AUGUSTA -- Legislative Democrats, who appear to have strengthened their majority control at the State House, and Republicans mired deeper in minority status have one thing in common at the top of their to-do lists: select leadership teams for the two-year session that opens on Dec. 3.

Caucus elections begin on Monday.

Holding the reins in both the Senate and House of Representatives, incoming Democratic lawmakers are expected to put Senate Majority Leader Elizabeth Mitchell of Vassalboro in as Senate president and House Majority Leader Hannah Pingree of North Haven in as speaker of the House.

Mitchell and Pingree would replace the current presiding officers who are termed-out, Democratic Senate President Beth Edmonds of Freeport and Democratic House Speaker Glenn Cummings of Portland.