Turnover in State Legislatures

This note reports research on membership turnover in the senates and houses of legislatures in the fifty states. Contemporary rates of turnover are measured, factors that account for variations are identified, and the relative and combined salience of different systemic factors is assessed. Political-system characteristics count less than electoraland legislative-system variables. Of particular significance are political opportunity structures, the number of elections and reapportionments, and levels of compensation.