This week we have interactive state legislative district maps for Nevada, North Dakota, and Virginia. Each legislative chamber is mapped out using the presidential election results calculated by Daily Kos Elections, the legislative election results, and some info on each legislator. For maps of 24 other states' legislative chambers see the first, second, third, fourth, and fifth in this series. (A single source is also forthcoming.)
Districts in solid blue were carried by Obama and are represented by a Democrat, while those in solid red were won by Mitt Romney and are held by a Republican. Lighter red districts voted for Obama and a Republican legislator, while those in lighter blue went for Romney and a Democratic legislator. All vacant seats are assigned to the party that last won them. Note that the map displays use only the two-party vote to give you a more equivalent comparison between presidential and legislative results, but the diary and Daily Kos Elections' numbers include totals for third party candidates, though the differences are minor.
Nevada State Senate
Nevada's legislative districts were court-drawn based on the state Democrats' proposals, but are fairly reflective of the state overall. While Romney carried just eight districts to Obama's 13, Republicans hold two of the latter giving Democrats a narrow 11 to 10 majority. The median seat voted for Obama 52-46 or about one percent worse for him than statewide. Senators serve staggered four-year terms.
Control of the chamber will be highly contested in 2014 with Republicans only needing to defeat Justin Jones in SD-09. Obama carried the district 54-44, but Jones only won it by one percent in 2012. Fortunately no other Democratic seats are vulnerable and Republicans are defending two light red seats: The open SD-08 where Romney only won 50-49, and Michael Roberson's SD-20 which went for Romney 50-48.
Nevada State Assembly
The Assembly is more solidly in Democratic hands with the party holding 27 seats to the Republicans' 15, just one shy of being veto-proof. Obama won 26 districts and Romney carried 16, one of which also voted for a Democrat. The median districts went for Obama by an average of 54-44, making them four points more Democratic than the state.
Head below the fold to see maps of North Dakota and Virginia.
North Dakota State Senate
Republicans drew North Dakota's districts, but with Romney winning the state by 20 percent that wasn't necessary for control of the legislature. Only eight districts voted for Obama while the other 39 went for Romney. Seven Democrats sit in Romney seats while two Republicans won Obama districts for a veto-proof Senate majority of 34 Republicans to 13 Democrats. The median district was won by Romney 58-40 which was actually two points more Democratic than the state. Both chambers' legislators serve staggered, four-year terms.
North Dakota State House of Representatives
The state's House districts are the same as the Senate, but each one votes for two members with the top two vote getters elected. Because some districts elected a split delegation, those that did and voted for Obama are the lightest red while split delegation Romney seats are the lightest blue. Obama won 16 seats and Romney 78 while three Republicans and 10 Democrats sit in districts won by the other party's presidential ticket, resulting in a Republican super-majority of 71 to the Democrats' 23. The median seats voted for Romney 58-40 or two points to the left of the state, just like the other chamber.
Virginia State Senate
Virginia is a rare state that holds its non-federal elections in odd-numbered years, with senators elected to four-year terms in the year prior to a presidential election. Democrats actually drew the district lines while Republicans did the House. However, unlike the GOP, Democrats couldn't draw an all-out gerrymander after then-Republican governor Bob McDonnell vetoed their first map. Obama carried 21 districts to Romney's 19, but because of turnout hurting Democrats more, the odd-year electorates in those 21 likely didn't all vote for the president.
Republicans hold two Obama seats while SD-38's Democrat Phillip Puckett sits in a very red, quickly Republican-trending Romney seat. Though the chamber is evenly divided between the parties, Lt. Gov. Ralph Northam's tie-breaking vote gives Democrats control of the Senate. Unfortunately that Democratic majority is very imperiled the next time elections are held in 2015. The median seats voted for Obama by an average of 50-49 or three percent more Republican than the state.
Virginia State House of Delegates
Showing you how much of a difference control over drawing the lines matters, Republicans have an utter lock on the House of Delegates. Although Obama won 47 districts and Romney took a modest majority of 53, Republicans hold 15 of those Obama districts for an overall super-majority of 68 to 32. About two-thirds of the Republicans in Obama seats hail from Northern Virginia. The median two districts went for Romney by an average of 50-48, making them six percent more Republican than the state as a whole.