1790–91 United States Senate elections

none March 2026 January 2025 1790–91 United States Senate elections United States 1777 legislative no 1788–89 United States Senate elections 1788 & 1789 1792–93 United States Senate elections 1792 & 1793 Class 1 1796–97 United States Senate elections 1796 & 1797 9 of the 26 seats in the United States Senate, plus special elections 14 Dates vary by state Seats up Races won Pro-Administration Party (US) 19 seats 18 17 1 7 8 Anti-Administration Party (US) 7 seats 6 8 2 2 Majority Faction Pro-Administration Party Pro-Administration Party File:Senate1790Elections.svg Results:#bff3bf Pro-Administration hold #92e811 Anti-Administration gain#000000ff Legislature failed to elect The 1790–91 United States Senate elections were held on various dates in various states. These U.S. Senate elections occurred during the first midterm election cycle, which took place in the middle of President George Washington's first term. As these elections were prior to the ratification of the Seventeenth Amendment in 1913, senators were chosen by state legislatures. Senators were elected over a wide range of time throughout 1790 and 1791, and a seat may have been filled months late or remained vacant due to legislative deadlock.https://www.archives.gov/milestone-documents/17th-amendment 17th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution: Direct Election of U.S. Senators (1913) National Archives and Records Administration February 8, 2022 In these elections, terms were up for the nine senators in Class 1. As of these elections, formal organized political parties had yet to form in the United States, but two political factions were present: The coalition of senators who supported President Washington's administration were known as the Pro-Administration Party, and the senators against him as the Anti-Administration Party. Change in Senate composition Note: There were no political parties in this Congress. Members are informally grouped into factions of similar interest, based on an analysis of their voting record. The Historical Atlas of Political Parties in the United States Congress Martis Kenneth C. Before the elections After the June 25, 1790 elections in Rhode Island. A3 A2 A1 A4 A5 A6Penn.Ran A7Va.Ran P19N.J.Unknown P18R.I.Ran P17N.Y.Ran P16Mass.Ran P15Md.Ran P14Del.Ran Majority → P4 P5 P6 P7 P8 P9 P10 P11 P12 P13Conn.Ran P3 P2 P1 Results of the regular elections A3 A2 A1 A4 A5 A6Va.Re-elected A7N.Y.Gain V1Penn.A Loss P18N.J.Hold P17Mass.Hold P16R.I.Re-elected P15Md.Re-elected P14Del.Re-elected Majority → P4 P5 P6 P7 P8 P9 P10 P11 P12 P13Conn.Re-elected P3 P2 P1 Results of the special elections A3 A2 A1 A4 A5Va.Gain A6 A7 A8 V1 P17 P16 P15 P14 Majority → P4 P5 P6 P7 P8 P9 P10 P11 P12N.J.Hold P13 P3 P2 P1 Key: A# Anti-Administration Party (US) P# Pro-Administration Party (US) V# Vacant Race summaries Except if/when noted, the number following candidates is the whole number vote(s), not a percentage. Regular and special elections during the 1st Congress In these elections, the winners were seated before March 4, 1791; ordered by election date. State Incumbent Results Candidates Senator Party First elected Rhode Island(Class 1) New seat Rhode Island ratified the Constitution May 29, 1790.New senator elected June 7, 1790.Pro-Administration gain. Pro-Administration Party (US) Theodore Foster (Pro-Admin.) August 2020 Rhode Island(Class 2) New seat Rhode Island ratified the Constitution May 29, 1790.New senator elected June 7, 1790.Anti-Administration gain. Anti-Administration Party (US) Joseph Stanton Jr. (Anti-Admin.) August 2020 Virginia(special: Class 1) John Walker Pro-Administration 1790 (appointed) Interim appointee retired when successor elected.New senator elected November 9, 1790.Anti-Administration gain. Anti-Administration Party (US) James Monroe (Anti-Admin.) August 2020 New Jersey(special: Class 2) William Paterson Pro-Administration 1788 Incumbent resigned November 13, 1790, to become Governor of New Jersey.New senator elected November 13, 1790.Pro-Administration hold. Pro-Administration Party (US) Philemon Dickinson (Pro-Admin.) August 2020 Races leading to the 2nd Congress In these regular elections, the winners were seated March 4, 1791; ordered by state. All of these elections involved the Class 1 seats. State Incumbent Results Candidates Senator Party First elected Connecticut Oliver Ellsworth Pro-Administration 1788 Incumbent re-elected on an unknown date. Pro-Administration Party (US) Oliver Ellsworth (Pro-Admin.) August 2020 Delaware George Read Pro-Administration 1788 Incumbent re-elected October 23, 1790. Pro-Administration Party (US) George Read (Pro-Admin.) Unanimous Tufts University Tufts Digital Collations and Archives A New Nation Votes: American Election Returns 1787–1825 February 6, 2018 Delaware 1790 U.S. Senate https://elections.lib.tufts.edu/catalog/tufts:de.ussenator.1790 March 14, 2020 https://web.archive.org/web/20200314040933/https://elections.lib.tufts.edu/catalog/tufts:de.ussenator.1790 dead , citing General Advertiser (Philadelphia). October 30, 1790. Maryland Charles Carroll Pro-Administration 1788 Incumbent re-elected in 1791. Pro-Administration Party (US) Charles Carroll (Pro-Admin.) August 2020 Massachusetts Tristram Dalton Pro-Administration 1788 Incumbent lost re-election.New senator elected in 1790 on the third ballot.Pro-Administration hold. First ballot June 22, 1790 https://elections.lib.tufts.edu/catalog/02870x286 A New Nation Votes elections.lib.tufts.edu Unknown Nathaniel Gorham (Unknown) 36.89% (45 votes) Pro-Administration Party (US) George Cabot (Pro-Administration) 28.69% (35 votes) Unknown Charles Jarvis (Unknown) 26.23% (32 votes) Unknown Tristram Dalton (Unknown) 4.92% (6 votes) Pro-Administration Party (US) Nathan Dane (Pro-Administration) 1.64% (2 votes) Unknown Samuel Holten (Unknown) 1.64% (2 votes) Second ballot June 22, 1790 https://elections.lib.tufts.edu/catalog/cn69m457m A New Nation Votes elections.lib.tufts.edu Pro-Administration Party (US) George Cabot (Pro-Administration) 32.88% (48 votes) Unknown Nathaniel Gorham (Unknown) 29.45% (43 votes) Unknown Charles Jarvis (Unknown) 22.60% (33 votes) Unknown Samuel Holten (Unknown) 15.07% (22 votes)Third ballot June 22, 1790 * Pro-Administration Party (US) George Cabot (Pro-Admin.) 59.18% (87 votes) UnknownNathaniel Gorham (Unknown) 24.49% (36 votes) UnknownCharles Jarvis (Unknown) 13.61% (20 votes) UnknownSamuel Holten (Unknown) 2.72% (4 votes) Pro-Administration Party (US)Tristram Dalton (Pro-Admin.) Eliminated Tufts University Tufts Digital Collations and Archives A New Nation Votes: American Election Returns 1787–1825 February 6, 2018 Massachusetts 1790 U.S. Senate, Ballot 3 https://elections.lib.tufts.edu/catalog/tufts:ma.ussenate.ballot3.1790 November 7, 2020 https://web.archive.org/web/20201107070530/https://elections.lib.tufts.edu/catalog/tufts:ma.ussenate.ballot3.1790 dead , citing The Massachusetts Centinel (Boston, MA). June 23, 1790. New Jersey Jonathan Elmer Pro-Administration 1788 Incumbent retired or lost re-election.New senator elected in 1790.Pro-Administration hold. Pro-Administration Party (US) John Rutherfurd (Pro-Admin.) August 2020 New York Philip Schuyler Pro-Administration 1789 Incumbent lost re-election.New senator elected January 19, 1791.Anti-Administration gain. Anti-Administration Party (US) Aaron Burr (Anti-Admin.) 54.24% Assembly (32–27) and 77.78% Senate (14–4) Pro-Administration Party (US)Philip Schuyler (Pro-Admin.) 45.77% Assembly (27–32) Pro-Administration Party (US)Egbert Benson (Pro-Admin.) 40.68% Assembly (24–35) Tufts University Tufts Digital Collations and Archives A New Nation Votes: American Election Returns 1787–1825 February 6, 2018 New York 1791 U.S. Senate https://elections.lib.tufts.edu/catalog/tufts:ny.ussenate.1791 March 6, 2020 https://web.archive.org/web/20200306072051/https://elections.lib.tufts.edu/catalog/tufts:ny.ussenate.1791 dead , citing Journal of the New York Assembly, 1791. 23-24. Journal of the New York State Senate, 1791. 12. The New-York Journal, and Patriotic Register (New York, NY). January 24, 1791. Pennsylvania William Maclay Anti-Administration 1788 Incumbent lost re-election.Legislature failed to elect a successor, leaving the seat vacant.Anti-Administration loss. None. Rhode Island Theodore Foster Pro-Administration 1790 Incumbent re-elected in 1791. Pro-Administration Party (US) Theodore Foster (Pro-Admin.) August 2020 Virginia James Monroe Anti-Administration 1790 (special) Incumbent re-elected in 1791. Anti-Administration Party (US) James Monroe (Anti-Admin.) August 2020 Special and regular elections in 1791 during the 2nd Congress In these elections, the winners were seated after March 4, 1791, the beginning of the next Congress. State Incumbent Results Candidates Senator Party First elected Connecticut(Class 3) William S. Johnson Pro-Administration 1788 Resigned March 4, 1791.New senator elected June 13, 1791.Pro-Administration hold. Pro-Administration Party (US) Roger Sherman (Pro-Admin.) August 2020 Vermont(Class 1) None (new state) Vermont was admitted to the Union March 4, 1791.New senator elected October 17, 1791.Anti-Administration gain. Anti-Administration Party (US) Moses Robinson (Anti-Admin.) August 2020 Vermont(Class 3) None (new state) Vermont was admitted to the Union March 4, 1791.New senator elected October 17, 1791.Anti-Administration gain. Anti-Administration Party (US) Stephen R. Bradley (Anti-Admin.) August 2020 Connecticut List of United States senators from Connecticut All of the senators from Connecticut were Pro-Administration through 1795. Connecticut (regular) Oliver Ellsworth was re-elected in 1791. February 2018 Connecticut (special) William Samuel Johnson resigned March 3, 1791, at the end of the 1st Congress and Roger Sherman was elected June 13, 1791, to finish the term. February 2018 Delaware 1790 United States Senate election in Delaware List of United States senators from Delaware February 2018 Maryland List of United States senators from Maryland November 2022 1790 United States Senate election in Maryland 45 F6D6C9 60.00% Federalist Party Charles Carroll Charlescarrollofcarrollton.jpg 30 F6D6C9 40.00% Federalist Party Uriah Forrest Uriah Forrest.jpg 1793 1793 United States Senate special election in Maryland 1788 1788–89 United States Senate elections#Maryland 80 members of the Maryland General Assembly Legislative November 26, 1790 no presidential Charles Carroll won re-election over Uriah Forrest by a margin of 20.00%, or 15 votes, for the Class 1 seat.https://www.ourcampaigns.com/RaceDetail.html?RaceID=122323 Our Campaigns - MD US Senate Race - Nov 26, 1790 2022-11-04 www.ourcampaigns.com Massachusetts List of United States senators from MassachusettsIncumbent U.S. Senator, Tristam Dalton sought re-election but was eliminated before the third ballot. The third ballot saw the election of George Cabot, who had been a member of the Massachusetts Provincial Congress. Cabot won 87 votes.A New Nation Votes https://elections.lib.tufts.edu/catalog/tufts:ma.ussenate.ballot3.1790 2021-03-10 elections.lib.tufts.edu November 7, 2020 https://web.archive.org/web/20201107070530/https://elections.lib.tufts.edu/catalog/tufts:ma.ussenate.ballot3.1790 dead 1790 United States Senate election in Massachusetts Federalist 1775 Massachusetts 13.6% Independent (politician) Charles Jarvis 24.5% P vip.svg Nathaniel Gorham legislative Nathaniel Gorham.jpg George Cabot 59.2% Federalist Engraving of George Cabot (cropped).jpg June 23, 1790 no Legislative 87 36 20 yes 1788 1796 (special) Tristam Dalton Federalist George Cabot FederalistAugust 2019 New Jersey List of United States senators from New Jersey New Jersey (regular) February 2018 New Jersey (special) February 2018 New York 1791 United States Senate election in New York List of United States senators from New York The election in New York was held January 19, 1791, by the New York State Legislature. Incumbent Philip Schuyler's term would expire March 3, 1791. At the State election in April 1790, nominal Federalist majorities were elected to both houses of the 14th New York State Legislature, but many Federalists were friendly to the Democratic-Republican Governor George Clinton, party lines not being drawn very strictly then. The incumbent Philip Schuyler ran for re-election as the candidate of the Federalist Party. New York State Attorney General Aaron Burr was the candidate of the Democratic-Republican Party, but was at that time a rather moderate politician, opposing the ultras of both parties. Burr was the choice of both the State Senate and the State Assembly, and was declared elected. Schuyler was defeated despite the nominal majority of his party. Many of the Federalists took the opportunity to show their disapproval of both Schuyler's haughtiness and the financial policies of Alexander Hamilton, the U.S. Secretary of the Treasury and Schuyler's son-in-law. Besides, the Livingston faction of the Federalist Party felt betrayed after the election of Rufus King over their candidate James Duane in 1789, and now allied themselves with Clinton and later became Democratic-Republicans. Office House Democratic-Republican candidate Federalist candidate U.S. senator State Senate (23 members) Aaron Burr 12 Philip Schuyler 4 State Assembly (65 members) Aaron Burr Philip Schuyler Obs.: Burr had a majority of 5 votes in the Assembly, but the exact number of votes is unclear. Pennsylvania 1791 United States Senate election in Pennsylvania List of United States senators from Pennsylvania In 1791, the legislature failed to elect due to a disagreement on procedure.Cox Harold E. U.S. Senate Election 1791 http://staffweb.wilkes.edu/harold.cox/sen/PaSen1788.pdf Wilkes University Election Statistics Project The seat would remain vacant until 1793. Rhode Island List of United States senators from Rhode Island February 2018 Vermont List of United States senators from Vermont Stephen R. Bradley and Moses Robinson were elected by the Vermont House of Representatives and Governor and Council in January 1791, anticipating Vermont's admission to the union.Walton Eliakim Persons 1876 Records of the Governor and Council of the State of Vermont IV https://books.google.com/books?id=eP0PAAAAYAAJ&pg=PA5 Montpelier, VT J. and J. M. Poland 4–6 Records of the Governor and Council of the State of Vermont Vermont was admitted as the 14th state on March 4, 1791.Records of the Governor and Council of the State of Vermont The Senate had adjourned on March 3, at the completion of the 1st United States Congress; the 2nd United States Congress held a one-day session on March 4, and was not scheduled to convene again until October 24.De Puy W. H. 1892 American Revisions and Additions to the Encyclopaedia Britannica III https://books.google.com/books?id=jZJMAAAAMAAJ&pg=PA1547 Chicago, IL R. S. Peale Company 1547–1548 As a result of this congressional schedule Bradley and Robinson had not been seated when the Vermont House of Representatives convened in early October, 1791.Records of the Governor and Council of the State of Vermont At this legislative session, some members suggested that the January election of Bradley and Robinson had been premature, since Vermont had not yet been admitted to the union.Records of the Governor and Council of the State of Vermont Bradley and Robinson volunteered to resign the credentials of their January elections; on October 17, the Governor and Council voted again, and selected Bradley and Robinson.Records of the Governor and Council of the State of Vermont The House of Representatives then voted a second time, and also selected Bradley and Robinson.Records of the Governor and Council of the State of Vermont No vote totals were recorded.Records of the Governor and Council of the State of Vermont Bradley was selected for the "short term" (Class 3), which expired on March 3, 1795.Dodge Prentiss Cutler 1912 Encyclopedia of Vermont Biography https://archive.org/details/bub_gb_tt2_3hTQxFMC Burlington, VT Ullery Publishing Company 28-29 Encyclopedia of Vermont Biography Robinson received the "long term" (Class 1), which expired on March 3, 1797.Encyclopedia of Vermont Biography Virginia thumb|125px|Senator James Monroe List of United States senators from Virginia 1790 United States House of Representatives elections in Virginia William Grayson died March 12, 1790, and John Walker was appointed to continue the term. Virginia (special) Future President James Monroe was elected in November 1790 to finish the term. Virginia (regular) Monroe was re-elected in 1791 to the next term, as well. See also 1790 United States elections 1790–91 United States House of Representatives elections 1st United States Congress 2nd United States Congress References External links Party Division in the Senate, 1789-Present, via Senate.gov The New York Civil List compiled in 1858 (see: pg. 114 for State senators 1790–91; page 165f for Members of Assembly 1790–91) History of Political Parties in the State of New-York by Jabez Delano Hammond (pages 50ff) The Life and Times of Aaron Burr by James Parton (1866, pages 177ff)