Elections to state legislatures were held on November 6, 2007. Seven legislative chambers in four states held regularly scheduled elections. These off-year elections coincided with other state and local elections, including gubernatorial elections in three states. Both chambers of the Northern Mariana Islands were up as well.
Democrats held control of both chambers of the New Jersey and Louisiana legislatures, and held control of the Mississippi House of Representatives. Meanwhile, Republicans held control of the Virginia House of Delegates. Meanwhile, Democrats gained control of the Virginia Senate and the Mississippi Senate, however, Democrats had only lost control of the latter chamber at the beginning of the year when Senators James Walley and Tommy Gollott switched parties from Democratic to Republican. Thus, Republicans briefly controlled the chamber for the first time since 1876.
Additionally, Republicans lost control of the Tennessee Senate when Republican Senator Michael R. Williams became an Independent and the chamber became evenly divided with no one party in control.
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 Seats up Total % up Term Seats up Total % up TermLouisiana 39 39 100 4 105 105 100 4Mississippi 52 52 100 4 122 122 100 4New Jersey 40 40 100 2/4 80 80 100 2Virginia 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. Democrats maintained control of both chambers. +Louisiana State SenatePartyBeforeAfterChangeDemocratic2423 1Republican1516 1Total3939 +Louisiana House of RepresentativesPartyBeforeAfterChangeDemocratic6653 13Republican3750 13Independent22Total105105
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. Democrats maintained control of the lower house, and they regained control of the upper house, which they had lost due to party switching earlier in the year. +Mississippi State SenatePartyBeforeAfterChangeDemocratic2527 2Republican2725 2Total5252 +Mississippi House of RepresentativesPartyBeforeAfterChangeDemocratic7575Republican4747Total122122
New Jersey
All seats of the New Jersey Senate and the New Jersey General Assembly were up for election. In 2007, senators were elected to two-year terms in single-member districts, while Assembly members were elected to two-year terms in two-member districts. Democrats retained majority control in both chambers. +SenatePartyBeforeAfterChangeDemocratic2223 1Republican1817 1Total4040 +General AssemblyPartyBeforeAfterChangeDemocratic5048 2Republican3032 2Total8080
Virginia
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 but lost control of the upper chamber to the Democrats. +Senate of VirginiaPartyBeforeAfterChangeDemocratic1621 5Republican2419 5Total4040 +Virginia House of DelegatesPartyBeforeAfterChangeRepublican5754 3Independent22 11Democratic4044 4Total100100
Territorial and federal district summaries Northern Mariana Islands
All seats of the Northern Mariana Islands House of Representatives and half of the Northern Mariana Islands Senate are up for election. Senators are elected to four-year terms and Representatives are elected to two-year terms.
House of Representatives Party Before After Change Republican 7 12 5 Coalition 11 8 3 Total 20 20
Senate Party Before After Change Republican 3 3 Coalition 6 6 Total 9 9
See also 2007 United States gubernatorial elections
Notes
References