The 5th United States Congress was a meeting of the legislative branch of the United States federal government, consisting of the United States Senate and the United States House of Representatives. It met at Congress Hall in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, from March 4, 1797, to March 4, 1799, during the first two years of John Adams' presidency. In the context of the Quasi-War with France, the Alien and Sedition Acts were passed by Congress. The Acts were overwhelmingly supported by the Federalists and mostly opposed by the Democratic-Republicans. Some Democratic-Republicans, such as Timothy Bloodworth, said they would support formally going to war against France but they opposed the Alien and Sedition Acts which Bloodworth and others believed were unconstitutional.
The 100 seats in the United States Senate are divided into 3 classes to determine which seats will be up for election in any 2-year cycle, with only 1 class being up for election at a time. With senators being elected to fixed terms of 6 years, the classes allow about a third of the seats to be up for election in any presidential or midterm election year instead of having all 100 be up for election at the same time every six years. The seats are also divided in a way that any given state's 2 senators are in different classes so that each seat's term ends in different years. Class 1 and class 2 consist of 33 seats each, while class 3 consists of 34 seats. Elections for class 1 seats are scheduled to take place in 2024, class 2 in 2026, and the elections for class 3 seats in 2028.
Joseph Inslee Anderson was an American soldier, judge, and politician, who served as a United States Senator from Tennessee from 1797 to 1815, and later as the First Comptroller of the United States Treasury. He also served as one of three judges of the Southwest Territory in the 1790s, and was a delegate to the Tennessee state constitutional convention in 1796.
The 1796–97 United States House of Representatives elections took place in the various states took place between August 12, 1796, and October 15, 1797. Each state set its own date for its elections to the House of Representatives. The size of the House increased to 106 seats after Tennessee became the 16th state to join the union. The first session of the 5th United States Congress was convened on May 15, 1797, at the proclamation of the new President of the United States, John Adams. Since Kentucky and Tennessee had not yet voted, they were unrepresented until the second session began on November 13, 1797.
Gunning Bedford Sr. was an American lawyer and politician from New Castle, in New Castle County, Delaware. He was an officer in the Continental Army during the American Revolution, and a member of the Federalist Party, who served in the Delaware General Assembly and as Governor of Delaware. He is often confused with his cousin, Gunning Bedford Jr., who was a delegate to the U.S. Constitutional Convention of 1787.
Erastus Root was an American lawyer and politician from New York. He is most notable for serving four separate non-consecutive terms in the U.S. House of Representatives in the early 19th century.
Delaware has three county boards of election which are charged with the calculation and certification of election results, election dispute resolution, validation of qualified voter rolls and of materials used during elections, such as voting machines. Delaware also has a State Election Commissioner who is appointed by the Governor and confirmed by the Delaware Senate.
The first 1798 United States Senate special election in New York was held on January 11, 1798, by the New York State Legislature to elect a U.S. Senator to represent the State of New York in the United States Senate.
The 1798–99 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 1798 and 1799, and a seat may have been filled months late or remained vacant due to legislative deadlock. In these elections, terms were up for the senators in Class 2.
The 1796–97 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 1796 and 1797, and a seat may have been filled months late or remained vacant due to legislative deadlock. In these elections, terms were up for the senators in Class 1.
The 1794–95 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 1794 and 1795, and a seat may have been filled months late or remained vacant due to legislative deadlock. In these elections, terms were up for the senators in Class 3.
The 2012 United States Senate election in Delaware took place on November 6, 2012, concurrently with the 2012 U.S. presidential election as well as other elections to the United States Senate and House of Representatives and various state and local elections. Incumbent Democratic U.S. Senator Tom Carper won re-election to a third term in a landslide.
The 21st New York State Legislature, consisting of the New York State Senate and the New York State Assembly, met from January 2 to April 6, 1798, during the third year of John Jay's governorship, in Albany.
The 1984 United States Senate election in Delaware was held on November 6, 1984. Incumbent Democratic Senator Joe Biden won re-election to a third term, defeating Republican challenger John M. Burris.
The 2014 United States Senate election in Delaware was held on November 4, 2014 to elect a member of the United States Senate to represent the State of Delaware, concurrently with other elections to the United States Senate in other states and elections to the United States House of Representatives and various state and local elections. This election was the fifth consecutive even-number year in which a senate election was held in Delaware after elections in 2006, 2008, 2010, and 2012.
The 1797 United States Senate election in Pennsylvania was held on February 16, 1797. Incumbent James Ross was re-elected by the Pennsylvania General Assembly to the United States Senate.
The 2020 United States Senate election in Delaware was held on November 3, 2020, to elect a member of the United States Senate to represent the State of Delaware, concurrently with the 2020 U.S. presidential election, as well as other elections to the United States Senate, elections to the United States House of Representatives, and various state and local elections.
The 2024 United States Senate election in Delaware will be held on November 5, 2024, to elect a member of the United States Senate to represent the state of Delaware. Primary elections will take place on September 3, 2024. Incumbent Democrat Tom Carper, who was re-elected with 60.0% of the vote in 2018, has announced he will not seek re-election to a fifth term in office.
