1816–17 United States Senate elections
The 1816–17 United States Senate elections were held on various dates in various states. As these U.S. Senate elections were prior to the ratification of the Seventeenth Amendment in 1913, senators were chosen by state legislatures . Senators were elected over a wide range of time throughout 1816 and 1817, and a seat may have been filled months late or remained vacant due to legislative deadlock .[ 1] In these elections, terms were up for the senators in Class 2 .
The Democratic-Republican Party gained a net of two seats from the admission of a new state.
Results summary
Senate party division, 15th Congress (1817–1819)
Majority party: Democratic-Republican (25–28)
Minority party: Federalist (13–12)
Total seats: 38–42
Change in composition
Results of the January 1816 special elections
DR8
DR7
DR6
DR5
DR4
DR3
DR2
DR1
DR9
DR10
DR11
DR12
DR13
DR14
DR15
DR16
DR17
DR18
Majority →
DR19
F9 Md. Gain
F10
F11
F12
F13
DR23
DR22
DR21 Va. Gain
DR20
F8
F7
F6
F5
F4
F3
F2
F1
Before the general elections
DR9
DR8
DR7
DR6
DR5
DR4
DR3
DR2
DR1
DR10
DR11
DR12
DR13
DR14
DR15 Ga. Resigned
DR16 La. Ran
DR17 Mass. Unknown
DR18 N.J. Unknown
DR19 N.C. Resigned
Majority →
DR20 R.I. Retired
F10
F11 Del. Ran
F12 Ky. Retired
F13 N.H. Unknown
TBD1 Ind. New seat
TBD2 Ind. New seat
DR23 Va. Unknown
DR22 Tenn. Unknown
DR21 S.C. Resigned
F9
F8
F7
F6
F5
F4
F3
F2
F1
Results of the general elections
DR9
DR8
DR7
DR6
DR5
DR4
DR3
DR2
DR1
DR10
DR11
DR12
DR13
DR14
DR15 Ga. Hold
DR16 Ind. Gain
DR17 Ind. Gain
DR18 Ky. Gain
DR19 La. Hold
Majority →
DR20 N.H. Gain
F10
F11 Del. Hold
F12 Mass. Gain
F13 R.I. Gain
V1 Tenn. DR Loss
DR24 Va. Hold
DR23 S.C. Hold
DR22 N.C. Hold
DR21 N.J. Hold
F9
F8
F7
F6
F5
F4
F3
F2
F1
Results of the 1817 special elections
DR10
DR9
DR8
DR7
DR6
DR5
DR4
DR3
DR2
DR1
DR11
DR12
DR13
DR14
DR15
DR16
DR17
DR18
DR19
DR20
Majority →
DR21
F11
F12
DR28 Tenn. Elected[ a]
DR27 N.H. Gain
DR26 Miss. New seat
DR25 Miss. New seat
DR24 Vt. Hold
DR23
DR22
F10
F9
F8
F7
F6
F5
F4
F3
F2
F1
Race summaries
Elections during the preceding Congress
In these special and general elections, the winners were seated during 1816 or before March 4, 1817; ordered by election date.
State
Incumbent
Results
Candidates
Senator
Party
Electoral history
Virginia (Class 2)
Vacant
William B. Giles (DR) resigned March 3, 1815.John Wayles Eppes (DR) was elected December 7, 1815 , but declined to serve. New senator elected January 3, 1816 on the fourth ballot despite being too young to serve .Democratic-Republican gain. Winner later lost re-election to the next term; see below .
Maryland (Class 1)
Vacant
The Maryland General Assembly failed to elect in time for the March 4, 1815 beginning of the term. New senator elected January 29, 1816.Federalist gain.
Massachusetts (Class 1)
Christopher Gore
Federalist
1813 (appointed) 1815 (special)
Incumbent resigned May 30, 1816, unhappy with the politics of Washington and suffering from poor health. New senator elected June 12, 1816. Federalist hold.
Indiana (Class 1)
None (new state)
Indiana was admitted to the Union December 11, 1816. New senator elected November 8, 1816.Democratic-Republican gain.
Indiana (Class 3)
None (new state)
Indiana was admitted to the Union December 11, 1816. New senator elected November 8, 1816.Democratic-Republican gain.
Georgia (Class 2)
William W. Bibb
Democratic- Republican
1813 (special)
Incumbent resigned November 9, 1816. New senator elected November 13, 1816. Democratic-Republican hold. Winner was also elected to the next term; see below .
▌ Y George M. Troup (Democratic-Republican) 62
▌ [FNU] Clark (Unknown) 49
▌ [FNU] Spalding (Unknown) 6[ 6]
North Carolina (Class 2)
James Turner
Democratic- Republican
1804 1810
Incumbent resigned November 21, 1816 due to ill health. New senator elected December 4, 1816 on the third ballot. Democratic-Republican hold. Winner was also elected to the next term; see below .
South Carolina (Class 2)
John Taylor
Democratic- Republican
1810 (special) 1810
Incumbent resigned November 1816. New senator elected December 4, 1816. Democratic-Republican hold. Winner was also elected to the next term; see below .
Kentucky (Class 2)
Martin D. Hardin
Federalist
1814 (appointed)
Incumbent appointee elected December 5, 1816.[ 9] Winner was not later a candidate for the next term; see below .
Maryland (Class 1)
Robert Goodloe Harper
Federalist
1816 (special)
Incumbent resigned December 6, 1816. New senator elected December 20, 1816. Federalist hold.
Races leading to the next Congress
In these general elections, the winners were seated March 4, 1817; ordered by state.
All of the elections involved the Class 2 seats.
State
Incumbent
Results
Candidates
Senator
Party
Electoral history
Delaware
William H. Wells
Federalist
1799 (special) 1799 1804 (resigned) 1813 (special)
Incumbent lost re-election. New senator elected January 31, 1817 on the third ballot. Federalist hold.
Georgia
William W. Bibb
Democratic- Republican
1813 (special)
Resigned November 9, 1816. New senator elected November 13, 1816 on the second ballot. Winner was also elected to finish the previous term; see above. Democratic-Republican hold.
▌ Y George M. Troup (Democratic-Republican) 62
▌ [FNU] Clark (Unknown) 49
▌ [FNU] Spalding (Unknown) 6[ 6]
Kentucky
Martin D. Hardin
Federalist
1816 (appointed) 1816 (special)
Incumbent retired. New senator elected December 10, 1816 on the second ballot.Democratic-Republican gain.
Louisiana
James Brown
Democratic- Republican
1813 (special)
Incumbent lost re-election. New senator elected in 1817. Democratic-Republican hold.
Massachusetts
Joseph Bradley Varnum
Democratic-Republican
1811
Incumbent ran for re-election. New senator elected June 12, 1816.Federalist gain.
New Hampshire
Thomas W. Thompson
Federalist
1814 (special)
Unknown if incumbent ran for re-election. New senator elected in 1816 on the third ballot.Democratic-Republican gain.
New Jersey
John Condit
Democratic- Republican
1809 (special) 1810
Unknown if incumbent ran for re-election. New senator elected January 23, 1817. Democratic-Republican hold.
North Carolina
James Turner
Democratic- Republican
1804 1810
Resigned November 21, 1816 due to ill health. New senator elected December 4, 1816 on the second ballot. Winner was also elected to finish the previous term; see above. Democratic-Republican hold.
Rhode Island
Jeremiah Howell
Democratic- Republican
1810
Incumbent retired. New senator elected June 21, 1816.[ 19] Federalist gain.
South Carolina
John Taylor
Democratic- Republican
1810 (special) 1810
Incumbent resigned November 1816. New senator elected December 4, 1816. Winner was also elected to the previous term, see above. Democratic-Republican hold.
Tennessee
John Williams
Democratic- Republican
1815 (special)
Unknown if incumbent ran for re-election. Legislature failed to elect. Incumbent was appointed to start the term. Democratic-Republican loss.
None.
Virginia
Armistead T. Mason
Democratic-Republican
1816 (special)
Unknown if incumbent ran for re-election, but he was an unsuccessful candidate for the U.S. House of Representatives . New senator elected December 9, 1816. Democratic-Republican hold.
Elections during the next Congress
In three special elections and two general elections, the winners were elected in 1817 after March 4; ordered by election date.
State
Incumbent
Results
Candidates
Senator
Party
Electoral history
New Hampshire (Class 3)
Jeremiah Mason
Federalist
1813 (special)
Incumbent resigned June 16, 1817. New senator elected June 27, 1817 on the thirteenth ballot.Democratic-Republican gain.
Tennessee (Class 2)
John Williams
Democratic- Republican
1815 (special)
Legislature had failed to elect and the incumbent was then appointed to start the term. Interim appointee was re-elected October 2, 1817 to finish the term.
Vermont (Class 3)
Dudley Chase
Democratic- Republican
1812
Resgined November 3, 1817. New senator elected November 4, 1817. Democratic-Republican hold.
Mississippi (Class 1)
None (new state)
Mississippi was admitted as a new state. New senator elected December 10, 1817 on the fifth ballot.Democratic-Republican gain.
Mississippi (Class 2)
None (new state)
Mississippi was admitted as a new state. New senator elected December 10, 1817 on the fourth ballot.Democratic-Republican gain.
Delaware
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(October 2019 )
Georgia
Georgia (regular)
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(October 2019 )
Georgia (special)
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(October 2019 )
Indiana
The new state of Indiana elected its first two senators, both Democratic-Republicans, James Noble and Waller Taylor . The election was held November 8, 1816 in advance of Indiana's December 11, 1816 admission as a state. In the election legislators cast a single ballot and the first and second place candidates were deemed elected.
Kentucky
Kentucky (regular)
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(October 2019 )
Kentucky (special)
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(October 2019 )
Louisiana
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(October 2019 )
Maryland (special)
Maryland (special, January 1816)
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(November 2022 )
1816 United States Senate special election in Maryland
Robert Goodloe Harper won election over John Thomson Mason by a margin of 1.12%, or 1 vote, for the Class 1 seat.[ 26]
Maryland (special, December 1816)
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(November 2022 )
1816 United States Senate special election in Maryland
Alexander Contee Hanson won election over William Winder by a margin of 8.24%, or 7 votes, for the Class 1 seat.[ 27]
Massachusetts
Massachusetts (regular)
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(October 2019 )
Massachusetts (special)
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(October 2019 )
Mississippi
The new state of Mississippi elected its first two senators, both Democratic-Republicans, Walter Leake and Thomas H. Williams . Two separate elections were held in which each senator was elected.
First Senator (Class 1) (5th ballot, date and previous ballots unknown)
Second Senator (Class 2) (4th ballot, date and previous ballots unknown)
New Hampshire
New Hampshire (regular)
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(October 2019 )
New Hampshire (special)
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(October 2019 )
New Jersey
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(October 2019 )
North Carolina
North Carolina (regular)
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(October 2019 )
North Carolina (special)
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(October 2019 )
Rhode Island
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(October 2019 )
South Carolina
South Carolina (regular)
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(October 2019 )
South Carolina (special)
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(October 2019 )
Tennessee
Tennessee (regular)
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(October 2019 )
Tennessee (special)
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(October 2019 )
Vermont (special)
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(October 2019 )
Virginia
Virginia (regular)
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(October 2019 )
Virginia (special)
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(October 2019 )
See also
Notes
^ Appointee elected
^ "An unfortunate disagreement among some of the members of the House, with regard to a candidate for Senator to Congress, was the occasion of several ballotings before a choice could be made. The Hon. CLEMENT STORER, was however, elected by the unanimous voice of the Republican members of the Senate, which vote was concurred by the House, on Thursday, by a plurality of eleven votes."[ 22]
^ "The ballotings for a Senator to Congress, (after 13 trials, in which 33 persons were voted for) resulted in the choice of the Hon. CLEMENT STORER, by a majority of 8 or 10." Farmer's Cabinet (Amherst, NH). July 5, 1817.[ 22]
References
^ "17th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution: Direct Election of U.S. Senators (1913)" . National Archives and Records Administration . February 8, 2022.
^ "Virginia 1816 U.S. Senate, Special, Ballot 4" . Tufts Digital Collations and Archives . A New Nation Votes: American Election Returns 1787–1825. Tufts University . Retrieved May 17, 2018 .
^ "Maryland 1816 U.S. Senate" . Tufts Digital Collations and Archives . A New Nation Votes: American Election Returns 1787–1825. Tufts University . Retrieved May 18, 2018 .
^ "Massachusetts 1816 U.S. Senate, Special" . Tufts Digital Collations and Archives . A New Nation Votes: American Election Returns 1787–1825. Tufts University . Retrieved May 19, 2018 .
^ a b "Indiana 1816 U.S. Senate" . Tufts Digital Collations and Archives . A New Nation Votes: American Election Returns 1787–1825. Tufts University . Archived from the original on October 29, 2019. Retrieved May 24, 2018 .
^ a b "Georgia 1816 U.S. Senate, Ballot 2" . Tufts Digital Collations and Archives . A New Nation Votes: American Election Returns 1787–1825. Tufts University . Retrieved May 23, 2018 .
^ "North Carolina 1816 U.S. Senate, Special, Ballot 3" . Tufts Digital Collations and Archives . A New Nation Votes: American Election Returns 1787–1825. Tufts University . Retrieved May 23, 2018 .
^ a b "South Carolina 1816 U.S. Senate, Special" . Tufts Digital Collations and Archives . A New Nation Votes: American Election Returns 1787–1825. Tufts University . Retrieved May 23, 2018 .
^ Byrd, page 110.
^ "Kentucky 1816 U.S. Senate, Special" . Tufts Digital Collations and Archives . A New Nation Votes: American Election Returns 1787–1825. Tufts University . Retrieved May 23, 2018 .
^ "Maryland 1816 U.S. Senate, Special" . Tufts Digital Collations and Archives . A New Nation Votes: American Election Returns 1787–1825. Tufts University . Archived from the original on March 6, 2020. Retrieved May 18, 2018 .
^ "Delaware 1817 U.S. Senate, Ballot 3" . Tufts Digital Collations and Archives . A New Nation Votes: American Election Returns 1787–1825. Tufts University . Retrieved May 17, 2018 .
^ "Kentucky 1816 U.S. Senate, Ballot 2" . Tufts Digital Collations and Archives . A New Nation Votes: American Election Returns 1787–1825. Tufts University . Retrieved May 23, 2018 .
^ "Louisiana 1817 U.S. Senate" . Tufts Digital Collations and Archives . A New Nation Votes: American Election Returns 1787–1825. Tufts University . Retrieved May 14, 2018 .
^ "Massachusetts 1816 U.S. Senate" . Tufts Digital Collations and Archives . A New Nation Votes: American Election Returns 1787–1825. Tufts University . Retrieved May 19, 2018 .
^ "New Hampshire 1816 U.S. Senate, Ballot 3" . Tufts Digital Collations and Archives . A New Nation Votes: American Election Returns 1787–1825. Tufts University . Retrieved May 17, 2018 .
^ "New Jersey 1817 U.S. Senate" . Tufts Digital Collations and Archives . A New Nation Votes: American Election Returns 1787–1825. Tufts University . Retrieved May 25, 2018 .
^ "North Carolina 1816 U.S. Senate, Ballot 2" . Tufts Digital Collations and Archives . A New Nation Votes: American Election Returns 1787–1825. Tufts University . Retrieved May 23, 2018 .
^ a b "A New Nation Votes" .
^ "VA US Senate" . Our Campaigns . January 11, 2008. Retrieved March 16, 2015 .
^ "Virginia 1816 U.S. Senate" . Tufts Digital Collations and Archives . A New Nation Votes: American Election Returns 1787–1825. Tufts University . Retrieved May 17, 2018 .
^ a b c "New Hampshire 1817 U.S. Senate, Ballot 13" . Tufts Digital Collations and Archives . A New Nation Votes: American Election Returns 1787–1825. Tufts University . Retrieved May 17, 2018 .
^ "Tennessee 1817 U.S. Senate" . Tufts Digital Collations and Archives . A New Nation Votes: American Election Returns 1787–1825. Tufts University . Retrieved May 24, 2018 .
^ a b "Mississippi 1817 U.S. Senate, First Senator, Ballot 5" . Tufts Digital Collations and Archives . A New Nation Votes: American Election Returns 1787–1825. Tufts University . Retrieved October 29, 2019 .
^ a b "Mississippi 1817 U.S. Senate, Second Senator, Ballot 4" . Tufts Digital Collations and Archives . A New Nation Votes: American Election Returns 1787–1825. Tufts University . Retrieved October 29, 2019 .
^ "Our Campaigns - MD US Senate Race - Jan 27, 1816" . www.ourcampaigns.com . Retrieved November 5, 2022 .
^ "Our Campaigns - MD US Senate Race - Jan 27, 1816" . www.ourcampaigns.com . Retrieved November 5, 2022 .