Partisan Composition and Control

Updated 4/12/2007

The importance of party control in legislatures cannot be overstated. If one party controls both chambers of a legislature, they can use their majorities to shape policy in line with party philosophy.

Neither major political party can claim complete dominance in state legislatures. The 2006 election did see Democrats move ahead of Republicans by more than 665 seats out of the 7382 legislative seats. Democrats hold the majority of both houses of the legislature in 22 states; Republicans control 15 states, and 12 states are divided. Candidates for the Unicameral Nebraska Legislature are chosen in a non-partisan election.

Historically, the two major parties have battled tooth and nail to win legislative majorities. From 1952 to 2002, Democrats held the overall edge. The 2002 election culminated the gradual shift to a Republican majority of all legislative seats-the first time that had happened in 50 years.

Fewer than two dozen of the 7382 state legislators are independents or members of third parties.