2020 United States state legislative elections

The 2020 United States state legislative elections were held on November 3, 2020, for 86 state legislative chambers in 44 states. Across the fifty states, approximately 65 percent of all upper house seats and 85 percent of all lower house seats were up for election. Nine legislative chambers in the five permanently inhabited U.S. territories and the federal district of Washington, D.C. also held elections. The elections took place concurrently with several other federal, state, and local elections, including the presidential election, U.S. Senate elections, U.S. House elections, and gubernatorial elections.

Prior to the elections, Democrats held 15 trifectas (control of the governor's office and legislative chambers), Republicans held 21 trifectas, and 14 states have a divided government. Nationwide, Republicans controlled approximately 60 percent of the legislative chambers and 52 percent of the legislative seats. These elections had a major impact on the 2020 redistricting cycle, as many states held their final legislative elections prior to the decennial drawing of new congressional and state legislative districts.

Following the election, Republicans controlled redistricting in 20 state governments, totaling 188 House districts, whereas Democrats had control in states with a total of 73 districts. Overall, these elections saw the fewest partisan changes in state legislatures since 1944.

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 5,876 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. 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 Lower House Seats up Total % up Term Seats up Total % up TermAlabama03504010504Alaska102050440401002Arizona3030100260601002Arkansas1735492/41001001002California204050480801002 Colorado183551465651002 Connecticut363610021511511002 Delaware1121522/441411002 Florida2040502/41201201002 Georgia565610021801801002 Hawaii1325522/451511002 Idaho3535100270701002 Illinois2059342/41181181002 Indiana25505041001001002 Iowa25505041001001002 Kansas404010041251251002 Kentucky19385041001001002 Louisiana03904010504 Maine353510021511511002 Maryland04704014104 Massachusetts404010021601601002 Michigan038041101101002 Minnesota67671002/41341341002 Mississippi05204012204 Missouri17345041631631002 Montana25505041001001002 Nebraska2549514 N/A (unicameral) Nevada102148442421002 New Hampshire242410024004001002 New Jersey04002/408002 New Mexico4242100470701002 New York636310021501501002 North Carolina505010021201201002 North Dakota23474944794504 Ohio163348499991002 Oklahoma24485041011011002 Oregon153050460601002 Pennsylvania25505042032031002 Rhode Island3838100275751002 South Carolina464610041241241002 South Dakota3535100270701002 Tennessee163348499991002 Texas1631522/41501501002 Utah152952475751002 Vermont303010021501501002 Virginia04004010002 Washington254951498981002 West Virginia17345041001001002 Wisconsin163348499991002 Wyoming153050460601002 Total1281197265N/A4595541185N/A

Electoral predictions Louis Jacobson of The Cook Political Report predicted that Republican-held chambers that could potentially flip to Democratic control included both chambers in Arizona, the Florida Senate, both chambers in Georgia, the Iowa House, the Michigan House, the Minnesota Senate, both chambers in North Carolina, both chambers in Pennsylvania, and the Texas House. He predicted that Republicans could potentially gain control of the Maine Senate, the Minnesota House, and both chambers in New Hampshire, all of which were controlled by the Democratic Party. Additionally, Jacobson predicted that Republicans could win control of the Alaska House, which was currently controlled by a coalition of Democrats and Republicans.

Writing for Sabato's Crystal Ball, Chaz Nuttycombe highlighted the Alaska House and the New Hampshire Senate as the top pick-up opportunities for Republicans, and lists the Arizona House, the Arizona Senate, the Iowa House, the Michigan House, the Minnesota Senate, the North Carolina House, the North Carolina Senate, the Pennsylvania House, and the Texas House as the top pick-up opportunities for Democrats.

Most election predictors use: "Tossup": No advantage "Tilt": Advantage that is not quite as strong as "lean" "Lean": Slight advantage "Likely": Significant, but surmountable, advantage "Safe" or "Solid": Near-certain chance of victory

State PVI Chamber Lastelection Sabato CookResult Alaska rowspan=2 Senate R 13–7 | | R 13–7 House of Representatives Coal. 23–15–2 | | Coal. 21–17–2 Arizona rowspan=2 Senate R 17–13 | | R 16–14 House of Representatives R 31–29 | | R 31–29 Arkansas rowspan=2 Senate R 26–9 | | R 28–7 House of Representatives R 76–24 | | R 78–22 California rowspan=2 State Senate D 29–11 | | D 31–9 State Assembly D 61–18–1 | | D 60–19–1 Colorado rowspan=2 Senate D 19–16 | | D 20–15 House of Representatives D 41–24 | | D 41–24 Connecticut rowspan=2 State Senate D 22–14 | | D 24–12 House of Representatives D 97–54 | | D 97–54 Delaware rowspan=2 Senate D 12–9 | | D 14–7 House of Representatives D 26–15 | | D 26–15 Florida rowspan=2 Senate R 23–17 | | R 24–16 House of Representatives R 73–47 | | R 78–42 Georgia rowspan=2 State Senate R 35–21 | | R 34–22 House of Representatives R 105–75 | | R 103–77 Hawaii rowspan=2 Senate D 24–1 | | D 24–1 House of Representatives D 46–5 | | D 47–4 Idaho rowspan=2 Senate R 28–7 | | R 28–7 House of Representatives R 56–14 | | R 58–12 Illinois rowspan=2 Senate D 40–19 | | D 41–18 House of Representatives D 74–44 | | D 73–45 Indiana rowspan=2 Senate R 40–10 | | R 39–11 House of Representatives R 67–33 | | R 71–29 Iowa rowspan=2 Senate R 32–18 | | R 32–18 House of Representatives R 53–47 | | R 59–41 Kansas rowspan=2 Senate R 31–9 | | R 29–11 House of Representatives R 84–41 | | R 86–39 Kentucky rowspan=2 Senate R 28–10 | | R 30–8 House of Representatives R 61–39 | | R 75–25 Maine rowspan=2 Senate D 21–14 | | D 22–13 House of Representatives D 89–56–6 | | D 80–67–4 Massachusetts rowspan=2 Senate D 34–6 | | D 37–3 House of Representatives D 127–32–1 | | D 129–30–1 Michigan House of Representatives R 58–52 | | R 58–52 Minnesota rowspan=2 Senate R 35–32 | | R 34–33 House of Representatives D 75–59 | | D 70–64 Missouri rowspan=2 Senate R 23–10 | | R 23–10 House of Representatives R 116–47 | | R 114–49 Montana rowspan=2 Senate R 30–20 | | R 31–19 House of Representatives R 58–42 | | R 67–33 Nevada rowspan=2 Senate D 13–8 | | D 12–9 Assembly D 29–13 | | D 26–16 New Hampshire rowspan=2 Senate D 14–10 | | R 14–10 House of Representatives D 234–166 | | R 213–187 New Mexico rowspan=2 Senate D 26–16 | | D 27–15 House of Representatives D 46–24 | | D 44–25–1 New York rowspan=2 State Senate D 40–23 | | D 43–20 State Assembly D 105–44–1 | | D 105–43–1–1 North Carolina rowspan=2 Senate R 29–21 | | R 28–22 House of Representatives R 65–55 | | R 69–51 North Dakota rowspan=2 Senate R 37–10 | | R 40–7 House of Representatives R 79–15 | | R 80–14 Ohio rowspan=2 Senate R 24–9 | | R 25–8 House of Representatives R 61–38 | | R 64–35 Oklahoma rowspan=2 Senate R 38–9 | | R 38–9 House of Representatives R 77–23 | | R 82–19 Oregon rowspan=2 State Senate D 18–12 | | D 18–12 House of Representatives D 38–22 | | D 37–23 Pennsylvania rowspan=2 State Senate R 28–21–1 | | R 28–21–1 House of Representatives R 110–93 | | R 113–90 Rhode Island rowspan=2 Senate D 33–5 | | D 33–5 House of Representatives D 66–9 | | D 65–10 South Carolina rowspan=2 Senate R 27–19 | | R 30–16 House of Representatives R 80–44 | | R 81–43 South Dakota rowspan=2 Senate R 30–5 | | R 32–3 House of Representatives R 59–11 | | R 62–8 Tennessee rowspan=2 Senate R 28–5 | | R 27–6 House of Representatives R 73–26 | | R 73–26 Texas rowspan=2 Senate R 19–12 | | R 18–13 House of Representatives R 83–67 | | R 83–67 Utah rowspan=2 State Senate R 23–6 | | R 23–6 House of Representatives R 59–16 | | R 58–17 Vermont rowspan=2 Senate D 22–6–2 | | D 21–7–2 House of Representatives D 95–43–7–5 | | D 92–46–7–5 Washington rowspan=2 State Senate D 28–21 | | D 28–21 House of Representatives D 57–41 | | D 57–41 West Virginia rowspan=2 Senate R 20–14 | | R 23–11 House of Delegates R 59–41 | | R 76–24 Wisconsin rowspan=2 Senate R 19–14 | | R 21–12 State Assembly R 63–34 | | R 61–38 Wyoming rowspan=2 Senate R 27–3 | | R 28–2 House of Representatives R 50–9–1 | | R 51–7–1–1

National results

+Lower house results by partyPartySeatsbeforeChambersbeforePopular vote%Seatsafter+/-Chambersafter+/-Republican2,780 2865,005,94548.78%2,926 146 29 1Democratic2,600 2065,716,35949.32%2,454 146 19 1Independent 23 0665,7100.50% 22 1 0 Progressive 7 020,3620.02% 7 0 Libertarian 0 0680,3730.51% 1 1 0 Independence 1 0109,1840.08% 1 0 Green 0 0108,4050.08% 0 0 Others 0 1951,9920.71% 0 1 Total 5,411 49133,258,330100.00% 5,411 — 49 —

+Upper house results by partyPartySeatsbeforeChambersbeforePopular vote%Seatsafter+/-Chambersafter+/-Republican 1,092 31 38,466,738 47.22% 1,097 5 32 1Democratic 876 19 41,103,188 50.46% 872 4 18 1Progressive 2 0 83,975 0.10% 2 0 Independent 2 0 336,876 0.41% 1 1 0 Libertarian 0 0 321,959 0.40% 0 0 Independence 0 0 120,546 0.15% 0 0 Green 0 0 82,860 0.10% 0 0 Others 0 0 942,801 1.16% 0 0 Total 1,972 50 81,458,943 100.00% 1,972 — 50 —

Due to the impact the redistricting cycle will have on partisan control of Congress and state legislatures, the Democrats, who had not been in control of a majority of state legislatures across the U.S. since 2010, had hoped to retake control of key chambers in advance. However, despite fundraising efforts and projections of several Republican-held chambers in competitive states flipping, the Democrats failed to flip any state chambers, which they attributed to gerrymandering in the wake of the 2010 elections, as well as state laws restricting voting, President Donald Trump being on the ballot, and the Democrats' campaigning methods. Instead, Republicans flipped both chambers in the New Hampshire General Court.

Maps

State summaries Alaska

Half of the seats of the Alaska Senate and all of the seats of the Alaska House of Representatives were up for election in 2020. The Alaska Senate is controlled by Republicans, while the Alaska House of Representatives is controlled by a coalition of Democrats, Republicans, and independents. The Alaska House of Representatives is currently the only state legislative chamber controlled by a cross-partisan coalition.

Alaska Senate Party Leader Before After Change Republican Lyman Hoffman 13 13 Democratic 1 1 Tom Begich 6 6 Total 20 20 Alaska House of Representatives Party Leader Before After Change Democratic Bryce Edgmon 15 15 Independent 2 4 2 Republican Lance Pruitt 6 2 3 16 17IndependentRepublican12 1 Total 40 40

Arizona

All of the seats of the Arizona Senate and the Arizona House of Representatives were up for election in 2020. Republicans have a government trifecta with control of the governorship and both state legislative chambers.

Arizona Senate Party Leader Before After Change Republican Rick Gray 17 16 1 Democratic David Bradley 13 14 1 Total 30 30 Arizona House of Representatives Party Leader Before After Change Republican Russell Bowers 31 31 Democratic Charlene Fernandez 29 29 Total 60 60

Arkansas