Voters yesterday were also electing the legislatures in 46 of the 50 states. Going into the election, Democrats controlled the legislatures in 20 states and Republicans in 19. Under the federal system, the individual states have extensive powers. The Republicans now have a majority in 48 compared with 33 when President Clinton was first elected in 1992.
Across the US, going into this election there were 3,847 Democratic state legislators and 3,491 Republicans. A net gain of about 180 seats would give the Republicans a majority for the first time since 1952. The party which controls a state legislature will have the main say in redrawing constituencies for the congressional and state elections in 2000 based on the new census.