GOP Hit More by Term Limits in 2010 State Legislative Elections

MADISON, Wis., Sept. 3 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- According to a Ballotpedia.org study, the Republican Party is taking more of a hit from term limits in the 2010 state legislative elections than the Democratic Party.

Nationally, 15 state legislatures are subject to term limits and in 14 of those states, a general state legislative election is scheduled for November.

A total of 375 state legislators who currently hold a seat must leave it after the November elections because of term limits.   The 375 limited legislators amount to 23% of the 1,600 legislative seats up for election in the 14 states with term limits and to 6% of the total 6,125 state legislative seats up for election on November 2, 2010.

190 Republican legislators are terming-out, versus 182 Democrats and 3 non-partisan/independent legislators.  The GOP is losing more legislators than the Democratic Party in 13 legislative chambers, while the Democratic Party is losing more legislators than the GOP in 10 legislative chambers.

In state senates, 66 GOP members are termed out compared to 55 Democrats. In state houses, there are actually more Democrats unable to run for their seat again -- but by a slimmer margin (127 to 124 Republicans).

According to Geoff Pallay, Ballotpedia's state legislative editor, the Democratic Party holds a commanding lead in state houses in the 88 legislative chambers that hold elections in 2010. 52 of the 88 chambers, or nearly 60% of them, currently have a Democratic majority.  Pallay says that in the tumultuous political year of 2010, the struggle for partisan dominance in the nation's state capitols mirrors the fight in Washington, DC for which party controls the U.S. Congress after November 2.  "In 2010, state legislative term limits are making the GOP's uphill climb a little steeper," he noted.

Term limits apply in Arizona, Arkansas, California, Colorado, Florida, Maine, Michigan, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, Nevada, Ohio, Oklahoma and South Dakota. They also apply in Louisiana, which is not holding a state legislative general election in 2010.

Ballotpedia.org is an edited wiki-based website about state and local politics, especially state and local ballot measures, recall elections, and state legislatures.

Sponsored by the non-profit, non-partisan Lucy Burns Institute (LBI) based in Madison, Wisconsin, Ballotpedia has 107,542 articles, 2,446 registered users, and a full-time editorial staff.

SOURCE Ballotpedia