AUGUSTA – Election Day victors won’t be sworn in to the new Legislature until opening day on Dec. 6, but they have plenty to do before then.

Although the general election season may be over, pending recounts, another election campaign is already under way.

Incoming Democrats and Republicans in the Senate and House of Representatives must choose leadership teams, and the lead-up to those choices has been under way for months.

The new House will be heavily Democratic, and incoming members will soon begin organizing for the new legislative session.

House Democrats are scheduled to meet in a caucus next week. One chore on Wednesday will be to decide on a nominee who would be expected to succeed outgoing Speaker John Richardson of Brunswick as the chamber’s presiding officer.

Richardson, as required by statutory limits on consecutive terms, is departing after four terms in the House.

Looking to move up to the speaker’s post is the current House Democratic leader, Rep. Glenn Cummings, D-Portland. Others interested in the job of presiding officer are Reps. Leila Percy, D-Phippsburg, and Thomas Watson, D-Bath.

Two other caucus members are regarded as candidates for the Democratic floor leader position – Reps. Hannah Pingree of North Haven and John Tuttle of Sanford.

Republicans had been hoping to gain a House majority and install Rep. Josh Tardy of Newport, who is winding up his term as assistant Republican floor leader, at the speaker’s rostrum. Those hopes were dashed Tuesday when the Democrats swamped the GOP in statewide House elections.

Unofficial tabulations gave the Democrats 89 wins in the 151 House elections. Republicans were the apparent winners in 60 House races, and two independents also appear to have won seats in the 151-member House chamber.

House Democratic campaign organizers themselves were surprised by their Election Day success.

Heading into the voting, Democrats held a 74-73 House edge over Republicans. The chamber also had one Green party member and three independents.

Meanwhile, Senate Democrats, who appear to have come out of Election Day with an 18-17 edge over Republicans, were working Thursday to schedule an organizational caucus of their own.

The current Senate president, Democrat Beth Edmonds of Freeport, is seeking a second term at the podium. For the past two years, she has presided over a chamber split 19-16 between Democrats and Republicans.

Potential contestants in a caucus vote for Senate majority leader are Sens. Elizabeth Mitchell, D-Vassalboro, and Dennis Damon, D-Trenton.

Senate Republicans are expected to caucus within a few days.

Considered potential leaders of the incoming Republican Senate bloc are the current assistant floor leader, Carol Weston of Montville, and Richard Nass of Acton.