United States general elections, 2007
Encyclopedia
The 2007 United States general elections were held on Tuesday, November 6. During this off-year election, the only seats up for election in the United States Congress
were special elections held throughout the year. None of these congressional seats changed party hands. There were also several gubernatorial
races and state legislative elections, and numerous citizen initiatives, mayor
al races in several major cities, and several types of local offices on the ballot.
opened up after Marty Meehan
resigned to become the Chancellor of the University of Massachusetts Lowell
. In each of these special elections, the incumbent party won.
in 2007, although only two of them voted on November 6, namely Kentucky
and Mississippi
. Louisiana's election date did not coincide with that of most states; its open primary was held on October 20.
The final results were a net change of zero between the political parties. The Democrats
picked up the governorship in Kentucky, but the Republicans
picked up the one in Louisiana. The Republicans maintained control of the governorship in Mississippi.
, Mississippi
, New Jersey
and Virginia
- and one U.S. territory, the Northern Mariana Islands
, elected their state or territorial legislators in 2007. Louisiana's elections were held on November 17.
Democrats gained majorities in the Virginia Senate and the Mississippi Senate.
United States Congress
The United States Congress is the bicameral legislature of the federal government of the United States, consisting of the Senate and the House of Representatives. The Congress meets in the United States Capitol in Washington, D.C....
were special elections held throughout the year. None of these congressional seats changed party hands. There were also several gubernatorial
Governor
A governor is a governing official, usually the executive of a non-sovereign level of government, ranking under the head of state...
races and state legislative elections, and numerous citizen initiatives, mayor
Mayor
In many countries, a Mayor is the highest ranking officer in the municipal government of a town or a large urban city....
al races in several major cities, and several types of local offices on the ballot.
United States Congress
There were five total special elections to the United States House of Representatives during 2007. Four of them were held after the death of the prior incumbent, while the seat in Massachusetts's 5th congressional districtMassachusetts's 5th congressional district
Massachusetts's 5th congressional district is a congressional district in northeastern Massachusetts. It contains the cities of Lowell, Lawrence, Haverhill, and Methuen...
opened up after Marty Meehan
Marty Meehan
Martin Thomas "Marty" Meehan is an American attorney and politician from the state of Massachusetts. He is the current Chancellor of the University of Massachusetts Lowell, a position he assumed on July 1, 2007...
resigned to become the Chancellor of the University of Massachusetts Lowell
University of Massachusetts Lowell
The University of Massachusetts Lowell is a public university in Lowell, Massachusetts, and part of the University of Massachusetts system...
. In each of these special elections, the incumbent party won.
Gubernatorial elections
Three states elected governorsGovernor
A governor is a governing official, usually the executive of a non-sovereign level of government, ranking under the head of state...
in 2007, although only two of them voted on November 6, namely Kentucky
Kentucky
The Commonwealth of Kentucky is a state located in the East Central United States of America. As classified by the United States Census Bureau, Kentucky is a Southern state, more specifically in the East South Central region. Kentucky is one of four U.S. states constituted as a commonwealth...
and Mississippi
Mississippi
Mississippi is a U.S. state located in the Southern United States. Jackson is the state capital and largest city. The name of the state derives from the Mississippi River, which flows along its western boundary, whose name comes from the Ojibwe word misi-ziibi...
. Louisiana's election date did not coincide with that of most states; its open primary was held on October 20.
The final results were a net change of zero between the political parties. The Democrats
Democratic Party (United States)
The Democratic Party is one of two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Republican Party. The party's socially liberal and progressive platform is largely considered center-left in the U.S. political spectrum. The party has the lengthiest record of continuous...
picked up the governorship in Kentucky, but the Republicans
Republican Party (United States)
The Republican Party is one of the two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Democratic Party. Founded by anti-slavery expansion activists in 1854, it is often called the GOP . The party's platform generally reflects American conservatism in the U.S...
picked up the one in Louisiana. The Republicans maintained control of the governorship in Mississippi.
State & Territorial legislative elections
Four states - LouisianaLouisiana
Louisiana is a state located in the southern region of the United States of America. Its capital is Baton Rouge and largest city is New Orleans. Louisiana is the only state in the U.S. with political subdivisions termed parishes, which are local governments equivalent to counties...
, Mississippi
Mississippi
Mississippi is a U.S. state located in the Southern United States. Jackson is the state capital and largest city. The name of the state derives from the Mississippi River, which flows along its western boundary, whose name comes from the Ojibwe word misi-ziibi...
, New Jersey
New Jersey
New Jersey is a state in the Northeastern and Middle Atlantic regions of the United States. , its population was 8,791,894. It is bordered on the north and east by the state of New York, on the southeast and south by the Atlantic Ocean, on the west by Pennsylvania and on the southwest by Delaware...
and Virginia
Virginia
The Commonwealth of Virginia , is a U.S. state on the Atlantic Coast of the Southern United States. Virginia is nicknamed the "Old Dominion" and sometimes the "Mother of Presidents" after the eight U.S. presidents born there...
- and one U.S. territory, the Northern Mariana Islands
Northern Mariana Islands
The Northern Mariana Islands, officially the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands , is a commonwealth in political union with the United States, occupying a strategic region of the western Pacific Ocean. It consists of 15 islands about three-quarters of the way from Hawaii to the Philippines...
, elected their state or territorial legislators in 2007. Louisiana's elections were held on November 17.
Democrats gained majorities in the Virginia Senate and the Mississippi Senate.
Municipal elections
Nationwide, there were cities, counties, school boards, special districts and others that elected members in 2007. Among the high-profile mayoral elections were the following:- BaltimoreBaltimore mayoral election, 2007The 2007 Baltimore mayoral election was held on November 6, 2007. Because Baltimore's electorate is overwhelmingly Democratic, Sheila Dixon's victory in the Democratic primary on September 11 all but assured her of victory in the general election, and she defeated Republican candidate Elbert...
: Sheila DixonSheila DixonSheila Ann Dixon served as the forty-eighth Mayor of Baltimore, Maryland. When former Mayor Martin O'Malley was sworn in as Governor on January 17, 2007, Dixon, a Democrat, became mayor and served out the remaining year of O'Malley's term. In November 2007, she was elected mayor...
(D) defeated Elbert Henderson (R) - CharlotteCharlotte mayoral election, 2007The biennial Charlotte mayoral election was held on November 6, 2007. Mayor Pat McCrory, a Republican, was re-elected to a seventh term.-Hot button issues:*Light rail: It is becoming a source of great controversy....
: Pat McCrory (R) was re-elected, defeating Beverly M. EarleBeverly M. EarleBeverly Miller Earle is a Democratic member of the North Carolina General Assembly representing the state's 101st House district, including constituents in Mecklenburg County...
(D) - IndianapolisIndianapolis mayoral election, 2007The Indianapolis mayoral election of 2007 took place on November 6, 2007. Voters elected the Mayor of Indianapolis, members of the Indianapolis City-County Council, as well as several other local officials. Incumbent Democrat Bart Peterson was seeking a third term. Republicans nominated former...
: Greg BallardGreg BallardGregory Ballard is a retired American professional basketball player in the NBA.Ballard attended the University of Oregon where he played at the collegiate level at the forward position...
(R) defeated incumbent Bart PetersonBart PetersonBarton "Bart" R. Peterson is the former mayor of the U.S city of Indianapolis, Indiana. A Democrat first elected in 1999, he was defeated in 2007 in a bid for a third term in what was widely viewed as a huge upset.A lifelong Indianapolis resident, Peterson graduated from North Central High School...
(D) - JacksonvilleJacksonville mayoral election, 2007The Jacksonville mayoral election of 2007 took place on March 20, 2007. Incumbent Republican John Peyton was re-elected to second 4-year term, defeating the Democratic challenger and long time community activist Jackie Brown.-Candidates:...
: John PeytonJohn PeytonJohn Peyton may refer to:*John Peyton, Baron Peyton of Yeovil, , British politician who served as Minister for Transport*John Peyton John Peyton may refer to:*John Peyton, Baron Peyton of Yeovil, (1919–2006), British politician who served as Minister for Transport*John Peyton John Peyton may refer...
(R) was re-elected, defeating Jackie Brown (D) - PhiladelphiaPhiladelphia mayoral election, 2007The 2007 Philadelphia mayoral election was held on November 6, 2007 when Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States elected Michael Nutter as the Mayor of Philadelphia starting in 2008. The incumbent mayor, John F. Street was barred from seeking a third term because of term limits...
: Michael Nutter (D) defeated Al TaubenbergerAl TaubenbergerAlfred Wilhelm "Al" Taubenberger is the president of the Greater Northeast Philadelphia Chamber of Commerce and president of the Burholme Civic Association and Town Watch. He is also a Republican politician from Northeast Philadelphia. He has run for office three times, losing each time...
(R) - PittsburghPittsburgh mayoral special election, 2007The Mayoral election of 2007 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania was a special election held on Tuesday, November 6, 2007. The incumbent mayor, Luke Ravenstahl of the Democratic Party faced Republican challenger Mark DeSantis, a telecommunications executive and adjunct professor at Carnegie Mellon University...
: Incumbent Luke RavenstahlLuke RavenstahlLuke Robert Ravenstahl is the current Mayor of Pittsburgh. In September 2006, he became the youngest mayor in Pittsburgh's history at the age of 26. He is among the youngest mayors of a major city in American history....
(D) was elected to a full term, defeating Mark DeSantis (R) in this special election. Ravenstahl was appointed as interim mayor in 2006 following the death of Bob O'Connor - San FranciscoSan Francisco mayoral election, 2007The 2007 San Francisco mayoral election occurred on November 6, 2007. Voters elected a Mayor of San Francisco and several local officials. Incumbent Mayor Gavin Newsom was re-elected by a good margin...
: Gavin NewsomGavin NewsomGavin Christopher Newsom is an American politician who is the 49th and current Lieutenant Governor of California. Previously, he was the 42nd Mayor of San Francisco, and was elected in 2003 to succeed Willie Brown, becoming San Francisco's youngest mayor in 100 years. Newsom was re-elected in 2007...
(D) was re-elected, defeating several other candidates in an instant-runoff votingInstant-runoff votingInstant-runoff voting , also known as preferential voting, the alternative vote and ranked choice voting, is a voting system used to elect one winner. Voters rank candidates in order of preference, and their ballots are counted as one vote for their first choice candidate. If a candidate secures a...
system.