2010 United States state legislative elections

← 2009

November 2, 2010

2011 →

89 legislative chambers in 46 states

	Majority party	Minority party

Party	Republican	Democratic
Seats before	3,282, 44.5%	4,022, 54%
Seats won	3,890	3,342
Seat change	680 (2 uncalled)	680 (2 uncalled)
Percentage	52.7%	45.3%
Swing	9%	9%
Chambers before	36^[a]	61^[b]
Chambers up	33	54^[b]
Chambers won	53	33
Chambers after	60^[a]^[c]	36
Overall change	24	25

Map of upper house elections:
     Democrats retained control
     Republicans gained control
     Republicans retained 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 formed
     Non-partisan legislature
     No regularly-scheduled elections

The 2010 United States state legislative elections were held on November 2, 2010, halfway through President Barack Obama's first term in office. Elections were held for 88 legislative chambers, with all states but Louisiana, Mississippi, New Jersey and Virginia holding elections in at least one house. Kansas, New Mexico and South Carolina held elections for their lower, but not upper houses.

Republicans scored record gains, gaining at least 680 total seats and taking control of 21 legislative chambers through election, while the Democrats lost 22 chambers.^[1]^[2] Democrats additionally lost 3 chambers due to special elections and party switching. The winners of this election cycle were slated to serve in their respective legislatures for either two or four-year terms, depending on state election rules.

Due to the 2010 United States Census being held the same year, these elections also held consequences for the following redistricting cycle, in which state legislative majorities redrew maps to protect and extend themselves and the careers of U.S. House members from the same party.

Results

State-by-state

Upper houses

State	Previous UH	Result	Party control
Alabama	D 20-15	R 22–12, 1 Ind	Republican takeover
Alaska	Coal. 16-4	10-10	Split
Arizona	R 18-12	R 21-9	Republican hold
Arkansas	D 27-8	D 20-15	Democratic hold
California	D 26–14, 2 Vac.	D 26–14, 2 Vac.	Democratic hold
Colorado	D 21-14	D 19-16	Democratic hold
Connecticut	D 24-12	D 23-13	Democratic hold
Delaware	D 15-6	D 14-7	Democratic hold
Florida	R 26–13, 1 Vac.	R 28-12	Republican hold
Georgia	R 34-22	R 35-21	Republican hold
Hawaii	D 23-2	D 24-1	Democratic hold
Idaho	R 28-7	R 28-7	Republican hold
Illinois	D 37-22	D 34-25	Democratic hold
Indiana	R 33-17	R 36-14	Republican hold
Iowa	D 32-18	D 27-23	Democratic hold
Kentucky	R 20–17, 1 Vac.	R 22–15, 1 Vac.	Republican hold
Maine	D 20-15	R 20–14, 1 Ind.	Republican takeover
Maryland	D 33-14	D 35-12	Democratic hold
Massachusetts	D 35-5	D 36-4	Democratic hold
Michigan	R 22-16	R 26-12	Republican hold
Minnesota	D 46-21	R 37-30	Republican takeover
Missouri	R 23-11	R 22-12	Republican hold
Montana	R 27–22, 1 Vac.	R 28-22	Republican hold
Nebraska	Unicameral and non–partisan Senate with 49 members
Nevada	D 12–7, 2 Vac.	D 11-10	Democratic hold
New Hampshire	D 14-10	R 19-5	Republican takeover
New York	D 32–29, 1 Vac.	R 32-30	Republican takeover
North Carolina	D 30-20	R 30-20	Republican takeover
North Dakota	R 26-21	R 35-12	Republican hold
Ohio	R 21-12	R 23-10	Republican hold
Oklahoma	R 26-22	R 32-16	Republican hold
Oregon	D 18-12	D 16-14	Democratic hold
Pennsylvania	R 30-20	R 30-20	Republican hold
Rhode Island	D 33–4, 1 Ind.	D 29–8, 1 Ind.	Democratic hold
South Dakota	R 21-14	R 30-5	Republican hold
Tennessee	R 19-14	R 20-13	Republican hold
Texas	R 19-12	R 19-12	Republican hold
Utah	R 21-8	R 22-7	Republican hold
Vermont	D 22–7, 1 P	D 21–8, 1 P	Democratic hold
Washington	D 31-18	D 27-22	Democratic hold
West Virginia	D 26-8	D 27-7	Democratic hold
Wisconsin	D 18-15	R 19-14	Republican takeover
Wyoming	R 23-7	R 26-4	Republican hold

Lower houses

State	Previous LH	Result	Party control
Alabama	D 60-45	R 62-43	Republican takeover
Alaska	R 22-18	R 23-17	Republican hold
Arizona	R 36-24	R 40-20	Republican hold
Arkansas	D 72-28	D 54-46	Democratic hold
California	D 50–29, 1 Ind	D 51-29	Democratic hold
Colorado	D 37–27, 1 Ind	R 33-32	Republican takeover
Connecticut	D 114-37	D 97-54	Democratic hold
Delaware	D 24-17	D 26-15	Democratic hold
Florida	R 76-44	R 81-39	Republican hold
Georgia	R 103–73, 1 Ind.	R 111–68, 1 Ind.	Republican hold
Hawaii	D 45-6	D 43-8	Democratic hold
Idaho	R 52-18	R 57-13	Republican hold
Illinois	D 70-48	D 64-54	Democratic hold
Indiana	D 52-48	R 60-40	Republican takeover
Iowa	D 56-44	R 58-42	Republican takeover
Kansas	R 77-48	R 92-33	Republican hold
Kentucky	D 65-35	D 58-42	Democratic hold
Maine	D 94–55, 1 Ind.	R 77–72, 1 Ind.	Republican takeover
Maryland	D 104-37	D 98-43	Democratic hold
Massachusetts	D 142–15, 2 Vac.	D 130-30	Democratic hold
Michigan	D 65–42, 2 Vac.	R 63-47	Republican takeover
Minnesota	D 87-47	R 72-62	Republican takeover
Missouri	R 88–74, 1 Vac.	R 105-58	Republican hold
Montana	50-50	R 67-33	Republican takeover
Nebraska	Unicameral and non–partisan Senate with 49 members
Nevada	D 28-14	D 26-16	Democratic hold
New Hampshire	D 216–174, 10 Vac.	R 298-102	Republican takeover
New Mexico	D 45-25	D 36-34	Democratic hold
New York	D 105–42, 2 I, 1 Vac	D 99–50, 1, I Vac.	Democratic hold
North Carolina	D 68-52	R 67–52, 1 Ind.	Republican takeover
North Dakota	R 58-36	R 69-25	Republican hold
Ohio	D 53-46	R 58-41	Republican takeover
Oklahoma	R 62-39	R 69-32	Republican hold
Oregon	D 36-24	30-30	Split
Pennsylvania	D 104–92, 1 Vac.	R 112-91	Republican takeover
Rhode Island	D 69-6	D 66-9	Democratic hold
South Carolina	R 73-51	R 75–48, 1 Vac.	Republican hold
South Dakota	R 46-24	R 50–19, 1 Ind.	Republican hold
Tennessee	R 51-48	R 68-31	Republican hold
Texas	R 76–73, 1 Vac.	R 98–51, 1 Vac.	Republican hold
Utah	R 53-22	R 59-16	Republican hold
Vermont	D 94–48, 5 P, 3 Ind.	D 93–48, 5 P, 3 Ind.	Democratic hold
Washington	D 61-37	D 55-43	Democratic hold
West Virginia	D 71-29	D 65-35	Democratic hold
Wisconsin	D 50–45, 2 Ind., 2 Vac.	R 60–38, 1 Ind.	Republican takeover
Wyoming	R 41-19	R 51-9	Republican hold

Total

State government trifectas after the 2010 gubernatorial and state legislative elections
     Democrats gained control
     Democrats retained control
     Split government formed
     Split government maintained
     Republicans retained control
     Republicans gained control

Summary of the November 2010 state legislature election results
	Previous total	New total	Net change	% of Seats
Republican	3,282	3,890	+680	52.7%
Democratic	4,022	3,342	-680	45.3%
Independent	56	60	+4	0.008%
Progressive	6	6	0	0.0008%
Independence	2	1	-1	0.0001%

Notes

References

^ Memoli, Michael A. (November 3, 2010). "State legislative gains give Republicans unprecedented clout to remake districts - Los Angeles Times". Articles.latimes.com. Retrieved June 4, 2013.
^ Balz, Dan (November 14, 2010). "The Republican takeover in the states". Washingtonpost.com. Retrieved June 4, 2013.

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