State legislative special elections, 2012

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2012 State Legislative
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Across the nation, special elections are frequently conducted to fill vacancies in state legislatures. 27 states use special elections to fill legislative vacancies. In two states, Illinois and Indiana, special elections are used in limited circumstances. In 2012, 46 state legislative seats were filled through special elections in 19 states.

Breakdown of 2012 special elections

The reasons for special elections were as follows:

  • 1 due to recall
  • 1 due to an invalid election
  • 2 due to criminal prosecution
  • 7 due to political appointments
  • 8 due to legislator's passing
  • 13 due to retirement
  • 14 due to a legislator's election to or candidacy for another office

The partisan breakdown for vacancies was as follows:

The breakdown of partisan pickups was as follows:

Legend

These symbols denote the status of each special election:

☑ : This election has been decided.
RunoffArrow.jpg : This election has proceeded to a runoff.
☐ : This election has not yet occurred.
Circle question mark.png : This election is too close to call or contested.

Results

The following candidates won a special election in 2012:

  1. AJ Griffin (R) Oklahoma State Senate District 20
  2. Al McAffrey (D) U.S. House, Oklahoma, District 5
  3. BettyLou DeCroce (R) New Jersey General Assembly District 26
  4. Bill Kinkade (R) Mississippi House of Representatives, District 52
  5. Charles Schneider (R) Iowa State Senate, District 22
  6. Chris Johnson (Maine) (D) Maine State Senate, District 13
  7. Curtis McDaniel (D) Oklahoma House of Representatives District 1
  8. Daun Sessoms Hester (D) Norfolk City Treasurer
  9. David Curson (D) U.S. House, Michigan, District 11
  10. David Parker (Mississippi) (R) Mississippi State Senate, District 2
  11. David Standridge (R) Alabama House of Representatives, District 34
  12. David Storobin (R) New York Senate District 27
  13. Didi Barrett (D) New York State Assembly District 106
  14. Donna Simon (R) New Jersey General Assembly, District 16
  15. Edward Neilson (D) Pennsylvania House of Representatives, District 174
  16. Frank Skartados (D) New York State Assembly District 104
  17. Gabriela Mosquera (D) New Jersey General Assembly District 4
  18. Gary Williams (D) Pennsylvania House of Representatives District 197
  19. Harold James (D) Pennsylvania House of Representatives District 186
  20. Heather Ammons Crawford (R) South Carolina House of Representatives, District 68
  21. Joseph Graves (R) Michigan House of Representatives, District 51
  22. Kari Dziedzic (D) Minnesota State Senate, District 60
  23. Keisha Sean Waites () Fulton County Commission, Chair
  24. Kenny Alexander (D) Mayor of Norfolk
  25. Lyle Koenen (D) Minnesota State Senate, District 17
  26. Mack Butler (R) Alabama House of Representatives District 30
  27. Madeleine Dean (D) Pennsylvania House of Representatives, District 153
  28. Martin Schmotzer (D) Pennsylvania House of Representatives District 22
  29. Michael Kearns (R) Erie County Clerk
  30. Paul Farrow (R) Wisconsin State Senate District 33
  31. Peter Sullivan (D) New Hampshire House of Representatives, Hillsborough 10
  32. Randy Vulakovich (R) Pennsylvania State Senate District 38
  33. Rob Krupicka (D) Virginia House of Delegates District 45
  34. Ryan Mackenzie (R) Pennsylvania House of Representatives, District 134
  35. Sara Beth Gregory (R) Kentucky State Senate, District 16
  36. Shelley Mayer (D) New York State Assembly District 90
  37. Susan Allen (D) Minnesota House of Representatives, District 62B
  38. Tim Greimel (D) Michigan House of Representatives, District 29
  39. Tom Kirby (R) Georgia House of Representatives, District 114
  40. Walter Hundley (R) South Carolina State Senate District 41
  41. William Brownsberger (D) Massachusetts State Senate, Second Suffolk and Middlesex District

Special elections by date

2012 state legislative special elections
Office Former incumbent Primary election date General election date
Connecticut House of Representatives District 24 Tim O'Brien (D) N/A January 10, 2012
Massachusetts State Senate Second Suffolk & Middlesex District Steven Tolman (D) December 13, 2011 January 10, 2012
Minnesota House of Representatives District 61B Jeff Hayden (D) N/A January 10, 2012
Minnesota State Senate District 59 Lawrence Pogemiller (D) N/A January 10, 2012
Georgia House of Representatives District 107 Len Walker (R) N/A February 7, 2012
Georgia House of Representatives District 60 Gloria Bromell Tinubu (D) N/A February 7, 2012
Kentucky House of Representatives District 53 James Comer Jr. (R) N/A February 7, 2012
Maine State Senate District 20 David Trahan (R) N/A February 14, 2012
Oklahoma House of Representatives District 1 Rusty Farley (R) November 8, 2011 February 14, 2012
Oklahoma State Senate District 46 Andrew Rice (D) N/A February 14, 2012
New Hampshire House of Representatives District Hillsborough 10 Michael Brunelle (D) N/A February 21, 2012
Michigan House of Representatives District 29 Tim Melton (D) November 8, 2011 February 28, 2012
Michigan House of Representatives District 51 Paul Scott (R) N/A February 28, 2012
New York State Assembly District 100 Thomas Kirwan (R) N/A March 20, 2012
New York State Assembly District 103 Marcus Molinaro (R) N/A March 20, 2012
New York State Assembly District 145 Mark Schroeder (D) N/A March 20, 2012
New York State Assembly District 93 Mike Spano (D) N/A March 20, 2012
New York State Senate District 27 Carl Kruger (D) N/A March 20, 2012
Oklahoma House of Representatives District 71 Daniel Sullivan (R) N/A April 3, 2012
Oklahoma State Senate District 20 David Myers (R) N/A April 3, 2012
Minnesota State Senate District 20 Gary Kubly (D) March 27, 2012 April 10, 2012
Pennsylvania House of Representatives District 134 Douglas Reichley (R) N/A April 24, 2012
Pennsylvania House of Representatives District 153 Josh Shapiro (D) N/A April 24, 2012
Pennsylvania House of Representatives District 169 Dennis O'Brien (R) N/A April 24, 2012
Pennsylvania House of Representatives District 186 Kenyatta Johnson (D) N/A April 24, 2012
Pennsylvania House of Representatives District 197 Jewell Williams (D) N/A April 24, 2012
Pennsylvania House of Representatives District 22 Chelsa Wagner (D) N/A April 24, 2012
South Carolina State Senate District 41 Glenn McConnell (R) May 29, 2012 July 17, 2012
South Carolina House of Representatives District 68 Thad Viers (R) June 5, 2012 July 24, 2012
Pennsylvania State Senate District 40 Jane Orie (R) N/A August 7, 2012
Virginia House of Delegates District 45 David Englin (D) N/A September 4, 2012
Virginia State Senate District 5 Yvonne Miller (D) N/A September 4, 2012
Kentucky House of Representatives District 2 Fred Nesler (D) N/A November 6, 2012
Kentucky State Senate District 19 Tim Shaughnessy (D) N/A November 6, 2012
Mississippi House of Representatives District 52 Tommy L. Woods (R) N/A November 6, 2012
Mississippi State Senate District 19 Merle Flowers (R) N/A November 6, 2012
New Jersey General Assembly District 16 Peter Biondi (R) N/A November 6, 2012
New Jersey General Assembly District 26 Alex DeCroce (R) N/A November 6, 2012
New Jersey General Assembly District 4 Gabriela Mosquera (D) N/A November 6, 2012
Texas House of Representatives District 41 Veronica Gonzales (D) N/A November 6, 2012
Wisconsin State Senate District 33 Rich Zipperer (R) November 6, 2012 December 4, 2012
Alabama House of Representatives District 30 Blaine Galliher (R) October 23, 2012 December 11, 2012
Alabama House of Representatives District 34 Elwyn Thomas (R) October 23, 2012 December 11, 2012
Iowa State Senate District 22 Pat Ward (R) N/A December 11, 2012
Kentucky State Senate District 16 David Williams (R) N/A December 18, 2012
Virginia House of Delegates District 89 Kenny Alexander (D) N/A December 18, 2012

Historical data

State breakdown by year

The table below details how many state legislative special elections were held in a state in a given year. From 2010 to 2023, Georgia held the most state legislative special elections with 79. Pennsylvania held the second-most special elections with 65.

Partisan breakdown by year

The average number of special elections per even year between 2011 and 2023 (2012, 2014, 2016, 2018, 2020, and 2022) was 61, while the average per odd year was 80. The most special elections in a single year during that same time frame was 99, which happened in 2018.

The table below details how many state legislative seats changed parties as the result of a special election between 2011 and 2023. The numbers on the left side of the table reflect how many vacant seats were originally held by each party, while the numbers on the right side of the table show how many vacant seats each party won in special elections.

State legislative special election vacancies and results, 2011-2023
Year Total elections held Vacancies before elections Seats held after elections Net change
Democratic Party Democrats Republican Party Republicans Minor party Democratic Party Democrats Republican Party Republicans Minor party
2023 53 33 20 0 33 20 0 -
2022 54 36 18 0 36 18 0 -
2021 66 33 33 0 33 33 0 -
2020 59 21 38 0 27 32 0 +6 D, -6 R
2019 77 39 38 0 36 40 1 -3 D, +2 R, +1 I
2018 99 42 57 0 50 49 0 +8 D, -8 R
2017 98 45 53 0 56 42 0 +11 D, -11 R
2016* 65 37 28 0 39 24 2 +2 D, -4 R
2015* 89 42 46 1 38 50 1 -4 D, +4 R
2014 40 22 18 0 19 21 0 -3 D, +3 R
2013 84 51 33 0 48 36 0 -3 D, +3 R
2012 46 23 23 0 25 21 0 +2 D, -2 R
2011* 95 49 45 1 46 48 1 -3 D, +3 R
Averages 71 36 35 N/A 37 35 N/A N/A
*Please see the year-specific pages for information regarding minor-party candidates.

Seats that changed partisan control by year

See also: State legislative special election changes in party control since 2010

Current as of January 10, 2024 (updated annually)
Since 2010, 116 state legislative seats have switched partisan control, or flipped, in special elections. The chart below shows the number of special elections that resulted in partisan changes in each year:

Flipped seats in state legislative special elections
Year Total special elections Total flips Democratic flips Republican flips Other flips
2023 53 4 2 2 0
2022 54 2 1 1 0
2021 66 6 3 3 0
2020 59 8 7 1 0
2019 77 8 2 5 1
2018 99 16 12 4 0
2017 98 17 14 3 0
2016 65 9 5 2 2
2015 89 16 5 9 2
2014 40 5 1 4 0
2013 84 7 1 6 0
2012 46 7 5 2 0
2011 95 11 4 6 1
2010 30 0 0 0 0
Total 955 116 62 48 6


Days between vacancies and elections by year

The following table tracks the gap between when state legislative vacancies occurred and special elections were held from 2012 through November 15, 2024:

See also

Footnotes

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