2011 United States state legislative elections explained

Election Name:2011 United States state legislative elections
Country:United States
Type:legislative
Ongoing:no
Previous Election:2010 United States state legislative elections
Previous Year:2010
Next Election:2012 United States state legislative elections
Next Year:2012
Seats For Election:8 legislative chambers
4 states
Election Date:November 8, 2011
Party1:Republican Party (United States)
1Data1:60
2Data1:62
3Data1: 2
Party2:Democratic Party (United States)
1Data2:37
2Data2:35
3Data2: 2
Party3:Coalition
1Data3:1
2Data3:1
1Blank:Chambers before
2Blank:Chambers after
3Blank:Overall change
Map Size:320px
Map2 Image:US2011statelowerhouses.svg
Map2 Size:320px
Map2 Caption:Map of lower house elections:


Colour3:d9b2d9

The 2011 United States state legislative elections were held on November 8, 2011. Eight legislative chambers in four states held regularly scheduled elections. These off-year elections coincided with other state and local elections, including gubernatorial elections in four states.[1]

These were the first elections to be affected by redistricting after the 2010 census.[2] Additionally, the first wave of recall elections occurred in the Wisconsin Senate; while Republicans lost seats, they maintained a narrow majority. A second wave would occur in 2012.

Republicans flipped control of the Virginia Senate, thereby establishing a trifecta. In Mississippi, Republicans won the state House for the first time since 1876. After having gained effective control of the Mississippi Senate earlier in the year due to party switching,[3] Republicans solidified their control of the chamber in the November election. Republicans obtained a trifecta in the state for the first time since 1876 as a result.

In Louisiana, Republicans gained control of the State House in December 2010 when a state representative switched parties,[4] and control of the State Senate by winning a February 2011 special election,[5] thus giving Republicans control of both chambers and a trifecta for the first time in the state since 1873.

Summary table

Regularly scheduled elections were held in 8 of the 99 state legislative chambers in the United States. Nationwide, regularly scheduled elections were held for 578 of the 7,383 legislative seats. This table only covers regularly scheduled elections; additional special elections took place concurrently with these regularly scheduled elections.

StateUpper HouseLower House
Seats upTotal% upTermSeats upTotal% upTerm
Louisiana393910041051051004
Mississippi525210041221221004
New Jersey40401002/480801002
Virginia404010041001001002

State summaries

Louisiana

All seats of the Louisiana State Senate and the Louisiana House of Representatives were up for election to four-year terms in single-member districts. Republicans flipped both chambers through party switching and special elections in the past year, and then retained majority control in both chambers in the 2011 elections.

+colspan=6 Louisiana State Senate
PartyBeforeAfterChange
Republican2224 2
Democratic1715 2
Total3939
+colspan=6 Louisiana House of Representatives
PartyBeforeAfterChange
Republican5758 1
Democratic4645 1
22
Total105105

Mississippi

All seats of the Mississippi State Senate and the Mississippi House of Representatives were up for election to four-year terms in single-member districts. Republicans won a majority in the lower house. They had previously won a majority in the upper house through party switching and special elections earlier in the year, and then retained a majority in the general election.

+colspan=6 Mississippi State Senate
PartyBeforeAfterChange
Republican2731 4
Democratic2421 3
Total5252
+colspan=6 Mississippi House of Representatives
PartyBeforeAfterChange
Republican5464 10
Democratic6858 10
Total122122

New Jersey

See main article: 2011 New Jersey Senate election and 2011 New Jersey General Assembly election. All seats of the New Jersey Senate and the New Jersey General Assembly were up for election. In 2011, senators were elected to two-year terms in single-member districts, while Assembly members were elected to two-year terms in two-member districts.[6] Democrats retained majority control in both chambers.

+colspan=6 Senate
PartyBeforeAfterChange
Democratic2424
Republican1616
Total4040
+colspan=6 General Assembly
PartyBeforeAfterChange
Democratic4748 1
Republican3332 1
Total8080

Virginia

See main article: 2011 Virginia Senate election and 2011 Virginia House of Delegates election. All seats of the Senate of Virginia and the Virginia House of Delegates were up for election in single-member districts. Senators were elected to four-year terms, while delegates serve terms of two years. Republicans maintained control of the lower chamber and won control of the upper chamber because the Republican lieutenant governor broke the ties in the now-evenly split body.

+colspan=6 Senate of Virginia
PartyBeforeAfterChange
Republican1820 2
Democratic2220 2
Total4040
+colspan=6 Virginia House of Delegates
PartyBeforeAfterChange
Republican5967 8
Independent21 1
Democratic3932 7
Total100100

See also

Notes and References

  1. Web site: State legislative elections, 2011 . . December 26, 2022 .
  2. Web site: State legislative elections, 2011 . . December 26, 2022 .
  3. Web site: 2011-02-21 . Sen. Ezell Lee Qualifies As A Republican « Majority In Mississippi . https://web.archive.org/web/20110221085113/ . 2011-02-21 . 2024-08-05 . web.archive.org.
  4. Web site: 2010-12-18 . Political switch gives GOP control of Louisiana House . 2024-07-06 . www.kplctv.com . en.
  5. Web site: Freddoso . David . 2011-02-21 . Special election gives GOP complete control of Louisiana state government - Washington Examiner . 2024-07-06 . en-US.
  6. Web site: New Jersey Secretary of State. state.nj.us. en.