Molly Ayala
The electric chair was once the most prominent execution method in the United States, with 26 states, the District of Columbia, the federal government, and the U.S. military using it to execute criminals. In recent years, its use has declined, with many states now opting for lethal injection as a calmer and less violent alternative. However, some states, including Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Kentucky, Mississippi, Oklahoma, and Tennessee, still offer the electric chair as an alternative method of execution. The last person to be executed by electric chair without the choice of an alternative method was Lynda Lyon Block on May 10, 2002, in Alabama. The most recent execution by electric chair was of Nicholas Todd Sutton on February 20, 2020, in Tennessee.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Date of last electric chair death | February 20, 2020 |
| Name of the person | Nicholas Todd Sutton |
| State | Tennessee |
| Alternative methods available | Lethal injection |
| Number of states that use the electric chair | 7 |
| Number of states that have death penalty measures | 27 |
| Number of states that have abandoned the death penalty | 21 |
| Year the electric chair was replaced with lethal injection in the Philippines | 1987 |
| Year the Nebraska Supreme Court ruled electric chair execution as "cruel and unusual punishment" | 2008 |
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What You'll Learn
- The electric chair was the primary method of execution until the 1990s
- In 2025, electrocution remains an option in Alabama, South Carolina and Florida
- Inmates in some states can choose between lethal injection and the electric chair
- The electric chair was deemed cruel and unusual punishment in Nebraska in 2008
- The death penalty is declining in the United States
The electric chair was the primary method of execution until the 1990s
The electric chair was the primary method of execution in the United States until the early 1990s. At that time, it was replaced by lethal injection, which was considered a more humane method of execution.
The electric chair was first used for executions in the United States in the late 19th century, and it quickly became the most common method of execution in the country. By the early 1990s, however, public opinion began to shift away from the electric chair as the primary method of execution. This was due in part to the development of lethal injection as a perceived more humane alternative.
During this time, several states, including Indiana, began to replace the electric chair with lethal injection as the preferred method of execution. In Indiana, for example, Gregory Resnover was the last prisoner to die by electric chair in 1994 before the state adopted lethal injection as the sole execution method in 1995. Similarly, the Philippines, which had adopted the electric chair in 1926, discontinued its use in 1987 in favour of lethal injection.
While the electric chair is no longer the primary method of execution in the United States, it is still an option in several states. As of 2025, electrocution remains a choice in states like Alabama, South Carolina, and Florida, where inmates may opt for lethal injection instead. In states like Arkansas, Kentucky, and Tennessee, inmates sentenced before a certain date can also choose to be executed by electric chair, although Arkansas currently has no death-row inmates meeting this criterion.
The use of the electric chair has declined over the years, with the last person to be executed by electric chair without the choice of an alternative method being Lynda Lyon Block in Alabama on May 10, 2002. The most recent execution by electric chair was that of Nicholas Todd Sutton in Tennessee on February 20, 2020, who, like several inmates before him, chose electrocution over lethal injection.
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In 2025, electrocution remains an option in Alabama, South Carolina and Florida
As of 2025, electrocution remains an option in Alabama, South Carolina, and Florida, where inmates may choose lethal injection instead. In Alabama, the last person to be executed by electric chair without the choice of an alternative method was Lynda Lyon Block on May 10, 2002.
In South Carolina, the electric chair is one of three execution methods, the others being lethal injection and firing squad. The state has been rapidly executing people after reviving capital punishment in 2024. The final execution scheduled for Friday in South Carolina is of Stephen Stanko, who is set to be killed by lethal injection.
In Florida, the electric chair remains an option if lethal injection is found unconstitutional. The last person to be executed by electric chair in Florida was Allen Davis on July 8, 1999. The electric chair in Florida dates back to 1923, with the wooden seat being refurbished in 1999.
In addition to Alabama, South Carolina, and Florida, several other states maintain the option to use the electric chair, including Kentucky, Mississippi, Tennessee, and Virginia. Inmates in these states must select either electrocution or lethal injection.
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Inmates in some states can choose between lethal injection and the electric chair
The electric chair was the most prominent execution method until the early 1990s, when lethal injection was deemed a more humane alternative. Since then, the electric chair has been downgraded to a backup method that an inmate can choose in several states, but it is rarely used.
In the United States, eight states allow electrocution: Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Kentucky, Mississippi, Oklahoma, Tennessee, and South Carolina. In Arkansas, Kentucky, and Tennessee, inmates sentenced before a certain date can choose to be executed by electric chair. However, Arkansas currently has no death row inmates sentenced before this date. Electrocution is also authorized in these three states if lethal injection is found to be unconstitutional by a court or if the drugs required for lethal injection are unavailable.
In South Carolina, death row inmates must choose between the electric chair and a firing squad if lethal injection drugs are unavailable. In Tennessee, inmates can choose between lethal injection and electrocution, with several inmates choosing the latter since 2018. This is despite lethal injection being the primary method of execution in the state since 1999. Inmates' advocates and lawyers say that these men are choosing electrocution because they fear being frozen in place and feeling intense discomfort while the lethal injection drugs take effect.
The last person to be executed by electric chair without the choice of an alternative method was Lynda Lyon Block on May 10, 2002, in Alabama. The most recent execution by electric chair was of Nicholas Todd Sutton on February 20, 2020, in Tennessee.
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The electric chair was deemed cruel and unusual punishment in Nebraska in 2008
On February 8, 2008, the Nebraska Supreme Court ruled that execution by electrocution was "cruel and unusual punishment" under the state constitution. This decision ended electric chair executions in Nebraska, the last state to rely solely on this method.
The electric chair was once a common method of capital punishment in America. However, its use has declined with the adoption of lethal injection, which is often considered more humane. Lethal injection has been adopted as the sole method of execution in 34 out of 38 states with capital punishment. Alabama, Florida, and Georgia eliminated electrocution as the exclusive method between 2000 and 2002, leaving Nebraska as the only remaining state.
In the Nebraska Supreme Court's ruling, Justice William Connolly wrote:
> We recognize the temptation to make the prisoner suffer, just as the prisoner made an innocent victim suffer. But it is the hallmark of a civilized society that we punish cruelty without practicing it. Condemned prisoners must not be tortured to death, regardless of their crimes.
The court's decision was based on evidence that electrocution inflicts intense pain and suffering on those being executed. Witnesses to executions by electric chair have reported seeing smoke coming from the prisoner's head or legs, indicating the burning of the prisoner's body.
While the electric chair executions ended in Nebraska in 2008, other states in the US, such as Tennessee, have continued to use the electric chair as a method of execution, with the most recent taking place in February 2020.
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The death penalty is declining in the United States
The use of the death penalty has gradually declined in the United States in recent decades, with death sentences and executions becoming less common. In 2019, seven states carried out 22 executions, the second-lowest number since 1991. New death sentences have also declined sharply, with 31 people sentenced to death in 2019, a significant decrease from the more than 320 people sentenced annually between 1994 and 1996.
Several factors have contributed to the decline in the death penalty. One reason is the decreasing crime rate, resulting in fewer murders to punish. Additionally, there has been a rise in concerns about sending innocent people to death row, with an increasing number of exonerations in recent years. The high cost of death penalty cases and the emergence of ""smart on crime" policies, which offer alternatives to the death penalty, have also played a role in the decline.
While the death penalty is on the decline, some states, like Alabama, continue to have a high rate of death sentences per capita. Additionally, methods of execution, such as the electric chair, have been replaced by lethal injection in many states. However, some states, including Tennessee, still offer the electric chair as an option for inmates sentenced before a certain date. The most recent execution by electric chair was in 2020, marking a shift from lethal injection due to concerns about its effectiveness and constitutionality.
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Frequently asked questions
The most recent execution by electric chair in the US was of Nicholas Todd Sutton on February 20, 2020, in Tennessee.
Yes, in Tennessee, death row inmates can choose to be executed by lethal injection or electric chair. Sutton chose the latter.
Arkansas, Kentucky, Mississippi, Oklahoma, and Alabama also offer the electric chair as a method of execution.
