Voters ousted at least three legislative incumbents in Tuesday’s election, but Republicans still expected to solidify their already large majorities in both chambers of the state legislature.

Going into Tuesday’s elections, Republicans controlled the Senate, 30-10, and the House, 80-45. With results incomplete in parts of the state, it wasn’t clear early Wednesday morning how those numbers would shift.

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Democrats appeared to be knocking off two Senate Republican incumbents, including in the 18th District, where Topeka lobbyist Laura Kelly defeated Sen. Dave Jackson of Topeka by 39 votes with 100 percent of the precincts reporting. The results were unofficial, pending the counting of provisional ballots.

Sen. Janis Lee, D-Kensington, led Sen. Larry Salmans, R-Hanston, in the 36th District with 84 percent of the votes counted. Redistricting of Senate seats following the 2000 Census pitted the two incumbents in a district that has a strong Republican majority. Lee was looking for her fifth term in the Senate.

Republicans picked up one seat in a newly created district in Johnson County and hoped for gains elsewhere. Democrats won six Senate seats and led in two others, while Republicans won 19 and led in another six.

Meanwhile, in the House, Republicans were leading or winning in 75 races, compared with 35 for Democrats.

Several Democratic incumbents faced serious challenges after they voted in May against a proposed constitutional amendment to ban gay marriage. One of those, Rep. Jan Scoggins-Waite of Dodge City was defeated by GOP challenger Pat George of Dodge City by a 2-1 margin.

Elsewhere, Rep. Josh Svaty, D-Ellsworth led in his race for re-election in the 108th District.

Voters in districts with open seats said they were looking for new voices in the Senate.

Jim Kemp, 35, a Lawrence business owner, said the Legislature needed balance, including more liberals. He voted for Democrat Jan Justice of Linwood in the 3rd District Senate race, an open seat.

“It’s important that our voices are heard compared to the conservative voices across Kansas,” Kemp said.

Justice was trailing Lawrence Republican Roger Pine with 50 percent of precincts reporting.

Nationwide, voters were deciding control of 44 statehouses. Republicans hold majorities in both chambers in 21 states, including Kansas, while Democrats control both in 17, and control is divided in 11. Democrats last held control of the Kansas House in 1992 and held the Senate last in 1916.

All 165 legislative seats were to be filled, with contested races on the ballot in 32 Senate districts and 66 House districts.

The results were likely to determine how receptive the Legislature will be to raising taxes for education.

That issue dominated the 2004 session and could play a big role next year, after legislators receive an expected ruling from the Kansas Supreme Court on a lawsuit challenging the constitutionality of the state’s school finance system. Legislators open their 2005 session Jan. 10.