| ←1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 → Off-year elections | |
| Election day | November 6 |
|---|---|
| Congressional special elections | |
| Seats contested | 7 |
| Net seat change | Republican +1 |
| Gubernatorial elections | |
| Seats contested | 3 (2 states, 1 territory) |
| Net seat change | Democratic +2 |
 | |
| 2001 gubernatorial election results map | |
| Legend | |
| Democratic gain Republican hold | |
Elections were held in the United States on November 6, 2001 (with some exceptions for local elections and other special elections across the country). The2001 recession was a dominant issue throughout the year as well as theSeptember 11 attacks and subsequentwar on terror.
Despite PresidentGeorge W. Bush's strong popularity amongst the American public due to the September attacks, theDemocratic Party flipped thegovernorships ofVirginia andNew Jersey, a typical showing for an opposition party in off-year elections.
No elections to either theSenate orHouse were regularly scheduled to occur in 2001.
In 2001, sevenspecial elections to fill vacancies in the House of Representatives were held. Special elections were held forPennsylvania's 9th congressional district (on May 15),California's 32nd congressional district (June 5),Virginia's 4th congressional district (June 19),Massachusetts's 9th congressional district (October 16),Florida's 1st congressional district (October 16),Arkansas's 3rd congressional district (November 20), andSouth Carolina's 2nd congressional district (December 18). Only one district, Virginia's 4th congressional district, changed hands withstate SenatorRandy Forbes' (R) victory to the seat previously held byNorman Sisisky (D). Thus Republicans increased their majority in the House by one seat.
During the 2001 gubernatorial elections, the governorships of two states and one territory were up for election.
Going into the elections, Republicans held the Governorships of twenty-nine states and one territory, Democrats held the governorships of nineteen states, four territories, and the Mayorship of theDistrict of Columbia, and two governorships were held by incumbents of neither party.Democrats gained the governorships ofVirginia andNew Jersey. However,Republicans retained the governorship of theNorthern Mariana Islands. Thus the balance of power between Republicans and Democrats was changed from 29–19 to 27–21.
The offices of Lieutenant Governor (inVirginia as a separate election and theNorthern Mariana Islands on the same ticket as the gubernatorial nominee) and state Attorney General in the former were up for election. There were no other statewide elective offices inNew Jersey open with the office of governor aside.
In 2001, seats in both houses of the New Jersey legislature and the lower house of the Virginia legislature, and both houses of the territorial legislature of the Northern Marina Islands, were up for election.
Republicans maintained control of the Virginia House of Delegates, while Democrats won control of the New Jersey General Assembly, and turned the state Senate from Republican to tied.[1][2]
During 2001, several Major American cities held mayoral elections in that year, including the following: