Races for state legislatures are among the most tightly contested in the country—sometimes decided by one vote. Lawmakers are debating election measures such as government-issued ID and proof-of-citizenship requirements that supporters say could better secure these closely fought races.
From 2018 to 2025, 660 elections were decided by fewer than 10 votes; of those, 94 elections were decided by one vote, according to Ballotpedia. Almost a third of those one-vote elections were state legislative races. Since 1992, there have been 1,371 elections ending in a tie, while another 530 were decided by a single vote, according to a database from the Public Interest Legal Foundation, an election integrity group.
State legislature races can impact national elections, as state lawmakers draw congressional maps and write election rules on matters such as voter ID and ballot harvesting.
