1856 Iowa Senate election

1856 Iowa Senate election

←  1854 1856 1857  →
21 out of 36 seats in the Iowa State Senate 19 seats needed for a majority
Majority party Minority party Third party   Party Republican Democratic Know Nothing Last election 0 17 0 Seats before 0 15 [lower-alpha 1] 0 Seats after 23 [lower-alpha 2] 12 [lower-alpha 2] 1 [lower-alpha 2] Seat change 23 [lower-alpha 3] 3 1   Fourth party   Party Whig Last election 14 Seats before 15 [lower-alpha 1] Seats after 0 [lower-alpha 2] Seat change 15 [lower-alpha 3]
President of the Iowa Senate before election Maturin L. Fisher [lower-alpha 4] Democratic Elected President of the Iowa Senate William W. Hamilton [lower-alpha 5] Republican

In the 1856 Iowa State Senate elections, Iowa voters elected state senators to serve in the sixth Iowa General Assembly. Following the expansion of the Iowa Senate from 31 to 36 seats in 1856, elections were held for 21 of the state senate's 36 seats. ^{[lower-alpha 6]} State senators serve four-year terms in the Iowa State Senate.

The general election took place in 1856. ^[11]

Following the previous election in 1854, Democrats had control of the Iowa Senate with 17 seats to Whigs' 14 seats. However, three changes occurred during the fifth general assembly. In the first district, Democratic Senator James M. Love resigned on July 1, 1856, causing a vacancy in his seat that was filled by special election. ^[12] Democrat David Trowbridge Brigham succeeded Senator Love, holding the seat for the Democrats. ^[13] In the twentieth district, Democratic Senator Theophilus Bryan was originally declared the winner. ^[14] However, the members of the Iowa Senate voted on January 7, 1855 to remove Senator Bryan and replace him with his Whig opponent, Senator James Cunningham Jordan, thereby flipping the seat to Whig control. ^[15] In the twenty-fourth district, Democratic Senator John G. Shields died on June 25, 1856, causing a vacancy in his seat. ^[16] Therefore, by election day in 1856, the Democrats held 15 seats, the Whigs held 15 seats, and one seat was vacant (the seat that had been held by Democratic Senator John Shields).

Prior to the 1856 election, nearly all Whigs switched political party affiliation to become Republicans.

To claim control of the chamber from Democrats, the Republicans needed to garner 19 Senate seats.

Republicans claimed control of the Iowa State Senate following the 1856 general election with the balance of power shifting to Republicans holding 23 seats, Democrats having 12 seats, and a lone seat for the Know Nothing Party ^{[lower-alpha 7]} (a net gain of 23 seats for Republicans ^{[lower-alpha 3]} and 1 seat for Know Nothings). This was the first time Democrats lost control of the chamber. Republican Senator William W. Hamilton was chosen as the President of the Iowa Senate for the sixth General Assembly, succeeding Democratic Senator Maturin L. Fisher in that leadership position. ^{[lower-alpha 5] [lower-alpha 4]}

The 1856 general election was the first in which the Iowa Senate's districts expanded to cover all the land area currently recognized as Iowa.

Summary of Results

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

Senate District	Incumbent	Party		Elected Senator	Party		Outcome
2nd [lower-alpha 8]	Milton D. Browning [lower-alpha 9]		Whig	David Trowbridge Brigham [lower-alpha 10]		Dem	Dem Gain
	William F. Coolbaugh [lower-alpha 11]		Dem	Obsolete subdistrict
4th [lower-alpha 12]	William Greyer Coop [lower-alpha 13]		Dem	William F. Coolbaugh [lower-alpha 11]		Dem	Dem Hold
	John Park		Whig	Lyman Cook		Rep	Rep Gain
5th [lower-alpha 14]	Alvin Saunders [lower-alpha 15]		Whig	Henry Hoffman Trimble		Dem	Dem Gain
6th [lower-alpha 16]	James C. Ramsey [lower-alpha 17]		Dem	William M. Reed		Rep	Rep Gain
7th [lower-alpha 18]	Daniel A. Anderson [lower-alpha 19]		Whig	Alvin Saunders [lower-alpha 15]		Rep	Rep Gain
8th [lower-alpha 20]	Samuel Goslee McAchran [lower-alpha 21]		Whig	James C. Ramsey [lower-alpha 17]		Dem	Dem Gain
9th [lower-alpha 22]	Nathan Udell [lower-alpha 23]		Dem	Daniel A. Anderson [lower-alpha 19]		Rep	Rep Gain
10th [lower-alpha 24]	James D. Test [lower-alpha 25]		Dem	John Wesley Warner		Dem	Dem Hold
11th [lower-alpha 26]	George Washington Lucas		Dem	Samuel Dale		Dem	Dem Hold
12th [lower-alpha 27]	Hiram Thomas Cleaver [lower-alpha 28]		Dem	James D. Test [lower-alpha 25]		Dem	Dem Hold
13th [lower-alpha 29]	James Latimer Hogin [lower-alpha 30]		Whig	Hiram Thomas Cleaver [lower-alpha 28]		Rep	Rep Gain
14th [lower-alpha 31]	John R. Needham [lower-alpha 32]		Whig	Charles Foster		Rep	Rep Gain
15th [lower-alpha 33]	Jefferson David Hillis [lower-alpha 34]		Whig	James Latimer Hogin [lower-alpha 30]		Rep	Rep Gain
16th [lower-alpha 35]	Ambrose Cowperthwaite Fulton [lower-alpha 36]		Whig	William A. Loughridge		Rep	Rep Gain
17th [lower-alpha 37]	George W. Wilkinson [lower-alpha 38]		Whig	Jairus Edward Neal		Dem	Dem Gain
18th [lower-alpha 39]	Julius J. Matthews [lower-alpha 40]		Whig	Marquis Lafayette McPherson		Rep	Rep Gain
19th [lower-alpha 41]	Samuel Workman [lower-alpha 42]		Dem	George W. Wilkinson [lower-alpha 38]		Know Nothing	Know Nothing Gain
20th [lower-alpha 43]	Theophilus Bryan [lower-alpha 44]		Dem	Samuel Jordan Kirkwood		Rep	Rep Gain
	James Cunningham Jordan [lower-alpha 45] [lower-alpha 46]		Whig
21st [lower-alpha 47]	Elisha F. Clark [lower-alpha 48]		Dem	Nicholas John Rusch		Rep	Rep Gain
22nd [lower-alpha 49]	Joseph Birge [lower-alpha 50]		Dem	Jonathan Wright Cattell		Rep	Rep Gain
23rd [lower-alpha 51]	Isaac Mosher Preston [lower-alpha 52]		Dem	Julius J. Matthews [lower-alpha 40]		Rep	Rep Gain
24th [lower-alpha 53]	Maturin L. Fisher [lower-alpha 54]		Dem	William George Thompson		Rep	Rep Gain
	John G. Shields [lower-alpha 55]		Dem
	William W. Hamilton [lower-alpha 56]		Whig
25th [lower-alpha 57]	Newly created district			George McCoy		Rep	Rep Gain
26th [lower-alpha 58]	Newly created district			Josiah Bushnell Grinnell		Rep	Rep Gain
27th [lower-alpha 59]	Newly created district			James Cunningham Jordan [lower-alpha 46]		Rep	Rep Gain
28th [lower-alpha 60]	Newly created district			Jeremiah W. Jenkins		Rep	Rep Gain
29th [lower-alpha 61]	Newly created district			Joseph Birge [lower-alpha 50]		Dem	Dem Gain
30th [lower-alpha 62]	Newly created district			William G. Stewart		Dem	Dem Gain
31st [lower-alpha 63]	Newly created district			William W. Hamilton [lower-alpha 56]		Rep	Rep Gain
32nd [lower-alpha 64]	Newly created district			Henry B. Carter		Rep	Rep Gain
33rd [lower-alpha 65]	Newly created district			Aaron Brown		Rep	Rep Gain
34th [lower-alpha 66]	Newly created district			Jeremiah T. Atkins		Rep	Rep Gain

Source: ^[25]

1. Following the 1854 Iowa Senate election, Democrats held 17 seats to Whigs' 14. However, three changes occurred during the fifth general assembly. In the first district, Democratic Senator James M. Love resigned on July 1, 1856, causing a vacancy in his seat that was filled by special election. ^[1] Democrat David Trowbridge Brigham succeeded Senator Love, holding the seat for the Democrats. ^[2] In the twentieth district, Democratic Senator Theophilus Bryan was originally declared the winner. ^[3] However, the members of the Iowa Senate voted on January 7, 1855 to remove Senator Bryan and replace him with his Whig opponent, Senator James Cunningham Jordan, thereby flipping the seat to Whig control. ^[4] In the twenty-fourth district, Democratic Senator John G. Shields died on June 25, 1856, causing a vacancy in his seat. ^[5] Therefore, by election day in 1856, the Democrats held 15 seats, the Whigs held 15 seats, and one seat was vacant (the seat that had been held by Democratic Senator John Shields).
2. The Iowa Senate expanded from 31 seats to 36 seats following the 1856 general election. ^[6]
3. Nearly all Whigs switched political party to become Republicans.
4. Senator Maturin L. Fisher of Clayton County was chosen to be the sixth President of the Iowa Senate. He served during the fifth Iowa General Assembly, succeeding Senator William E. Leffingwell in that leadership position. ^[7]
5. Republican Senator William W. Hamilton of Dubuque County was chosen to be the seventh President of the Iowa Senate. He served during the sixth Iowa General Assembly, succeeding Democratic Senator Maturin L. Fisher in that leadership position. ^[8] Senator Hamilton was the first Republican to serve as President of the Senate (all the previous Senate Presidents had been Democrats). Following Hamilton's one term as President of the Iowa Senate, Article IV, section 18, of the Constitution of Iowa was enacted & established that the Lieutenant Governor of Iowa shall perform the duties of the President of the Senate. The Lieutenant Governor performed the duties of President of the Senate from January 11, 1858 through January 14, 1991. As of 1991, duties of Iowa's Lieutenant Governor no longer include presiding over the state Senate. ^[9]
6. At the time, the Iowa Senate had several multi-member districts. ^[10]
7. Senator George W. Wilkinson was a holdover incumbent senator not up for re-election. Nonetheless, he switched political parties from Whig to Know Nothing. ^[17]
8. The second district transitioned from a 2- to 1-member district.
9. Senator Browning was redistricted from district 2 to 4.
10. Democrat David Trowbridge Brigham succeeded Senator James M. Love to fill the remainder of an unexpired term. As an incumbent, Brigham was redistricted from district 1 to 2. The first district transitioned from a 3- to 2-member district, and the other two senators in the first district were holdover senators not up for re-election. Brigham was elected to a full term in 1856 to represent the second district. ^[18]
11. Senator Coolbaugh was an incumbent holdover senator not up for re-election. Instead, he was redistricted from district 2 to 4.
12. The fourth district was a 2-member district at the time.
13. Senator Coop was redistricted from district 4 to 6.
14. The fifth district was a 1-member district at the time.
15. Senator Alvin Saunders was an incumbent holdover senator not up for re-election. Instead, he was redistricted from district 5 to 7. He switched parties from Whig to Republican.
16. The sixth district was a 1-member district at the time.
17. Senator Ramsey was an incumbent holdover senator not up for re-election. Instead, he was redistricted from district 6 to 8.
18. The seventh district was a 1-member district at the time.
19. Senator Anderson was an incumbent holdover senator not up for re-election. Instead, he was redistricted from district 7 to 9. He switched parties from Whig to Republican.
20. The eighth district was a 1-member district at the time.
21. Senator McAchran was redistricted from district 8 to 5.
22. The ninth district was a 1-member district at the time.
23. Senator Udell was redistricted from district 9 to 10.
24. The tenth district was a 1-member district at the time.
25. Senator Test was an incumbent holdover senator not up for re-election. Instead, he was redistricted from district 10 to 12.
26. The eleventh district was a 1-member district at the time.
27. The twelfth district was a 1-member district at the time.
28. Senator Cleaver was an incumbent holdover senator not up for re-election. Instead, he was redistricted from district 12 to 13. He switched parties from Democrat to Republican.
29. The thirteenth district was a 1-member district at the time.
30. Senator Hogin was an incumbent holdover senator not up for re-election. Instead, he was redistricted from district 13 to 15. He switched parties from Whig to Republican.
31. The fourteenth district was a 1-member district at the time.
32. Senator John R. Needham was redistricted from district 14 to 16.
33. The fifteenth district was a 1-member district at the time.
34. Senator Hillis was redistricted from district 15 to 17.
35. The sixteenth district was a 1-member district at the time.
36. Senator Fulton was redistricted from district 16 to 21.
37. The seventeenth district was a 1-member district at the time.
38. Senator Wilkinson was an incumbent holdover senator not up for re-election. Instead, he was redistricted from district 17 to 19. He switched parties from Whig to Know Nothing.
39. The eighteenth district was a 1-member district at the time.
40. Senator Matthews was an incumbent holdover senator not up for re-election. Instead, he was redistricted from district 18 to 23. He switched parties from Whig to Republican.
41. The nineteenth district was a 1-member district at the time.
42. Senator Workman was redistricted from district 19 to 20.
43. The twentieth district was a 1-member district at the time.
44. Senator Bryan was originally deemed to be elected to the seat. ^[19] However, on January 7, 1855, he was removed by a vote of the members of the Iowa Senate and replaced by Senator Jordan of the Whig Party. ^[20]
45. Senator Bryan was originally deemed to be elected to the seat. ^[21] However, on January 7, 1855, he was removed by a vote of the members of the Iowa Senate and replaced by Senator Jordan of the Whig Party. ^[22]
46. Senator Jordan was an incumbent holdover senator not up for re-election. Instead, he was redistricted from district 20 to 27. He switched parties from Whig to Republican.
47. The twenty-first district was a 1-member district at the time.
48. Senator Clark was redistricted from district 21 to 28/29.
49. The twenty-second district was a 1-member district at the time.
50. Senator Birge was an incumbent holdover senator not up for re-election. Instead, he was redistricted from district 22 to 29.
51. The twenty-third district was a 1-member district at the time.
52. Senator Preston was redistricted from district 23 to 24/25.
53. The twenty-fourth district transitioned from a 3- to 1-member district. Senator Fisher was redistricted from district 24 to 32. Senator Shields died on June 25, 1856, causing a vacancy in his seat. Senator Hamilton was an incumbent holdover senator not up for re-election. Instead, he was redistricted from district 24 to 31. He switched parties from Whig to Republican.
54. Senator Fisher was redistricted from district 24 to 32.
55. Senator Shields died on June 25, 1856, causing a vacancy in his seat. ^[23]
56. Senator Hamilton was an incumbent holdover senator not up for re-election. Instead, he was redistricted from district 24 to 31. He switched parties from Whig to Republican. ^[24]
57. The twenty-fifth district was a newly created 1-member district.
58. The twenty-sixth district was a newly created 1-member district.
59. The twenty-seventh district was a newly created 1-member district.
60. The twenty-eighth district was a newly created 1-member district.
61. The twenty-ninth district was a newly created 1-member district.
62. The thirtieth district was a newly created 1-member district.
63. The thirty-first district was a newly created 1-member district.
64. The thirty-second district was a newly created 1-member district.
65. The thirty-third district was a newly created 1-member district.
66. The thirty-fourth district was a newly created 1-member district.

Detailed Results

• NOTE: The Iowa General Assembly does not provide detailed vote totals for Iowa State Senate elections in 1856.

See also

• Elections in Iowa

External links

District boundaries were redrawn before the 1856 general election for the Iowa Senate:

• Iowa Senate Districts 1852-1855 map
• Iowa Senate Districts 1856-1859 map

References

1. "Senator James M. Love: Compiled Historical Information". Iowa Official Register . Retrieved July 21, 2021.
2. "Senator David Trowbridge Brigham: Compiled Historical Information". Iowa Official Register . Retrieved July 21, 2021.
3. "Senator Theophilus Bryan: Compiled Historical Information". Iowa Official Register . Retrieved July 21, 2021.
4. "Senator James Cunningham Jordan: Compiled Historical Information". Iowa Official Register . Retrieved July 21, 2021.
5. "Senator John G. Shields: Compiled Historical Information". Iowa Official Register . Retrieved July 21, 2021.
6. "The Iowa General Assembly: Our Legislative Heritage 1846 - 1980" (PDF). Iowa General Assembly . Retrieved July 21, 2021.
7. "Senator Maturin L. Fisher". Iowa Legislature . Retrieved July 21, 2021.
8. "Senator William W. Hamilton". Iowa Legislature . Retrieved July 21, 2021.
9. "Iowa Legislators Past and Present: Senate President". Iowa Legislature . Retrieved July 21, 2021.
10. "General Assembly: 6 (12/01/1856 - 01/10/1858)". Iowa Legislature . Retrieved July 21, 2021.
11. "General Assembly: 6 (12/01/1856 - 01/10/1858)". Iowa Legislature . Retrieved July 21, 2021.
12. "Senator James M. Love: Compiled Historical Information". Iowa Official Register . Retrieved July 21, 2021.
13. "Senator David Trowbridge Brigham: Compiled Historical Information". Iowa Official Register . Retrieved July 21, 2021.
14. "Senator Theophilus Bryan: Compiled Historical Information". Iowa Official Register . Retrieved July 21, 2021.
15. "Senator James Cunningham Jordan: Compiled Historical Information". Iowa Official Register . Retrieved July 21, 2021.
16. "Senator John G. Shields: Compiled Historical Information". Iowa Official Register . Retrieved July 21, 2021.
17. "Senator George W. Wilkinson: Compiled Historical Information". Iowa Official Register . Retrieved July 21, 2021.
18. "Senator David Trowbridge Brigham: Compiled Historical Information". Iowa Official Register . Retrieved July 21, 2021.
19. "Senator Theophilus Bryan: Compiled Historical Information". Iowa Official Register . Retrieved July 21, 2021.
20. "Senator James Cunningham Jordan: Compiled Historical Information". Iowa Official Register . Retrieved July 21, 2021.
21. "Senator Theophilus Bryan: Compiled Historical Information". Iowa Official Register . Retrieved July 21, 2021.
22. "Senator James Cunningham Jordan: Compiled Historical Information". Iowa Official Register . Retrieved July 21, 2021.
23. "Senator John G. Shields: Compiled Historical Information". Iowa Official Register . Retrieved July 21, 2021.
24. "Senator William W. Hamilton: Compiled Historical Information". Iowa Official Register . Retrieved July 21, 2021.
25. "Legislators". Iowa State Senate . Retrieved July 21, 2021.