1869 Iowa Senate election

1869 Iowa Senate election

←  1867 October 12, 1869 1871  →
21 out of 50 seats in the Iowa State Senate 26 seats needed for a majority
Majority party Minority party Third party   Party Republican Democratic Populist Last election 40 8 1 Seats before 37 [lower-alpha 1] 8 [lower-alpha 1] 1 [lower-alpha 1] Seats after 43 [lower-alpha 2] 7 [lower-alpha 2] 0 [lower-alpha 2] Seat change 6 1 1
President of the Iowa Senate [lower-alpha 3] before election John Scott [lower-alpha 4] Republican Elected President of the Iowa Senate [lower-alpha 3] Henry Clay Bulis [lower-alpha 5] Republican

In the 1869 Iowa State Senate elections, Iowa voters elected state senators to serve in the thirteenth Iowa General Assembly. Following the expansion of the Iowa Senate from 49 to 50 seats in 1869, elections were held for 21 of the state senate's 50 seats. ^{[lower-alpha 6]} State senators serve four-year terms in the Iowa State Senate.

The general election took place on October 12, 1869. ^[10]

Following the previous election in 1867, Republicans had control of the Iowa Senate with 40 seats to Democrats' eight seats and a lone member from the People's Party. However, three changes occurred during the twelfth general assembly. In the tenth district, Republican Senator Charles Leopold Matthies died on October 16, 1868, causing a vacancy in his seat. ^[11] In the eighteenth district, Republican Senator John R. Needham died on July 9, 1868, causing a vacancy in his seat. ^[12] In the twenty-fourth district, Republican Senator William Penn Wolf resigned on March 3, 1869, causing a vacancy in his seat. ^[13] All three seats were left vacant until the next election. Therefore, by election day in 1869, the Republicans held 37 seats, the Democrats held 8 seats, there was a lone People's Party member, and three seats were vacant (all the vacancies had been held by Republicans).

To claim control of the chamber from Republicans, the Democrats needed to net 18 Senate seats.

Republicans maintained control of the Iowa State Senate following the election with the balance of power shifting to Republicans holding 43 seats and Democrats having seven seats (a net gain of 6 seats for Republicans). ^{[lower-alpha 2]}

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
1st [lower-alpha 7]	Nathaniel Hedges		Dem	Exum Sumner McCulloch		Dem	Dem Hold
	Joseph Hollman		Dem	Obsolete subdistrict
2nd [lower-alpha 8]	Eliab Doud		Rep	Jacob Garretson Vale		Rep	Rep Hold
4th [lower-alpha 9]	Madison Miner Walden		Rep	William Fields Vermillion		Rep	Rep Hold
5th [lower-alpha 10]	James D. Wright [lower-alpha 11]		Rep	Edward M. Bill [lower-alpha 12]		Rep	Rep Hold
6th [lower-alpha 13]	Edward M. Bill [lower-alpha 12]		Rep	James D. Wright [lower-alpha 11]		Rep	Rep Hold
10th [lower-alpha 14]	Charles Leopold Matthies [lower-alpha 15]		Rep	Charles Beardsley		Rep	Rep Hold
11th [lower-alpha 16]	Theron Webb Woolson		Rep	John Patterson West		Rep	Rep Hold
14th [lower-alpha 17]	James M. Robertson		Rep	James Simpson Hurley		Rep	Rep Hold
16th [lower-alpha 18]	John Abbott Parvin		Rep	Samuel McNutt		Rep	Rep Hold
17th [lower-alpha 19]	John C. Johnson		Rep	Joseph W. Havens		Rep	Rep Hold
18th [lower-alpha 20]	John R. Needham [lower-alpha 21]		Rep	John Nicholas Dixon		Rep	Rep Hold
19th [lower-alpha 22]	Thomas McMillan		Rep	John M. Cathcart		Rep	Rep Hold
21st [lower-alpha 23]	Joseph Rea Reed		Rep	Benjamin Franklin Murray		Rep	Rep Hold
22nd [lower-alpha 24]	Andrew McCune Larimer		Rep	Hans Reimer Claussen		Rep	Rep Hold
	W. W. Cones		People's	Robert Lowry		Rep	Rep Gain
23rd [lower-alpha 25]	John Henry Smith		Rep	Alexander Baird Ireland		Rep	Rep Hold
27th [lower-alpha 26]	John Meyer		Rep	Joseph Dysart		Rep	Rep Hold
28th [lower-alpha 27]	Jonathan Wright Cattell		Rep	Frank T. Campbell		Rep	Rep Hold
29th [lower-alpha 28]	Lewis Brigham Dunham [lower-alpha 29]		Dem	Benjamin Franklin Allen		Rep	Rep Gain
30th [lower-alpha 30]	Sewall Spaulding Farwell		Rep	Lewis Brigham Dunham [lower-alpha 29]		Dem	Dem Gain
31st [lower-alpha 31]	Robert Smyth [lower-alpha 32]		Rep	John McKean		Rep	Rep Hold
32nd [lower-alpha 33]	James Chapin [lower-alpha 34]		Rep	Robert Smyth [lower-alpha 32]		Rep	Rep Hold
33rd [lower-alpha 35]	Wells Sylvanus Rice [lower-alpha 36]		Rep	James Chapin [lower-alpha 34]		Rep	Rep Hold
34th [lower-alpha 37]	Frederick M. Knoll [lower-alpha 38]		Dem	Wells Sylvanus Rice [lower-alpha 36]		Rep	Rep Gain
	Benjamin Billings Richards [lower-alpha 39]		Dem	Obsolete subdistrict
35th [lower-alpha 40]	Joseph Grimes [lower-alpha 41]		Rep	Frederick M. Knoll [lower-alpha 38]		Dem	Dem Gain
	Newly created subdistrict			Michael B. Mulkern [lower-alpha 42]		Dem	Dem Gain
36th [lower-alpha 43]	William G. Donnan [lower-alpha 44]		Rep	Joseph Grimes [lower-alpha 41]		Rep	Rep Hold
37th [lower-alpha 45]	Homer E. Newell [lower-alpha 46]		Rep	William G. Donnan [lower-alpha 44]		Rep	Rep Hold
38th [lower-alpha 47]	William Larrabee [lower-alpha 48]		Rep	George William Couch		Rep	Rep Hold
39th [lower-alpha 49]	Marcus Tuttle [lower-alpha 50]		Rep	Homer E. Newell [lower-alpha 46]		Rep	Rep Hold
40th [lower-alpha 51]	James B. Powers		Rep	William Larrabee [lower-alpha 48]		Rep	Rep Hold
44th [lower-alpha 52]	Isaac J. Mitchell [lower-alpha 53]		Rep	Emmons Johnson		Rep	Rep Hold
45th [lower-alpha 54]	Theodore Hawley [lower-alpha 55]		Rep	Isaac J. Mitchell [lower-alpha 53]		Rep	Rep Hold
46th [lower-alpha 56]	Addison Oliver		Rep	Marcus Tuttle [lower-alpha 50]		Rep	Rep Hold
47th [lower-alpha 57]	Newly created district			Theodore Hawley [lower-alpha 55]		Rep	Rep Gain
48th [lower-alpha 58]	Newly created district			Charles Atkins		Rep	Rep Gain

Source: ^[17]

1. Following the 1867 Iowa Senate election, Republicans held 40 seats to Democrats' 8 and a lone seat held by a People's Party member. However, three changes occurred during the twelfth general assembly. In the tenth district, Republican Senator Charles Leopold Matthies died on October 16, 1868, causing a vacancy in his seat. ^[1] In the eighteenth district, Republican Senator John R. Needham died on July 9, 1868, causing a vacancy in his seat. ^[2] In the twenty-fourth district, Republican Senator William Penn Wolf resigned on March 3, 1869, causing a vacancy in his seat. ^[3] All three seats were left vacant until the next election. Therefore, by election day in 1869, the Republicans held 37 seats, the Democrats held 8 seats, there was a lone People's Party member, and three seats were vacant (all the vacancies had been held by Republicans).
2. The Iowa Senate expanded from 49 seats to 50 seats following the 1869 general election. ^[4]
3. Article IV, section 18, of the Constitution of Iowa at that time 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. ^[5]
4. As Lieutenant Governor, John Scott was the thirteenth President of the Iowa Senate. He served during the twelfth Iowa General Assembly, succeeding Republican Benjamin F. Gue in that leadership position. ^[6]
5. As the next Lieutenant Governor, Henry Clay Bulis was the fourteenth President of the Iowa Senate. He served during the thirteenth Iowa General Assembly, succeeding Republican John Scott in that leadership position. ^[8]
6. At the time, the Iowa Senate had several multi-member districts. ^[9]
7. The first district transitioned from a 2- to 1-member district.
8. The second district was a 1-member district at the time.
9. The fourth district was a 1-member district at the time.
10. The fifth district was a 1-member district at the time.
11. Senator Wright was an incumbent holdover senator not up for re-election. Instead, he was redistricted from district 5 to 6.
12. Senator Bill was an incumbent holdover senator not up for re-election. Instead, he was redistricted from district 6 to 5.
13. The sixth district was a 1-member district at the time.
14. The tenth district was a 1-member district at the time.
15. In the tenth district, Republican Senator Charles Leopold Matthies died on October 16, 1868, causing a vacancy in his seat. ^[14]
16. The eleventh district was a 1-member district at the time.
17. The fourteenth district was a 1-member district at the time.
18. The sixteenth district was a 1-member district at the time.
19. The seventeenth district was a 1-member district at the time.
20. The eighteenth district was a 1-member district at the time.
21. Senator Needham died on July 9, 1868, causing a vacancy in his seat. ^[15]
22. The nineteenth district was a 1-member district at the time.
23. The twenty-first district was a 1-member district at the time.
24. The twenty-second district was a 2-member district at the time.
25. The twenty-third district was a 1-member district at the time.
26. The twenty-seventh district was a 1-member district at the time.
27. The twenty-eighth district was a 1-member district at the time.
28. The twenty-ninth district was a 1-member district at the time.
29. Senator Dunham was an incumbent holdover senator not up for re-election. Instead, he was redistricted from district 29 to 30.
30. The thirtieth district was a 1-member district at the time.
31. The thirty-first district was a 1-member district at the time.
32. Senator Smyth was an incumbent holdover senator not up for re-election. Instead, he was redistricted from district 31 to 32.
33. The thirty-second district was a 1-member district at the time.
34. Senator Chapin was an incumbent holdover senator not up for re-election. Instead, he was redistricted from district 32 to 33.
35. The thirty-third district was a 1-member district at the time.
36. Senator Rice was an incumbent holdover senator not up for re-election. Instead, he was redistricted from district 33 to 34.
37. The thirty-fourth district transitioned from a 2- to 1-member district.
38. Senator Knoll was an incumbent holdover senator not up for re-election. Instead, he was redistricted from district 34 to 35.
39. Senator Richards was an incumbent who was up for re-election. He was redistricted from district 34 to 35.
40. The thirty-fifth district transitioned from a 1- to 2-member district at the time.
41. Senator Grimes was an incumbent holdover senator not up for re-election. Instead, he was redistricted from district 35 to 36.
42. On February 8, 1871, Senator Mulkern died, causing a vacancy. ^[16]
43. The thirty-sixth district was a 1-member district at the time.
44. Senator Donnan was an incumbent holdover senator not up for re-election. Instead, he was redistricted from district 36 to 37.
45. The thirty-seventh district was a 1-member district at the time.
46. Senator Newell was an incumbent holdover senator not up for re-election. Instead, he was redistricted from district 37 to 39.
47. The thirty-eighth district was a 1-member district at the time.
48. Senator Larrabee was an incumbent holdover senator not up for re-election. Instead, he was redistricted from district 38 to 40.
49. The thirty-ninth district was a 1-member district at the time.
50. Senator Tuttle was an incumbent holdover senator not up for re-election. Instead, he was redistricted from district 39 to 46.
51. The fortieth district was a 1-member district at the time.
52. The forty-fourth district was a 1-member district at the time.
53. Senator Mitchell was an incumbent holdover senator not up for re-election. Instead, he was redistricted from district 44 to 45.
54. The forty-fifth district was a 1-member district at the time.
55. Senator Hawley was an incumbent holdover senator not up for re-election. Instead, he was redistricted from district 45 to 47.
56. The forty-sixth district was a 1-member district at the time.
57. The forty-seventh district was a newly created 1-member district at the time.
58. The forty-eighth district was a newly created 1-member district at the time.

Detailed Results

• NOTE: The Iowa General Assembly does not provide detailed vote totals for Iowa State Senate elections in 1869.

See also

• Elections in Iowa

External links

District boundaries were redrawn before the 1869 general election for the Iowa Senate:

• Iowa Senate Districts 1868-1869 map
• Iowa Senate Districts 1870-1871 map

References

1. "Senator Charles Leopold Matthies". Iowa Legislature . Retrieved July 23, 2021.
2. "Senator John R. Needham". Iowa Legislature . Retrieved July 23, 2021.
3. "Senator William Penn Wolf". Iowa Legislature . Retrieved July 23, 2021.
4. "The Iowa General Assembly: Our Legislative Heritage 1846 - 1980" (PDF). Iowa General Assembly . Retrieved July 24, 2021.
5. "Iowa Legislators Past and Present: Senate President". Iowa Legislature . Retrieved July 24, 2021.
6. "John Scott". Iowa Legislature . Retrieved July 24, 2021.
8. "Henry Clay Bulis". Iowa Legislature . Retrieved July 24, 2021.
9. "General Assembly: 13 (01/10/1870 - 01/07/1872)". Iowa Legislature . Retrieved July 24, 2021.
10. "General Assembly: 13 (01/10/1870 - 01/07/1872)". Iowa Legislature . Retrieved July 24, 2021.
11. "Senator Charles Leopold Matthies". Iowa Legislature . Retrieved July 23, 2021.
12. "Senator John R. Needham". Iowa Legislature . Retrieved July 23, 2021.
13. "Senator William Penn Wolf". Iowa Legislature . Retrieved July 23, 2021.
14. "Senator Charles Leopold Matthies". Iowa Legislature . Retrieved July 23, 2021.
15. "Senator John R. Needham". Iowa Legislature . Retrieved July 23, 2021.
16. "Senator Michael B. Mulkern: Compiled Historical Information". Iowa Official Register . Retrieved July 24, 2021.
17. "Legislators". Iowa State Senate . Retrieved July 24, 2021.