1860 and 1861 United States Senate elections
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22 of the 66 seats in the United States Senate (with special elections) 34 seats needed for a majority | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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The 1860 and 1861 United States Senate elections were elections corresponding with Abraham Lincoln's election to the presidency. The nascent Republican Party increased their Senate seats in the regular elections, and after southern Democrats withdrew to join the Confederacy, Republicans gained control of the United States Senate. To establish a quorum with fewer members, a lower total seat number was taken into account.
As this election was prior to ratification of the seventeenth Amendment, Senators were chosen by state legislatures.
Results summary
Senate Party Division, 37th Congress (1861–1863)
- Majority Party: Republican (29), later rose to 30
- Minority Party: Democratic (30), later dropped to 14
- Other Parties: Unionist (1), later rose to 4
- Vacant: (8), later rose to 20
- Total Seats: 68
Change in Senate composition
Before the elections
After the October 2, 1860 special election in Oregon.
D3 | D2 | D1 | |||||||
D4 | D5 | D6 | D7 | D8 | D9 | D10 | D11 | D12 | D13 |
D23 | D22 | D21 | D20 | D19 | D18 | D17 | D16 | D15 | D14 |
D24 | D25 Ran |
D26 Ran |
D27 Ran |
D28 Unknown |
D29 Unknown |
D30 Retired |
D31 Retired |
D32 Retired |
D33 Retired |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Majority → | D34 Resigned | ||||||||
R24 Ran |
R25 Unknown |
R26 Retired |
KN1 | KN2 Ran |
D38 Withdrew |
D37 Withdrew |
D36 Withdrew |
D35 Withdrew | |
R23 Ran |
R22 Ran |
R21 Ran |
R20 Ran |
R19 | R18 | R17 | R16 | R15 | R14 |
R4 | R5 | R6 | R7 | R8 | R9 | R10 | R11 | R12 | R13 |
R3 | R2 | R1 |
As a result of the elections
V3 D Loss |
V2 D Loss |
V1 D Loss |
|||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
D1 | D2 | D3 | D4 | D5 | D6 | D7 | D8 | D9 | D10 |
D20 | D19 | D18 | D17 | D16 | D15 | D14 | D13 | D12 | D11 |
D21 | D23 | D22 | D24 | D25 Re-elected |
D26 Re-elected |
D27 Hold |
D28 Hold |
D29 Hold |
D30 Gain |
Plurality ↑ | KN1 | ||||||||
R21 Re-elected |
R22 Re-elected |
R23 Re-elected |
R24 Re-elected |
R25 Hold |
R26 Hold |
R27 Gain |
R28 Gain |
R29 Gain | |
R20 Re-elected |
R19 | R18 | R17 | R16 | R15 | R14 | R13 | R12 | R11 |
R1 | R2 | R3 | R4 | R5 | R6 | R7 | R8 | R9 | R10 |
V4 D Loss |
V5 D Loss |
V6 D Loss |
Beginning of the next Congress
V4 D Loss |
V3 D Loss |
V2 D Loss |
V1 D Loss |
||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
V5 D Loss |
V6 D Loss |
V7 D Loss |
V8 D Loss |
D1 | D2 | D3 | D4 | D5 | D6 |
D16 | D15 | D14 | D13 | D12 | D11 | D10 | D9 | D8 | D7 |
D17 | D18 | D19 | D20 | D21 | D22 | U1 Changed |
R29 Hold |
R28 | R27 |
Majority → | R26 | ||||||||
R17 | R18 | R19 | R20 | R21 | R22 | R23 | R24 | R25 | |
R16 | R15 | R14 | R13 | R12 | R11 | R10 | R9 | R8 | R7 |
V12 | V11 | V10 | V9 | R1 | R2 | R3 | R4 | R5 | R6 |
V13 | V14 | V15 New state |
V16 New state |
End of 1861
V4 | V3 | V2 | V1 | ||||||
V5 | V6 | V7 | V8 | V9 D Loss |
V10 D Loss |
D1 | D2 | D3 | D4 |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
D14 Gain |
D13 Gain |
D12 | D11 | D10 | D9 | D8 | D7 | D6 | D5 |
U4 Gain |
U3 Gain |
U2 Gain |
U1 | R30 Gain |
R29 Hold |
R28 Hold |
R27 Hold |
R26 | R25 |
Majority → | R24 | ||||||||
R15 | R16 | R17 | R18 | R19 | R20 | R21 | R22 | R23 | |
R14 | R13 | R12 | R11 | R10 | R9 | R8 | R7 | R6 | R5 |
V16 | V15 | V14 | V13 | V12 R Loss |
V11 R Loss |
R1 Gain |
R2 Gain |
R3 | R4 |
V17 | V18 D Loss |
V19 D Loss |
V20 D Loss |
Key: |
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Race summaries
Special elections during the 36th Congress
In these special elections, the winners were seated during 1860 or in 1861 before March 4; ordered by election date.
State | Incumbent | Results | Candidates | ||
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Senator | Party | Electoral history | |||
California (Class 1) |
Henry P. Haun | Democratic | 1859 (Appointed) | Interim appointee lost election to finish the term. Winner elected March 5, 1860. Democratic hold. |
|
Oregon (Class 2) |
Vacant | Legislature had failed to elect in 1858/1859. Winner elected October 2, 1860. Republican gain. |
▌![]() [data unknown/missing] | ||
Maine (Class 1) |
Hannibal Hamlin | Republican | 1848 (Special) 1851 1857 (Resigned) 1857 |
Incumbent resigned to become U.S. Vice President. Winner elected January 17, 1861. Republican hold. |
▌![]() [data unknown/missing] |
Races leading to the 37th Congress
In these regular elections, the winners were elected for the term beginning March 4, 1861; ordered by state.
All of the elections involved the Class 3 seats.
State | Incumbent | Results | Candidates | ||
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Senator | Party | Electoral history | |||
Alabama | Benjamin Fitzpatrick | Democratic | 1848 (Appointed) 1849 (Retired) 1853 (Appointed) 1853 (Special) 1855 |
Incumbent withdrew January 21, 1861. No replacement was elected. Democratic loss. Seat would remain vacant until 1868. |
None. |
Arkansas | Robert W. Johnson | Democratic | 1853 (Appointed) 1854 (Special) |
Incumbent retired. Successor elected in 1860 or 1861. Democratic hold. |
▌![]() [data unknown/missing] |
California | William M. Gwin | Democratic | 1850 1855 (Failure to elect) 1857 (Special) |
Unknown if incumbent retired or lost re-election. Winner elected in 1860. Democratic hold. |
▌![]() |
Connecticut | Lafayette S. Foster | Republican | 1854 | Incumbent re-elected in 1860. | ▌![]() [data unknown/missing] |
Florida | David Levy Yulee | Democratic | 1855 | Incumbent withdrew January 21, 1861. No replacement was elected. Democratic loss. Seat would remain vacant until 1868. |
None. |
Georgia | Alfred Iverson, Sr. | Democratic | 1854 or 1855 | Incumbent withdrew January 28, 1861. No replacement was elected. Democratic loss. Seat would remain vacant until 1871. |
None. |
Illinois | Lyman Trumbull | Republican | 1855 | Incumbent re-elected, January 9, 1861. |
|
Iowa | James Harlan | Republican | 1855 1857 (Election invalidated) 1857 (Special) |
Incumbent re-elected in 1860. | ▌![]() [data unknown/missing] |
Indiana | Graham N. Fitch | Democratic | 1857 (Special) | Incumbent retired. Winner elected in 1860. Republican gain. |
▌![]() [data unknown/missing] |
Kansas | Vacant | Kansas had become a state January 29, 1861, but did not elect its senators until the next Congress, see below. | None. | ||
Kentucky | John J. Crittenden | Know Nothing | 1816 1819 (Resigned) 1835 1841 (Retired) 1842 (Appointed) 1842 or 1843 (Special) 1843 1848 (Resigned) 1854 |
Incumbent retired. Winner elected December 12, 1859, far in advance of the term. Democratic gain. Winner was subsequently expelled, see below. |
▌![]() [data unknown/missing] |
Louisiana | John Slidell | Democratic | 1853 (Special) 1854 or 1855 |
Incumbent resigned February 4, 1861. No replacement was elected. Democratic loss. Seat would remain vacant until 1868. |
None. |
Maryland | James Pearce | Democratic | 1843 1849 1855 |
Incumbent re-elected in 1861. | ▌![]() [data unknown/missing] |
Missouri | James S. Green | Democratic | 1857 | Unknown if incumbent retired or lost re-election. Legislature failed to elect. Democratic loss. Seat would remain vacant until March 17, 1861, see below. |
[data unknown/missing] |
New Hampshire | Daniel Clark | Republican | 1857 | Incumbent re-elected in 1861. | ▌![]() [data unknown/missing] |
New York | William H. Seward | Republican | 1849 1855 |
Incumbent retired, expecting appointment to the Lincoln Administration. Winner elected February 5, 1861. Republican hold. |
|
North Carolina | Thomas Clingman | Democratic | 1858 (Appointed) 1858 (Special) |
Incumbent re-elected in 1861. | ▌![]() [data unknown/missing] |
Ohio | George E. Pugh | Democratic | 1854 | Incumbent lost re-election. Winner elected in 1860. Republican gain. |
|
Oregon | Joseph Lane | Democratic | 1859 | Incumbent retired. Winner elected in 1860 or 1861. Democratic hold. |
▌![]() [data unknown/missing] |
Pennsylvania | William Bigler | Democratic | 1856 | Incumbent retired. Winner elected January 8, 1861. Republican gain. |
|
South Carolina | James Henry Hammond | Democratic | 1857 | Incumbent withdrew November 11, 1860. No replacement was elected. Democratic loss. Seat would remain vacant until 1868. |
None. |
Vermont | Jacob Collamer | Republican | 1855 | Incumbent re-elected in 1861. | ▌![]() [data unknown/missing] |
Wisconsin | Charles Durkee | Republican | 1854 | Unknown if incumbent retired or lost re-election. Winner elected in 1861. Republican hold. |
▌![]() [data unknown/missing] |
Elections during the 37th Congress
In these elections, the winners were elected in 1861 after March 4.
State | Incumbent | Results | Candidates | ||
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Senator | Party | Electoral history | |||
Pennsylvania (Class 1) |
Vacant | Incumbent had resigned in the previous Congress. Winner was elected March 14, 1861. Republican gain. |
| ||
Missouri (Class 3) |
Vacant | Legislature had failed to elect. Winner was elected March 17, 1861. Democratic gain. |
▌![]() [data unknown/missing] | ||
Ohio (Class 3) |
Salmon P. Chase | Republican | 1849 1855 (Retired) 1860 |
Incumbent resigned December 4, 1860 to become U.S. Secretary of the Treasury. Winner was elected March 21, 1861. Republican hold. |
▌![]() [data unknown/missing] |
Kansas (Class 2) |
New state | Kansas became a state January 29, 1861. Winner was elected late April 4, 1861. Republican gain. |
▌![]() [data unknown/missing] | ||
Kansas (Class 3) |
Kansas became a state January 29, 1861. Winner was elected late April 4, 1861. Republican gain. |
▌![]() [data unknown/missing] | |||
Virginia (Class 1) |
James M. Mason | Democratic | 1847 (Special) 1850 1856 |
Incumbent expelled July 11, 1861 for supporting the Confederacy. Winner was elected July 13, 1861. Unionist gain. |
▌![]() [data unknown/missing] |
Virginia (Class 2) |
Robert M. T. Hunter | Democratic | 1846 1852 1858 |
Incumbent expelled July 11, 1861 for supporting the Confederacy. Winner was elected July 13, 1861. Unionist gain. |
▌![]() [data unknown/missing] |
Kentucky (Class 3) |
John C. Breckinridge | Democratic | 1859 | Incumbent expelled December 4, 1861 for supporting the Confederacy. Winner was elected December 10, 1861. Unionist gain. |
▌![]() [data unknown/missing] |
New York
The New York election was held February 5, 1861.
Whig William H. Seward had been re-elected in February 1855 to this seat, had become a Republican upon the foundation of that party in September 1855, and his term would expire on March 3, 1861. Seward did not seek re-election, instead being certain to be appointed to an office in the incoming Lincoln administration (Lincoln subsequently appointed Seward Secretary of State).
At the State election in November 1859, 23 Republicans and 9 Democrats were elected for a two-year term (1860-1861) in the State Senate. At the State election in November 1860, 93 Republicans and 35 Democrats were elected to the Assembly for the session of 1861. The 84th New York State Legislature met from January 1 to April 16, 1861, at Albany, New York.
Ira Harris was the candidate of the Republican Party. Harris had been a Whig assemblyman in 1845 and 1846, and a justice of the New York Supreme Court from 1847 to 1859.
Ex-Governor Horatio Seymour (in office 1853-1854) was the candidate of the Democratic Party.
Both in the Assembly and the Senate a strict party vote confirmed the caucus selections.
In the Assembly 119 votes were given: Republicans Smith Anthony (Cayuga Co.), Martin Finch (Essex Co.), Henry A. Prendergast (Chautauqua Co.), Victor M. Rice (Erie Co.) and Perez H. Field (Ontario Co.), along with Democrats Luke F. Cozans (NYC), Benjamin H. Long (Erie Co.), N. Holmes Odell (Westchester Co.) and Christian B. Woodruff (NYC) did not vote.
In the State Senate, 31 votes were given as William H. Ferry (Rep., 19th D.) was absent.
Ira Harris was the choice of both the Assembly and the Senate, and was declared elected.
House | Republican | Democratic | ||
---|---|---|---|---|
State Senate (31 members voting) | Ira Harris | 22 | Horatio Seymour | 9 |
State Assembly (119 members voting) | Ira Harris | 88 | Horatio Seymour | 31 |
Pennsylvania
There were two elections in Pennsylvania.
Pennsylvania (Regular)
The regular election in Pennsylvania was held January 8, 1861. Edgar Cowan was elected by the Pennsylvania General Assembly to the United States Senate.[2]
Incumbent Democrat William Bigler, who was elected in 1856, was not a candidate for re-election to another term. The Pennsylvania General Assembly, consisting of the House of Representatives and the Senate, convened on January 8, 1861, to elect a new Senator to fill the term beginning on March 4, 1861. The results of the vote of both houses combined are as follows:
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
---|---|---|---|---|
Republican | Edgar Cowan | 98 | 73.68 | |
Democratic | Henry Foster | 35 | 26.32% | |
Total votes | 133 | 100% |
Pennsylvania (Special)
A special election was held in Pennsylvania on March 14, 1861. David Wilmot was elected by the Pennsylvania General Assembly to the United States Senate.[3]
Republican Simon Cameron had been elected to the United States Senate by the General Assembly, consisting of the House of Representatives and the Senate, in January 1857. After Senator Cameron resigned his seat on March 4, 1861, to become United States Secretary of War in Abraham Lincoln's administration,[4] the Pennsylvania General Assembly convened on March 14, 1861, to elect a new Senator to fill the vacancy.
The results of the vote of both houses combined are as follows:
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
---|---|---|---|---|
Republican | David Wilmot | 96 | 72.18 | |
Democratic | William H. Welsh | 34 | 25.56% | |
Republican | Winthrop W. Ketcham | 1 | 0.75% | |
Democratic | William Wilkins | 1 | 0.75% | |
N/A | Not voting | 1 | 0.75% | |
Total votes | 133 | 100% |
See also
Notes
References
- ^ Journal of the House of Representatives of the General Assembly of the State of Illinois, 1861. Springfield, IL: Bailache & Baker, Printers. 1861.
- ^ a b "U.S. Senate Election - 8 January 1861" (PDF). Wilkes University. Retrieved December 22, 2013.
- ^ a b "U.S. Senate Election - 14 March 1861" (PDF). Wilkes University. Retrieved December 23, 2012.
- ^ "CAMERON, Simon, (1799 - 1889)". Biographical Directory of the United States Congress. Retrieved December 23, 2012.
- ^ "PA US Senate - Special Election". OurCampaigns. Retrieved December 22, 2012.
- Party Division in the Senate, 1789-Present, via Senate.gov
- The New York Civil List compiled by Franklin Benjamin Hough, Stephen C. Hutchins and Edgar Albert Werner, 1867 (see pg. 568 for U. S. Senators; pg. 442 for State Senators 1861; pg. 492ff for Members of Assembly 1861)
- Result NY state election 1859 in The Tribune Almanac for 1860 compiled by Horace Greeley of the New York Tribune
- Result NY state election 1860 in The Tribune Almanac for 1861 compiled by Horace Greeley of the New York Tribune
- FROM THE STATE CAPITAL.; Election of United States Senator in NYT on February 6, 1861
- Result, NY State Senate: Journal of the Senate (84th Session) (1861; pg. 137)
- Result, NY Assembly: Journal of the Assembly (84th Session) (1861; pg. 247f)
- Pennsylvania Election Statistics: 1682-2006 from the Wilkes University Election Statistics Project.