2020 United States Senate elections

United States Senate

**September 4 – November 3, 2020
January 5, 2021 (Georgia runoffs)**

← 2018
2022 →

## Overview

**Leader**
Chuck Schumer
Mitch McConnell

**Political party**
Democratic
Republican

**Seat**
New York
Kentucky

**Seats before**
45
53

**Seats after**
**48**
50

**Seat change**
+3
-3

**Popular vote**
38,011,916
**39,834,647**

**Percentage**
47.0%
**49.3%**

**Political party**
Independent

**Seats before**
2

**Seats after**
2

**Seat change**
0

**Popular vote**
255,768

## Results

Dark blue indicates Democratic gain, light blue indicates Democratic hold. Dark red indicates Republican gain, light red indicates Republican hold. Gray indicates no election.

### Elected Majority Leader

Mitch McConnell
Republican
Chuck Schumer
Democratic

The **2020 United States Senate elections** were held before and on November 3, 2020, for all 33 Class 2 Senate seats, plus 2 special elections (in Arizona and Georgia) for Class 3 Senate seats. They where the 53rd Senate elections after the ratification of 17th Amendment (which allowed for Senators to be elected directly) and where held concurrent to other federal elections, including the 2020 United States presidential election and the 2020 United States House of Representatives elections. Some states instituted early or mail-in voting due to the global COVID-19 pandemic.

Other then Maine, the winner of the presidential election in every state was the same for both the presidency and the Senate election held in that state (in Maine, incumbent Republican Susan Collins was elected while incumbent Republican President Donald Trump lost the state, winning one electoral vote from Maine's 2nd congressional district). Democrats flipped seats in Arizona, Colorado, and in a regular and special election in Georgia, while Republicans flipped a seat in Alabama. While the Democrats only obtained 48 Senate seats, two independents (Angus King of Maine and Bernie Sanders of Vermont) caucused with the Democrats. Democrats also won the presidential election, meaning that Vice President Kamala Harris would be the tiebreaking vote in the Senate.

Democrats generally underperformed expectations in these elections, having been expected to win Senate seats in North Carolina, Iowa, Montana, Maine, and potentially even Alaska, Kansas, Texas, South Carolina or Mississippi. Republicans also exceeded expectations in these elections, having made races in New Mexico and Michigan closer then expected.

This election also saw several noteworthy historical events. Rick Dale Harrington Jr. recieved 33% of the vote in Arkansas, breaking Joe Miller's 2016 record in Alaska for the highest percent of the vote to be won by a Libertarian. Harrington also broke an older record from the 2002 Massachusetts Senate race for most raw votes won by a Libertarian in a Senate race. Additionally this Senate race marked the first time since the 1980 United States Senate elections that Senate control flipped in a presidential election year and the first time since the 2000 United States Senate elections that voters created a 50-50 Senate.

Two special elections where held this cycle in Arizona and Georgia. In Arizona, longtime incumbent and 2008 GOP presidential nominee John McCain died of brain cancer, and Governor Doug Ducey appointed Martha McSally to the vacant seat (replacing Jon Kyl, who was originally appointed to the seat). In Georgia, Governor Brian Kemp appointed Kelly Loeffler to replace Johnny Isakson, who resigned in 2019.