List of elections in the United States explained

The United States holds its federal elections on the first Tuesday in November. The President of the United States is elected to a four-year term. Each of the 435 seats in the United States House of Representatives are elected to two-year terms. The 100 members in the United States Senate are elected to six-year terms, with one-third of them being renewed every two years.

Because of when these federal offices are up for election, the election years are commonly classified into the following three categories:

The years in which elections are held for U.S. state and local offices vary between each jurisdiction. The vast majority of races held during off-year elections are at the city and local level, but many other city and local governments may instead hold their elections during even-numbered years to coincide with either the presidential or midterm elections.

List of elections by year

1788–1879

Each state originally set their own separate date for their congressional elections. Before the Twentieth Amendment to the United States Constitution was ratified in 1933, the date on which a Congress usually began was March 4 of the odd-numbered year instead of early January. Individual states could schedule congressional elections into January or February. The dates when Senate elections were held varied even more: before the Seventeenth Amendment was ratified in 1913, senators were chosen by state legislatures, which meant senate seats could remain vacant for months or years due to legislative deadlock.[1]

YearGeneralSenateHousePresidentGovernorsMayors
1788/89General 1788/89Senate 1788/89House 1788/89President 1788/89
1790General 1790Senate 1790/91House 1790/91
1792General 1792Senate 1792/93House 1792/93President 1792
1794General 1794Senate 1794/95House 1794/95
1796General 1796Senate 1796/97House 1796/97President 1796
1798General 1798Senate 1798/99House 1798/99
1800General 1800Senate 1800/01House 1800/01President 1800Governors 1800
1802General 1802Senate 1802/03House 1802/03Governors 1802
1804General 1804Senate 1804/05House 1804/05President 1804Governors 1804
1806General 1806Senate 1806/07House 1806/07Governors 1806
1808General 1808Senate 1808/09House 1808/09President 1808
1810General 1810Senate 1810/11House 1810/11Governors 1810
1812General 1812Senate 1812/13House 1812/13President 1812
1814General 1814Senate 1814/15House 1814/15
1816General 1816Senate 1816/17House 1816/17President 1816
1818General 1818Senate 1818/19House 1818/19
1820General 1820Senate 1820/21House 1820/21President 1820
1822General 1822Senate 1822/23House 1822/23
1824General 1824Senate 1824/25House 1824/25President 1824
1826General 1826Senate 1826/27House 1826/27
1828General 1828Senate 1828/29House 1828/29President 1828
1830General 1830Senate 1830/31House 1830/31
1832General 1832Senate 1832/33House 1832/33President 1832
1834General 1834Senate 1834/35House 1834/35
1836General 1836Senate 1836/37House 1836/37President 1836
1838General 1838Senate 1838/39House 1838/39Mayors 1838
1840General 1840Senate 1840/41House 1840/41President 1840Mayors 1840
1842General 1842Senate 1842/43House 1842/43Mayors 1842
1844General 1844Senate 1844/45House 1844/45President 1844Mayors 1844
1846General 1846Senate 1846/47House 1846/47Mayors 1846
1848General 1848Senate 1848/49House 1848/49President 1848Mayors 1848
1850General 1850Senate 1850/51House 1850/51Mayors 1850
1852General 1852Senate 1852/53House 1852/53President 1852Mayors 1852
1854General 1854Senate 1854/55House 1854/55Mayors 1854
1856General 1856Senate 1856/57House 1856/57President 1856Mayors 1856
1858General 1858Senate 1858/59House 1858/59Mayors 1858
1860General 1860Senate 1860/61House 1860/61President 1860Mayors 1860
1862General 1862Senate 1862/63House 1862/63Mayors 1862
1864General 1864Senate 1864/65House 1864/65President 1864Mayors 1864
1866General 1866Senate 1866/67House 1866/67Mayors 1866
1868General 1868Senate 1868/69House 1868/69President 1868Mayors 1868
1870General 1870Senate 1870/71House 1870/71Mayors 1870
1872General 1872Senate 1872/73House 1872/73President 1872Mayors 1872
1874General 1874Senate 1874/75House 1874/75Mayors 1874
1876General 1876Senate 1876/77House 1876/77President 1876Mayors 1876
1878General 1878Senate 1878/79House 1878/79Mayors 1878

1880–1911

Congress began to standardize House elections in 1872,[2] and by 1880 every state had moved their regular House elections to even-numbered years. However, a state's Senate election continued to depend on whether its state legislature remained in gridlock.[1]

YearGeneralSenateHousePresidentGovernorsMayors
1880General 1880Senate 1880/81House 1880President 1880Mayors 1880
1881General 1881House 1881Mayors 1881
1882General 1882Senate 1882/83House 1882Mayors 1882
1883General 1883House 1883Mayors 1883
1884General 1884Senate 1884/85House 1884President 1884Mayors 1884
1885General 1885House 1885Mayors 1885
1886General 1886Senate 1886/87House 1886Mayors 1886
1887General 1887House 1887Governors 1887Mayors 1887
1888General 1888Senate 1888/89House 1888President 1888Mayors 1888
1889General 1889House 1889Mayors 1889
1890General 1890Senate 1890/91House 1890Mayors 1890
1891General 1891House 1891Mayors 1891
1892General 1892Senate 1892/93House 1892President 1892Mayors 1892
1893General 1893House 1893Governors 1893Mayors 1893
1894General 1894Senate 1894/95House 1894Mayors 1894
1895General 1895House 1895Governors 1895Mayors 1895
1896General 1896Senate 1896/97House 1896President 1896Mayors 1896
1897General 1897House 1897Governors 1897Mayors 1897
1898General 1898Senate 1898/99House 1898Governors 1898Mayors 1898
1899General 1899House 1899Governors 1899Mayors 1899
1900General 1900Senate 1900/01House 1900President 1900Governors 1900Mayors 1900
1901General 1901House 1901Governors 1901Mayors 1901
1902General 1902Senate 1902/03House 1902Governors 1902Mayors 1902
1903General 1903House 1903Governors 1903Mayors 1903
1904General 1904Senate 1904/05House 1904President 1904Governors 1904Mayors 1904
1905General 1905House 1905Governors 1905Mayors 1905
1906General 1906Senate 1906/07House 1906Governors 1906Mayors 1906
1907General 1907House 1907Governors 1907Mayors 1907
1908General 1908Senate 1908/09House 1908President 1908Governors 1908Mayors 1908
1909General 1909House 1909Governors 1909Mayors 1909
1910General 1910Senate 1910/11House 1910Governors 1910Mayors 1910
1911General 1911House 1911Governors 1911Mayors 1911

1912–present

The 1914 midterm elections became the first year that all regular Senate elections were held in even-numbered years, coinciding with the House elections. The ratification of the Seventeenth Amendment to the United States Constitution in 1913 established the direct election of senators, instead of having them elected directly by state legislatures.[1]

YearGeneralSenateHousePresidentGovernorsMayors
1912General 1912Senate 1912/13House 1912President 1912Governors 1912Mayors 1912
1913General 1913Senate 1913House 1913Governors 1913Mayors 1913
1914General 1914Senate 1914House 1914Governors 1914Mayors 1914
1915General 1915 (None)House 1915Governors 1915Mayors 1915
1916General 1916Senate 1916House 1916President 1916Governors 1916Mayors 1916
1917General 1917 (None)House 1917Governors 1917Mayors 1917
1918General 1918Senate 1918House 1918Governors 1918Mayors 1918
1919General 1919 (None)House 1919Governors 1919Mayors 1919
1920General 1920Senate 1920House 1920President 1920Governors 1920Mayors 1920
1921General 1921Senate 1921House 1921Governors 1921Mayors 1921
1922General 1922Senate 1922House 1922Governors 1922Mayors 1922
1923General 1923Senate 1923House 1923Governors 1923Mayors 1923
1924General 1924Senate 1924House 1924President 1924Governors 1924Mayors 1924
1925General 1925Senate 1925House 1925Governors 1925Mayors 1925
1926General 1926Senate 1926House 1926Governors 1926Mayors 1926
1927General 1927 (None)House 1927Governors 1927Mayors 1927
1928General 1928Senate 1928House 1928President 1928Governors 1928Mayors 1928
1929General 1929 (None)House 1929Governors 1929Mayors 1929
1930General 1930Senate 1930House 1930Governors 1930Mayors 1930
1931General 1931House 1931Governors 1931Mayors 1931
1932General 1932Senate 1932House 1932President 1932Governors 1932Mayors 1932
1933General 1933Senate 1933House 1933Governors 1933Mayors 1933
1934General 1934Senate 1934House 1934Governors 1934Mayors 1934
1935General 1935 (None)House 1935Governors 1935Mayors 1935
1936General 1936Senate 1936House 1936President 1936Governors 1936Mayors 1936
1937General 1937House 1937Governors 1937Mayors 1937
1938General 1938Senate 1938House 1938Governors 1938Mayors 1938
1939General 1939 (None)House 1939Governors 1939Mayors 1939
1940General 1940Senate 1940House 1940President 1940Governors 1940Mayors 1940
1941General 1941Senate 1941House 1941Governors 1941Mayors 1941
1942General 1942Senate 1942House 1942Governors 1942Mayors 1942
1943General 1943 (None)House 1943Governors 1943Mayors 1943
1944General 1944Senate 1944House 1944President 1944Governors 1944Mayors 1944
1945General 1945 (None)House 1945Governors 1945Mayors 1945
1946General 1946Senate 1946House 1946Governors 1946Mayors 1946
1947General 1947House 1947Governors 1947Mayors 1947
1948General 1948Senate 1948House 1948President 1948Governors 1948Mayors 1948
1949General 1949House 1949Governors 1949Mayors 1949
1950General 1950Senate 1950House 1950Governors 1950Mayors 1950
1951General 1951 (None)House 1951Governors 1951Mayors 1951
1952General 1952Senate 1952House 1952President 1952Governors 1952Mayors 1952
1953General 1953 (None)House 1953Governors 1953Mayors 1953
1954General 1954Senate 1954House 1954Governors 1954Mayors 1954
1955General 1955 (None)House 1955Governors 1955Mayors 1955
1956General 1956Senate 1956House 1956President 1956Governors 1956Mayors 1956
1957General 1957Senate 1957House 1957Governors 1957Mayors 1957
1958General 1958Senate 1958House 1958Governors 1958Mayors 1958
1959General 1959House 1959Governors 1959Mayors 1959
1960General 1960Senate 1960House 1960President 1960Governors 1960Mayors 1960
1961General 1961House 1961Governors 1961Mayors 1961
1962General 1962Senate 1962House 1962Governors 1962Mayors 1962
1963General 1963 (None)House 1963Governors 1963Mayors 1963
1964General 1964Senate 1964House 1964President 1964Governors 1964Mayors 1964
1965General 1965 (None)House 1965Governors 1965Mayors 1965
1966General 1966Senate 1966House 1966Governors 1966Mayors 1966
1967General 1967 (None)House 1967Governors 1967Mayors 1967
1968General 1968Senate 1968House 1968President 1968Governors 1968Mayors 1968
1969General 1969 (None)House 1969Governors 1969Mayors 1969
1970General 1970Senate 1970House 1970Governors 1970Mayors 1970
1971General 1971 (None)House 1971Governors 1971Mayors 1971
1972General 1972Senate 1972House 1972President 1972Governors 1972Mayors 1972
1973General 1973 (None)House 1973Governors 1973Mayors 1973
1974General 1974Senate 1974House 1974Governors 1974Mayors 1974
1975General 1975House 1975Governors 1975Mayors 1975
1976General 1976Senate 1976House 1976President 1976Governors 1976Mayors 1976
1977General 1977 (None)House 1977Governors 1977Mayors 1977
1978General 1978Senate 1978House 1978Governors 1978Mayors 1978
1979General 1979 (None)House 1979Governors 1979Mayors 1979
1980General 1980Senate 1980House 1980President 1980Governors 1980Mayors 1980
1981General 1981 (None)House 1981Governors 1981Mayors 1981
1982General 1982Senate 1982House 1982Governors 1982Mayors 1982
1983General 1983Senate 1983House 1983Governors 1983Mayors 1983
1984General 1984Senate 1984House 1984President 1984Governors 1984Mayors 1984
1985General 1985 (None)House 1985Governors 1985Mayors 1985
1986General 1986Senate 1986House 1986Governors 1986Mayors 1986
1987General 1987 (None)House 1987Governors 1987Mayors 1987
1988General 1988Senate 1988House 1988President 1988Governors 1988Mayors 1988
1989General 1989 (None)House 1989Governors 1989Mayors 1989
1990General 1990Senate 1990House 1990Governors 1990Mayors 1990
1991General 1991Senate 1991House 1991Governors 1991Mayors 1991
1992General 1992Senate 1992House 1992President 1992Governors 1992Mayors 1992
1993General 1993Senate 1993House 1993Governors 1993Mayors 1993
1994General 1994Senate 1994House 1994Governors 1994Mayors 1994
1995General 1995 (None)House 1995Governors 1995Mayors 1995
1996General 1996Senate 1996House 1996President 1996Governors 1996Mayors 1996
1997General 1997 (None)House 1997Governors 1997Mayors 1997
1998General 1998Senate 1998House 1998Governors 1998Mayors 1998
1999General 1999 (None)House 1999Governors 1999Mayors 1999
2000General 2000Senate 2000House 2000President 2000Governors 2000Mayors 2000
2001General 2001 (None)House 2001Governors 2001Mayors 2001
2002General 2002Senate 2002House 2002Governors 2002Mayors 2002
2003General 2003 (None)House 2003Governors 2003Mayors 2003
2004General 2004Senate 2004House 2004President 2004Governors 2004Mayors 2004
2005General 2005 (None)House 2005Governors 2005Mayors 2005
2006General 2006Senate 2006House 2006Governors 2006Mayors 2006
2007General 2007 (None)House 2007Governors 2007Mayors 2007
2008General 2008Senate 2008House 2008President 2008Governors 2008Mayors 2008
2009General 2009House 2009Governors 2009Mayors 2009
2010General 2010Senate 2010House 2010Governors 2010Mayors 2010
2011General 2011 (None)House 2011Governors 2011Mayors 2011
2012General 2012Senate 2012House 2012President 2012Governors 2012Mayors 2012
2013General 2013Senate 2013House 2013Governors 2013Mayors 2013
2014General 2014Senate 2014House 2014Governors 2014Mayors 2014
2015General 2015 (None)House 2015Governors 2015Mayors 2015
2016General 2016Senate 2016House 2016President 2016Governors 2016Mayors 2016
2017General 2017Senate 2017House 2017Governors 2017Mayors 2017
2018General 2018Senate 2018House 2018Governors 2018Mayors 2018
2019General 2019 (None)House 2019Governors 2019Mayors 2019
2020General 2020Senate 2020House 2020President 2020Governors 2020Mayors 2020
2021General 2021House 2021Governors 2021Mayors 2021
2022General 2022Senate 2022House 2022Governors 2022Mayors 2022
2023General 2023Senate 2023Mayors 2023
2024General 2024Senate 2024House 2024President 2024Mayors 2024
State legislature elections2010201220142016201820202022

Other

SpecialSenate specialHouse special
DisputesSenate disputes

External links

Notes and References

  1. Web site: 17th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution: Direct Election of U.S. Senators (1913). National Archives and Records Administration. February 8, 2022.
  2. News: Why These 5 States Hold Odd-Year Elections, Bucking The Trend . NPR . November 4, 2019 . Before 1872 when Congress moved to standardize elections for the House of Representatives, states held congressional elections whenever — in odd years, in the spring.