State Legislatures
While much attention focused on high profile gubernatorial, U.S. Senate and U.S. House races, Democrats also achieved gains in state legislatures in the 2006 midterm elections.  According to the National Conference of State Legislatures, 1,223 of 1,971 State Senate seats and 4,958 of 5,411 State House seats were at stake in 2006:
 

Source: NCSL (Nov. 29, 2006)	Pre-Nov. 7 >					Post-Nov. 7 >
	Democrats	Republicans	tied			Democrats	Republicans	tied
Legislative Chambers	49	47	2 (MN H; IA S)	1 (NE unic.)		57	41	1 (OK S)	1 (NE unic.)
			Ind./Other	Vacant	Undec.			Ind./Other	Vacant	Undec.
State House Seats (5,411)	2,696	2,675	18	23	10	2,974	2,418	15	4	1
State Senate Seats (1,971)	954	960	53	4	0	1,010	907	52	2	0
Total Legislative Seats	3,650	3,635				3,984	3,325

According to the NCSL Democrats gained about 322 legislative seats and majorities in 10 legislative chambers (House chambers in Indiana, Iowa, Michigan, Minnesota, New Hampshire, Oregon, and Pennsylvania; Senate chambers in Iowa, New Hampshire and Wisconsin).
 

Democratic Legislative Campaign Committee

Republican Legislative Campaign Committee

Initiative, Referendum and Recall
According to the Initiative and Referendum Institute, "A total of 204 ballot propositions went before the voters in 37 states on November 7, up from 162 propositions in November 2004."  Seventy five of these measures were initiatives, that is they were put on the ballot by petition (24 states have an initiative process).   In the wake of the U.S. Supreme Court's June 2005 ruling in Kelo v. New London voters in 11 states faced measures restricting use of eminent domain, most of which passed.  Voters in seven states passed measures on same sex marriage, while Arizona voters became the first to reject that approach.  Voters in six states passed minimum wage measures.

Initiative and Referendum Institute
National Conference of State Legislatures
 
 

Copyright © 2006  Eric M. Appleman/Democracy in Action