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14 of the 42 seats in the United States Senate (plus special elections) 22 seats needed for a majority | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
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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 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.
The Democratic-Republican Party was an American political party formed by Thomas Jefferson and James Madison around 1792 to oppose the centralizing policies of the new Federalist Party run by Alexander Hamilton, who was Secretary of the Treasury and chief architect of George Washington's administration. From 1801 to 1825, the new party controlled the presidency and Congress as well as most states during the First Party System. It began in 1791 as one faction in Congress and included many politicians who had been opposed to the new constitution. They called themselves Republicans after their political philosophy, republicanism. They distrusted the Federalist tendency to centralize and loosely interpret the Constitution, believing these policies were signs of monarchism and anti-republican values. The party splintered in 1824, with the faction loyal to Andrew Jackson coalescing into the Jacksonian movement, the faction led by John Quincy Adams and Henry Clay forming the National Republican Party and some other groups going on to form the Anti-Masonic Party. The National Republicans, Anti-Masons, and other opponents of Andrew Jackson later formed themselves into the Whig Party.
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, 16th Congress (1819–1821)
The Federalist Party, referred to as the Pro-Administration party until the 3rd United States Congress as opposed to their opponents in the Anti-Administration party, was the first American political party. It existed from the early 1790s to the 1820s, with their last presidential candidate being fielded in 1816. They appealed to business and to conservatives who favored banks, national over state government, manufacturing, and preferred Britain and opposed the French Revolution.
At the beginning of 1818.
DR10 | DR9 | DR8 | DR7 | DR6 | DR5 | DR4 | DR3 | DR2 | DR1 |
DR11 | DR12 | DR13 | DR14 | DR15 | DR16 | DR17 | DR18 | DR19 Ran | DR20 Ran |
Majority → | DR21 Ran | ||||||||
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F11 Ran | F12 Ran | DR28 Resigned | DR27 Retired | DR26 Retired | DR25 Retired | DR24 Unknown | DR23 Unknown | DR22 Unknown | |
F10 Ran | F9 | F8 | F7 | F6 | F5 | F4 | F3 | F2 | F1 |
DR10 | DR9 | DR8 | DR7 | DR6 | DR5 | DR4 | DR3 | DR2 | DR1 |
DR11 | DR12 | DR13 | DR14 | DR15 | DR16 | DR17 | DR18 | DR19 Re-elected | DR20 Re-elected |
Majority → | DR21 Re-elected | ||||||||
V1 F Loss | DR30 New seat | DR29 Gain | DR28 Hold | DR27 Hold | DR26 Hold | DR25 Hold | DR24 Hold | DR23 Hold | DR22 Hold |
V2 F Loss | F9 | F8 | F7 | F6 | F5 | F4 | F3 | F2 | F1 |
DR1 Hold | |||||||||
DR11 | DR10 | DR9 | DR8 | DR7 | DR6 | DR5 Hold | DR4 | DR3 | DR2 |
DR12 | DR13 | DR14 | DR15 | DR16 | DR17 | DR18 | DR19 | DR20 | DR21 |
Majority → | DR22 | ||||||||
DR31 New seat | DR30 New seat | DR29 | DR28 | DR27 | DR26 | DR25 | DR24 | DR23 Hold | |
V1 | V2 | F9 | F8 | F7 | F6 | F5 Hold | F4 | F3 | F2 |
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In these special elections, the winners were seated during 1818 or before March 4, 1819; ordered by election date.
State | Incumbent | Results | Candidates | ||
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Senator | Party | Electoral history | |||
Louisiana (Class 2) | William C. C. Claiborne | Democratic-Republican | 1817 | Incumbent died November 23, 1817. New senator elected January 12, 1818. Democratic-Republican hold. | √ Henry Johnson (Democratic-Republican) 30 votes Mr. Livingston 5 votes John MacDonough 4 votes Dr. Hood 2 votes [1] |
Massachusetts (Class 1) | Eli P. Ashmun | Federalist | 1816 (Special) | Incumbent resigned May 10, 1818. New senator elected June 5, 1818. Federalist hold. | √ Prentiss Mellen (Democratic-Republican) 85 votes William King 37 votes James Bridge 2 votes Mark L. Hill 1 vote [2] |
Illinois (Class 3) | New State | New State. New senators elected October 7, 1818 [3] on the first and third ballot. Lots were drawn to assign them, respectively, to Classes 3 and 2. The Class 3 senator had to run again for re-election in 1819, see below. Two Democratic-Republican gains. | First ballot: √ Ninian Edwards (Democratic-Republican) 32 votes [3] [4] | ||
Illinois (Class 2) | Third ballot: √ Jesse B. Thomas (Democratic-Republican) 21 votes Leonard White 18 votes Michael Jones 1 vote [5] | ||||
Vermont (Class 3) | James Fisk | Democratic-Republican | 1817 (Special) | Incumbent resigned January 8, 1818 to serve as collector of customs for the district of Vermont. New senator elected October 20, 1818 to finish the term. Winner also elected to the following term, see below. Democratic-Republican hold. | √ William Palmer (Democratic-Republican) 116 votes Dudley Chase (Federalist) 54 votes William A. Griswold (Democratic-Republican) 11 votes Paul Brigham (Democratic-Republican) 7 votes Scattering 4 votes [6] |
Georgia (Class 2) | George M. Troup | Democratic-Republican | 1816 (Special) 1816 | Incumbent resigned September 23, 1818. New senator elected November 7, 1818 on the fourth ballot. Democratic-Republican hold. | √ John Forsyth (Democratic-Republican) 86 votes Nicholas Ware 29 votes John M. Dooley 10 votes [7] |
In these general elections, the winner was seated on March 4, 1819 (except where noted due to late election); ordered by state.
All of the elections involved the Class 3 seats.
State | Incumbent | Results | Candidates | ||
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Senator | Party | Electoral history | |||
Connecticut | David Daggett | Federalist | 1813 (Special) | Incumbent lost re-election. New senator elected October 22, 1818 on the third ballot. Democratic-Republican gain. | √ James Lanman (Democratic-Republican) 114 votes David Daggett (Federalist) 84 votes Elijah Boardman (Democratic-Republican) 7 votes Nathan Smith (Democratic-Republican) 3 votes William Bristol (Democratic-Republican) 1 vote [8] |
Georgia | Charles Tait | Democratic-Republican | 1809 (Special) 1813 | Unknown if incumbent ran for re-election. New senator elected November 11, 1818. Democratic-Republican hold. | √ John Elliot (Democratic-Republican) 72 John Forsyth (Democratic-Republican) 53 votes [9] |
Illinois | Ninian Edwards | Democratic-Republican | 1818 | Incumbent re-elected in early February 1819. [3] | √ Ninian Edwards (Democratic-Republican) 23 votes Michael Jones 19 votes [10] [3] |
Indiana | Waller Taylor | Democratic-Republican | 1816 | Incumbent re-elected December 16, 1818. | √ Waller Taylor (Democratic-Republican) 21 votes James Scott 15 votes Isaac Blackford 2 votes [11] |
Kentucky | Isham Talbot | Democratic-Republican | 1814 (Special) | Unknown if incumbent ran for re-election. New senator elected December 17, 1818. Democratic-Republican hold. | √ William Logan (Democratic-Republican) 67 votes Richard M. Johnson 55 votes [12] |
Louisiana | Eligius Fromentin | Democratic-Republican | 1813 | Incumbent retired. New senator elected in January 11, 1819 on the second ballot. Democratic-Republican hold. | √ James Brown (Democratic-Republican) John McDonough 9 votes A. L. Duncan 12 votes Eligius Fromentin (Democratic-Republican) 1 vote [13] |
Maryland | Robert Goldsborough | Federalist | 1813 (Special) | Incumbent lost re-election. Legislature failed to elect. Federalist loss. | None. |
New Hampshire | Clement Storer | Democratic-Republican | 1817 (Special) | Unknown if incumbent ran for re-election. New senator elected in 1818 on the third ballot. Democratic-Republican hold. | √ John Fabyan Parrott (Democratic-Republican) 97 votes William Plumer 54 votes Jeremiah Smith 11 votes Josiah Butler 5 votes Clement Storer 1 vote [14] |
New York | Rufus King | Federalist | 1813 | Incumbent ran for re-election. Legislature failed to elect and the seat became vacant. Federalist loss. Incumbent would later be re-elected in 1820, late in the next Congress. | John C. Spencer (Democratic-Republican: Clintonian) Philetus Swift Rufus King (Federalist) John Van Ness Yates (Democratic-Republican: Bucktail) John Wells (Federalist) Samuel Young (Democratic-Republican: Bucktail) [15] |
North Carolina | Nathaniel Macon | Democratic-Republican | 1815 (Special) | Incumbent re-elected in 1818. [16] | √ Nathaniel Macon (Democratic-Republican) 166 votes Unopposed [17] |
Ohio | Jeremiah Morrow | Democratic-Republican | 1812 | Incumbent retired. New senator elected January 30, 1819 on the fourth ballot. [18] Democratic-Republican hold. | √ William Trimble (Democratic-Republican) 48 votes Thomas Worthington 25 votes John Hamm 18 votes [18] |
Pennsylvania | Abner Lacock | Democratic-Republican | 1812 | Incumbent retired. New senator elected December 8, 1818. [19] Democratic-Republican hold. | √ Walter Lowrie (Democratic-Republican) 87 votes Isaac Weaver, Jr. (Democratic-Republican) 32 votes Not Voting 8 votes John Tod (Democratic-Republican) 1 vote [19] |
South Carolina | John Gaillard | Democratic-Republican | 1812 | Incumbent re-elected in 1818. [20] | √ John Gaillard (Democratic-Republican) 96 votes John R. Richardson 61 votes [21] |
Vermont (Class 3) | James Fisk | Democratic-Republican | 1817 (Special) | Incumbent resigned January 8, 1818 to serve as collector of customs for the district of Vermont. New senator elected October 20, 1818. Winner also elected to finish the term, see above. Democratic-Republican hold. | √ William Palmer (Democratic-Republican) 133 votes Dudley Chase (Federalist) 49 votes William A. Griswold (Democratic-Republican) 7 votes Paul Brigham (Democratic-Republican) 5 votes [22] |
In these special elections, the winners were seated in 1819 after March 4; ordered by election date.
State | Incumbent | Results | Candidates | ||
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Senator | Party | Electoral history | |||
Tennessee (Class 1) | John H. Eaton | Democratic-Republican | 1818 (Appointed) | Interim appointee elected October 9, 1819. | √ John H. Eaton (Democratic-Republican) 31 votes Parry W. Humphreys 29 votes [23] |
Georgia (Class 2) | John Forsyth | Democratic-Republican | 1818 (Special) | Incumbent resigned February 17, 1819 to become U.S. Minister to Spain. New senator elected November 6, 1819. Democratic-Republican hold. | √ Freeman Walker (Democratic-Republican) Unopposed [24] |
Kentucky (Class 2) | John Crittenden | Democratic-Republican | 1816 | Incumbent resigned March 3, 1819 to return to private practice. New senator elected December 10, 1819. Democratic-Republican hold. | √ Richard M. Johnson (Democratic-Republican) 68 votes John Adair (Federalist) 53 votes [25] |
Virginia (Class 2) | John Eppes | Democratic-Republican | 1816 | Incumbent resigned December 4, 1819 because of ill health. New senator elected December 10, 1819. Democratic-Republican hold. | √ James Pleasants (Democratic-Republican) 146 votes John Taliaferro 42 votes [26] |
Alabama (Class 2) | New State | New State. New senator elected December 14, 1819. Democratic-Republican gain. | √ William R. King (Democratic-Republican) 56 votes John W. Walker 11 votes Thomas D. Crabb 2 votes [27] | ||
Alabama (Class 3) | New State | New State. New senator elected December 14, 1819. Democratic-Republican gain. | √ John W. Walker (Democratic-Republican) 59 votes Thomas D. Crabb 7 votes George Phillips 2 votes William R. King 1 vote [28] | ||
Maryland (Class 3) | Legislature had failed to elect, see above. New senator elected late December 14, 1819 and qualified December 21, 1819. Democratic-Republican gain. | √ Edward Lloyd (Democratic-Republican) 50 votes William Pinkney (Democratic-Republican) 49 votes Charles Carroll (Federalist) 37 votes Robert Goldsborough (Federalist) 34 votes Charles Goldsborough (Federalist) 4 votes Samuel Smith (Unknown) 1 vote John Graham (Democratic-Republican) 1 vote [29] [30] | |||
Maryland (Class 1) | Alexander Hanson | Federalist | 1816 (Special) | Incumbent died April 23, 1819. New senator elected December 14, 1819 and qualified December 21, 1819. Democratic-Republican gain. | √ William Pinkney (Democratic-Republican) (2nd-place finisher to Edward Lloyd in a combined election in which both Lloyd and Pinkney were elected to the state's two seats, see above) [29] [30] |
The Sixteenth 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 in Washington, D.C. from March 4, 1819, to March 4, 1821, during the third and fourth years of James Monroe's presidency. The apportionment of seats in the House of Representatives was based on the Third Census of the United States in 1810. Both chambers had a Democratic-Republican majority.
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 16th Congress were held in the various states between April 28, 1818 and August 12, 1819, with Alabama electing its first representatives September 20–21, 1819 during James Monroe's first term. The Congress assembled December 6, 1819.
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 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 10th Congress were held at various dates in each state between April 29, 1806 and August 4, 1807 during Thomas Jefferson's second term with the new Congress meeting on October 26, 1807.
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 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.
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 elections of 1794 and 1795 were elections that had the formation of organized political parties in the United States, with the Federalist Party emerging from the Pro Administration coalition, and the Democratic-Republican Party emerging from the Anti-Administration coalition.
The United States Senate elections of 1788 and 1789 were the first elections for the United States Senate, which coincided with the election of President George Washington. As of this election, formal organized political parties had yet to form in the United States, but two political factions were present: The coalition of senators who supported George Washington's administration were known as "Pro-Administration," and the senators against him as "Anti-Administration."
Massachusetts elected its members November 2, 1818. Massachusetts's electoral law required a majority for election, necessitating additional elections in five districts on April 5, 1819 and July 26, 1819.