2024 Legislative Session Dates
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Key Takeaways:

  • We refer to a state as a “trifecta” when one political party controls both chambers of the legislature and the state's governor’s mansion.
  • Last year there were 39 state trifectas, a record number.
  • After the 2023 elections, Democrats successfully defended Republicans from capturing new trifectas in Kentucky and Virginia. Republicans succeeded at turning Louisiana into a new trifecta, however.
  • This means 2024 has a new record level of state trifectas at 40, with only 10 states remaining with divided government. While this isn’t a significant change year over year, it does extend the downward trend of the number of states with divided government over the past few decades.


There were only a handful of governor seats and state legislative chambers up for election in 2023, but elections in Kentucky, Virginia, and Louisiana held a particular significance when it comes to state “trifectas.” In state politico speak, we refer to a state as a “trifecta” when one political party controls both chambers of the legislature and the governor’s mansion in one state. With control over these institutions, that political party has a relatively easy path to enact its preferred public policies. After gaining trifectas after the 2022 elections, Democrats in Michigan and Minnesota, for example, quickly enacted significant legislative changes last year. 

Last year there were 39 state trifectas, a record number. The chart above tracks trifecta numbers back to 1992, but I’m confident we haven’t seen state single-party control this high in the modern political era (roughly from the 1970s). With only 11 states that are politically divided, we saw major elections in three of them last year. Democrats successfully defended Republicans from capturing new trifectas in Kentucky by winning reelection for Gov. Beshear and retaining control in the Virginia Senate and flipping control in the Virginia House. But while two commonwealths will remain politically divided, Republicans succeeded at turning Louisiana into a new trifecta this year with Gov. Landry (R) replacing term-limited Gov. Bel Edwards (D). This means 2024 has a new record level of state trifectas at 40, with only 10 states remaining with divided government this year. 

While this isn’t a significant change year over year, it does extend the downward trend of the number of states with divided government over the past few decades. Taking a look ahead at the 11 gubernatorial elections in November, North Carolina stands out as a state that could potentially turn into a GOP trifecta if the Republicans can win the open governor’s seat being vacated by incumbent Gov. Cooper (D), who is term-limited and unable to run for reelection. Other divided government states that could turn into trifectas next year include Arizona, where Gov. Hobbs (D) would love to see Democrats take control of both chambers of the legislature by flipping a few legislative seats, and Vermont, which could be vulnerable to a Democratic trifecta if Gov. Scott decides not to run for a fifth term in office this year.


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This article appeareded in our Morning MultiState newsletter on January 16, 2024. For more timely insights like this, be sure to sign up for our Morning MultiState weekly morning tipsheet. We created Morning MultiState with state government affairs professionals in mind — sign up to receive the latest from our experts in your inbox every Tuesday morning. Click here to read past issues and sign up.