Which federal and state legislative seats are vacant or likely to trigger special elections in 2025–2026?
Executive summary
Several federal and many state legislative seats were vacant in 2025 and a number of additional vacancies were expected to trigger special elections through 2026. At the federal level, reporting and trackers show at least three U.S. House vacancies in 2025 (including seats left by deaths and resignations) and multiple special elections held in 2025 with at least three more expected in 2026 [1] [2] [3]. At the state level, Ballotpedia and state reporting list dozens of state legislative vacancies and roughly 96 special or scheduled state legislative special elections in 2025 alone, with more possible through 2026 depending on resignations, deaths, and state filling rules [4] [5].
1. Federal picture: multiple House vacancies and ongoing special elections
The U.S. House must be filled by special election under the Constitution and federal practice; state laws set the timing and procedures and those vary by state [6] [7]. As of 2025 reporting, at least three House seats were vacant following two deaths and one resignation, and trackers (Clerk, Bloomberg, Green Papers) confirm several special elections were held in 2025 and additional contests were expected into 2026 [8] [1] [9]. Ballotpedia’s round-up of special elections to the 119th Congress documents multiple contests in 2025 and notes that special elections were common across recent Congresses [2]. Wikipedia/compilations likewise counted at least six special elections in 2025 and projected at least three special elections in 2026 tied to vacancies that will exist or be created [10] [3].
2. Which specific federal seats were flagged in reporting
Public and tracking sources named particular vacancies: deaths in office and resignations created open House seats in 2025—examples cited include a Texas district vacancy after a member’s death and a Tennessee resignation that prompted a special (specific district numbers and names appeared in clerk and news trackers) [8] [1]. National trackers also listed seats vacated for appointments to administration posts or other offices, producing special elections scheduled across 2025 and continuing into 2026 [9] [2]. Available sources do not list a single complete roster in one place here; they provide examples and aggregate counts [8] [2].
3. Federal outlook for 2026: scheduled and “likely” special elections
Multiple sources indicate special elections will occur in 2026 to fill House vacancies and two Senate special elections were scheduled to coincide with the 2026 general election [3] [11]. Wikipedia and Ballotpedia list specific forthcoming special contests: for example, Georgia’s 14th District was projected to hold a 2026 special after an announced resignation effective January 5, 2026 [12]. Ballotpedia and congressional trackers say at least three House special elections are expected in 2026 [3] [13]. Cook Political’s open-seat tracker also lists currently vacant or soon-to-be-vacant House seats and special-election schedules [14].
4. State legislative churn: high numbers, varied remedies, and many special elections
State-level activity in 2025 was heavy: Ballotpedia and other compilers tracked dozens of state legislative vacancies and roughly 96 state and territorial legislative special elections scheduled or held in 2025 [4] [5]. Processes vary: 25 states typically fill legislative vacancies via special election, 21 by appointment and four by hybrid systems—so whether a vacancy triggers a voter contest depends on the state [15] [16]. Local reporting (Minnesota, Georgia, Arkansas) shows real-time examples of seats filled by special elections or court-ordered timelines, and courts and governors can shape schedules and disputes [17] [18] [19].
5. What “likely to trigger” means in practice—timing and legal levers
Whether a vacancy will lead to a special election depends on state statutory windows, proximity to the next general election, and whether appointment routes exist. Federal and congressional legal analyses note states sometimes leave a House seat vacant if a general election is near; similarly at the state level some laws permit appointments or delayed contests [7] [16]. History/House resources say special elections are mandated in the first session of a Congress but procedures vary in later sessions and by state [6].
6. Where to follow updates and limitations to this summary
Authoritative, up-to-date lists live on the House Clerk vacancy page and on trackers such as Ballotpedia, the Green Papers, and specialized trackers like Cook Political; these sources were relied on in this summary [8] [4] [9] [14]. Limitations: the sources supplied here document counts and examples but do not present a single, definitive master list of every vacancy projected through 2026—available sources do not mention a consolidated nationwide roster covering all projected 2025–2026 special elections in one place [2] [3].
If you want, I can compile a state-by-state table of currently reported vacancies and scheduled special elections from Ballotpedia, the House Clerk, and Cook’s tracker (requires pulling each source page) — tell me which level (federal only, selected states, or all states) you prefer.