KANSAS CITY, Mo. — While the national focus is on which political party will win control of the U.S. Senate, many Kansas and Missouri state legislature seats were also up for grabs on Election Day.
While both states lean heavily Republican in statewide results for national races, the makeup of state legislatures gives a better picture of where voters from different parties are concentrated and better represent the political makeup of the states.
State legislature in Kansas
Kansas' state legislature is made up of 40 senators and 125 representatives.
The below results are based on the unofficial election totals recorded on the Kansas Secretary of State's website as of Wednesday morning.
Kansas State Senate
Senators serve in four-year terms with no limit on how many terms can be served. All 40 Senate seats were up for election in 2020.
According to the Kansas Secretary of State's website, Republicans will likely win 29 seats and Democrats 11.
Republicans ran unopposed in 10 districts and one Democrat ran unopposed in District 2.
Districts 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 21, 22, 25 and 29 will likely go to the Democrats. Those districts represent more urban areas that include Kansas City, Lawrence, Topeka and Manhattan.
The remaining districts that will go to the Republicans largely represent rural Kansas, with the exception of some Kansas City-area suburbs, including Olathe and Shawnee.
Republicans hold a firm majority in the Senate.
Kansas State House of Representatives
Representatives serve in two-year terms with no limit on how many terms can be served. All 125 House seats were up for election in 2020.
Democrats ran unopposed in 11 districts and Republicans ran unopposed in 34.
In total, unofficial election results predict at least 36 House seats will go to Democrats and at least 86 to the Republicans.
Races in districts 16, 48 and 102 were tied at 50 percent as of Wednesday morning and could fall to recounts.
The Republicans will maintain a majority hold on the Kansas State House of Representatives.
Democratic Gov. Laura Kelly was not up for reelection in 2020, so the Republicans cannot entirely control the state government. Still, the Republican majority in both state houses could largely tie Kelly's hands.
State legislature in Missouri
Missouri's state legislature is made up of 34 senators and 163 representatives.
The below results are based on the unofficial election totals on the Missouri Secretary of State's website as of Wednesday morning.
Missouri State Senate
Senators can serve a maximum of two four-year terms, and all of the odd-numbered district senate seats were up for election in 2020.
According to the Missouri Secretary of State's website, of the 17 state senate seats up for election, seven will go to Democratic candidates and 10 to Republicans.
Districts 1, 5, 7, 9, 11, 13 and 17 will likely go to the Democrats. All of those districts are located in the urban cores of St. Louis and Kansas City.
Districts 3, 15, 19, 21, 23, 25, 27, 29, 31 and 33 will likely go to Republicans. Those districts encompass mostly rural areas of the state, with the exception of two located in suburban St. Louis (Districts 15 and 23) and District 19 that encompasses the Columbia area.
Republicans hold a firm majority in the Missouri State Senate.
Missouri State House of Representatives
Representatives can serve a maximum of four two-year terms, and every seat was up for election in 2020.
According to the Missouri Secretary of State's website, of the 163 seats up for election, 49 will likely go to Democrats and 114 to Republicans.
Many of those who won ran unopposed in their races. A few races were extremely close as of Tuesday morning, and outcomes could change if a recount were called.
Even with the handful of close races, the Republicans have a firm grip on the Missouri State House of Representatives.
With Gov. Mike Parson retaining his position, Republicans have control of the Missouri state government overall.
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