1981 general · November 3, 1981
1981 general election results
Results of the 1981 general election in 3 states: Governors, State legislatures.
Races252
Changed party25
Unopposed29%74 races
Incumbents defeated19
Governors
D 1 · R 1 · 2 changed party
| Race | Winner | Won by | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| New Jersey | Thomas H. Kean (R) | 0.1 | Flipped |
| Virginia | Charles Robb (D) | 7.1 | Flipped |
State legislatures
D 222 · R 118 · Other 1 · 23 changed party
| Chamber | Races | Seats won | Changed party |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kentucky House of Representatives | 100 | D 76 · R 24 | 5 |
| Kentucky State Senate | 21 | D 15 · R 6 | — |
| New Jersey General Assembly | 40 | D 43 · R 37 | — |
| New Jersey State Senate | 40 | D 22 · R 18 | 11 |
| Virginia House of Delegates | 49 | D 66 · R 33 · Other 1 | 7 |
By state
Results are each source's final count; margins are the winner's lead over the runner-up in points of the vote. Source: Algara, Carlos; Amlani, Sharif (Harvard Dataverse); Harvard Dataverse / Carl Klarner