D 63-37 D 65-35 Democratic hold
Maine D 90-59-2 D 95-55-1 Democratic Hold
Massachusetts D 144-15-1 D 144-15-1 Democratic hold
Michigan D 58-52 D 67-43 Democratic Hold
Minnesota D 85-48-1 D 87-47 Democratic Hold
Missouri R 97-66 R 92-71 Republican hold
Montana R 50-49-1 50-50 [f] Democratic takeover
Nebraska Unicameral and non–partisan Senate with 49 members
Nevada D 27-15 D 28-14 Democratic hold
New Hampshire D 239-160-1 D 225-175 Democratic Hold
New Mexico D 42-28 D 45-25 Democratic hold
New York D 106-42-1-1 D 107-41-1-1 Democratic hold
North Carolina D 68-52 D 68-52 Democratic Hold
North Dakota R 61-33 R 58-36 Republican hold
Ohio R 53-46 D 53-46 Democratic takeover
Oklahoma R 57-44 R 61-40 Republican hold
Oregon D 31-29 D 36-24 Democratic Hold
Pennsylvania D 102-101 D 104-99 Democratic Hold
Rhode Island D 60-15 D 69-6 Democratic hold
South Carolina R 73-51 R 73-51 Republican hold
South Dakota R 50-20 R 46-24 Republican hold
Tennessee D 53-46 R 50-49 Republican Takeover
Texas R 77-71 R 76-74 Republican hold
Utah R 55-20 R 53-22 Republican hold
Vermont D 93-49-6-2 D 95-48-5-2 Democratic hold
Washington D 63-35 D 62-36 Democratic hold
West Virginia D 72-28 D 71-29 Democratic hold
Wisconsin R 52-47 D 52-46-1 Democratic takeover
Wyoming R 43-17 R 41-19 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 15-11-1 PNP 22-9 New Progressive Hold

Lower houses

Territory Previous LH Result Party control
American Samoa Non–partisan House of Representatives with 21 members
Puerto Rico PNP 32-18-1 PNP 37-17 New Progressive Hold

Unicameral

Territory Previous Result Party control
Guam D 8-7 D 10-5 Democratic Hold
US Virgin Islands D 9-6 D 10-5 Democratic Hold
Washington D.C. D 11-1-1 D 11-2 Democratic Hold

Notes

  1. ^ a b The Alaska 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 Following the defection of Senator Micheal R. Williams from the Republican party, no party controlled the Tennessee Senate. Thus the chamber is not included in the total here.
  3. ^ 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.
  4. ^ a b c These figures represent the seats of Nebraska's unicameral legislature.
  5. ^ The Oklahoma Senate were evenly split between Democrats and Republicans, but the Democratic Party controlled the chamber by virtue of holding the governor's office.
  6. ^ The Montana House of Representatives were evenly split between Democrats and Republicans, but the Democratic Party controlled the chamber by virtue of holding the governor's office.

References

  1. ^ "State legislative elections, 2008". Ballotpedia. Retrieved 26 March 2023.
  2. ^ "New Hampshire Senate Makes History". ABC News. December 7, 2008.
  3. ^ "New York - Election Results 2008 - The New York Times". www.nytimes.com. Retrieved 2022-04-22.
  4. ^ Whitehouse, Ken. "Tennessee Republicans win slim majority in State House". Nashville Post. Retrieved 2023-02-07.
  5. ^ a b c "2020 Legislative Races by State and Legislative Chamber". National Conference of State Legislatures.
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