1818–19 United States Senate elections

1818–19 United States Senate elections

Dates vary by state
14 of the 42 seats in the United States Senate (plus special elections) 22 seats needed for a majority
Majority party Minority party   Party Democratic-Republican Federalist Last election 25 seats 13 seats Seats before 28 12 Seats won 14 0 Seats after 30 9 Seat change 3 3 Seats up 11 3
Results:      Dem-Republican hold      Dem-Republican gain      Legislature Failed To Elect
Majority Party before election Democratic-Republican Elected Majority Party Democratic-Republican

The 1818–19 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 1818 and 1819, 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 3.

The Democratic-Republican Party gained two seats. The Federalists had only three seats being contested, of which they lost two and the third was left vacant due to a failure to elect.

Results summary

Senate party division, 16th Congress (1819–1821)

• Majority party: Democratic-Republican (30–37)
• Minority party: Federalist (9)
• Vacant: 3–0
• Total seats: 42–46

Change in composition

Before the elections

After the admission of Illinois.

									DR1
DR11	DR10	DR9	DR8	DR7	DR6	DR5	DR4	DR3 Ill. New seat	DR2
DR12	DR13	DR14	DR15	DR16	DR17	DR18	DR19	DR20 Ill. Ran	DR21 Ind. Ran
Majority →									DR22 N.C. Ran
F12 N.Y. Ran	DR30 Vt. Resigned	DR29 Pa. Retired	DR28 Ohio Retired	DR27 La. Retired	DR26 N.H. Unknown	DR25 Ky. Unknown	DR24 Ga. Unknown	DR23 S.C. Ran
F11 Md. Ran	F10 Conn. Ran	F9	F8	F7	F6	F5	F4	F3	F2
									F1

Result of the general elections

									DR1
DR11	DR10	DR9	DR8	DR7	DR6	DR5	DR4	DR3	DR2
DR12	DR13	DR14	DR15	DR16	DR17	DR18	DR19	DR20 Ill. Re-elected	DR21 Ind. Re-elected
Majority →									DR22 N.C. Re-elected
DR31 Conn. Gain	DR30 Vt. Hold	DR29 Pa. Hold	DR28 Ohio Hold	DR27 N.H. Hold	DR26 La. Hold	DR25 Ky. Hold	DR24 Ga. Hold	DR23 S.C. Re-elected
V1 N.Y. F Loss	V2 Md. F Loss	F9	F8	F7	F6	F5	F4	F3	F2
									F1

Results of the 1819 special elections

								DR1	DR2
DR12	DR11	DR10 Va. Hold	DR9 Tenn. Hold	DR8 Ky. Hold	DR7 Ga. Hold	DR6	DR5	DR4	DR3
DR13	DR14	DR15	DR16	DR17	DR18	DR19	DR20	DR21	DR22
Majority →									DR23
DR32 Ala. Cl.2 New seat	DR31	DR30	DR29	DR28	DR27	DR26	DR25	DR24
DR33 Ala. Cl.3 New seat	DR34 Md. Cl.1 Gain	DR35 Md. Cl.3 Gain	V1	F8	F7	F6	F5	F4	F3
								F2	F1

Key:	DR# Democratic-Republican F# Federalist V# Vacant

Race summaries

Special elections during the 15th Congress

In these special elections, the winners were seated during 1818 or before March 4, 1819; ordered by election date.

State	Incumbent			Results	Candidates
	Senator	Party	Electoral history
Louisiana (Class 2)	William C. C. Claiborne	Democratic- Republican	1817	Incumbent died November 23, 1817. New senator elected January 12, 1818. Democratic-Republican hold.	▌Y Henry Johnson (Democratic-Republican) 30 ▌Mr. Livingston (Unknown) 5 ▌John MacDonough (Unknown) 4 ▌Dr. Hood (Unknown) 2[2]
Massachusetts (Class 1)	Eli P. Ashmun	Federalist	1816 (special)	Incumbent resigned May 10, 1818. New senator elected June 5, 1818. Federalist hold.	▌Y Prentiss Mellen (Democratic-Republican) 85 ▌William King (Democratic-Republican) 37 ▌James Bridge (Unknown) 2 ▌Mark L. Hill (Democratic-Republican) 1[3]
Illinois (Class 3)	None (new state)			New state. New senators elected October 7, 1818[4] on the first and third ballot. Lots were drawn to assign them, respectively, to Classes 3 and 2. The Class 3 senator had to run again for re-election in 1819; see below. Two Democratic-Republican gains.	First ballot: ▌Y Ninian Edwards (Democratic-Republican) 32[4] ▌Y Leonard White (Unknown) 17 ▌Y Jesse B. Thomas (Democratic-Republican) 15 ▌Y Michael Jones (Unknown) 10 ▌Joseph M. Street (Unknown) 3 ▌Robert Morrison (Unknown) 3[5] Second ballot: ▌Leonard White (Unknown) 16 ▌Jesse B. Thomas (Democratic-Republican) 14 ▌Michael Jones (Unknown) 10[6] Third ballot: ▌Y Jesse B. Thomas (Democratic-Republican) 21 ▌Leonard White (Unknown) 18 ▌Michael Jones (Unknown) 1[7]
Illinois (Class 2)
Vermont (Class 3)	James Fisk	Democratic- Republican	1817 (special)	Incumbent resigned January 8, 1818 to serve as collector of customs for the district of Vermont. New senator elected October 20, 1818 to finish the term. Winner also elected to the following term, see below. Democratic-Republican hold.	▌Y William Palmer (Democratic-Republican) 116 ▌Dudley Chase (Federalist) 54 ▌William A. Griswold (Democratic-Republican) 11 ▌Paul Brigham (Democratic-Republican) 7 Scattering 4[8]
Georgia (Class 2)	George M. Troup	Democratic- Republican	1816 (special) 1816	Incumbent resigned September 23, 1818. New senator elected November 7, 1818 on the fourth ballot. Democratic-Republican hold.	▌Y John Forsyth (Democratic-Republican) 86 ▌Nicholas Ware (Democratic-Republican) 29 ▌John M. Dooley (Unknown) 10[9]

Races leading to the 16th Congress

In these general elections, the winner was seated on March 4, 1819 (except where noted due to late election); ordered by state.

All of the elections involved the Class 3 seats.

State	Incumbent			Results	Candidates
	Senator	Party	Electoral history
Connecticut	David Daggett	Federalist	1813 (special)	Incumbent lost re-election. New senator elected October 22, 1818 on the third ballot. Democratic-Republican gain.	▌Y James Lanman (Democratic-Republican) 114 ▌David Daggett (Federalist) 84 ▌Elijah Boardman (Democratic-Republican) 7 ▌Nathan Smith (Democratic-Republican) 3 ▌William Bristol (Democratic-Republican) 1[10]
Georgia	Charles Tait	Democratic- Republican	1809 (special) 1813	Unknown if incumbent ran for re-election. New senator elected November 11, 1818. Democratic-Republican hold.	▌Y John Elliot (Democratic-Republican) 72 ▌John Forsyth (Democratic-Republican) 53[11]
Illinois	Ninian Edwards	Democratic- Republican	1818	Incumbent re-elected in early February 1819.[4]	▌Y Ninian Edwards (Democratic-Republican) 23 ▌Michael Jones (Unknown) 19[12][4]
Indiana	Waller Taylor	Democratic- Republican	1816	Incumbent re-elected December 16, 1818.	▌Y Waller Taylor (Democratic-Republican) 21 ▌James Scott (Unknown) 15 ▌Isaac Blackford (Democratic-Republican) 2[13]
Kentucky	Isham Talbot	Democratic- Republican	1814 (special)	Unknown if incumbent ran for re-election. New senator elected December 17, 1818. Democratic-Republican hold.	▌Y William Logan (Democratic-Republican) 67 ▌Richard Mentor Johnson (Democratic-Republican) 55[14]
Louisiana	Eligius Fromentin	Democratic- Republican	1813	Incumbent retired. New senator elected on January 11, 1819, on the second ballot. Democratic-Republican hold.	▌Y James Brown (Democratic-Republican) ▌John McDonough (Unknown) 9 ▌Abner Lawson Duncan (Democratic-Republican) 12 ▌Eligius Fromentin (Democratic-Republican) 1[15]
Maryland	Robert Goldsborough	Federalist	1813 (special)	Incumbent lost re-election. Legislature failed to elect and the seat became vacant. Federalist loss.	None.
New Hampshire	Clement Storer	Democratic- Republican	1817 (special)	Unknown if incumbent ran for re-election. New senator elected in 1818 on the third ballot. Democratic-Republican hold.	▌Y John Fabyan Parrott (Democratic-Republican) 97 ▌William Plumer (Democratic-Republican) 54 ▌Jeremiah Smith (Federalist) 11 ▌Josiah Butler (Democratic-Republican) 5 ▌Clement Storer (Democratic-Republican) 1[16]
New York	Rufus King	Federalist	1813	Incumbent ran for re-election. Legislature failed to elect and the seat became vacant. Federalist loss. Incumbent was later re-elected in 1820, late in the next Congress.	▌John C. Spencer (Democratic-Republican/Clintonian) ▌Philetus Swift (Democratic-Republican) ▌Rufus King (Federalist) ▌John Van Ness Yates (Democratic-Republican/Bucktail) ▌John Wells (Federalist) ▌Samuel Young (Democratic-Republican/Bucktail)[17]
North Carolina	Nathaniel Macon	Democratic- Republican	1815 (special)	Incumbent re-elected in 1818.[18]	▌Y Nathaniel Macon (Democratic-Republican) 166 Unopposed[19]
Ohio	Jeremiah Morrow	Democratic- Republican	1812	Incumbent retired. New senator elected January 30, 1819 on the fourth ballot.[20] Democratic-Republican hold.	▌Y William Trimble (Democratic-Republican) 48 ▌Thomas Worthington (Democratic-Republican) 25 ▌John E. Hamm (Democratic-Republican) 18[20]
Pennsylvania	Abner Lacock	Democratic- Republican	1812	Incumbent retired. New senator elected December 8, 1818.[21] Democratic-Republican hold.	▌Y Walter Lowrie (Democratic-Republican) 87 ▌Isaac Weaver Jr. (Democratic-Republican) 32 ▌John Tod (Democratic-Republican) 1 Not voting 8[21]
South Carolina	John Gaillard	Democratic- Republican	1812	Incumbent re-elected in 1818.[22]	▌Y John Gaillard (Democratic-Republican) 96 ▌John R. Richardson (Unknown) 61[23]
Vermont	James Fisk	Democratic- Republican	1817 (special)	Incumbent resigned January 8, 1818 to serve as collector of customs for the district of Vermont. New senator elected October 20, 1818. Winner also elected to finish the term; see above. Democratic-Republican hold.	▌Y William A. Palmer (Democratic-Republican) 133 ▌Dudley Chase (Federalist) 49 ▌William A. Griswold (Democratic-Republican) 7 ▌Paul Brigham (Democratic-Republican) 5[24]

Special elections during the 16th Congress

In these special elections, the winners were seated in 1819 after March 4; ordered by election date. The new Congress was seated December 6, 1819, so some of these late-elected senators were seated after that.

State	Incumbent			Results	Candidates
	Senator	Party	Electoral history
Tennessee (Class 1)	John H. Eaton	Democratic- Republican	1818 (appointed)	Interim appointee elected October 9, 1819.	▌Y John Eaton (Democratic-Republican) 31 ▌Parry W. Humphreys (Democratic-Republican) 29[25]
Georgia (Class 2)	John Forsyth	Democratic- Republican	1818 (special)	Incumbent resigned February 17, 1819 to become U.S. Minister to Spain. New senator elected November 6, 1819. Democratic-Republican hold.	▌Y Freeman Walker (Democratic-Republican) Unopposed[26]
Kentucky (Class 2)	John Crittenden	Democratic- Republican	1816	Incumbent resigned March 3, 1819 to return to private practice. New senator elected December 10, 1819. Democratic-Republican hold.	▌Y Richard Mentor Johnson (Democratic-Republican) 68 ▌John Adair (Federalist) 53[27]
Virginia (Class 2)	John Eppes	Democratic- Republican	1816	Incumbent resigned December 4, 1819 because of ill health. New senator elected December 10, 1819. Democratic-Republican hold.	▌Y James Pleasants (Democratic-Republican) 146 ▌John Taliaferro (Democratic-Republican) 42[28]
Alabama (Class 2)	None (new state)			New state. New senator elected December 14, 1819. Democratic-Republican gain.	▌Y William R. King (Democratic-Republican) 56 ▌John W. Walker (Democratic-Republican) 11 ▌Thomas D. Crabb (Unknown) 2[29]
Alabama (Class 3)	None (new state)			New state. New senator elected December 14, 1819. Democratic-Republican gain.	▌Y John W. Walker (Democratic-Republican) 59 ▌Thomas D. Crabb (Unknown) 7 ▌George Phillips (Unknown) 2 ▌William R. King (Democratic-Republican) 1[30]
Maryland (Class 3)	Vacant			Legislature had failed to elect; see above. New senator elected late December 14, 1819 and qualified December 21, 1819. Democratic-Republican gain.	▌Y Edward Lloyd (Democratic-Republican) 50 ▌Y William Pinkney (Democratic-Republican) 49 ▌Charles Carroll (Federalist) 37 ▌Robert Goldsborough (Federalist) 34 ▌Charles Goldsborough (Federalist) 4 ▌Samuel Smith (Unknown) 1 ▌John Graham (Democratic-Republican) 1[31][32]
Maryland (Class 1)	Alexander Hanson	Federalist	1816 (special)	Incumbent died April 23, 1819. New senator elected December 14, 1819 and qualified December 21, 1819. Democratic-Republican gain.

Alabama

See also: List of United States senators from Alabama

Connecticut

See also: List of United States senators from Connecticut

Georgia

See also: List of United States senators from Georgia

Georgia (regular)

Georgia (specials)

Illinois

See also: List of United States senators from Illinois

Indiana

See also: List of United States senators from Indiana

Kentucky

See also: List of United States senators from Louisiana

Kentucky (regular)

Kentucky (special)

Louisiana

See also: List of United States senators from Louisiana

Louisiana (regular)

Louisiana (special)

Maryland

See also: List of United States senators from Maryland

Main article: 1819 United States Senate special election in Maryland

Main article: 1819 United States Senate elections in Maryland

1819 United States Senate elections in Maryland

December 14, 1819
80 members of the Maryland General Assembly
Candidate William Pinkney Edward Lloyd Party Democratic-Republican Democratic-Republican Legislative vote 49 50 Percentage 27.84% 28.41%

Due to both the Class 3 seat falling vacant at the normal end of the term and the Class 1 seat falling vacant due to the death of Alexander Contee Hanson, the legislature voted for both seats simultaneously. Edward Lloyd received the most votes and won the Class 3 seat. William Pinkney received the second-most votes and won the Class 1 seat.^[33]

Massachusetts (special)

See also: List of United States senators from Massachusetts

New Hampshire

See also: List of United States senators from New Hampshire

New York

Main article: 1819–1820 United States Senate election in New York

See also: List of United States senators from New York

North Carolina

See also: List of United States senators from North Carolina

Ohio

See also: List of United States senators from Ohio

Pennsylvania

See also: List of United States senators from Pennsylvania

South Carolina

See also: List of United States senators from South Carolina

Tennessee (special)

See also: List of United States senators from Tennessee

Vermont

See also: List of United States senators from Vermont

Vermont (regular)

Vermont (special)

See also: List of United States senators from Vermont

Virginia (special)

See also: List of United States senators from Virginia

See also

• 1818 United States elections
  • 1818–19 United States House of Representatives elections
• 16th United States Congress
• 17th United States Congress

References

1. "17th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution: Direct Election of U.S. Senators (1913)". National Archives and Records Administration. February 8, 2022.
2. "Louisiana 1818 U.S. Senate, Special". Tufts Digital Collations and Archives. A New Nation Votes: American Election Returns 1787–1825. Tufts University. Retrieved May 14, 2018.
3. "Massachusetts 1818 U.S. Senate, Special". Tufts Digital Collations and Archives. A New Nation Votes: American Election Returns 1787–1825. Tufts University. Retrieved April 30, 2018.
4. Buck, Solon J. (1917). Bill Thayer (ed.). "Illinois in 1818". University of Illinois Press. p. 304. Retrieved March 23, 2015.
5. "Illinois 1818 U.S. Senate". Tufts Digital Collations and Archives. A New Nation Votes: American Election Returns 1787–1825. Tufts University. Retrieved May 6, 2018.
6. "Illinois 1818 U.S. Senate, Ballot 2". Tufts Digital Collations and Archives. A New Nation Votes: American Election Returns 1787–1825. Tufts University. Retrieved November 4, 2019.
7. "Illinois 1818 U.S. Senate, Ballot 3". Tufts Digital Collations and Archives. A New Nation Votes: American Election Returns 1787–1825. Tufts University. Retrieved May 6, 2018.
8. "Vermont 1818 U.S. Senate". Tufts Digital Collations and Archives. A New Nation Votes: American Election Returns 1787–1825. Tufts University. Retrieved May 11, 2018.
9. "Georgia 1818 U.S. Senate, Special, Ballot 4". Tufts Digital Collations and Archives. A New Nation Votes: American Election Returns 1787–1825. Tufts University. Retrieved May 11, 2018.
10. "Connecticut 1818 U.S. Senate, Ballot 3". Tufts Digital Collations and Archives. A New Nation Votes: American Election Returns 1787–1825. Tufts University. Retrieved April 30, 2018.
11. "Georgia 1818 U.S. Senate". Tufts Digital Collations and Archives. A New Nation Votes: American Election Returns 1787–1825. Tufts University. Retrieved May 11, 2018.
12. "Illinois 1819 U.S. Senate". Tufts Digital Collations and Archives. A New Nation Votes: American Election Returns 1787–1825. Tufts University. Retrieved May 6, 2018.
13. "Indiana 1818 U.S. Senate". Tufts Digital Collations and Archives. A New Nation Votes: American Election Returns 1787–1825. Tufts University. Retrieved May 13, 2018.
14. "Kentucky 1818 U.S. Senate". Tufts Digital Collations and Archives. A New Nation Votes: American Election Returns 1787–1825. Tufts University. Archived from the original on March 2, 2020. Retrieved May 13, 2018.
15. "Louisiana 1819 U.S. Senate, Ballot 2". Tufts Digital Collations and Archives. A New Nation Votes: American Election Returns 1787–1825. Tufts University. Retrieved May 14, 2018.
16. "New Hampshire 1818 U.S. Senate, Ballot 3". Tufts Digital Collations and Archives. A New Nation Votes: American Election Returns 1787–1825. Tufts University. Retrieved May 15, 2018.
17. "New York 1819 U.S. Senate". Tufts Digital Collations and Archives. A New Nation Votes: American Election Returns 1787–1825. Tufts University. Retrieved May 16, 2018.
18. "MACON, Nathaniel, (1757 - 1837)". Biographical Directory of the United States Congress. Retrieved March 26, 2015.
19. "North Carolina 1818 U.S. Senate". Tufts Digital Collations and Archives. A New Nation Votes: American Election Returns 1787–1825. Tufts University. Retrieved May 15, 2018.
20. Taylor, William A. (1900). Ohio in Congress from 1803 to 1901 with Notes and Sketches of Senators and Representatives and Other Historical Data and Incidents. Columbus, Ohio: The XX. Century Publishing Co. p. 100 – via Internet Archive.
21. Cox, Harold (January 31, 2007). "Pennsylvania Election Statistics: 1682-2006" (PDF). The Wilkes University Election Statistics Project. Wilkes University.
22. "GAILLARD, John, (1765 - 1826)". Biographical Directory of the United States Congress. Retrieved March 26, 2015.
23. "South Carolina 1818 U.S. Senate". Tufts Digital Collations and Archives. A New Nation Votes: American Election Returns 1787–1825. Tufts University. Retrieved May 16, 2018.
24. "Vermont 1818 U.S. Senate". Tufts Digital Collations and Archives. A New Nation Votes: American Election Returns 1787–1825. Tufts University. Retrieved May 11, 2018.
25. "Tennessee 1819 U.S. Senate". Tufts Digital Collations and Archives. A New Nation Votes: American Election Returns 1787–1825. Tufts University. Retrieved May 13, 2018.
26. "Georgia 1819 U.S. Senate, Special". Tufts Digital Collations and Archives. A New Nation Votes: American Election Returns 1787–1825. Tufts University. Retrieved May 11, 2018.
27. "Kentucky 1819 U.S. Senate". Tufts Digital Collations and Archives. A New Nation Votes: American Election Returns 1787–1825. Tufts University. Archived from the original on March 7, 2020. Retrieved May 13, 2018.
28. "Virginia 1819 U.S. Senate, Special". Tufts Digital Collations and Archives. A New Nation Votes: American Election Returns 1787–1825. Tufts University. Retrieved May 13, 2018.
29. "Alabama 1819 U.S. Senate, Class 2". Tufts Digital Collations and Archives. A New Nation Votes: American Election Returns 1787–1825. Tufts University. Archived from the original on March 11, 2020. Retrieved April 30, 2018.
30. "Alabama 1819 U.S. Senate, Class 3". Tufts Digital Collations and Archives. A New Nation Votes: American Election Returns 1787–1825. Tufts University. Archived from the original on March 7, 2020. Retrieved April 30, 2018.
31. "Maryland 1819 U.S. Senate". Tufts Digital Collations and Archives. A New Nation Votes: American Election Returns 1787–1825. Tufts University. Retrieved May 6, 2018.
32. "MD US Senate". Our Campaigns. August 30, 2004. Retrieved March 24, 2015.
33. "Our Campaigns - MD US Senate Race - Dec 14, 1819". www.ourcampaigns.com. Retrieved 2022-11-05.

• Party Division in the Senate, 1789-Present, via Senate.gov