United States Senate elections, 1820 and 1821

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United States Senate elections, 1820 and 1821
Flag of the United States (1820-1822).svg
  1818/19 Dates vary by state 1822/23  

15 of the 46 seats in the United States Senate (plus special elections)
24 seats needed for a majority

 Majority partyMinority party
 
Party Democratic-Republican Federalist
Last election30 seats9 seats
Seats before339
Seats won111
Seats after394
Seat changeIncrease2.svg 1Decrease2.svg 4
Seats up105

Majority party before election

Democratic-Republican

Elected Majority party

Democratic-Republican

The United States Senate elections of 1820 and 1821 were elections for the United States Senate that, corresponding with James Monroe's landslide re-election, had the Democratic-Republican Party gain seven seats, assuming almost complete control of the Senate.

United States Senate Upper house of the United States Congress

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.

James Monroe 5th president of the United States

James Monroe was an American statesman, lawyer, diplomat, and Founding Father who served as the fifth president of the United States from 1817 to 1825. A member of the Democratic-Republican Party, Monroe was the last president of the Virginia dynasty, and his presidency coincided with the Era of Good Feelings. He is perhaps best known for issuing the Monroe Doctrine, a policy of opposing European colonialism in the Americas. He also served as the governor of Virginia, a member of the United States Senate, the U.S. ambassador to France and Britain, the seventh Secretary of State, and the eighth Secretary of War.

Contents

As these elections were prior to ratification of the seventeenth amendment, Senators were chosen by State legislatures.

Seventeenth Amendment to the United States Constitution Part of the United States Constitution

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.

State legislature (United States) legislature of a U.S. state

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.

Results summary

Senate Party Division, 17th Congress (1821–1823)

Federalist Party first American political party

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.

Change in Senate composition

Before the elections

Composition after the June 13 & 14, 1820 elections in Maine.

DR1DR2DR3
DR13DR12DR11DR10DR9DR8DR7DR6DR5DR4
DR14DR15DR16DR17DR18DR19DR20DR21DR22DR23
Majority →DR24
DR31
Ran
DR30
Ran
DR29
Ran
DR28
Ran
DR27
Ran
V1*V2*DR26DR25
DR32
Ran
DR33
Unknown
DR34
Unknown
DR35
Retired
F9
Retired
F8
Retired
F7
Unknown
F6
Ran
F5
Ran
F4
F1F2F3
Notes:
  • V1 (Mississippi seat): Incumbent Democratic-Republican had resigned May 15, 1820. A Democratic-Republican successor would be elected August 30, 1820 to finish the term and would also be elected to the next term.
  • V2 (Kentucky class 3 seat): Democratic-Republican Senator had resigned May 28, 1820. A Democratic-Republican successor would be elected October 19, 1820.

Beginning of the next Congress

DR1DR2DR3
DR13DR12DR11DR10DR9DR8DR7DR6DR5DR4
DR14DR15DR16DR17DR18DR19DR20DR21DR22DR23
Majority →DR24
DR33
Hold
DR32
Re-elected
DR31
Re-elected
DR30
Re-elected
DR29
Re-elected
DR28
Re-elected
DR27DR26DR25
DR34
Hold
DR35
Hold
DR36
Gain
DR37
Gain
DR38
Gain
DR39*
Gain
V1*V2*V3*F4
Re-elected
F1F2F3
Notes:
  • DR39 (Rhode Island class 2 seat): Federalist Senator died December 25, 1820, after the elections. A Democratic-Republican successor was elected January 9, 1821.
  • V1 (Delaware seat): Incumbent Federalist retired and a replacement wasn't elected until late in 1822.
  • V2 (Pennsylvania seat): Legislature failed to elect and a replacement wasn't elected until late in 1821.
  • V3 (Tennessee seat): Incumbent Democratic-Republican was re-elected, but not until September 1821. That was after the next Congress started, but before the Senate first convened.
Key:
DR# Democratic-Republican
F# Federalist
V#Vacant

Race summaries

Bold states link to specific election articles.

Special elections during the preceding Congress

In these special elections, the winner was elected during 1820 or before March 4, 1821; ordered by election date.

StateIncumbentResultsCandidates
SenatorPartyElectoral
history
New York
Class 3
VacantLegislature had failed to elect in 1818/1819.
Previous incumbent was elected January 8, 1820.
Federalist gain.
Rufus King (Federalist) Unanimous
Massachusetts
Class 1
Prentiss Mellen Federalist 1820 (Special) Incumbent resigned to become Chief Justice of Maine.
Winner elected June 12, 1820.
Winner was also elected to the next term.
Federalist hold.
Elijah H. Mills (Federalist)
[Data unknown/missing.]
Maine
Class 1
New stateWinner elected June 13, 1820.
Winner was also elected to the next term.
Democratic-Republican gain.
John Holmes (Federalist)
[Data unknown/missing.]
Maine
Class 2
New stateWinner elected June 14, 1820.
Democratic-Republican gain.
John Chandler (Federalist)
[Data unknown/missing.]
Mississippi
Class 1
Walter Leake Democratic-
Republican
1817 Incumbent resigned May 15, 1820.
Winner elected August 30, 1820.
Winner was also elected to the next term.
Democratic-Republican hold.
David Holmes (Democratic-Republican)
[Data unknown/missing.]
Kentucky
Class 3
William Logan Democratic-
Republican
1818 or 1819Incumbent resigned May 28, 1820 to run for Governor of Kentucky.
Winner elected October 19, 1820.
Democratic-Republican hold.
Isham Talbot (Democratic-Republican)
[Data unknown/missing.]
Rhode Island
Class 2
James Burrill, Jr. Federalist1816 or 1817Incumbent died December 25, 1820.
Winner elected January 9, 1821.
Democratic-Republican gain.
Nehemiah R. Knight (Democratic-Republican)
[Data unknown/missing.]

Races leading to the next Congress

In these general elections, the winner was seated on March 4, 1821; ordered by state.

All of the elections involved the Class 1 seats.

StateIncumbentResultsCandidates
SenatorPartyElectoral
history
Connecticut Samuel Dana Federalist 1810 (Special)
1814
Unknown if incumbent retired or lost re-election.
New senator elected March 4, 1821.
Democratic-Republican gain.
Elijah Boardman (Democratic-Republican)
[Data unknown/missing.]
Delaware Outerbridge Horsey Federalist 1810 (Special)
1815
Incumbent retired.
Legislature failed to elect.
Federalist loss.
A Democratic-Republican was later elected in 1822.
[Data unknown/missing.]
Indiana James Noble Democratic-
Republican
1816 Incumbent re-elected in 1821.James Noble (Democratic-Republican)
[Data unknown/missing.]
Maine John Holmes Democratic-
Republican
1820 Incumbent re-elected in 1820.John Holmes (Democratic-Republican)
[Data unknown/missing.]
Maryland William Pinkney Democratic-
Republican
1819 (Special) Incumbent re-elected in 1820 or 1821.William Pinkney (Democratic-Republican)
[Data unknown/missing.]
Massachusetts Elijah H. Mills Federalist 1820 (Special) Incumbent re-elected in 1820 or 1821.Elijah H. Mills (Federalist)
[Data unknown/missing.]
Mississippi David Holmes Democratic-
Republican
1820 (Special) Incumbent re-elected in 1820 or 1821.David Holmes (Federalist)
[Data unknown/missing.]
New Jersey James J. Wilson Democratic-
Republican
1814 or 1815Incumbent lost re-election, then resigned January 8, 1821.
New senator elected November 11, 1820. [1]
Democratic-Republican hold.
Samuel L. Southard (Democratic-Republican) 30 [1]
James J. Wilson (Democratic-Republican) 24 [1]
New York Nathan Sanford Democratic-
Republican
1809 Incumbent lost re-election.
New senator elected February 6, 1821.
Democratic-Republican hold.
Martin Van Buren (Democratic-Republican)
Nathan Sanford (Democratic-Republican)
Ohio Benjamin Ruggles Democratic-
Republican
1815 Incumbent retired.
New senator elected in 1821.
Democratic-Republican hold.
Benjamin Ruggles (Democratic-Republican)
[Data unknown/missing.]
Pennsylvania Jonathan Roberts Democratic-
Republican
1814 (Special)
1814
Legislature failed to elect.
Democratic-Republican loss.
New senator would later be elected in 1821.
[Data unknown/missing.]
Rhode Island William Hunter Federalist 1811 (Special)
1814
Unknown if incumbent retired or lost re-election.
New senator elected in 1820 or 1821.
Democratic-Republican gain.
James DeWolf (Federalist)
[Data unknown/missing.]
Tennessee John H. Eaton Democratic-
Republican
1818 (Appointed)
1819 (Special)
Legislature failed to elect
Democratic-Republican loss.
New senator would later be elected September 27, 1821, see below. [2]
[Data unknown/missing.]
Vermont Isaac Tichenor Federalist 1796
1796
1797 (Resigned)
1814 or 1815
Incumbent retired.
New senator elected in 1821.
Democratic-Republican gain.
Horatio Seymour (Democratic-Republican)
[Data unknown/missing.]
Virginia James Barbour Democratic-
Republican
1815 (Special)
1814
Incumbent re-elected in 1821.James Barbour (Democratic-Republican)
[Data unknown/missing.]

Special elections during the next Congress

In this special election, the winner was elected in 1821 after March 4; ordered by election date.

StateIncumbentResultsCandidates
SenatorPartyElectoral
history
Missouri
Class 1
New stateWinner elected August 10, 1821.
Democratic-Republican gain.
Thomas H. Benton (Democratic-Republican)
[Data unknown/missing.]
Missouri
Class 3
New stateWinner elected August 10, 1821.
Democratic-Republican gain.
David Barton (Democratic-Republican)
[Data unknown/missing.]
Tennessee
Class 1
VacantLegislature had failed to elect.
Winner re-elected late September 27, 1821. [2]
Democratic-Republican gain.
John H. Eaton (Democratic-Republican)
[Data unknown/missing.]
Georgia
Class 1
Freeman Walker Democratic-
Republican
1819 (Special) Incumbent resigned August 6, 1821.
Winner elected November 10, 1821.
Democratic-Republican hold.
Nicholas Ware (Democratic-Republican)
[Data unknown/missing.]
Pennsylvania
Class 1
VacantLegislature had failed to elect.
Winner elected December 10, 1821.
Democratic-Republican gain.
William Findlay (Democratic-Republican)
[Data unknown/missing.]

See also

16th United States Congress

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.

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References

  1. 1 2 3 "New Jersey 1820 U.S. Senate". A New Nation Votes. Tufts University Digital Collections and Archives. November 11, 1820. Retrieved June 9, 2015.
  2. 1 2 "EATON, John Henry, (1790 - 1856)". Biographical Directory of the United States Congress . Retrieved June 9, 2015.