New session, new faces.

• Author: Cullen, Morgan
• Position: STATESTATS - Statistical table

Legislatures in 42 states, five territories and the District of Columbia kick off their 2015 sessions this month. (The rest started in December or will start in February, March or April.) The GOP's November landslide gave the party control of both chambers in 30 states, the most since 1920. Republicans bagged 11 formerly Democratic chambers and gained roughly 290 new House and Senate seats for control of about 4,100 of the nation's 7,383 legislative seats. Republicans also reign in 33 governor's offices after ousting Democrats in Arkansas, Illinois, Maryland and Massachusetts.

Remarkably, the rout didn't increase the number of GOP "trifectas"--states in which one party controls the governor's office, the House and the Senate. Today, the GOP enjoys complete control in 23 states, the same as before the midterms.

But 18 states now have divided governments--up from 11 before the midterms--and in eight states, each party controls one chamber. That's up from three. What that means for the business of governing--more gridlock or greater bipartisanship--is still too early to call.

--Morgan Cullen, NCSL

2015 Party Composition of Legislatures Total Total Senate Senate % Midterm State Seats Senate Dem Rep Turnover Alabama 140 35 8 26 17.1 Alaska 60 20 6 14 0 Arizona 90 30 13 17 3.3 Arkansas 135 35 11 24 8.6 California 120 40 25 14 20 Colorado 100 35 17 18 17.1 Connecticut 187 36 21 15 16.7 Delaware 62 21 12 9 4.8 Florida 160 40 14 26 0 Georgia 236 56 18 38 14.3 Hawaii 76 25 24 1 16 Idaho 105 35 7 28 8.6 Illinois 177 59 39 20 1.7 Indiana 150 50 10 40 12 Iowa 150 50 26 24 10 Kansas 165 40 8 32 + Kentucky 138 38 12 26 10.5 Louisiana 144 39 13 26 * Maine 186 35 15 20 28.6 Maryland 188 47 32 14 8.5 Massachusetts 200 40 34 6 5 Michigan 148 38 11 27 7.9 Minnesota 201 67 39 28 + Mississippi 174 52 20 31 * Missouri 197 34 9 25 5.9 Montana 150 50 21 29 14 Nebraska 49 49 Nonpartisan 34.7 Nevada 63 21 10 11 9.5 New Hampshire 424 24 10 14 16.7 New Jersey 120 40 24 16 * New Mexico 112 42 25 17 + New York 213 63 31 32 17.5 North Carolina 170 50 16 34 10 North Dakota 141 47 16 31 10.6 Ohio 132 33 10 23 6.1 Oklahoma 149 48 8 40 10.4 Oregon 90 30 18 12 3.3 Pennsylvania 253 50 20 30 8 Rhode Island 113 38 32 5 7.9 South Carolina 170 46 18 28 + South Dakota 105 35 8 27 5.7 Tennessee 132 33 6 27 15.2 Texas 181 31 11 20 12.9 Utah 104 29 4 23 6.9 Vermont 180 30 20 9 10 Virginia 140 40 19 21 * Washington 147 49 24 25 4.1 West Virginia 134 34 16 18 20.6 Wisconsin 132 33 14 19...