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.

State	Upper House				Lower House
State	Seats up	Total	% up	Term	Seats up	Total	% up	Term
Louisiana	39	39	100	4	105	105	100	4
Mississippi	52	52	100	4	122	122	100	4
New Jersey	40	40	100	2/4	80	80	100	2
Virginia	40	40	100	4	100	100	100	2

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.

Party		Before	After	Change
+colspan=6	Louisiana State Senate
	Republican		22		24	2
	Democratic	17	15	2
Total		39	39

Party		Before	After	Change
+colspan=6	Louisiana House of Representatives
	Republican		57		58	1
	Democratic	46	45	1
		2	2
Total		105	105

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.

Party		Before	After	Change
+colspan=6	Mississippi State Senate
	Republican		27		31	4
	Democratic	24	21	3
Total		52	52

Party		Before	After	Change
+colspan=6	Mississippi House of Representatives
	Republican	54		64	10
	Democratic		68	58	10
Total		122	122

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.

Party		Before	After
+colspan=6	Senate
	Democratic		24	24
	Republican	16	16
Total		40	40

Party		Before	After	Change
+colspan=6	General Assembly
	Democratic		47		48	1
	Republican	33	32	1
Total		80	80

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.

Party		Before	After	Change
+colspan=6	Senate of Virginia
	Republican	18		20	2
	Democratic		22	20	2
Total		40	40

Party		Before	After	Change
+colspan=6	Virginia House of Delegates
	Republican		59		67	8
	Independent		2		1	1
	Democratic	39	32	7
Total		100	100

Notes and References

Web site: State legislative elections, 2011 . . December 26, 2022 .
Web site: State legislative elections, 2011 . . December 26, 2022 .
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.
Web site: 2010-12-18 . Political switch gives GOP control of Louisiana House . 2024-07-06 . www.kplctv.com . en.
Web site: Freddoso . David . 2011-02-21 . Special election gives GOP complete control of Louisiana state government - Washington Examiner . 2024-07-06 . en-US.
Web site: New Jersey Secretary of State. state.nj.us. en.