2017 United States elections

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Election day	November 7
Senate elections
Seats contested	1 mid-term vacancy
Net seat change	Democratic +1
Map of the 2017 Senate special elections      Democratic gain (1)
House elections
Seats contested	6 mid-term vacancies
Net seat change	0
Map of the 2017 House special elections      Democratic hold (1)     Republican hold (5)
Gubernatorial elections
Seats contested	2
Net seat change	Democratic +1
Map of the 2017 gubernatorial races      Democratic hold (1)      Democratic gain (1)

Elections were held in the United States on November 7, 2017. Thisoff-year election featuredgubernatorial elections inVirginia andNew Jersey, as well asstate legislative elections in both houses of theNew Jersey Legislature and in theVirginia House of Delegates (thelower house of the Virginia legislature). Numerouscitizen initiatives,mayoral races, and a variety of other local elections also occurred.Special elections were also held for one seat of theU.S. Senate, representing Alabama, and six seats of theU.S. House of Representatives. The Democrats picked up the governorship in New Jersey and the Alabama Senate seat that was up for a special election. The governorship in Virginia and the six House seats that were up for special elections did not change party hands.

Analysts such asHarry Enten ofFiveThirtyEight andChris Cillizza ofCNN interpreted the 2017 election results overall as demonstrating a move toward theDemocratic Party. With the Democrats picking up the Senate seat in Alabama, it reduced theRepublicans' majority in the Senate to 51–49. The analysts also noted that although none of five House seats held by a Republican switched to the other party in the 2017 special elections, in each race the Democrat received a higher percentage of votes than in recent elections for the same seat. Furthermore, Democrats made large gains in theVirginia House of Delegates, and picked up 42 seats in state legislatures.^[1][2]

The following special elections were held to replace Senators or Representatives who resigned in the115th U.S. Congress:

• Alabama Class 2: incumbentSenatorJeff Sessions was confirmed by the Senate to serve asUnited States Attorney General on February 8, 2017, and subsequently resigned from the Senate.GovernorRobert J. Bentley choseLuther Strange, theAttorney General of Alabama, to succeed Sessions, filling the seat until the special election takes place. Although he had the power to schedule an election in 2017, Bentley decided to align it with the 2018 general election. Following Bentley's resignation in April 2017, GovernorKay Ivey decided to reschedule the elections. The primary election took place on August 15 withDoug Jones winning the Democratic nomination.Roy Moore was nominated as the Republican candidate on September 26. Jones won the election on December 12, 2017.^[3]

• California's 34th congressional district:DemocratXavier Becerra resigned to becomeAttorney General of California.^[4] The primary election was held on April 4, 2017. With no candidate receiving 50% of the vote,^[5] a runoff between the top two candidates, DemocratsJimmy Gomez and Robert Lee Ahn, was held June 6. Gomez defeated Ahn 60.1% to 39.9% to become the new representative.
• Georgia's 6th congressional district:Tom Price resigned February 10, 2017, to become theUnited States Secretary of Health and Human Services.^[6] A special election was held on April 18, 2017. A runoff was held on June 20, 2017, and was won by RepublicanKaren Handel, although DemocratJon Ossoff gained 47% of the historically Republican district.^[7]
• Kansas's 4th congressional district:RepublicanMike Pompeo resigned January 23, 2017, to becomeDirector of the Central Intelligence Agency.^[8] A special election was held on April 11, 2017, and won byRon Estes, the RepublicanKansas State Treasurer at the time.^[9]
• Montana's at-large congressional district:Ryan Zinke resigned on March 1, 2017, to become theUnited States Secretary of the Interior.^[10] RepublicanGreg Gianforte, a businessman and nominee for theprevious year's gubernatorial race, defeated DemocratRob Quist and Libertarian Mark Wicks 49.7% to 44.1% and 5.7%.^[11]
• South Carolina's 5th congressional district:Mick Mulvaney resigned on February 16, 2017, to become the Director of theOffice of Management and Budget. A special election was held on June 20, 2017, and was won by RepublicanRalph Norman, defeating Democratic nominee,Archie Parnell.
• Utah's 3rd congressional district:Jason Chaffetz resigned on June 30, 2017, for health reasons.GovernorGary Herbert scheduled a special election, the primary was held on August 15 and the general election was held on November 7. RepublicanJohn Curtis was elected.^[12][13]

Two states held gubernatorial elections in 2017:

• New Jersey: two-term RepublicanChris Christie wasterm-limited in 2017. Christie campaigned for the2016 Republican presidential nomination, but withdrew from the race February 10, 2016.^[14] Lieutenant GovernorKim Guadagno, a Republican, faced off against Democrat and former U.S. ambassador to GermanyPhil Murphy. Murphy was elected on November 7.
• Virginia: one-term DemocratTerry McAuliffe wasterm-limited in 2017. The election was won by Democratic lieutenant governorRalph Northam.

The two states that held gubernatorial elections also held legislative elections:

• New Jersey:New Jersey General Assembly andNew Jersey Senate; Democrats added modestly to their majorities in both houses.
• Virginia:Virginia House of Delegates; Democrats made large gains, reducing the Republicans' majority to 1 seat.

Democrats also won control of the Washington Senate through a November special election. As part of a federal court ruling that invalidated its state legislative districts, theNorth Carolina General Assembly was ordered to hold special elections in the fall of 2017 with updated district lines. However, the US Supreme Court has put a hold on the 2017 election until it rules on the matter.^[15][16]

One state held an attorney general election in 2017:

• Virginia: One-term Democratic attorney generalMark Herring successfully ran for re-election.

Two states held supreme court elections in 2017:

• Pennsylvania held elections for three seats—one competitive election and two retention elections. In the Pennsylvania system, a justice must first be elected in a competitive race, and at the end of their term, there is an up-or-down election on whether that justice should be retained.
  • In the competitive partisan election, RepublicanSallie Updyke Mundy defeated DemocratDwayne Woodruff.
  • Republican chief justiceThomas G. Saylor was retained for another ten-year term.
  • Democratic justiceDebra Todd was retained for another ten-year term.
• Wisconsin re-elected Republican-backed justiceAnnette Ziegler without opposition to a second ten-year term.

A referendum regarding thepolitical status of Puerto Rico was held on June 11. Puerto Rican voters were asked whether they preferstatehood,independence/free association, or maintain thecurrent U.S. territorial status. This was the fifth such plebiscite overall, and the first one since2012.^[17] Because there were almost 500,000 blank ballots in that 2012 referendum, creating confusion as to the voters' true desire, Congress decided to ignore that vote and then subsequently allocated funds for holding this 2017 one.^[18][19] 97% of the voters chose statehood in the referendum, though turnout was only at 23%.^[20]

Under the provisions of theNew York Constitution, every twenty years the state is required to place before the voters a proposal to hold a constitutional convention to be held the following year, with any suggested amendments being voted on in the year after that. Therefore, in November 2017 a proposal was placed on the ballot for a 2018 convention, with any amendments to be voted on in 2019. On this vote, over 80% voted against a constitutional convention.

Various elections were held for officeholders in numerous cities, counties, school boards, special districts and others around the country. Below is a list of the mayoral elections held in the main cities of the United States:

• Albany, New York: incumbentDemocratKathy Sheehan was re-elected to a second term.^[21]
• Albuquerque, New Mexico, Democratic state auditorTim Keller won the open seat. Prior to his victory,Republicans held the city's top leadership position for eight years.
• Allentown, Pennsylvania: incumbent DemocratEd Pawlowski was re-elected to a fourth term.^[22]
• Atlanta, Georgia: This is a nonpartisan office. IncumbentKasim Reed was term-limited and could not run for reelection to a third term in office.Keisha Lance Bottoms was elected to replace Reed.^[23]
• Atlantic City, New Jersey: incumbent Republican MayorDon Guardian was defeated for reelection by Democratic City CouncilmanFrank Gilliam.
• Birmingham, Alabama: incumbent DemocratWilliam A. Bell was defeated for re-election by fellow DemocratRandall Woodfin.^[24][25]
• Boston, Massachusetts: This is a nonpartisan office. IncumbentMarty Walsh won reelection to a second term in office.
• Buffalo, New York: incumbent DemocratByron Brown won re-election for a fourth term in office.
• Charlotte, North Carolina: Democratic councilwomanVi Lyles defeated Republican councilman Kenny Smith to become the city's first African-American female mayor.^[26]
• Cincinnati, Ohio: incumbent DemocratJohn Cranley won reelection to a second term in office.
• Cleveland, Ohio: incumbent DemocratFrank G. Jackson won reelection to a fourth term in office, making him the longest-serving mayor in the city's history.^[27]
• Detroit, Michigan: This is a nonpartisan office. IncumbentMike Duggan won reelection to a second term in office.
• Flint, Michigan: This is a nonpartisan office. Therecall election was unsuccessful and incumbentKaren Weaver was re-elected to the remainder of her first term.^[28]
• Greensboro, North Carolina: incumbentNancy Vaughan was re-elected to a third term.
• Harrisburg, Pennsylvania: incumbent DemocratEric Papenfuse was re-elected to a second term.^[29]
• Hoboken, New Jersey: This is a nonpartisan office. Incumbent DemocratDawn Zimmer decided not to run for reelection.^[30] City CouncilmanRavi Bhalla was elected to replace Zimmer, making him the first Sikh mayor in New Jersey history.^[31]
• Jackson, Mississippi: incumbent DemocratTony Yarber ran for reelection but was defeated by fellow DemocratChokwe Antar Lumumba, son of the late MayorChokwe Lumumba.
• Jersey City, New Jersey: incumbent DemocratSteven Fulop was reelected to a second term in office.
• Lancaster, Pennsylvania: incumbent DemocratRick Gray did not seek re-election and was succeeded by fellow Democrat Danane Sorace.^[32]
• Lansing, Michigan: incumbent DemocratVirg Bernero did not seek re-election and was succeeded by fellow DemocratAndy Schor.^[33]
• Los Angeles: incumbent DemocratEric Garcetti won reelection to a second term in office.
• Manchester, New Hampshire: This is a nonpartisan office. IncumbentTed Gatsas unsuccessfully sought re-election and was succeeded byJoyce Craig, the city's first female mayor.^[34]
• Miami, Florida: incumbent RepublicanTomás Regalado was term-limited and could not run for a third term in office. Republican City CommissionerFrancis Suarez was elected to replace Regalado.^[35]
• Minneapolis, Minnesota: incumbent DemocratBetsy Hodges finished third and was eliminated after four rounds of vote tabulations. Fellow Democratic City Council memberJacob Frey was elected mayor, after finishing 1st place in all five rounds of vote tabulations.^[36]
• New Orleans: incumbent DemocratMitch Landrieu is term limited and cannot run for a third term in office. DemocratLaToya Cantrell was elected to succeed Landrieu, making her the city's first female mayor.^[37][38]
• New York City: incumbent DemocratBill de Blasio won reelection to a second term in office.
• Omaha, Nebraska: incumbent RepublicanJean Stothert won reelection to a second term in office.
• Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania: incumbent DemocratBill Peduto won reelection to a second term in office, with no opposition.
• Rochester, New York: incumbent DemocratLovely Warren won reelection to a second term.
• Seattle, Washington: incumbent DemocratEd Murray was not running for re-election before his resignation in September 2017, and subsequent replacement by interim MayorBruce Harrell^[39] who was replaced by current MayorTim Burgess.^[40] Democratic formerU.S. Attorney for the Western District of WashingtonJenny Durkan was elected to succeed Burgess.
• St. Louis, Missouri: incumbent DemocratFrancis Slay decided not to run for re-election.^[41] DemocratLyda Krewson was elected to succeed Slay.
• Saint Paul, Minnesota: incumbent DemocratChris Coleman decided not to run for re-election in order to explore a gubernatorial run.^[42] Former Democratic City CouncilmanMelvin Carter III was elected to replace Coleman.^[43]
• St. Petersburg, Florida: This is a nonpartisan office. IncumbentRick Kriseman was re-elected to a second term in office.^[44][45]
• San Antonio, Texas: This is a nonpartisan office. IncumbentIvy Taylor was defeated for re-election byRon Nirenberg.
• Syracuse, New York:Ben Walsh (Independence,Reform) defeated Juanita Perez Williams (Democratic),Howie Hawkins (Green), Laura Levine (Republican), andJoseph A. Nicoletti (Working Families).^[46]

Fifteen candidates who were members of theDemocratic Socialists of America were elected to office in thirteen states, most notablyLee J. Carter in theVirginia House of Delegates, thus adding to the twenty members already holding elected office nationwide.^[47]

These tables show the partisan results of the Congressional special elections and gubernatorial races in 2017.Bold indicates a change in control.

Wikimedia Commons has media related to2017 elections in the United States.

• "State Elections Legislation Database",Ncsl.org, Washington, D.C.:National Conference of State Legislatures,State legislation related to the administration of elections introduced in 2011 through...2020

• 2017 elections in the United States
• General elections in the United States
• November 2017 in the United States

• Articles with short description
• Short description is different from Wikidata
• Use mdy dates from October 2017
• Commons category link from Wikidata