United States Senate election in Pennsylvania, 1797

Last updated April 01, 2019

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.^[1]

James Ross was a lawyer who represented Pennsylvania in the U.S. Senate from 1794 to 1803.

The Pennsylvania General Assembly is the legislature of the U.S. commonwealth of Pennsylvania. The legislature convenes in the State Capitol building in Harrisburg. In colonial times (1682–1776), the legislature was known as the Pennsylvania Provincial Assembly and was unicameral. Since the Constitution of 1776, the legislature has been known as the General Assembly. The General Assembly became a bicameral legislature in 1791.

The United States Senate is the upper chamber of the United States Congress, which along with the United States House of Representatives—the lower chamber—comprises the legislature of the United States. The Senate chamber is located in the north wing of the Capitol, in Washington, D.C.

Background

After Sen. Albert Gallatin was removed from office after his eligibility was successfully challenged, James Ross was elected by the General Assembly, consisting of the Pennsylvania House of Representatives and Pennsylvania State Senate, in 1794 to fill the remainder of the unexpired term, which was to expire on March 4, 1797.^[2]

Abraham Alfonse Albert Gallatin, born de Gallatin was a Genevan-American politician, diplomat, ethnologist and linguist. He was an important leader of the Democratic-Republican Party, serving in various federal elective and appointed positions across four decades. He represented Pennsylvania in the Senate and the House of Representatives before becoming the longest-tenured United States Secretary of the Treasury and serving as a high-ranking diplomat.

The Pennsylvania House of Representatives is the lower house of the bicameral Pennsylvania General Assembly, the legislature of the U.S. state of Pennsylvania. There are 203 members, elected for two-year terms from single member districts.

The Pennsylvania State Senate is the upper house of the Pennsylvania General Assembly, the Pennsylvania state legislature. The State Senate meets in the State Capitol building in Harrisburg. Senators are elected for four year terms, staggered every two years such that half of the seats are contested at each election. Even numbered seats and odd numbered seats are contested in separate election years. The President Pro Tempore of the Senate becomes the Lieutenant Governor of Pennsylvania in the event of the sitting Lieutenant Governor's removal, resignation or death. In this case the President Pro Tempore and Lieutenant Governor would be the same person. The Pennsylvania Senate has been meeting since 1791.

Results

The Pennsylvania General Assembly convened on February 16, 1797, to elect a Senator to fill the term beginning on March 4, 1797. The results of the vote of both houses combined are as follows:

State Legislature Results^[1]^[3]
Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Federalist	James Ross (Inc.)	56	54.90
	Democratic-Republican	William Irvine	38	37.25
	N/A	Not voting	8	7.84
Totals			102	100.00%

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The 1793 United States Senate election in Pennsylvania was held on February 28, 1793. Albert Gallatin was elected by the Pennsylvania General Assembly to the United States Senate.

The 1794 United States Senate special election in Pennsylvania was held on March 31, 1794. James Ross was elected by the Pennsylvania General Assembly to the United States Senate.

The 1802 United States Senate election in Pennsylvania was held on December 14, 1802. Samuel Maclay was elected by the Pennsylvania General Assembly to the United States Senate.

The 1808 United States Senate election in Pennsylvania was held on December 13, 1808. Michael Leib was elected by the Pennsylvania General Assembly to the United States Senate.

The 1814 United States Senate election in Pennsylvania was held on December 10, 1814. Incumbent Jonathan Roberts was elected by the Pennsylvania General Assembly to the United States Senate.

The 1820-1821 United States Senate election in Pennsylvania was held on three separate dates from December 1820 to December 1821. On December 10, 1821, William Findlay was elected by the Pennsylvania General Assembly to the United States Senate.

The 1909 United States Senate special election in Pennsylvania was held on March 16, 1909. George T. Oliver was elected by the Pennsylvania General Assembly to the United States Senate.

The 1795 United States Senate election in Pennsylvania was held on February 26, 1795. William Bingham was elected by the Pennsylvania General Assembly to the United States Senate.

The 1806 United States Senate election in Pennsylvania was held from December 9 to 16, 1806. Andrew Gregg was elected by the Pennsylvania General Assembly to the United States Senate.

The 1812 United States Senate election in Pennsylvania was held on December 8, 1812. Abner Lacock was elected by the Pennsylvania General Assembly to the United States Senate.

The 1818 United States Senate election in Pennsylvania was held on December 8, 1818. Walter Lowrie was elected by the Pennsylvania General Assembly to the United States Senate.

The 1824–1825 United States Senate election in Pennsylvania was held between December 1824 and February 1825. William Marks was elected by the Pennsylvania General Assembly to the United States Senate.

The 1830 United States Senate election in Pennsylvania was held on from December 14 to 16, 1830. William Wilkins was elected by the Pennsylvania General Assembly to the United States Senate.

The 1843 United States Senate election in Pennsylvania was held on January 10, 1843. Future President of the United States James Buchanan was re-elected by the Pennsylvania General Assembly to the United States Senate.

The 1845 United States Senate special election in Pennsylvania was held on March 13, 1845. Simon Cameron was elected by the Pennsylvania General Assembly to the United States Senate.

The 1849 United States Senate election in Pennsylvania was held on January 10, 1849. James Cooper was elected by the Pennsylvania General Assembly to the United States Senate.

The 1873 United States Senate election in Pennsylvania was held on January 21, 1873. Simon Cameron was re-elected by the Pennsylvania General Assembly to the United States Senate.

The 1877 United States Senate special election in Pennsylvania was held on March 20, 1877. J. Donald Cameron was elected by the Pennsylvania General Assembly to the United States Senate.

References

1 2 "U.S. Senate Election - 16 February 1797" (PDF). Wilkes University. Retrieved 21 December 2012.
↑ "U.S. Senate Election - 31 March 1794" (PDF). Wilkes University. Retrieved 21 December 2012.
↑ "PA US Senate - 1797". OurCampaigns. Retrieved 21 December 2012.

External links

Pennsylvania Election Statistics: 1682-2006 from the Wilkes University Election Statistics Project

The Wilkes University Election Statistics Project is a free online resource documenting Pennsylvania political election results dating back to 1796.

Preceded by 1794	Pennsylvania U.S. Senate election (Class I) 1797	Succeeded by 1802

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[results-1] 1 2 "U.S. Senate Election - 16 February 1797" (PDF). Wilkes University. Retrieved 21 December 2012.

[2] "U.S. Senate Election - 31 March 1794" (PDF). Wilkes University. Retrieved 21 December 2012.

[3] "PA US Senate - 1797". OurCampaigns. Retrieved 21 December 2012.