1850 Iowa Senate election

1850 Iowa Senate election

1850
11 out of 19 seats in the Iowa State Senate 10 seats needed for a majority
Majority party Minority party   Party Democratic Whig Last election 11 8 Seats after 14 5 Seat change 3 3
President of the Iowa Senate before election John Jackson Selman[a] Democratic Elected President of the Iowa Senate Enos Lowe[b] Democratic

In the 1850 Iowa State Senate elections, Iowa voters elected state senators to serve in the third Iowa General Assembly. Elections were held for 11 of the state senate's 19 seats.^[c] State senators serve four-year terms in the Iowa State Senate.

The general election took place in 1850.^[4]

Following the previous election in 1848, Democrats had control of the Iowa Senate with 11 seats to Whigs' eight seats.

To claim control of the chamber from Democrats, the Whigs needed to net two Senate seats.

Democrats maintained control of the Iowa State Senate following the 1850 general election with the balance of power shifting to Democrats holding 14 seats and Whigs having five seats (a net gain of 3 seats for Democrats). Democratic Senator Enos Lowe was chosen as the President of the Iowa Senate for the third General Assembly, succeeding Democratic Senator John Jackson Selman in that leadership position.^[b][a]

Summary of Results

• Note: The holdover Senators not up for re-election are unlisted on this table.

Senate District	Incumbent	Party		Elected Senator	Party		Outcome
1st[d]	James Sprott		Whig	Nathan Baker[e]		Dem	Dem Gain
2nd[f]	John Fletcher Sanford		Whig	John Brice Spees		Whig	Whig Hold
4th[g][h]	Barney Royston[i]		Dem	Henry Benham Hendershott		Dem	Dem Hold
6th[j]	Alfred S. Fear[k][h]		Dem	Enos Lowe		Dem	Dem Hold
	Milton D. Browning		Whig	George Hepner[l]		Dem	Dem Gain
7th[m]	Evan Jay		Whig	John Tillison Morton[n]		Whig	Whig Hold
9th[o]	Francis Springer		Whig	Norman Everson		Whig	Whig Hold
10th[p]	Richard Randolph Harbour		Dem	Joseph Lowe		Dem	Dem Hold
12th[q]	Loring Wheeler		Whig	William E. Leffingwell		Dem	Dem Gain
14th[r]	Philip Burr Bradley		Dem	Nathan G. Sales		Dem	Dem Hold
15th[s]	Theophilus Crawford		Dem	Warner Lewis		Dem	Dem Hold

Source:^[10]

1. Senator John Jackson Selman of Davis County was chosen to be the third President of the Iowa Senate. He served during the second Iowa General Assembly, succeeding Senator Thomas Hughes in that leadership position.^[1]
2. Senator Enos Lowe of Des Moines County was chosen to be the fourth President of the Iowa Senate. He served during the third Iowa General Assembly, succeeding Senator John Jackson Selman in that leadership position.^[2]
3. At the time, the Iowa Senate had several multi-member districts.^[3]
4. The first district was a 2-member district at the time. However, only one of the seats in the district was contested in the election. The other was held by a holdover senator not up for re-election.
5. In 1851, Senator Baker resigned, causing a vacancy in this seat that would be filled by special election during the next session.^[5]
6. The second district was a 2-member district at the time. However, only one of the seats in the district was contested in the election. The other was held by a holdover senator not up for re-election.
7. The fourth district was a 1-member district at the time.
8. Election was held to fill a vacancy.
9. In September 1850, Senator Royston died, causing a vacancy in this seat that was filled by special election.^[6]
10. The sixth district was a 2-member district at the time. Senator Fear resigned, causing a vacancy filled by special election to the remainder of two years in the seat's term. Senator Browning's seat was up for a regularly-scheduled election to a four-year term.
11. Senator Fear resigned, causing a vacancy in this seat that was filled by special election in the 1850 election.^[7]
12. Senator Hepner was elected to a full four-year term in the 1850 election.^[8]
13. The seventh district was a 1-member district at the time.
14. During the next term, Senator Morton resigned, causing a vacancy in this seat that would be filled by special election during the next session.^[9]
15. The ninth district was a 1-member district at the time.
16. The tenth district was a 1-member district at the time.
17. The twelfth district was a 1-member district at the time.
18. The fourteenth district was a 1-member district at the time.
19. The fifteenth district was a 2-member district at the time. However, only one of the seats in the district was contested in the election. The other was held by a holdover senator not up for re-election.

Detailed Results

• NOTE: The Iowa General Assembly does not provide detailed vote totals for Iowa State Senate elections in 1850.

See also

• Elections in Iowa

External links

District boundaries were redrawn before the 1850 general election for the Iowa Senate:

• Iowa Senate Districts 1846-1849 map
• Iowa Senate Districts 1850-1851 map

References

1. "Senator John Jackson Selman". Iowa Legislature. Retrieved July 20, 2021.
2. "Senator Enos Lowe". Iowa Legislature. Retrieved July 20, 2021.
3. "General Assembly: 3 (12/02/1850 - 12/05/1852)". Iowa Legislature. Retrieved July 20, 2021.
4. "General Assembly: 3 (12/02/1850 - 12/05/1852)". Iowa Legislature. Retrieved July 20, 2021.
5. "Senator Nathan Baker: Compiled Historical Information". Iowa Official Register. Retrieved July 20, 2021.
6. "Senator Barney Royston: Compiled Historical Information". Iowa Official Register. Retrieved July 20, 2021.
7. "Senator Alfred S. Fear: Compiled Historical Information". Iowa Official Register. Retrieved July 20, 2021.
8. "Senator George Hepner: Compiled Historical Information". Iowa Official Register. Retrieved July 20, 2021.
9. "Senator John Tillison Morton: Compiled Historical Information". Iowa Official Register. Retrieved July 20, 2021.
10. "Legislators". Iowa State Senate. Retrieved July 20, 2021.