No regularly scheduled elections for the United States Congress occurred in 2011, and instead only four special elections were held. Eventually, there was no net seat changes by the political parties.
Nevada's 2nd district: Republican Representative Dean Heller was appointed to replace John Ensign after the latter resigned from his seat in the U.S. Senate. Republican Mark Amodei was elected on September 13 to replace Heller.
These were the first elections to be affected by redistricting after the 2010 census.[1] Additionally, the first wave of recall elections occurred in Wisconsin, while Republicans lost seats, they maintained a narrow majority. A second wave would occur in 2012.
Republicans flipped control of the Virginia Senate, thereby establishing a trifecta. In Mississippi, Republicans won the state House for the first time since 1876, and solidified control of the state Senate after several Democrats switched parties earlier in the year, giving Republicans control of the chamber. Republicans obtained a trifecta in the state for the first time since 1876 as a result. In Louisiana, Republicans solidified control of both houses of the legislature after several Democrats switched parties at the beginning of the year, which gave Republicans control of both chambers and a trifecta for the first time since 1873.
Initiatives and referendums
Nine states, Arkansas, Colorado, Louisiana, Maine, Mississippi, New Jersey, Ohio, Texas, and Washington state, had measures certified for the 2011 ballot. Among those that attracted the most attention were an Ohio referendum that repealed legislation that limits collective bargaining for public employees, and a failed constitutional amendment in Mississippi that would have defined "personhood" as beginning at the fertilization of an embryo.
Nationwide, various cities, counties, school boards, special districts and others elected officers in 2011. Some were held on November 8 while others were held at other times throughout the year.
Some of the high-profile mayoral elections included the following:
Portland, Maine: This was the first race since a citywide 2010 referendum recreated the elected mayor position, which had previously been removed in 1923. Former Maine state senator Michael F. Brennan was selected by Portland voters, defeating 14 other candidates.
