By Jakob Thorington | State Affairs
A recent study from two groups examining state legislatures across the country found that Arizona has the highest vacancy rate among lawmakers.
The Center for Tech and Civic Life and the Institute for Responsive Government used data from 2020 to 2025 to track unexpected changes in officeholders across the country.
Researchers found 30 legislative vacancies in Arizona during the study period. That didn’t include the resignations of former state representatives Joe Chaplik and David Marshall during the most recent legislative session, both of whom left to seek other offices.
While Arizona led the country in the highest resignation rate, the Legislature did not have the most resignations in the first five years of the decade. That honor goes to New Hampshire, which had 54 vacancies, accounting for a 12.7% vacancy rate across 400 House seats and 24 Senate seats. Arizona has 60 House seats and 30 Senate seats.
