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11 of the 32 seats in the United States Senate (plus special elections) 17 seats needed for a majority | ||||||||||||||||||||||
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The United States Senate elections of 1796 and 1797 were elections for the United States Senate which, coinciding with John Adams's election as President, had the ruling Federalist Party gain one seat.
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.
John Adams was an American statesman, attorney, diplomat, writer, and Founding Father who served as the second president of the United States from 1797 to 1801. Before his presidency he was a leader of the American Revolution that achieved independence from Great Britain, and also served as the first vice president of the United States. Adams was a dedicated diarist and regularly corresponded with many important figures in early American history including his wife and adviser, Abigail, and his letters and other papers are an important source of historical information about the era.
As these elections were prior to ratification of the seventeenth amendment, Senators were chosen by State legislatures.
The Seventeenth Amendment to the United States Constitution established the popular election of United States Senators by the people of the states. The amendment supersedes Article I, §3, Clauses 1 and 2 of the Constitution, under which senators were elected by state legislatures. It also alters the procedure for filling vacancies in the Senate, allowing for state legislatures to permit their governors to make temporary appointments until a special election can be held.
A state legislature in the United States is the legislative body of any of the 50 U.S. states. The formal name varies from state to state. In 25 states, the legislature is simply called the Legislature, or the State Legislature, while in 19 states, the legislature is called the General Assembly. In Massachusetts and New Hampshire, the legislature is called the General Court, while North Dakota and Oregon designate the legislature the Legislative Assembly.
Senate Party Division, 5th Congress (1797–1799)
After the August 2, 1796 admission of Tennessee.
DR6 | DR5 | DR4 | DR3 | DR2 | DR1 | ||||
DR7 | DR8 | DR9 | DR10 Ran | DR11 Ran | DR12 Unknown | V1 | F19 Resigned | F18 Resigned | F17 Ran |
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Majority → | |||||||||
F7 | F8 | F9 | F10 | F11 | F12 Ran | F13 Ran | F14 Ran | F15 Ran | F16 Ran |
F6 | F5 | F4 | F3 | F2 | F1 |
DR6 | DR5 | DR4 | DR3 | DR2 | DR1 | ||||
DR7 | DR8 | DR9 | DR10 Re-elected | V2 DR Loss | V1 | F20 Gain | F19 Hold | F18 Hold | F17 Re-elected |
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Majority → | |||||||||
F7 | F8 | F9 | F10 | F11 | F12 Re-elected | F13 Re-elected | F14 Re-elected | F15 Re-elected | F16 Re-elected |
F6 | F5 | F4 | F3 | F2 | F1 |
DR6 | DR5 | DR4 | DR3 | DR2 | DR1 | ||||
DR7 | DR8 | DR9 | DR10 Hold | V2 | F21 Gain | F20 Hold | F19 Hold | F18 | F17 |
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Majority → | |||||||||
F7 | F8 | F9 | F10 | F11 | F12 | F13 | F14 | F15 | F16 |
F6 | F5 | F4 | F3 | F2 | F1 |
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Except if/when noted, the number following candidates is the whole number vote(s), not a percentage.
In these special elections, the winner was seated before March 4, 1797; ordered by election date.
State | Incumbent | Results | Candidates | ||
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Senator | Party | Electoral history | |||
Georgia (Class 3) | George Walton | Federalist | 1795 (Appointed) | Appointee retired when successor elected. New senator elected February 20, 1796. Democratic-Republican gain. | √ Josiah Tattnall (Democratic-Republican) [Data unknown/missing.] |
Connecticut (Class 1) | Oliver Ellsworth | Federalist | 1788 1791 | Incumbent resigned to become Chief Justice of the United States. New senator elected May 12, 1796. Federalist hold. | √ James Hillhouse (Federalist) [Data unknown/missing.] |
Massachusetts (Class 1) | George Cabot | Federalist | 1790 | Incumbent resigned June 9, 1796. New senator elected June 11, 1796 on the second ballot. Federalist hold. | √ Benjamin Goodhue (Federalist) 75 Edward H. Robbins 65 [1] |
Massachusetts (Class 2) | Caleb Strong | Federalist | 1789 1793 | Incumbent resigned June 1, 1796. New senator elected June 11, 1796 on the second ballot. Federalist hold. | √ Theodore Sedgwick (Federalist) 107 Edward H. Robbins 43 Levi Lincoln 2 Nathaniel Dane (Federalist) 1 Thompson J. Skinner 1 [2] |
Connecticut (Class 3) | Jonathan Trumbull, Jr. | Federalist | 1794 or 1795 | Incumbent resigned June 10, 1796 to become Lieutenant Governor of Connecticut. New senator elected October 13, 1796. Federalist hold. | √ Uriah Tracy (Federalist) [Data unknown/missing.] |
Vermont (Class 1) | Moses Robinson | Federalist | 1791 (New state) | Incumbent resigned October 15, 1796. New senator elected October 18, 1796. Federalist hold. | √ Isaac Tichenor (Federalist) [Data unknown/missing.] |
New York (Class 3) | Rufus King | Federalist | 1789 1795 | Incumbent resigned May 23, 1796 to become U.S. Minister to Great Britain. New senator elected November 9, 1796. Federalist hold. | √ John Laurance (Federalist) 99 Zephaniah Platt 1 [3] |
Maryland (Class 1) | Richard Potts | Federalist | 1793 (Special) | Incumbent resigned October 24, 1796. New senator elected November 28, 1796. Federalist hold. | √ John Eager Howard (Federalist) W. Spriggs (Federalist) 15 [4] |
South Carolina (Class 2) | Pierce Butler | Democratic-Republican | 1789 1793 | Incumbent resigned October 25, 1796. New senator elected December 8, 1796. Democratic-Republican hold. | √ John Hunter (Democratic-Republican) 72 John Chestnut 66 [5] |
New Jersey (Class 2) | Frederick Frelinghuysen | Federalist | 1792 or 1793 | Incumbent resigned November 12, 1796. New senator elected November 12, 1796. Federalist hold. | √ Richard Stockton (Federalist) Unanimous [6] |
In these general elections, the winner was seated on March 4, 1797; ordered by state.
All of the elections involved the Class 1 seats.
State | Incumbent | Results | Candidates | ||
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Senator | Party | Electoral history | |||
Connecticut | James Hillhouse | Federalist | 1796 (Special) | Incumbent re-elected in 1797. | √ James Hillhouse (Federalist) [Data unknown/missing.] |
Delaware | Henry Latimer | Federalist | 1795 (Special) | Incumbent re-elected January 6, 1797. | √ Henry Latimer (Federalist) 16 David Hall (Democratic-Republican) 6 [7] |
Maryland | John Eager Howard | Federalist | 1796 (Special) | Incumbent re-elected December 9, 1796. | √ John Eager Howard (Federalist) [Data unknown/missing.] |
Massachusetts | George Cabot | Federalist | 1790 | Incumbent resigned June 9, 1796. New senator elected June 11, 1796 on the third ballot. Federalist hold. Winner also elected to finish the current term, see above. | √ Benjamin Goodhue (Federalist) 73 Edward H. Robbins [8] |
New Jersey | John Rutherfurd | Federalist | 1790 | Incumbent re-elected in 1796. | √ John Rutherfurd (Federalist) [Data unknown/missing.] |
New York | Aaron Burr | Democratic-Republican | 1791 | Incumbent lost re-election. New senator elected January 24, 1797. Federalist gain. | √ Philip Schuyler (Federalist) 85 James Kent (Federalist) 1 [9] |
Pennsylvania | James Ross | Federalist | 1794 (Special) | Incumbent re-elected February 16, 1797. | √ James Ross (Federalist) 56 William Irvine (Democratic-Republican) 38 [10] |
Rhode Island | Theodore Foster | Federalist | 1790 1791 | Incumbent re-elected in 1797. | √ Theodore Foster (Federalist) [Data unknown/missing.] |
Tennessee | William Cocke | Democratic-Republican | 1796 | Legislature failed to elect. Democratic-Republican loss. Incumbent later appointed to continue term. [11] | None |
Vermont | Moses Robinson | Federalist | 1791 (New state) | Incumbent resigned October 15, 1796. New senator elected October 18, 1796. Federalist hold. Winner also elected to finish the current term, see above. | √ Isaac Tichenor (Federalist) [Data unknown/missing.] |
Virginia | Stevens Mason | Democratic-Republican | 1794 (Special) | Incumbent re-elected November 29, 1796. | √ Stevens Mason (Democratic-Republican) 114 James Breckenridge (Federalist) 60 [12] |
In these special elections, the winners were seated after March 4, 1797, the beginning of the next Congress.
State | Incumbent | Results | Candidates | ||
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Senator | Party | Electoral history | |||
Tennessee (Class 1) | William Cocke | Democratic-Republican | 1796 1797 (Appointed) | Interim appointee lost re-election. New senator elected September 26, 1797. Democratic-Republican hold. | √ Andrew Jackson (Democratic-Republican) 20 William Cocke (Democratic-Republican) 13 [13] |
Tennessee (Class 2) | William Blount | Democratic-Republican | 1796 | Incumbent expelled July 8, 1797. [14] New senator elected September 26, 1797. Democratic-Republican hold. | √ Joseph Anderson (Democratic-Republican) 33 Unopposed [13] |
Vermont (Class 1) | Isaac Tichenor | Federalist | 1796 (Special) | Incumbent resigned October 17, 1797 to become Governor of Vermont. New senator elected October 17, 1797. Federalist hold. | √ Nathaniel Chipman (Federalist) [Data unknown/missing.] |
Rhode Island (Class 2) | William Bradford | Federalist | 1793 | Incumbent resigned in October 1797. New senator elected November 13, 1797. Federalist hold. | √ Ray Greene (Federalist) [Data unknown/missing.] |
Maryland (Class 3) | John Henry | Federalist | 1788 1795 | Incumbent resigned July 10, 1797 to become Governor of Maryland. New senator elected December 8, 1797. Federalist hold. | √ James Lloyd (Federalist) Unopposed [15] |
The Fourth 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, 1795, to March 4, 1797, during the last two years of George Washington's presidency. The apportionment of seats in the House of Representatives was based on the First Census of the United States in 1790. The Senate had a Federalist majority, and the House had a Democratic-Republican majority.
The Fifth 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.
Elections to the United States House of Representatives for the 17th Congress took place in the various states between July 3, 1820 (Louisiana) and August 10, 1821 (Tennessee). In four states the election coincided with the taking of the 4th Census. Future enumerations would henceforth be held at a different time of year.
Elections to the United States House of Representatives for the 15th Congress were held in the various states between April 1816 and August 14, 1817. The Congress first met on December 1, 1817.
Elections to the United States House of Representatives for the 14th Congress were held at various dates in each state between April 1814 and August 10, 1815 during James Madison's second term. The Congress's first session began on December 4, 1815.
Elections to the United States House of Representatives for the 12th Congress were held in the various states between April 1810 and August 1811 during James Madison's first term in office. Louisiana elected its first representative in September 1812. Congress assembled on November 4, 1811. The first session witnessed the unprecedented occurrence of a new member, Henry Clay, being elected Speaker of the House. This has happened only once since, in 1860 when William Pennington was elected to the post.
Elections to the United States House of Representatives for the 9th Congress were held at various dates in each state between April 24, 1804 and August 5, 1805. The Congress first met on December 2, 1805. The elections occurred at the same time as President Thomas Jefferson's re-election.
The United States Senate elections of 1804 and 1805 were elections that expanded the Democratic-Republican Party's overwhelming control over the United States Senate. The Federalists went into the elections with such a small share of Senate seats that even if they had won every election, they would have still remained a minority caucus.
The United States Senate elections of 1806 and 1807 were elections that had the Democratic-Republican Party increase its overwhelming control of the Senate by one additional Senator. The Federalists went into the elections with such a small share of Senate seats that even if they had won every election, they would have still remained a minority caucus. As it was, however, they lost one of the two seats they were defending and picked up no gains from their opponents.
The United States Senate elections of 1808 and 1809 were elections that had the Federalist Party gain one seat in the United States Senate, and which coincided with the 1808 presidential election. The Federalists had gone into the elections with such a small share of Senate seats that even if they had won every election, they would have still remained a minority caucus.
The United States Senate elections of 1810 and 1811 were elections that had the Democratic-Republican Party maintain their majority the United States Senate. The minority Federalists had gone into the elections with such a small share of Senate seats that they had won all of the elections, they would still not have controlled a majority.
The United States Senate elections of 1812 and 1813 were elections that, coinciding with President James Madison's re-election, had the Democratic-Republican Party lose two seats but still retain an overwhelming majority in the United States Senate. As in recent elections, the minority Federalists had gone into the elections with such a small share of Senate seats that if they had won every one of the elections, they would still not have controlled a majority.
The United States Senate elections of 1814 and 1815 were elections that had the Democratic-Republican Party lose a seat but still retain an overwhelming majority in the United States Senate. Unlike in recent elections, the minority Federalists had gone into the elections with a chance of regaining their long-lost majority had they swept almost all the seats. However, only one seat switched parties. Two seats held by Democratic-Republicans were left unfilled until long after the next Congress began.
The United States Senate elections of 1816 and 1817 were elections for the United States Senate that had the Democratic-Republican Party gain a net of two seats from the admission of a new state, and which coincided with the presidential election.
The United States Senate elections of 1818 and 1819 were elections for the United States Senate that had the Democratic-Republican Party gain two seats. The Federalists had only three seats being contested, of which they lost two and the third was left vacant due to a failure to elect.
The United States Senate elections of 1802 and 1803 were elections for the United States Senate which had the Democratic-Republican Party assume an overwhelming control thereof.
The United States Senate elections of 1800 and 1801 were elections for the United States Senate that, coinciding with their takeover of the White House, led to the Democratic-Republican Party taking control of the United States Senate. Although the Federalists began the next (7th) Congress with a slim majority, they lost their majority shortly thereafter due to mid-year special elections.
The United States Senate elections of 1798 and 1799 were held at the middle of President John Adams's administration and had no net change in political control of the Senate.
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