2002 United States state legislative elections
November 5, 2002
91 legislative chambers in 46 states
  Majority party Minority party Third party
 
Party Republican Democratic Coalition
Chambers before 49 47[lower-alpha 1] 1[lower-alpha 2]
Chambers after 54 42[lower-alpha 3] 0
Overall change Increase 5 Decrease 5 Decrease 1
Map of upper house elections:
     Democrats gained control      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 2002 United States state legislative elections were held on November 5, 2002, halfway through President George W. Bush's first term in office. This was a unique election in which the incumbent Republican party performed surprisingly well for a midterm election. Elections were held for 91 legislative chambers, with all states but Louisiana, Mississippi, New Jersey, and Virginia holding elections in at least one house. [1] Three territorial chambers in two territories and the District of Columbia were up as well.

Republicans flipped control of six chambers: the Colorado Senate, the Georgia Senate for the first time since 1873, the Missouri House of Representatives for the first time since 1955, the Texas House of Representatives for the first time since 1873, the Washington Senate, and the Wisconsin Senate. Meanwhile, Democrats flipped control of the Illinois Senate. Additionally, the Arizona Senate went from a Democratic-led coalition to Republican control. The Maine Senate went from an evenly divided power-sharing government to a Democratic one. while the Oregon Senate went from Republican to tied.

Republicans had initially won control of the North Carolina House of Representatives by one seat, but Republican Michael P. Decker switched parties to become a Democrat, producing a tied chamber.[2]

Republicans won a trifecta in Texas for the first time since 1873, and in Missouri for the first time since 1923. As a result, Republicans held a majority of state legislative seats for the first time in half a century.[3]

Summary table

Regularly-scheduled elections were held in 91 of the 99 state legislative chambers in the United States. Nationwide, regularly-scheduled elections were held for 6,381 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.[4] 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[4] Lower House[4]
Seats up Total  % up Term Seats up Total  % up Term
Alabama 35 35 35 4 105 105 105 4
Alaska 19 20 95 4 40 40 100 2
Arizona 30 30 100 2 60 60 100 2
Arkansas 35 35 100 2/4[lower-alpha 4] 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[lower-alpha 4] 41 41 100 2
Florida 40 40 100 2/4[lower-alpha 4] 120 120 100 2
Georgia 56 56 100 2 180 180 100 2
Hawaii 25 25 100 2/4[lower-alpha 4] 51 51 100 2
Idaho 35 35 100 2 70 70 100 2
Illinois 59 59 100 2/4[lower-alpha 4] 118 118 100 2
Indiana 25 50 50 4 100 100 100 2
Iowa 25 50 50 4 100 100 100 2
Kansas 0 40 0 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 47 47 47 4 141 141 141 4
Massachusetts 40 40 100 2 160 160 100 2
Michigan 38 38 100 4 110 110 100 2
Minnesota 67 67 100 2/4[lower-alpha 4] 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[lower-alpha 5] 49[lower-alpha 5] 51[lower-alpha 5] 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[lower-alpha 4] 0 80 0 2
New Mexico 0 42 0 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[lower-alpha 4] 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
Alabama D 24-11 D 25-10 Democratic Hold
Alaska R 14-6 R 12-8 Republican Hold
Arizona Coal. 18-12 R 17-13 Republican Takeover
Arkansas D 27-8 D 27-8 Democratic hold
California D 26-14 D 25-15 Democratic hold
Colorado D 18-17 R 18-17 Republican Takeover
Connecticut D 21-15 D 21-15 Democratic hold
Delaware D 13-8 D 13-8 Democratic hold
Florida R 25-15 R 26-14 Republican hold
Georgia D 32-24 R 30-26 Republican Takeover
Hawaii D 22-3 D 20-5 Democratic hold
Idaho R 32-3 R 28-7 Republican hold
Illinois R 32-27 D 32-26-1 Democratic Takeover
Indiana R 32-18 R 32-18 Republican hold
Iowa R 30-20 R 29-21 Republican hold
Kentucky R 20-18 R 21-17 Republican hold
Maine 17-17-1 D 18-17 Democratic Takeover
Maryland D 34-13 D 33-14 Democratic hold
Massachusetts D 34-6 D 34-6 Democratic hold
Michigan R 23-15 R 22-16 Republican hold
Minnesota D 39-27-1 D 35-31-1 Democratic Hold
Missouri R 18-16 R 20-14 Republican hold
Montana R 31-19 R 29-21 Republican hold
Nebraska Unicameral and non–partisan Senate with 49 members
Nevada R 12-9 R 13-8 Republican hold
New Hampshire R 13-11 R 18-6 Republican Hold
New York R 36-25 R 37-25 Republican Hold
North Carolina D 28-22 D 28-22 Democratic Hold
North Dakota R 32-17 R 31-16 Republican hold
Ohio R 21-12 R 22-11 Republican hold
Oklahoma D 30-18 D 28-20 Democratic hold
Oregon R 16-14 15-15 Split Takeover
Pennsylvania R 30-20 R 29-21 Republican hold
Rhode Island D 44-6 D 32-6 Democratic hold
South Carolina R 25-21 R 26-20 Republican hold
South Dakota R 24-11 R 26-9 Republican hold
Tennessee D 18-15 D 18-15 Democratic hold
Texas R 16-15 R 19-12 Republican hold
Utah R 20-9 R 21-8 Republican hold
Vermont D 16-14 D 19-11 Democratic hold
Washington D 25-24 R 25-24 Republican Takeover
West Virginia D 28-6 D 24-10 Democratic hold
Wisconsin D 18-15 R 18-15 Republican takeover
Wyoming R 20-10 R 20-10 Republican hold

Lower houses

State Previous LH Result Party control
Alabama D 67-38 D 63-42 Democratic Hold
Alaska R 27-13 R 27-13 Republican hold
Arizona R 36-24 R 39-21 Republican hold
Arkansas D 72-28 D 70-30 Democratic hold
California D 50-30 D 48-32 Democratic hold
Colorado R 38-27 R 37-28 Republican Hold
Connecticut D 100-51 D 94-57 Democratic hold
Delaware R 26-15 R 29-12 Republican hold
Florida R 77-43 R 81-39 Republican hold
Georgia D 105-74-1 D 107-72-1 Democratic hold
Hawaii D 32-19 D 36-15 Democratic hold
Idaho R 61-9 R 54-16 Republican hold
Illinois D 62-56 D 66-52 Democratic hold
Indiana D 53-47 D 51-49 Democratic Hold
Iowa R 56-44 R 54-46 Republican Hold
Kansas R 79-46 R 80-45 Republican hold
Kentucky D 64-36 D 65-35 Democratic hold
Maine D 88-62-1 D 80-67-3-1 Democratic Hold
Maryland D 106-35 D 98-43 Democratic hold
Massachusetts D 137-23 D 135-23-1 Democratic hold
Michigan R 59-51 R 62-48 Republican Hold
Minnesota R 70-64 R 81-53 Republican Hold
Missouri D 84-78 R 90-73 Republican Takeover
Montana R 58-42 R 53-47 Republican Hold
Nebraska Unicameral and non–partisan Senate with 49 members
Nevada D 27-15 D 23-19 Democratic hold
New Hampshire R 256-144 R 278-122 Republican Hold
New Mexico D 42-28 D 43-27 Democratic hold
New York D 98-52 D 102-48 Democratic hold
North Carolina D 62-58 60-60 Split Takeover
North Dakota R 69-29 R 66-28 Republican hold
Ohio R 60-39 R 62-37 Republican Hold
Oklahoma D 53-48 D 53-48 Democratic hold
Oregon R 32-27-1 R 35-35 Republican Hold
Pennsylvania R 104-99 R 110-93 Republican Hold
Rhode Island D 85-15 D 63-11-1 Democratic hold
South Carolina R 71-53 R 73-51 Republican hold
South Dakota R 50-20 R 49-21 Republican hold
Tennessee D 58-41 D 54-45 Democratic hold
Texas D 78-72 R 88-62 Republican Takeover
Utah R 51-24 R 56-19 Republican hold
Vermont R 83-62-4-1 R 82-63-4-1 Republican hold
Washington D 50-48 D 52-46 Democratic hold
West Virginia D 75-25 D 68-32 Democratic hold
Wisconsin R 56-43 R 58-41 Republican Hold
Wyoming R 46-14 R 45-15 Republican hold

Territorial and federal district summaries

Lower houses

Territory Previous LH Result Party control
American Samoa Non–partisan House of Representatives with 21 members

Unicameral

Territory Previous Result Party control
Guam R 8-7 D 9-6 Democratic Takeover
Washington D.C. D 11-2 D 11-2 Democratic Hold

Notes

  1. ↑ The New Jersey Senate and Maine Senate were tied, and they were controlled by a power-sharing agreement between Democrats and Republicans.
  2. ↑ 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.
  3. ↑ The Oregon Senate, North Carolina House of Representatives, and New Jersey Senate were tied, and they were controlled by a power-sharing agreement between Democrats and Republicans. Thus, they are not included in the final total.
  4. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 The upper houses of Arkansas, Delaware, Florida, Hawaii, Illinois, Minnesota, New Jersey, and Texas use a 2-4-4 term length system.
  5. 1 2 3 These figures represent the seats of Nebraska's unicameral legislature.

References

  1. ↑ "State legislative elections, 2002". Ballotpedia.
  2. ↑ "Decker Switches to Democrats, Making House Even Split". WRAL.com. 2003-01-25. Retrieved 2023-03-03.
  3. ↑ Storey, Tim. The Book of the States 2005. The Council of State Governments. Retrieved 2010-01-01 "Archived copy" (PDF). Archived (PDF) from the original on 2010-01-09. Retrieved 2010-01-01.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
  4. 1 2 3 "2020 Legislative Races by State and Legislative Chamber". National Conference of State Legislatures.
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