| Parliament name |
Congress |
| Structure of parliament |
Bicameral |
| Chamber name |
Senate |
| Related chamber (for bicameral parliaments) |
House of Representatives
|
| BACKGROUND |
| Dates of election / renewal (from/to) |
4 November 2008 |
| Purpose of elections |
Elections were held for one-third of the seats of the Senate on the normal expiry of the members' term of office. |
The November 2008 congressional elections were held jointly with the presidential elections. At stake were all 435 seats in the House of Representatives and 35 seats in the Senate: one third of the 100 seats (33) up for renewal upon the normal expiry of members' term and two vacant seats (following the resignation and death of their incumbents).
In the mid-term elections held in November 2006
the Democrats regained control of both houses of the Congress for the first time since 1994. They won 233 seats in the House of Representatives. In the Senate
both Democrats and Republicans held a total of 49 seats in the Senate. The Democrats secured a narrow majority with the support of two independent Senators.
The 2008 elections were held against the backdrop of a financial crisis
the worst since the 1929 Great Depression. The budget deficit hit a record US$ 455 billion in the fiscal year ending in September 2008. In October
the Congress approved a US$ 700 billion bailout plan for the financial sector. As at 3 November
the national debt was recorded at US$ 10.5 trillion
corresponding to 70 per cent of the GDP; the highest percentage in 50 years.
Both the Democrats and the Republicans focused on stabilizing the US economy. Other main issues included the deployment of US troops overseas and health care reform.
The Democrats accused President Bush (Republican) of failed economic policies and promised to boost the economy
reduce taxes for the middle class and roll back tax cuts for the rich. They also underscored the need to increase federal regulation of financial services. Many candidates called for trade reforms to keep and create jobs in the US. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (Democrat) proposed a US$ 300 billion spending bill to stimulate the economy and a US$ 150 billion cut in defence spending. Under the Bush Administration
defence spending had increased by 60 per cent. It will surpass US$ 612 billion in the fiscal year 2009.
Senate Minority Leader
Mr. Mitch McConnell (Republican)
called for measures to protect taxpayers and ensure strong oversight of the Treasury Department in a bid to stabilize the economy. Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (Democrat) called for a commitment to change in order to "restore the American dream for middle-class families".
On foreign policy
the Democrats pledged to withdraw US troops from Iraq and redeploy many of them in Afghanistan. Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama pledged to withdraw combat troops from Iraq by mid-2010. His Republican rival
John McCain
refused to set a deadline for withdrawal.
On health care issues
both parties promised to negotiate lower prices for medicines. The Democrats pledged to allow generic versions of expensive biotechnology drugs and expand health care to uninsured Americans. Many Republican candidates argued that bureaucracy in Washington D.C. could not run the health care system properly and that the Democrats' plan would dramatically increase State spending.
The Democrats led a strategic campaign to win over 60 seats in the Senate in order to avoid filibustering (the use of procedural hurdles to obstruct the passage of legislation). By the end of October
the Democratic candidates had spent more than US$ 67 million on campaigning
nearly double that of their rival Republicans
who had spent US$ 33.7 million.
Pre-elections polls suggested that the Democrats would achieve historic gains in the congressional elections.
Turnout was reportedly high among the 169 million registered voters
due in part to wide media coverage of the presidential elections involving a first-ever African-American candidate
Mr. Obama. As many as 29 million voters cast their ballot in advance of polling day. The final turnout figures for the parliamentary elections are expected to be published in mid-2009.
In the elections to the House of Representatives
the Democrats won 257 seats
while Republicans took 178.
In the Senate elections
the Democrats won 20 seats
to hold 59 seats in all (including support from two independents)
while Republicans took 15 (41 in all).
In the presidential elections
Mr. Obama secured 53 per cent of the popular vote (or 365 votes in the electoral college)
becoming the first African American person to accede to the highest office in the USA.
The newly elected Congress was convened on 6 January 2009. The House re-elected Ms. Nancy Pelosi (Democrat) as its Speaker. Vice President Joseph R. Biden
Jr. (Democrat) became President of the Senate on 20 January. Mr. Robert C. Byrd (Democrat) continues to serve as the President pro tempore. |
| STATISTICS |
| Voter turnout |
| Round no 1 | 4 November 2008 |
Number of registered electors
Voters
Blank or invalid ballot papers
Valid votes |
64'862'287 |
|
Notes
|
|
| Distribution of votes |
|
Round no 1
|
| Political Group |
Candidates |
Votes |
|
|
% |
|
|
| Democratic Party |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Republican Party |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Independents |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Distribution of seats |
|
Round no 1
|
| Political Group |
Total
|
Seats 2008 |
|
|
|
| Democratic Party |
57
|
20 |
|
|
|
| Republican Party |
41
|
15 |
|
|
|
| Independents |
2
|
0 |
|
|
|
|
| Distribution of seats according to sex |
Men
Women
Percent of women |
31
4
11.43%
|
| Distribution of seats according to age |
|
|
|
| Distribution of seats according to profession |
|
|
| Comments |
Sources:
- Office of the Clerk
US House of Representatives (22.01.2009)
- http://clerk.house.gov/member_info/electionInfo/index.html
- http://www.eac.gov |
Compare data for parliamentary chambers in the Last elections module
