FACT BRIEF

Does the decline in Democratic Party power in state legislatures date back to the 1990s?

Friday, December 11, 2020

By Austin Tannenbaum

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YES

While Democrats' control of state legislatures has fluctuated over the past three decades, overall numbers have trended downward.

One state, Nebraska, has a nonpartisan, unicameral legislature. In the 49 others, Democrats held at least a two-thirds majority of the 98 chambers (two per state) in all but one term between 1978 and 1992.

In 1994, the number of Democrat-held chambers dropped from 68 to 56. It then fell to 52 in 1996. In 2000, Democrats lost their majority and did not regain it until 2006.

Obama's first two years in office coincided with a brief upsurge, with Democrats controlling 62 chambers in 2008 and 2010.

Setbacks at the polls left Democrats in control of only 37 chambers by 2012. They have not regained a majority since.

After the 2020 election, Democrats again control 37 chambers, leaving them at a disadvantage in the reapportionment process following the 2020 census.

This fact brief is responsive to conversations such as this one.

Sources

Partisan Balance in State Legislature Party Composition

Politico: ‘A decade of power’—Statehouse wins position GOP to dominate redistricting

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