List of United States state legislatures

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US state governments (governor and legislature) by party control
  Democratic control
  Republican control
  Split control

This is a list of United States state legislatures. Each state in the United States has a legislature as part of its form of civil government. Most of the fundamental details of the legislature are specified in the state constitution. With the exception of Nebraska, all state legislatures are bicameral bodies, composed of a lower house (Assembly, General Assembly, State Assembly, House of Delegates, or House of Representatives) and an upper house (Senate). The United States also has one federal district and five non-state territories with local legislative branches, which are listed below. Among the states, the Nebraska Legislature is the only state with a unicameral body. However, three other jurisdictions – the District of Columbia, Guam, and the U.S. Virgin Islands – also have unicameral bodies.

The exact names, dates, term lengths, term limits, electoral systems, electoral districts, and other details are determined by the individual states' laws.

Party summary[]

Party control of legislatures
Republican-controlled legislatures 30
Democratic-controlled legislatures 18
Split legislatures[1] 2
Total 50
Blue is Democratic legislature, Red is Republican legislature, pink is split control

Note: A party with a numerical majority in a chamber may be forced to share power with other parties due to informal coalitions or may cede power outright because of divisions within its caucus.

Party control of state governments
Republican-controlled governments 23
Democratic-controlled governments 15
Democratic governor/Republican-controlled legislature 7
Republican governor/Democratic-controlled legislature 3
Democratic governor/Split legislature 1
Republican governor/Split legislature 1
Total 50

Statistics[]

State legislators by party[]

As of January 29, 2021

Party Lower house[2] Upper house[3] Total
Republican (R) 2,918 days (53.93%) 1,089 (55.22%) 4,007 days (54.27%)
Democratic (D) 2,448 (45.24%) 864 (43.81%) 3,312 (44.86%)
Independent (I) 23 (0.43%) 3 (0.15%) 26 (0.31%)
Progressive [VT] (P) 7 (0.13%) 2 (0.1%) 9 (0.12%)
Libertarian (L) 2 (0.04%) 0 (0%) 2 (0.01%)
Vacant 14 (0.26%) 14 (0.71%) 28 (0.38%)
Total 5,411 1,972 7,383

Includes legislators who are listed officially as unaffiliated, unenrolled, nonpartisan, etc.

State legislatures[]

As of February 16, 2021[4]

State State executive Legislature name Lower house Upper house
Name Party strength Term
(yrs.)
Name Party strength Term
(yrs.)
Alabama Governor Legislature House of Representatives R 76–27, 2 Vacant 4 State Senate R 27–8 4
Alaska Governor Legislature House of Representatives D 15/R-C 2/Ind. 4, R 18/NCR 1 2 State Senate R 13–7 4
Arizona Governor State Legislature House of Representatives R 31–29 2 State Senate R 16–14 2
Arkansas Governor General Assembly House of Representatives R 76–24 2 State Senate R 28–7 4
California Governor State Legislature[nb 1] State Assembly D 59–19, 1 Ind, 1 Vacant 2 State Senate D 31–9 4
Colorado Governor General Assembly House of Representatives D 41–24 2 State Senate D 20–15 4
Connecticut Governor General Assembly House of Representatives D 97–54 2 State Senate D 24–12 2
Delaware Governor General Assembly House of Representatives D 26–15 2 State Senate D 14–7 4
Florida Governor Legislature House of Representatives R 78–42 2 State Senate R 24–16 4
Georgia Governor General Assembly House of Representatives R 103–76, 1 Vacant 2 State Senate R 34–22 2
Hawaii Governor State Legislature House of Representatives D 47–4 2 State Senate D 24–1 4
Idaho Governor Legislature House of Representatives R 58–12 2 State Senate R 28–7 2
Illinois Governor General Assembly House of Representatives D 73–45 2 State Senate D 41–18 2 or 4
Indiana Governor General Assembly House of Representatives R 71–29 2 State Senate R 38–11, 1 Vacant 4
Iowa Governor General Assembly House of Representatives R 59–41 2 State Senate R 32–18 4
Kansas Governor Legislature House of Representatives R 86–38, 1 Ind 2 State Senate R 29–11 4
Kentucky Governor General Assembly House of Representatives R 75–25 2 State Senate R 30–8 4
Louisiana Governor State Legislature[nb 2] House of Representatives R 66–35, 2 Ind, 2 Vacant 4 State Senate R 27–12 4
Maine Governor Legislature House of Representatives D 80–66, 4 Ind, 1 Lib[nb 3] 2 State Senate D 21–14 2
Maryland Governor General Assembly House of Delegates D 99–42 4 State Senate D 32–15 4
Massachusetts Governor General Court House of Representatives D 128–30, 1 Ind, 1 Vacant 2 State Senate D 37–3 2
Michigan Governor Legislature House of Representatives R 58–52 2 State Senate R 20–16, 2 Vacant 4
Minnesota Governor Legislature House of Representatives D 70–64 2 State Senate R 34–31, 2 Ind 2, 4, 4
Mississippi Governor Legislature House of Representatives R 74–46, 1 Ind, 2 Vacant 4 State Senate R 34-16, 2 Vacant 4
Missouri Governor General Assembly House of Representatives R 114–49 2 State Senate R 24–10 4
Montana Governor Legislature House of Representatives R 67–33 2 State Senate R 31–18, 1 Vacant 4
Nebraska Governor Legislature (Unicameral) Legislature[nb 4] R 30–19[nb 5] 4
Nevada Governor Legislature Assembly D 26–16 2 State Senate D 12–9 4
New Hampshire Governor General Court House of Representatives R 212–187, 1 Vacant 2 State Senate R 14–10 2
New Jersey Governor Legislature General Assembly D 52–28 2 State Senate D 25–15 2, 4, 4
New Mexico Governor Legislature House of Representatives D 44–25, 1 Ind 2 State Senate D 27–15 4
New York Governor Legislature State Assembly D 106–43, 1 Ind 2 State Senate D 43–20 2
North Carolina Governor General Assembly House of Representatives R 69–51 2 State Senate R 28–22 2
North Dakota Governor Legislative Assembly House of Representatives R 80–14 4 State Senate R 40–17 4
Ohio Governor General Assembly House of Representatives R 64–35 2 State Senate R 25–8 4
Oklahoma Governor Legislature House of Representatives R 82–19 2 State Senate R 39–9 4
Oregon Governor Legislative Assembly House of Representatives D 37–23 2 State Senate D 18–12 4
Pennsylvania Governor General Assembly House of Representatives R 112–90, 1 Vacant 2 State Senate R 27–21, 1 Ind, 1 Vacant 4
Rhode Island Governor General Assembly House of Representatives D 65–10 2 State Senate D 33–5 2
South Carolina Governor General Assembly House of Representatives R 81–43 2 State Senate R 30–16 4
South Dakota Governor Legislature House of Representatives R 62–8 2 State Senate R 32–3 2
Tennessee Governor General Assembly House of Representatives R 73–26 2 State Senate R 27–6 4
Texas Governor Legislature House of Representatives R 83–67 2 State Senate R 18–13 4
Utah Governor State Legislature[nb 6] House of Representatives R 58–17 2 State Senate R 23–6 4
Vermont Governor General Assembly House of Representatives D 92–47, 7 Prog, 4 Ind 2 State Senate D 21–7, 2 Prog 2
Virginia Governor General Assembly House of Delegates D 55–45 2 State Senate D 21–18, 1 Vacant 4
Washington Governor State Legislature[nb 7] House of Representatives D 57–41 2 State Senate D 29–20 4
West Virginia Governor Legislature House of Delegates R 77–23 2 State Senate R 23–11 4
Wisconsin Governor Legislature State Assembly R 61–38 2 State Senate R 21–12 4
Wyoming Governor Legislature House of Representatives R 51–7, 1 Ind, 1 Lib 2 State Senate R 28–2 4

Federal district and territorial legislatures[]

Federal district
or territory
Governor Name Lower house Upper house
Name Party strength Term
(years)
Name Party strength Term
(years)
American Samoa Governor Fono House of Representatives NP 20 (+ NV 1) 2 Senate NP 18 4
District of Columbia Mayor Council (Unicameral) Council D 11–0, 2 I 4
Guam Governor Legislature (Unicameral) Legislature D 8–7 2
Northern Mariana Islands Governor Commonwealth Legislature House of Representatives R 9–8, 3 I 2 Senate R 5–1, 3 I 4
Puerto Rico Governor Legislative Assembly House of Representatives PPD 26–21, 2 MVC, 1 PIP, 1 PD[nb 8] 4 Senate PPD 13–9, 2 MVC, 1 PIP, 1 PD, 1 I 4
United States Virgin Islands Governor Legislature (Unicameral) Legislature D 10–0, 5 I 2
Popular Democratic (PPD) legislators 39
Democratic (D) legislators 38
New Progressive (PNP) legislators 30
Republican (R) legislators 21
Citizen's Victory Movement (MVC) legislators 4
Puerto Rican Independence (PIP) legislators 2
Project Dignity (PD) legislators 2
Independent (I) and nonpartisan (NP) legislators 52
Non-voting (NV) delegate (Swains Island) 1
Total 189

Notes[]

  1. ^ The Constitution of California names it the "California Legislature", but the Legislature brands itself as the “California State Legislature”.
  2. ^ The Constitution of Louisiana vests legislative authority in "a legislature, consisting of a Senate and a House of Representatives," and refers to it as "the legislature" throughout, without officially designating a term for the two houses together. However, the two bodies do use the term "Louisiana State Legislature" in official references to itself.
  3. ^ There are 3 additional non-voting seats allocated to sovereign tribal nations within Maine. Since 2018, only one seat (belonging to the Passamaquoddy) is filled; the tribal representavtive is a Democrat but is not counted in this total.
  4. ^ When Nebraska switched to a unicameral legislature in 1937, the lower house was abolished. All current Nebraskan legislators are referred to as “Senators”, as the pre-1937 senate was the retained house.
  5. ^ Nebraska's legislature is de jure nonpartisan but senators' political affiliations are publicly known and voting often happens along party lines; the de facto composition is given here.
  6. ^ The Constitution of Utah names it the "Legislature of the State of Utah", but the Legislature brands itself as the "Utah State Legislature".
  7. ^ The Constitution of Washington names it "the legislature of the state of Washington", but the Legislature brands itself as the "Washington State Legislature".
  8. ^ The ruling parties of Puerto Rico are separate from the Republican and Democratic parties.

See also[]

References[]

  1. ^ “Split” in the sense that each of the two chambers are controlled by a different party (e.g., a Democratic Senate and Republican House) or one chamber is evenly split between parties and thus "hung". The Nebraska legislature, though officially nonpartisan, is de facto Republican-controlled, and listed as such.
  2. ^ "Partisan composition of state houses". Ballotpedia. Retrieved January 29, 2021.
  3. ^ "Partisan composition of state senates". Ballotpedia. Retrieved October 1, 2017.
  4. ^ "Partisan Composition of State Legislatures". Ballotpedia. Retrieved December 7, 2020.

External links[]

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