1798–99 United States Senate elections

none March 2026 January 2025 1798–99 United States Senate elections United States 1795 legislative no 1796–97 United States Senate elections 1796 & 1797 1800–01 United States Senate elections 1800 & 1801 Class 2 1792–93 United States Senate elections 1792 & 1793 1804–05 United States Senate elections 1804 & 1805 11 of the 32 seats in the United States Senate (plus special elections) 17 Dates vary by state 100px Seats up Races won Federalist Party 22 23 5 5 Democratic-Republican Party 10 9 6 6 Majority Party Federalist Party Federalist Party File:1798senatemap.svg #f2bfa6 Federalist hold #bef3be Democratic-Republican hold The 1798–99 United States Senate elections were held on various dates in various states. As these U.S. Senate 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 1798 and 1799, 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 senators in Class 2. They occurred in the middle of the presidency of John Adams, and had no net change in the political control of the Senate. Results summary Senate party division, 6th Congress (1799–1801) Majority party: Federalist (22) Minority party: Democratic-Republican (9) Other parties: 0 Total seats: 31 Change in composition Before the elections After the January 19, 1798, election in Delaware. DR6Ky.Ran DR5Ga.Unknown DR4 DR3 DR2 DR1 DR7N.C.Ran DR8S.C.Ran DR9Tenn.Retired DR10Va.Ran F22R.I.Ran F21N.J.Retired F20N.H.Ran F19Mass.Retired F18Del.Died F17 Majority → F7 F8 F9 F10 F11 F12 F13 F14 F15 F16 F6 F5 F4 F3 F2 F1 Results of the elections DR6Ky.Re-elected DR5Ga.Hold DR4 DR3 DR2 DR1 DR7N.C.Hold DR8S.C.Re-elected DR9Tenn.Hold DR10Va.Re-elected F22N.J.Hold F21Mass.Hold F20Del.Hold F19R.I.Re-elected F18N.H.Re-elected F17 Majority → F7 F8 F9 F10 F11 F12 F13 F14 F15 F16 F6 F5 F4 F3 F2 F1 Beginning of the next Congress DR6 DR5 DR4 DR3 DR2 DR1 DR7Re-elected DR8 DR9 V1Va.Died F22 F21 F20 F19 F18 F17 Majority → F7 F8 F9 F10 F11 F12 F13 F14 F15 F16 F6 F5 F4 F3 F2 F1 Key DR# Democratic-Republican F# Federalist V# Vacant Race summaries Except if/when noted, the number following candidates is the whole number vote(s), not a percentage. Special elections during the 5th Congress In these special elections, the winner was seated before March 4, 1799; ordered by election date. State Incumbent Results Candidates Senator Party First elected New York(Class 1) Philip Schuyler Federalist 1789Incumbent lost in 1791 Senate election, but he was able to run again in 1797 and won. Incumbent resigned January 3, 1798, due to ill health.New senator elected January 11, 1798.Federalist hold.Winner later resigned; see below. Federalist Party John Sloss Hobart (Federalist) 100 UnknownJohn Addison (Unknown) 25 Democratic-Republican PartyJohn Armstrong (Democratic-Republican) 4 Democratic-Republican PartyJohn Taylor (Democratic-Republican) 2 Federalist PartyJames Watson (Federalist) 2 UnknownJames CocliramMay be "James Cocliran" (Unknown) 1 Tufts University Tufts Digital Collations and Archives A New Nation Votes: American Election Returns 1787–1825 February 5, 2018 New York 1798 U.S. Senate, Special https://elections.lib.tufts.edu/catalog/tufts:ny.ussenate.1798 July 19, 2019 https://web.archive.org/web/20190719100927/https://elections.lib.tufts.edu/catalog/tufts:ny.ussenate.1798 dead , citing Connecticut Gazette (New London, CT). January 24, 1798. Delaware(Class 2) John Vining Federalist 1792 Incumbent resigned January 19, 1798.New senator elected January 19, 1798.Federalist hold.Winner died August 11, 1798; see below. Federalist Party Joshua Clayton (Federalist) 14 Democratic-Republican PartyJames Sykes (Democratic-Republican) 10 Tufts University Tufts Digital Collations and Archives A New Nation Votes: American Election Returns 1787–1825 February 5, 2018 Delaware 1798 U.S. Senate, Special https://elections.lib.tufts.edu/catalog/tufts:de.ussenator.special.1798 March 27, 2020 https://web.archive.org/web/20200327103039/https://elections.lib.tufts.edu/catalog/tufts:de.ussenator.special.1798 dead , citing Journal of the Delaware House of Representatives, 1798. 36. New York(Class 1) William North Federalist 1798 (appointed) Interim appointee served until winner qualified.New senator elected August 24, 1798.Federalist hold. Federalist Party James Watson (Federalist) 87 Democratic-Republican PartyJohn Taylor (Democratic-Republican) 57 Tufts University Tufts Digital Collations and Archives A New Nation Votes: American Election Returns 1787–1825 February 5, 2018 New York 1798 U.S. Senate, Special https://elections.lib.tufts.edu/catalog/tufts:ny.ussenate.special.Aug.1798 https://web.archive.org/web/20191014192336/https://elections.lib.tufts.edu/catalog/tufts:ny.ussenate.special.Aug.1798 dead October 14, 2019 , citing Connecticut Gazette (New London, CT). August 29, 1798. South Carolina(Class 2) John Hunter Democratic-Republican 1796 (special) Incumbent resigned November 26, 1798.New senator elected December 6, 1798.Democratic-Republican hold.New senator also elected to next term; see below. Democratic-Republican Party Charles Pinckney (Democratic-Republican) February 2020 Tennessee(Class 1) Daniel Smith Democratic-Republican 1798 (appointed) Interim appointee retired when successor qualified.New senator elected December 12, 1798.Winner qualified upon retirement from other Senate seat on March 3, 1799.Democratic-Republican hold. Democratic-Republican Party Joseph Anderson (Democratic-Republican) 17 Democratic-Republican PartyWilliam Cocke (Democratic-Republican) 28Elected instead to other seat. Democratic-Republican PartyDaniel Smith (Democratic-Republican) 15 Democratic-Republican PartyAndrew Jackson (Democratic-Republican) 1 UnknownJohn Overton (Unknown) 1 Delaware(Class 2) Joshua Clayton Federalist 1798 Died August 11, 1798.New senator elected January 17, 1799.Federalist hold.Winner also elected to next term; see below. Federalist Party William H. Wells (Federalist) 14 Democratic-Republican PartyJames Sykes (Democratic-Republican) 12 Tufts University Tufts Digital Collations and Archives A New Nation Votes: American Election Returns 1787–1825 February 5, 2018 Delaware 1799 U.S. Senate, Special https://elections.lib.tufts.edu/catalog/tufts:de.ussenator.special.1799 March 8, 2020 https://web.archive.org/web/20200308130746/https://elections.lib.tufts.edu/catalog/tufts:de.ussenator.special.1799 dead , citing Journal of the Delaware House of Representatives, 1799. New Jersey(Class 1) Franklin Davenport Federalist 1798 (appointed) Interim appointee served until winner qualified.New senator elected February 21, 1799 on the third ballot.Federalist hold. Federalist Party James Schureman (Federalist) 26 Federalist PartyThomas Henderson (Federalist) 24 UnknownPhilemon Dickinson (Unknown) Eliminated in earlier ballot Federalist PartyJonathan Elmer (Federalist) Eliminated in earlier ballot Tufts University Tufts Digital Collations and Archives A New Nation Votes: American Election Returns 1787–1825 February 5, 2018 New Jersey 1799 U.S. Senate, Ballot 3 https://elections.lib.tufts.edu/catalog/tufts:nj.ussenate.3.1799 October 14, 2019 https://web.archive.org/web/20191014192441/https://elections.lib.tufts.edu/catalog/tufts:nj.ussenate.3.1799 dead , citing The Genius of Liberty (Morristown, NJ). February 21, 1799. Races leading to the 6th Congress In these regular elections, the winner was seated on March 4, 1799; ordered by state. All of the elections involved the Class 2 seats. State Incumbent Results Candidates Senator Party First elected Delaware Joshua Clayton Federalist 1798 Incumbent died August 11, 1798.New senator elected January 17, 1799.Federalist hold.Winner was also elected to finish the current term, see above. Federalist Party William H. Wells (Federalist) 14 Democratic-Republican PartyJames Sykes (Democratic-Republican) Tufts University Tufts Digital Collations and Archives A New Nation Votes: American Election Returns 1787–1825 February 5, 2018 Delaware 1799 U.S. Senate https://elections.lib.tufts.edu/catalog/tufts:de.ussenator.special.1799 March 8, 2020 https://web.archive.org/web/20200308130746/https://elections.lib.tufts.edu/catalog/tufts:de.ussenator.special.1799 dead , citing Journal of the Delaware House of Representatives, 1799. Georgia Josiah Tattnall Democratic-Republican 1796 Incumbent retired or lost re-election.New senator elected January 18, 1799.Democratic-Republican hold. Democratic-Republican Party Abraham Baldwin (Democratic-Republican) 42 Federalist PartyThomas P. Carnes (Federalist) 37 Tufts University Tufts Digital Collations and Archives A New Nation Votes: American Election Returns 1787–1825 February 5, 2018 Georgia 1799 U.S. Senate https://elections.lib.tufts.edu/catalog/tufts:ga.ussenate.1799 October 14, 2019 https://web.archive.org/web/20191014192336/https://elections.lib.tufts.edu/catalog/tufts:ga.ussenate.1799 dead , citing The True American and Commercial Advertiser (Philadelphia, PA). February 5, 1799. Kentucky John Brown Democratic-Republican 1792 Incumbent re-elected November 30, 1798. Democratic-Republican Party John Brown (Democratic-Republican) 36 UnknownBenjamin Logan (Unknown) 22 Democratic-Republican PartyStephen Ormsby (Democratic-Republican) 7 Tufts University Tufts Digital Collations and Archives A New Nation Votes: American Election Returns 1787–1825 February 5, 2018 Kentucky 1798 U.S. Senate https://elections.lib.tufts.edu/catalog/tufts:ky.ussenate.1798 October 14, 2019 https://web.archive.org/web/20191014192419/https://elections.lib.tufts.edu/catalog/tufts:ky.ussenate.1798 dead , citing The Palladium: A Literary and Political Weekly Repository (Frankfort, KY). December 4, 1798. Massachusetts Theodore Sedgwick Federalist 1796 Incumbent retired to run for the U.S. House of Representatives.New senator elected June 14, 1798.Federalist hold. Federalist Party Samuel Dexter (Federalist) 102 Others 54 Tufts University Tufts Digital Collations and Archives A New Nation Votes: American Election Returns 1787–1825 February 5, 2018 Massachusetts 1798 U.S. Senate https://elections.lib.tufts.edu/catalog/tufts:ma.ussenate.1798 August 22, 2019 https://web.archive.org/web/20190822140211/https://elections.lib.tufts.edu/catalog/tufts:ma.ussenate.1798 dead , citing Connecticut Gazette (New London, CT). June 20, 1798. New Hampshire Samuel Livermore Federalist 1792 Incumbent re-elected December 21, 1798. Federalist Party Samuel Livermore (Federalist) 8 UnknownNay 4 Tufts University Tufts Digital Collations and Archives A New Nation Votes: American Election Returns 1787–1825 February 5, 2018 New Hampshire 1798 U.S. Senate https://elections.lib.tufts.edu/catalog/tufts:nh.ussenate.1798 June 2026 InternetArchiveBot , citing Journal of the New Hampshire Senate, 1799. 38–45, 50–51. Journal of the New Hampshire House of Representatives, 1799. 42–45. New Jersey Richard Stockton Federalist 1796 Incumbent retired.New senator elected November 1, 1798.Federalist hold. Federalist Party Jonathan Dayton (Federalist) 26 Federalist PartyJonathan Elmer (Federalist) 22 Tufts University Tufts Digital Collations and Archives A New Nation Votes: American Election Returns 1787–1825 February 5, 2018 New Jersey 1798 U.S. Senate https://elections.lib.tufts.edu/catalog/tufts:nj.ussenate.1798 October 14, 2019 https://web.archive.org/web/20191014192338/https://elections.lib.tufts.edu/catalog/tufts:nj.ussenate.1798 dead , citing The Centinel of Freedom (Newark, NJ). November 6, 1798. The Genius of Liberty (Morristown, NJ). November 8, 1798. North Carolina Alexander Martin Democratic-Republican 1792 Incumbent lost re-election.New senator elected December 12, 1798, on the ninth ballot.http://www.ourcampaigns.com/RaceDetail.html?RaceID=273400 Our Campaigns - NC US Senate Race - Dec 12, 1798 www.ourcampaigns.comDemocratic-Republican hold. Democratic-Republican Party Jesse Franklin (Democratic-Republican) 89 Federalist PartyBenjamin Smith (Federalist) 78 Democratic-Republican PartyAlexander Martin (Democratic-Republican) Eliminated in earlier ballot UnknownBlake Baker Jr. (Unknown) Eliminated in earlier ballot Tufts University Tufts Digital Collations and Archives A New Nation Votes: American Election Returns 1787–1825 February 5, 2018 North Carolina 1798 U.S. Senate, Ballot 9 https://elections.lib.tufts.edu/catalog/tufts:nc.ussenator.9.1798 October 14, 2019 https://web.archive.org/web/20191014192450/https://elections.lib.tufts.edu/catalog/tufts:nc.ussenator.9.1798 dead , citing Legislative Papers for 1798. Box 157. State Archives of North Carolina, Raleigh. Rhode Island Ray Greene Federalist 1797 (special) Incumbent re-elected November 1, 1798. Federalist Party Ray Greene (Federalist) Unanimous Tufts University Tufts Digital Collations and Archives A New Nation Votes: American Election Returns 1787–1825 February 5, 2018 Rhode Island 1798 U.S. Senate https://elections.lib.tufts.edu/catalog/tufts:ri.ussenator.1798 October 14, 2019 https://web.archive.org/web/20191014192336/https://elections.lib.tufts.edu/catalog/tufts:ri.ussenator.1798 dead , citing The Newport Mercury (Newport, RI). November 6, 1798. South Carolina Charles Pinckney Democratic-Republican 1798 Incumbent re-elected December 6, 1798. Democratic-Republican Party Charles Pinckney (Democratic-Republican) February 2020 Tennessee Joseph Anderson Democratic-Republican 1797 (special) Incumbent retired when elected to the Class 1 seat (see above).New senator elected December 12, 1798.Democratic-Republican hold. Democratic-Republican Party William Cocke (Democratic-Republican) 28 Democratic-Republican PartyJoseph Anderson (Democratic-Republican) 17 Democratic-Republican PartyDaniel Smith (Democratic-Republican) 15 Democratic-Republican PartyAndrew Jackson (Democratic-Republican) 1 UnknownJohn Overton (Unknown) 1 Tufts University Tufts Digital Collations and Archives A New Nation Votes: American Election Returns 1787–1825 January 31, 2018 Tennessee 1798 U.S. Senate https://elections.lib.tufts.edu/catalog/tufts:tn.ussenate.2.1798 July 20, 2019 https://web.archive.org/web/20190720112857/https://elections.lib.tufts.edu/catalog/tufts:tn.ussenate.2.1798 dead , citing White, Robert Hiram. Messages of the Governors of Tennessee, 1796–1821. Vol. 1. Nashville: The Tennessee Historical Commission, 1952. Virginia Henry Tazewell Democratic-Republican 1794 (special) Incumbent re-elected in 1798.Incumbent died January 24, 1799, before the term began. Democratic-Republican Party Henry Tazewell (Democratic-Republican) 117 Democratic-Republican PartyJames Madison (Democratic-Republican) 28 Federalist PartyJohn Marshall (Federalist) 13 Federalist PartyJames Breckenridge (Federalist) 10 Others 9 Tufts University Tufts Digital Collations and Archives A New Nation Votes: American Election Returns 1787–1825 February 5, 2018 Virginia 1798 U.S. Senate https://elections.lib.tufts.edu/catalog/tufts:va.ussenate.1798 August 20, 2019 https://web.archive.org/web/20190820031933/https://elections.lib.tufts.edu/catalog/tufts:va.ussenate.1798 dead , citing Samuel Shield to Henry Tazewell. December 13, 1798. Special elections during the 6th Congress In this special election, the winner was seated after March 4, 1799, the beginning of the next Congress. State Incumbent Results Candidates Senator Party First elected Virginia(Class 2) Vacant Incumbent Henry Tazewell (DR) was re-elected in 1798 but died January 24, 1799, before the term began.New senator elected December 5, 1799 on the second ballot.Democratic-Republican gain. Democratic-Republican Party Wilson C. Nicholas (Democratic-Republican) 111 Democratic-Republican PartyJohn Page (Democratic-Republican) 49 UnknownLudwell Lee (Unknown) 1 UnknownGeorge K. Taylor (Unknown) 1 Federalist PartyJames Wood (Federalist) 1 Tufts University Tufts Digital Collations and Archives A New Nation Votes: American Election Returns 1787–1825 February 5, 2018 Virginia 1799 U.S. Senate, Special, Ballot 2 https://elections.lib.tufts.edu/catalog/6t053g40x, citing The Aurora. General Advertiser (Philadelphia, PA). December 13, 1799. Raleigh Register, and North-Carolina Weekly Advertiser (Raleigh, NC). December 17, 1799. See also 1798 United States elections 1798–99 United States House of Representatives elections 5th United States Congress 6th United States Congress Notes References Party Division in the Senate, 1789-Present, via Senate.gov 30em Category:Jonathan Dayton